Windshield Question

[fastdogs2]

OK, my windshield problem is solved. I just installed the 24 inch Cee Baileys that I purchased from Buck. I just got back from a 75 mile test ride. The only large movement of airflow I have is what is coming up through the gap in between the gas tank and the fork braces. The windshield top hits me at a point that is parallel to the level of the juncture of my upper lip/nose. I can duck my head a little behind the windshield and I feel no airflow at all. I varied my speeds, all the way up to what is legal in my state and experienced no buffeting whatsoever. Wind blasts from 18 wheelers and dump trucks coming in the other direction were no more severe than usual.

I have discovered that tall is better, when it comes to measuring these windshields, at least in my limited experience. Thank you, Don C for inventing your wonderful block. You deserve a Nobel prize for that! You didn't have access to a wind tunnel and you figured out that bit of aerodynamics that somehow has escaped the better equipped BMW Motorrad engineers.

Let me respond to some of the criticism in earlier posts. Yes, I did switch from an RT to the R1200R because I wanted more air in the hot/humid summer. That does not mean that I enjoy freezing while riding in colder/winter temperatures. Hence my desire for a windshield for that short period of time. I will take this windshield off in a couple of weeks and reinstall the BMW stock shield for warmer temperatures.

My response to BMW Motorrad's lack of flexibility is this. I am not an engineer, which means that I can't tell you how things work. I am an old experienced sales/marketing guy, which means I CAN tell you what SELLS. You have to differentiate your product from the competition and apply the product's features and benefits to the needs of your customers. If I were running BMW Motorrad, my mantra would be, "We build the motorcycle to fit you, not the other way around." That would mean that the engineers would have to figure out how to build an adjustable windshield. I think they could copy some of the designs that employ a sliding, toothed-ratcheting mechanism on the mount, with knurled adjusting knobs. I would prefer about a 6-8 inch adjustment to allow for differing rider heights and torsos.

As for the seat, the ONLY seat that BMW should put on the bikes as stock is their BMW Comfort Saddle. The seat height adjustment should accommodate riders from about a 29 inch inseam to 35 inch inseam. They ought to be able to do something with shims, steps or blocks to accomplish that 6 inch variance.

I don't think I am being unreasonable in asking for some accommodation, considering the bike cost me in excess of $15,000. Those of you who can afford or are permitted to own multiple motorcycles to fit vaying riding needs/styles are indeed blessed. Unfortunately, I can only have one. That said, I don't think I am unjustified in wanting that one motorcycle to be able to fit me.

Sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes.

Bill

[Don C]

I didn't invent the block, I'm just a copy-cat. Others came up with the idea, I'm not even sure who was the first. My part just looks better than the earlier designs, and that's only because I copy the shape from BMW's part.

[deilenberger]

I didn't invent the block, I'm just a copy-cat. Others came up with the idea, I'm not even sure who was the first. My part just looks better than the earlier designs, and that's only because I copy the shape from BMW's part.

Hmmmmm... well... I suggested it when I tried tilting the first CalSci shield back (the opposite of what Mark Lawrence suggested) and it got MUCH better. I then tried this on other shields from my collection, and ALL of them improved with more angle on them. The BMW mount just holds the shields up too upright.

I'd suggested a block, then sometime later a former member here PM'd me and asked for my address. He'd had the factory touring mount modified by replacing the bottom loop with an extended one (which achieves the same as the block) and he'd sold his R12R and wanted to send me the mount. MANY thanks to him - it's still on my bike and working great.

The best mount I've seen was the one I saw on PhillyBoy's bike last Saturday. This is the Wudo mount: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5176/550 ... f81d9a.jpg They do sell it separately from the shield. It has a very easy to use tilt mechanism on it (requires a screwdriver I believe..) If I was shopping for a mount today, this is what I'd get, even to use with other brand shields (a CeeBailey would fit right on if you drilled your own holes, and I'm sure CB will sell you one undrilled..) I took some closeup pics of it last weekend, and if I get around to getting them off the camera.. I'll post one or two.

I'm just glad Don C became a source for the blocks! Great service for the group IMHO. Nice price for an essential bit of kit.

[geardrve]

After riding for 51 years. I bought a 2010 R1200R last September, with the small sport shield. I found it to look nice and do very little.
Bought the large BMW shield mount and a Cal Sci shield. It looks nice, but honestly I can not feel any improvement. The only thing that has ever worked for me
is a full face skid lid. I do know that many may see this as, a person with little understanding of air dynamics and they may be correct.

[mogu83]

After riding for 51 years. I bought a 2010 R1200R last September, with the small sport shield. I found it to look nice and do very little.
I do know that many may see this as, a person with little understanding of air dynamics and they may be correct.

50 years in August (every year). I would say that after 51 years I see a person that knows what he likes, air dynamics doesn't have much to do with it. All this endless conversation about windshields, switchgear and endless second guessing the people that made the bike,at best entertaining. I know people that spend more time reading about, talking about and dicking with the bike than they do riding the damn thing. I figure just ride it till it breaks, if you can't fix it -get a new one.

[Don C]

I don't worry that we're second guessing the guys who designed the bike. The guy that designed the instrument cluster designed it for the F800. Accountants apparently decided that it should also be used on the R1200R. After that bad decision was made, the designers of the factory windscreens had to make them nearly vertical to avoid occupying the same space as the oddly shaped instrument cluster. So the screens don't work well because of the accountants, not the designers. Of course I wasn't present, so this is only conjecture.

[creamora]

F**king Accountants!

Accountants on 'this forum' excluded of course...

[jkhomes]

I am totally stoked with my extra tall Cal Sci windscreen and Don C. block. Not an RT ride, but it is everything I need on the long twisty roads and interstate getting there. Glad that I called Cal Sci to order because the chart on the website would have given me too short a windshield. The proprietor is familiar with the tilt block. Got the package in three days. Cant quite make the windshield bracket fit in the block like the pictures, but it's structurally sound.

Interesting comment about the instrument cluster. Now that the buffeting is taken care of, I notice that the tachometer is hard to see in the middle of a long, fast curve. I need that information more than mph...

[mogu83]

I notice that the tachometer is hard to see in the middle of a long, fast curve. I need that information more than mph...

They fixed the tach on the new R1200R, BMW will tell you it's an 'Urban' commuter bike and not intended for running the tach up in long fast curves.

[SDMAX]

You really do need to get the whole bar bracket to fit the bracket with Don C block; even if you think the bracket is sound while sort of wedged, it's not; and you'll get movement. You've got a lot of screen up there and you need the support.

You have to bend the two flat arms that come back "UP" quite a ways "UP" and then it will all come together. I suck at stuff like this, but I had a pal help me and it took a few tries. Others report no issues and I can't explain it; mine was like yours.

There are descriptions involving towels and crescent wrenches somewhere on this forum....we just kept bending; a block of wood could help....I can see from our experitments that we didn't do it perfectly and the bottom left of the windshield is nearer to the turn signal on the left side as opposed to the right; also I can see a little extra bend on that side.

Tell you what though----the whole damn bar bracket is where it's supposed to be and the shield--- she is staple as fast as I care to go....

Darn fine solution if you ask me....and there is all kind of related motorcycle stuff on the Cal Sci web site....Mark is a guy who has truly drank the motocycle cool aide.

John H.
XL CAL SCI & Don [bless him] "C" Block

[jkhomes]

Thanks Lifer and Basic User. I will see if I can get the bracket in the bottom U piece better. Got kind of frustrating after a while. I don't mind working on my bike, but I would much rather be out riding it.

[xprof]

Homes, I had the same trouble as you with the Don C block: I couldn't find a "bend" that seated the bracket as well as I wanted in the hook. So what I did is I simply took off the hook, reversed it so it hooks down instead of up, and drilled and tapped holes into the Don C block for 2 new screws to hold the hook on the block in the position that I wanted. With the hook facing down, no backward force will ever dislodge it. No, don't ask for pictures! The point is, you can get as creative as you want, even with limited tools, to achieve what you want. I'm far from a master user, and only had a cheap drill press and a little bench grinder to work with. I'm totally happy with my XL Cal-Sci and Don C block even if I did modify it a bit, so thanks Mark and Don C!

[Cubdriver]

Simply stated, the Cee Bailey is a great windshield but if you follow the instructions on the website on recommended height, you will underestimate by 2-4". to their credit, they will let you exchange once without much hassle. they really ought to have you determine the heights above seat that your eyes fall as you sit, and stop using total height as a guide at all. We are all built differently, thank God. My advice to a Cee Bailey customer would be order a little large, get the shield on the bike, then measure how much to add or subtract to make it ideal, and let them send you the correct height. Happy riding! dingle

[AncientMariner]

I applied the Cee Baily's web site instructions to the letter. I even built a jig for measuring and had my son use a level to make sure I intersected at exactly the right place. My Ferguson Block was installed and it tilts the bracket as much a s possible, leaving a scant 1/16" gap beteeen the bracket and the speedo housing.

The formula prescribed a 23" height. Cee Baily's offers 22 and 24 so I went with the 22. Literally right out of the box, with no further manipulation or adjustment, it worked great. No wind roar, no buffeting just smooth riding up to about 90 mph or so. Even got to ride by a semi on that first ride. No buffeting from the truck. Later I found when it rained, I could duck behind the shield and stay out of the rain. Life was good.

However, I did find that if I was going up a steep incline, or if I slouched a little, the top of the shield cut right in front of my eyes. Somewhat annoying. I tried to always sit up extra straight but could not avoid the inclines.

When fate took my Beautiful Blue Roadster away, I decided to try a 20" Cee Baily's on my new Classic Black Roadster. It works OK, but not as well as the 22". But at least it's out of my line of sight. If It ever needs to be replaced, I will go back to the 22" and possibly consider cutting it down to 21".

Bruce

[SDMAX]

You don't mention it; but, if you had a Don C. block you could go taller and the backward tilt would effectively reduce the height by quite a bit...I have a Cal Sci at their tallest which is probably 24 inches and with the tilt back it's no problem; also I thinkt he NACA style ducts he cuts into the Cal Sci product helps. Sorry about your previous R12...

Have a great week.

[Don C]

We don't have to teach Bruce about the blocks, he designed one before I ever did. Inspired my work even.

[SDMAX]

OOPS I'm so sorry...I am just so grateful for your work and for providing me with the block. Best to the list.