MRA/Wunderlich VarioScreen - modified for use with BMW mount
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:26 am
Started writing this earlier - and lost it..
Sometime recently I'd asked the forum if anyone had any experience with the MRA/Wunderlich VarioShield (MRA makes it - Wunderlich sells it.) I got a response from HandsomeJim that he had one, didn't like it, and he sold it to someone in Texas. That someone was Syd Weaver. Syd wasn't too easy to track down, I just wanted to talk to him, but thanks to another forum member (hi Maureen!) I got his phone number and called. As soon as I called he assumed I wanted to buy the VarioShield and seemed delighted to get rid of it - he made me a price I couldn't refuse. So the deal was done, and on Monday night the VarioShield arrived.
MRA's website: http://www.mra.de/html/gb/gb-products.htm (click on "Varioscreen for Naked Bikes")
My intent with the VarioShield was to get an adjustable shield to replace the three different height CeeBailey shields I've been using on the Roadster. The 3 different heights were for different weather.. and while they are easy and quick to swap, it would be difficult (at best) to carry all three with me on the bike, so I was looking for a way to use an adjustable shield. The VarioShield seemed the only game in town (and I did approach several shield vendors looking to see if any were interested - none bothered responding.)
As delivered - the VarioScreen mounts with two simple arms that go back to bolts on the upper fork assembly. These two arms went to pivot points located low on the fixed portion of the screen. While I didn't try this mount - it appeared to me that it would at best be somewhat flexible since there was a large lever arm due to the low mount position that windforce would work on. The stock mount also came with extensions for the front turnsignals - which apparently originally were mounted closer to the headlight. With the turnsignals on my '07 these were unneeded.
My intent was to see if I could mount the VarioScreen on the BMW "Touring" (AKA TALL) mount that I already owned. I've modified my touring mount for my GPS and a toll-pass-transponder. I didn't want to give these functions up.. It appeared with a bit of luck and work that I might be able to accomplish it.
It ended up being doable. Below is a photo of the bottom fixed portion of the VarioScreen mounted to the BMW mount:
Clearly visible are the two slots the upper portion of the screen mounts to. The slots allow about 4" of total change in height of the screen. Also visible (near the lower mounting points) are the holes for the original mount provided with the screen..
Mounting the lower portion required drilling 4 ~13mm holes and putting grommets in them - the grommets that came with the BMW Touring screen. I also found it necessary to provide more clearance for the rear of the BMW instrument panel, and the pivot point for my GPS mount (mounted to the top of the BMW shield mount).. I managed this by bending the shield outwards in the center after heating it with a heat gun.. and by adding some rubber washers on the mounting studs on the BMW mount (the washers are about 1/8" thick.) The center of the lower shield was now moved out about 1/2" and the two side sections more closely matched the angle of the BMW mount.
Next is a photo of the top and bottom assembled:
And a sideview:
In order to get the upper (moveable) portion to mount correctly and move easily up and down, it was necessary to also heat it, and bend the lower part of the upper shield outwards a small amount (probably 3/8".) This allowed the slider assemblies to line up better with the slots in the lower portion. I did this by trial/error until it fit like I thought it should.
Finally - a rear-view shot:
You can clearly see the slot formed between the two sections..
So - how'd it work?
I only got about a 15 minute test ride last night.. with the shield set for mid-height (about the same as an 18" Cee-Bailey) it was remarkably quiet and turbulence free. While riding I tried moving my hand around, and could feel a stong airflow up through the slot between the two shields. I suspect this laminar flow was moving the turbulence up and over my helmet. I then tried moving the top section up to the uppermost position (about the same as my 20" Cee-Bailey).. while it was better than the Cee-Bailey 20" - it wasn't as quiet as in the mid position. I didn't have time to test it in the lowest position.
For the record, I'm 5'7" with a 27" inseam.. so you can use that as a guide to what might work for you.
This is shield #6 for me - and I hope (and my wife REALLY hopes) is the last one. If it works as well as it seemed to on my short test ride, I'll probably have 3 Cee-Bailey shields for sale soon..
Oh - I did write to MRA suggesting they provide this as a mounting option for the VarioScreen - haven't heard back from them yet..
UPDATE: 03/06/08 - Was 37F and sunny this AM (and it's light after work now..) so I rode to work. Took a few photos in sunlight:
And
They're a bit clearer on what the end result was. I was happy riding in - the turbulence behind this shield is definately less than behind the Cee-Bailey shields and it's much quieter (a big plus for me!) I'll be playing with the height setting to see if I can make it even better, but so far - I'm happy with the results!
Sometime recently I'd asked the forum if anyone had any experience with the MRA/Wunderlich VarioShield (MRA makes it - Wunderlich sells it.) I got a response from HandsomeJim that he had one, didn't like it, and he sold it to someone in Texas. That someone was Syd Weaver. Syd wasn't too easy to track down, I just wanted to talk to him, but thanks to another forum member (hi Maureen!) I got his phone number and called. As soon as I called he assumed I wanted to buy the VarioShield and seemed delighted to get rid of it - he made me a price I couldn't refuse. So the deal was done, and on Monday night the VarioShield arrived.
MRA's website: http://www.mra.de/html/gb/gb-products.htm (click on "Varioscreen for Naked Bikes")
My intent with the VarioShield was to get an adjustable shield to replace the three different height CeeBailey shields I've been using on the Roadster. The 3 different heights were for different weather.. and while they are easy and quick to swap, it would be difficult (at best) to carry all three with me on the bike, so I was looking for a way to use an adjustable shield. The VarioShield seemed the only game in town (and I did approach several shield vendors looking to see if any were interested - none bothered responding.)
As delivered - the VarioScreen mounts with two simple arms that go back to bolts on the upper fork assembly. These two arms went to pivot points located low on the fixed portion of the screen. While I didn't try this mount - it appeared to me that it would at best be somewhat flexible since there was a large lever arm due to the low mount position that windforce would work on. The stock mount also came with extensions for the front turnsignals - which apparently originally were mounted closer to the headlight. With the turnsignals on my '07 these were unneeded.
My intent was to see if I could mount the VarioScreen on the BMW "Touring" (AKA TALL) mount that I already owned. I've modified my touring mount for my GPS and a toll-pass-transponder. I didn't want to give these functions up.. It appeared with a bit of luck and work that I might be able to accomplish it.
It ended up being doable. Below is a photo of the bottom fixed portion of the VarioScreen mounted to the BMW mount:
Clearly visible are the two slots the upper portion of the screen mounts to. The slots allow about 4" of total change in height of the screen. Also visible (near the lower mounting points) are the holes for the original mount provided with the screen..
Mounting the lower portion required drilling 4 ~13mm holes and putting grommets in them - the grommets that came with the BMW Touring screen. I also found it necessary to provide more clearance for the rear of the BMW instrument panel, and the pivot point for my GPS mount (mounted to the top of the BMW shield mount).. I managed this by bending the shield outwards in the center after heating it with a heat gun.. and by adding some rubber washers on the mounting studs on the BMW mount (the washers are about 1/8" thick.) The center of the lower shield was now moved out about 1/2" and the two side sections more closely matched the angle of the BMW mount.
Next is a photo of the top and bottom assembled:
And a sideview:
In order to get the upper (moveable) portion to mount correctly and move easily up and down, it was necessary to also heat it, and bend the lower part of the upper shield outwards a small amount (probably 3/8".) This allowed the slider assemblies to line up better with the slots in the lower portion. I did this by trial/error until it fit like I thought it should.
Finally - a rear-view shot:
You can clearly see the slot formed between the two sections..
So - how'd it work?
I only got about a 15 minute test ride last night.. with the shield set for mid-height (about the same as an 18" Cee-Bailey) it was remarkably quiet and turbulence free. While riding I tried moving my hand around, and could feel a stong airflow up through the slot between the two shields. I suspect this laminar flow was moving the turbulence up and over my helmet. I then tried moving the top section up to the uppermost position (about the same as my 20" Cee-Bailey).. while it was better than the Cee-Bailey 20" - it wasn't as quiet as in the mid position. I didn't have time to test it in the lowest position.
For the record, I'm 5'7" with a 27" inseam.. so you can use that as a guide to what might work for you.
This is shield #6 for me - and I hope (and my wife REALLY hopes) is the last one. If it works as well as it seemed to on my short test ride, I'll probably have 3 Cee-Bailey shields for sale soon..
Oh - I did write to MRA suggesting they provide this as a mounting option for the VarioScreen - haven't heard back from them yet..
UPDATE: 03/06/08 - Was 37F and sunny this AM (and it's light after work now..) so I rode to work. Took a few photos in sunlight:
And
They're a bit clearer on what the end result was. I was happy riding in - the turbulence behind this shield is definately less than behind the Cee-Bailey shields and it's much quieter (a big plus for me!) I'll be playing with the height setting to see if I can make it even better, but so far - I'm happy with the results!
[NJ grows bugs the size of small birds..]