Home
Repair And Restoration
CB500X Cheapo Screen Deflector
Attachment Date - 6 March 2019
By Pocketpete
Following on from the triumph of the new radiator guard my next item to fit arrived in the post this morning. The anticipation of what's in the parcel is killing me. Is it the new horn? Is it the fender extender? No it's my wind deflector.
There are many people who have issues with the standard Honda screen indeed the 2016 screen was bigger than the 2013 models, the new 2019 model is different once more. Basically Honda are too tight to put an adjustable decent screen on the bike. In my case the screen isn't bad, it's fairly quiet but the wind hits my Schuberth helmet around the top of my visor. This causes the visor to snap down at any speed over 44mph. As it rains the turbulence behind the screen drives rain behind my visor causing almost total blindness.
I couldn't help noticing Ren's homemade visor extension. So flea bay or Amazon takes a hit and I find a small Chinese made deflector screen for £14.99 with free postage. Hmmmm, it might be OK. Certainly a good price. Hmmmm, the reviews are mixed. Some say it's rubbish some it's great. Some say it works well others it makes no difference.
A PayPal click later and it's on it's way. China in 5 days - bloody hell that's fast! I am already aware it comes with no instructions. It seems well made. I look at a few pictures online and slowly figure it out. Assembled and fitted in 20 minutes.
Take her out for a spin. Hmmmm not much difference. I stop and tilt it further forward, it's easy to adjust you don't need a spanner. Drop back on the motorway and ahhhh, that's more like it. My visor stays up as I hit 75. A touch more wind noise but the wind is going above my helmet. The rain seems to be flying to the side as well.
I think its going to be OK, it seems pretty decent, pretty well made. Let's see how it goes.
Do you have farlkes to sell? Advertise them here on Bikes And Travels. Contact ren@bikesandtravels.com
Reader's Comments
Bob said :-
I've got that exact same one on two of my KLX250s - I have found them to be very good indeed.
I ride with it low and angled back most of the time, so that it doesn't create turbulence.
On a long motorway run it goes high and steep and then I need earplugs to counter the buffeting.
12/03/2019 09:30:38 UTC
Pocketpete said :-
Yes seems to be lots of these online. Certainly much more effective than i expected. I've adjusted it up down angled it in and out and finally got it just about right.
I've also decided to again following rens bodge to make some spacers to push the screen out a touch as that's also supposed to be effective.
I have some plastic pipe that might do if I can find some longer screws.
12/03/2019 19:30:11 UTC
Bob said :-
I find with most screens that they're actually too steep and too far away. The MK1 Vstrom 650 I had was horrible beyond measure, I ended up running it with the screen removed.
When a screen causes buffeting the temptation is to put it higher and steeper, but I've always found that they can never be high or steep enough. So I've found the best thing is to increase the angle away from vertical (lay the screen down), that way the screen keeps the wind off my body but allows my head to be in "clean" air. Anything else just generates noise and buffeting. You can test this on a buffety bike by standing up a little whilst riding, you'll notice that everything goes quiet as your head moves into the clean air.
That said, to avoid fatigue on a long run I angle the deflector up, to keep the wind pressure off my head too, but then I do need to wear earplugs, which I hate doing but it's a necessary evil.
13/03/2019 07:57:07 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
I think the key is to experiment. Higher, lower, forwards, backwards and so on. We all sit differently, we're all different sizes, and we all are perhaps looking for different things. I prefer calm silence, I HATE the turbulence I find it most distracting. Some like some wind pressure on them as it takes weight off the wrists.
Thing is experimenting could get expensive. Hence my original bodge with bits of plastic and gaffer tape :-)
13/03/2019 08:52:44 UTC
Name
Comment
Add a RELEVANT link (not required)
Upload an image (not required) -
Uploading...
Home
Repair And Restoration