3rd Gen Windshield Tuning

Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I should clarify what has been said above in that the Rifle tuning bracket creates a different, fixed angle for the shield, laid back more towards the rider more, like my 3rd Gen Tuning spacers above. Any variability of the shield is retained by the stock tilting mechanism.

 
Thanks, Fred. Their website makes it clear that they provide a fixed angle and their adapter can only be used with their windscreen. I would like to make adapters that would accept stock windscreens and permit angle tuning like you did with the Gen3 carrier. It just looks like a really involved process. Even the fixed angle adapters that Rifle provides would be tricky to make.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
<p>I had the Rifle on the '07, it spaces the windshield a bit more forward and tilts it back.  Hole pattern of the Rifle windshield is somewhat more outboard, thus fitting a different screen would dictate drilling new holes.  I think the trim piece will cover those since it did on the Rifle.  Not sure if you can buy those tuning blocks separately any more......</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The Rifle was the quietest..... bit of a barn door though.  I ran mine all the time, and had Baker Air Wings to bring in fresh air when you needed it.  Worked well.</p>

 
Last edited by a moderator:
The mount for the windscreen carrier on the Gen2 is quite different. Mine is a 2006. Adding spacers to the Gen3 carrier looks really simple. I couldn't find a simple way to tilt the Gen2 screen and I couldn't find a thread on that topic. I thought you alluded to a tilt project for the Gen1/Gen2 windscreens. Is there a thread describing such a project?
Adding spacers to a 06 or 07 is also super easy. I've had mine tipped back a little since about 2008. Search for Skyway spacers on the forum, but don't expect to buy them from him anymore. They are easy to make, like it did. If you're going to the tech day this weekend, I can show you.

 
Maybe you could document how that works for 2nd Gens if you do a show and tell this weekend?
Here's some posts that, I think, shows where the spacers go (my firewall at work blocks photo sharing, so I can't see if the pic is still there).

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/152050-comparison-of-cee-bailey-and-cal-sci-windscreens/?p=1062765

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/139240-windscreen-spacers/?p=877490

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/146188-a-windshield-odyssey/?p=971029

Starting in 08, the windshield mechanism was changed which eliminated this option so only 06 and 07 owners need apply.

 
This looks great. I'd like to lower the windscreen to a position that is lower than stock. If I could get it to the point where it's almost resting on the fairing, that would be great. Thanks again for the info.

 
I tilted my GenIII shield using fuel line as my spacer. Using longer bolts for the bottom holes and cutting the spacers 3/8 long it worked out great.

Ideally a wedge and tapered washers would be best but this is working for me.

 
Installed my touring screen yesterday, with the same spacers I use on my factory screen which stands it up more vertical, spacers at the top, works well in low position, good clean air bubble and just enough air on top to vent helmet. Tested to 125 mph with a good clean air pocket.

 
Adding spacers to a 06 or 07 is also super easy. I've had mine tipped back a little since about 2008. Search for Skyway spacers on the forum, but don't expect to buy them from him anymore. They are easy to make, like it did. If you're going to the tech day this weekend, I can show you.
Do you still plan to make the postponed tech day, October 22? I'd like to have a look at the modification that you made.

 
Harper wrote:

Adding spacers to a 06 or 07 is also super easy. I've had mine tipped back a little since about 2008. Search for Skyway spacers on the forum, but don't expect to buy them from him anymore. They are easy to make, like it did. If you're going to the tech day this weekend, I can show you.
Do you still plan to make the postponed tech day, October 22? I'd like to have a look at the modification that you made.
I'm planning on being there. See you then.

 
I plan to do Fred's spacer trick this week and test it going the PNW Tech day (if it does not snow in Chinook Pass). Has anyone with a Gen III done this modification and then messed with reducing air flow below the windshield by putting foam below the beak in the front.

 
Never thought about that before. Do you feel that you get too much cold air flow from the ported area above the gauges? I'll have to feel / check the next time I'm out on it.

I guess that I'd expect more of a vacuum and increased turbulence if you blocked that port off, but best way to know for sure is to give it a whirl.

 
The idea came because it will be in the mid 30's when I go over Chinook Pass. (I am wimpy when it comes to cold). I agree it may increase turbulence because that air may be balancing pressure on around the wind shield reducing buffeting. 400 miles on Saturday to experiment.

 
Fred,

Last Saturday did over 400 miles (First half slabbing with the majority of it at 75 mph - the second half was two lane roads from 35 to 60 mph) I did your modification to the shield tilt and started the trip with foam blocking the area below the beak. After about 80 miles I pulled the foam to evaluate if there was a difference. I did the same on the second half of the trip on back roads. By the way I am 5' 9" with a Yamaha turning windshield usually all the way up, wearing a Shoei RF-1200 helmet and ear plugs. My handle bars have no modifications and are set in the back position. My impressions:

Slabbing

  • I noticed a "slight" increase in buffeting between having the foam blocking the air under the beak.
  • Did foam help keep me warmer (temp 37 to 42F) I could not tell a difference. When I tilted the shield, the bottom of the shield moved up and captures more air under it and above the beak.
  • I like the shield tilted back because in the all the way up position I can now look over it and the air flow off of it is up at the top of my helmet.

Back Roads:

  • At the slower speed I did not notice any difference in buffeting with the foam in or out.
  • It was warmer when I headed back hone so temp was not a concern and I did not pay attention to it.
  • I still liked the windshield tilted back. When we slow I lowered it to get air flow to my torso.

Around trucks I get buffeting no matter what I did. One advantage of living in the middle of the desert in Washington, there is less population so I do not deal with a lot of trucks.

 
Nice analysis. And I agree with the dirty air from trucks. There is just no avoiding that. The best we can hope for is to reduce the turbulence that the windshield itself is creating.

So, in the end, it didn't sound like blocking the air port accomplished very much. Is that an accurate summary?

 
Follow-up and additional note on this windshield tuning thread: I had made my initial measurements on the 3rd Gen Yamaha Touring shield in the first post. I came to realize that with the spacers providing an increased angle that the touring shield is just a tad too short for my 6'2" body with a Russell seat and Helibars Riser Bridge, so I had added a home-made laminar lip like piece of lexan =that added a couple of inches of height back. It worked incredibly well, but looked pretty ghetto.

I recently bought a lightly used Cee Bailey 23" (their tallest model) with a light gray tint from Cav47 for nice little discount off of CB's new prices. The 23" shield is the same height as what the Touring and lame lip was.

When I installed it and measured the top of the shield from the steering stem nut (as I did in the first post) it is back to giving me the same height that the touring shield was without the spacers (actually a 1/4" taller!) but obviously at the nicer shield angle that won't generate turbulent air wash off the top. Plus, with the added angle of those spacers the shield lowers to below what the stock setup allowed for a nice cool breeze in the hot summer months. And it looks like it was meant to be there instead of my McGuyver looking lip job.

I think this is going to be an excellent all around touring setup for me. Thanks to Cav47 for helping me get there.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
A timely (if seasoned) thread. I pulled my cee bailey barn door off last weekend, I suppose wishing for summer, and put the touring screen back on. The touring screen normally doesn't get put back on until March at the earliest. But with two days in the 60's this week, it's not feeling too terribly February-like. The Yamaha touring screen makes for plenty of turbulence. There isn't a quiet pocket with any screen once heli's and an aftermarket seat are applied. I do miss the pristine pocket of the RT at any speed. If I could replicate it with my FJR I certainly would.

 
Finally tried the installation as Fred has it. I felt that there is much more clean air with Touring Screen in lowest position, and the raised position works well too. I'm going to leave it like this, spacers on the bottom for YFO and see how I like it, easy to change if I don't.

 
Top