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Windscreens Windshields Aftermarket Madstat vs the competition (don't make this mistake - if you want handguards)

mrbios

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Some observations about windscreens from a Madstad owner of 1.5 years & 5K miles:

PROS:
  • Adjustable Up/Down and tilt (without needing tools).
  • Multiple lengths to choose from + you can specify length & color tinting.
  • Morning or night when dew gets on the windshield it can be lowered so you can see over it.
  • If plastic gets damaged OR you want a different length they are made-to-order so never out of stock. Some brands only sell complete kits like my old Givi.

CONS:
  • Appearance - stock windscreen looks best, but I got over it and NO one notices, comments or cares.
  • The frosted M - lights up at night and is distracting - also the corners catch the cover making it harder to put on / take off.
  • Small drop in mpg ~ 3mpg? and top speed 5 mph?
  • When the windscreen is tilted you get a lot more air coming up under it which adds wind noise & cold air at night on the highway.
  • *** Hand grip guards: all the windscreens that look like an hour glass (cut-outs in the middle - like a women's waist - look strange to me but they are prevent the plastic cups / hand guards from hitting the windshield when the handlebars are turned all the way - I didn't know this until I wanted to add hand guards and this is the single biggest CON for me. I have heated grips but hand guards would be nice. MadStad could offer (or I could make) clear plastic that extends out more to deflect wind from my hands.
  • Minor: The little separate clear plastic wind deflectors appear to do nothing - after crashing recently which broke the right one I don't notice any difference.
  • Install: parts should be labeled with stickers (top, left, right, faces out, etc) and like parts could be grouped in bags so the little left/right plastic had the hardware, plastic and nuts/bolts all together.
NEXT:
  • I will be ordering a taller shield from MadStad (Ideally UN-frosted at the bottom) so I can sit up straight on the highway and not slouch to stay behind the windshield.

Primary purpose (for me):
  • I've been riding since 1988. I get tired of wind noise from my helmet after a few miles and always wear earplugs.
  • TIP: I keep a small 8oz? water bottle with sea salt and distilled water and dip the tip of my ear plugs for a much better seal and eliminates reverberation that dry ear plugs can produce
REQUEST:
Has anyone had Madstad and Parabellum or other brand with the tall narrow in the middle style to compare the two? I've only had the Madstad - and on my 2005 Kmyco Grandvista I had the Givi and it was perfect - except for moisture then you need to peak around the sides to see.
 
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Some observations about windscreens from a Madstad owner of 1.5 years & 5K miles:

PROS:
  • Adjustable Up/Down and tilt (without needing tools).
  • Multiple lengths to choose from + you can specify length & color tinting.
  • Morning or night when dew gets on the windshield it can be lowered so you can see over it.
  • If plastic gets damaged OR you want a different length they are made-to-order so never out of stock. Some brands only sell complete kits like my old Givi.

CONS:
  • Appearance - stock windscreen looks best, but I got over it and NO one notices, comments or cares.
  • The frosted M - lights up at night and is distracting - also the corners catch the cover making it harder to put on / take off.
  • Small drop in mpg ~ 3mpg? and top speed 5 mph?
  • When the windscreen is tilted you get a lot more air coming up under it which adds wind noise & cold air at night on the highway.
  • *** Hand grip guards: all the windscreens that look like an hour glass (cut-outs in the middle - like a women's waist - look strange to me but they are prevent the plastic cups / hand guards from hitting the windshield when the handlebars are turned all the way - I didn't know this until I wanted to add hand guards and this is the single biggest CON for me. I have heated grips but hand guards would be nice. MadStad could offer (or I could make) clear plastic that extends out more to deflect wind from my hands.
  • Minor: The little separate clear plastic wind deflectors appear to do nothing - after crashing recently which broke the right one I don't notice any difference.
  • Install: parts should be labeled with stickers (top, left, right, faces out, etc) and like parts could be grouped in bags so the little left/right plastic had the hardware, plastic and nuts/bolts all together.
NEXT:
  • I will be ordering a taller shield from MadStad (Ideally UN-frosted at the bottom) so I can sit up straight on the highway and not slouch to stay behind the windshield.

Primary purpose (for me):
  • I've been riding since 1988. I get tired of wind noise from my helmet after a few miles and always wear earplugs.
  • TIP: I keep a small 8oz? water bottle with sea salt and distilled water and dip the tip of my ear plugs for a much better seal and eliminates reverberation that dry ear plugs can produce
REQUEST:
Has anyone had Madstad and Parabellum or other brand with the tall narrow in the middle style to compare the two? I've only had the Madstad - and on my 2005 Kmyco Grandvista I had the Givi and it was perfect - except for moisture then you need to peak around the sides to see.
Why salt water, sanitary reasons?
 
Have you considered shaving down the lower side portions of your Madstad with a belt sander? Probably only have to take off less than a 1/2" from either side to make clearance enough to turn the bars from lock to lock without the hand guards hitting the screen.

And I'm still trying to wrap my head around looking through the windscreen.
 
It's interesting. I think the Madstad screen's lower deflectors block a huge amount of air. There's a major difference for me in terms of how cold I get, where, with them on vs. off in cool weather. The screen definitely reduces mpg, by about 4 mpg for me (with the lower lateral deflectors on), and I haven't yet found meaningful difference between 'down' and 'up.' Tilt makes some difference in noise, for me, but 'up' vs. 'down' only slightly changes the character of the noise, nothing else.
 
Have you considered shaving down the lower side portions of your Madstad with a belt sander? Probably only have to take off less than a 1/2" from either side to make clearance enough to turn the bars from lock to lock without the hand guards hitting the screen.

And I'm still trying to wrap my head around looking through the windscreen.
You did it! This was suggested to me but I was thinking in terms of using something like a coping saw but the belt sander, which I own, is an excellent idea especially because as you state only a small amount like 1/2 needs to be remove. Thank you for a great solution and method.
 
MadStad screens are designed so you look OVER the top of it not thru the windscreen. If you are looking thru it then the screen is too tall for you.
This makes sense. On my last ride a 2005 Kymco Grandvista 250cc scooter there was only ONE option a super tall shield that I learned to look through scratches and all.

Yesterday, on the highway I put my hand over my helmet and I determined the main wind noise came from the air streaming over the top of the helmet and I noticed when I ducked down that there is an absence of air about 2-3" above the the windshield so it could be just below eye level - an because of the adjustment is ~ 3" on the Madstad it could be fine tuned.

Update: 4/18/2021 I performed the test again and and thinking of a shield that is above eye level so you are looking through the plastic really provides the quietest ride experience.
 
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I've tried different windshields on my NC700X and so far the Madstad seems the best and got even better with an inexpensive addition. It allowed me to run with the Madstad (short version) all the way down while providing a still air pocket at my helmet. On hot days, I can even have my helmet visor UP which was impossible before. This is probably not the exact one I bought but it looks close.


ps. I bought my 2013 model with 750 miles on the odometer and it's now near 35k miles!
 
I love my Madstad windshield. I am 6’2” and got a 24 inch screen. I can look over it on low and thru on high. Also I find that the angle of the screen makes a big difference in air flow. I usually run mine on low most of the time and verticle in winter and tilted in summer. Also I love the little low deflectors. They keep my unlocked frunk cover from jumping up and slapping me in the belly scaring the shit out of me.
 
I love my Madstad windshield. I am 6’2” and got a 24 inch screen. I can look over it on low and thru on high. Also I find that the angle of the screen makes a big difference in air flow. I usually run mine on low most of the time and verticle in winter and tilted in summer. Also I love the little low deflectors. They keep my unlocked frunk cover from jumping up and slapping me in the belly scaring the shit out of me.
I wish I could just get the mount, cause the shields themselves are fugly lol. Palmer (in the UK) makes an adjustable mount I may look into, but I just bought a piece of acrylic I'm going to make my own extension first to go with a 22" shield I have. This is my first bike, but it seems like no matter the shield height I try, this bike was built for turbulence. The best it has felt is with no shield at all, but I'm not built for long highway rides on a naked bike, and could get a much better looking bike if I was.
 
I wish I could just get the mount, cause the shields themselves are fugly lol. Palmer (in the UK) makes an adjustable mount I may look into, but I just bought a piece of acrylic I'm going to make my own extension first to go with a 22" shield I have. This is my first bike, but it seems like no matter the shield height I try, this bike was built for turbulence. The best it has felt is with no shield at all, but I'm not built for long highway rides on a naked bike, and could get a much better looking bike if I was.
You might be able to get the mount. Try calling them. I got a replacement shield so...why not
 
Bought the 19.5" Puig screen. Thin in the waistline, slightly tinted, $80. Then bought the $13 knock-off riser doo-dads off flea-bay. They don't have those big black knobs up front, just stainless allen bolts, (if you insist on the big black knobs...they have replacements at Tru-Value in the "lamp parts" bin). So the whole kabootle mods over stock between 5"- 8". Helps a bunch. For me though, the biggest help for wind noise (and some buffeting) has always been a quality helmet. Surprising how different the noise and buffeting are between my "$149 guest helmet" and my Schuberth E1.
 
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"...This is my first bike, but it seems like no matter the shield height I try, this bike was built for turbulence....The Mayor"

I agree completely. The NC700X is extremely aerodynamically "dirty." :-(
 
"...This is my first bike, but it seems like no matter the shield height I try, this bike was built for turbulence....The Mayor"

I agree completely. The NC700X is extremely aerodynamically "dirty." :-(
It’s a commuter bike at its core so aerodynamics are not really much of an issue at city/suburban traffic speeds. The occasional high speed commuter run is not much of an issue. Only when used as a highway bike does the aerodynamic design really matter much and many of us here choose to use these bikes for longer trips.
 
Any pictures of the various Madstad's to share? I'm 6'3" but from what I can tell the tall screen ruins the lines of the bike.
 
Air only bounces ( turbulence) so far over a screen, if you cant go high enough to get rid of it, you have to go low enough to get rid of it.
 
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Any pictures of the various Madstad's to share? I'm 6'3" but from what I can tell the tall screen ruins the lines of the bike.
I think any tall screen on the NC looks bad, but the decision to make is whether you want to look good or enjoy the ride.
 
The Madstad is not good looking but it’s among the best screen systems by a wide margin if you actually go places on your motorcycle. They work well on many motorcycles by using a slot to create and extend laminar flow off the top edge and top corners of the screen. Mark makes no apologies about the look but he knows his aerodynamics.
 
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