MRA Vario thoughts

[Crosshair]

Hey all,
I have an MRA Vario on my 1150gs.
Coming from a V-Strom and an XT660z, i'm well used to buffeting and associated windshield problems!!
I cured the Strom with a Givi that put the buffeting above my head and gave buckets of still air behind the screen. Downside was it was a bit warm in summer.
With the XT, I just got used to it and whilst the buffeting at 65mph+ was horrendous, I was able to tollerate short dual carriageway / motorway stints by leaning forward and resting my left arm across the gap between bars and tank giving actually, a lovely pocket of buffet-free still air but not overly safe

Initially I was dead impressed with the gs MRA set-up. All the gaps mean no buffeting what so ever on any height or angle setting. I find it too loud to not wear ear plugs though but can happily lift my visor at anything up to 65/70 mph.

However, one thing I find really really annoying about it is that there is NO STILL AIR to be found ANYWHERE!
Leaning forward over the tank seems to make it even worse as theres all kinds of windflow coming up through the fork legs and round the mirrors.

So what if anything is the answer?
I really do like to have a pocket of still air somewhere within the screen range to tuck into on long journies so is there a way of achieving it with an MRA?

My intital thoughts are some kind of deflector between the headlight cowling and the bottom part of the MRA??
Is there anything else available?

Any thoughts or ideas appreciated

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I think, perhaps you're being too critical

It's hard to achieve good coverage and no buffeting and have 'still' air too

 

[Timolgra]

Try a car

 

[Crosshair]

I think, perhaps you're being too critical

It's hard to achieve good coverage and no buffeting and have 'still' air too

As a self confessed "lazy perfectionist" you're probably right

 

[Crosshair]

Try a car

Got one ta! Unfortunately, my V8 Discovery is even more thirsty than the GS

 

[MattW]

Live with it (or get an RT)

I don't think you'll ever get 'still air' on a GS, although 1200 adventures with winglets don't do too bad (but you wouldn't want one of them, would you?...)

 

[Crosshair]

Live with it (or get an RT)

I don't think you'll ever get 'still air' on a GS, although 1200 adventures with winglets don't do too bad (but you wouldn't want one of them, would you?...)

Like I say, most of the time its fine but i've never ridden anything before where there is nowhere to hide! A recent trip from Newbury to Swansea and back on the glorious M4 found me desperate to get off the m/way not for my bum, not for fuel, certainly not for lack of 'legs' but just to get out of the bloody wind-blast

 

[zzr1100d1]

I have got an MRA Vario with tobinators and can cruise with main visor up ( tinted visor down )at over 90 no problem, yes it's noisy but no buffeting.

 

[MattW]

I've got an mra vario on my 1100 and I don't find the wind blast especially bad (and certainly massively improved over the oem screen). It's not 'visor up at 70' quiet (although visor up at any speed is comfortable, just not quiet) but I don't find it to be a limiting factor even on big mile, 8 hour days etc.

My helmet (Shoei hornet) isn't especially quiet and I do wear earplugs for long motorway journeys but with bar risers and the screen set sort of half way(ish) I can happily ride all day. Perhaps I'm more hardcore than I thought

 

[MEDICMAN]

And I thought I was the only one!

You're absolutely right. The screen looks great and yep, you can put the visor up at speed BUT... there's no dead space behind the screen.

Having looked at many of the others I note that the MRA is the only one where the screen doesn't fan out at the bottom and I fear this is the reason. Shame really because of all the ones I've seen the MRA looks the best. I guess this is the price I have to pay for vanity!

 

[Dazzle]

Try a car

I have a large touring screen of unknown origin on my GSA, just took that off as its too cosseting
and I find its in my eyeline and distracting when on the twisty's.

 

[Crosshair]

And I thought I was the only one!

You're absolutely right. The screen looks great and yep, you can put the visor up at speed BUT... there's no dead space behind the screen.

Having looked at many of the others I note that the MRA is the only one where the screen doesn't fan out at the bottom and I fear this is the reason. Shame really because of all the ones I've seen the MRA looks the best. I guess this is the price I have to pay for vanity!

I was begining to think I was mad with all this lots replies

I love the lack of buffeting,
I love the looks,
I even enjoy the fact I can easily ride with my visor up at up to 65mph without it vibrating.
Yet i'm baffled by the lack of still air!

It looks like the headlight assembly should provide a bit of a still-pocket regardless of screen but nope, crazy mad air comes at ya from all directions if you lean on the tank.
Still loving the bike though!

 

[MEDICMAN]

I did wonder about getting some of those wind deflecter thingies that they have on the GSA but personally I think they look a bit naff and I have no idea if they'd work.

Will keep an eye out for a used GSA screen on here at some point in the future but for the time being I'll persevere.

Ride safe.

 

[Jason P]

I think still air is a bit of an impossible dream on the GS. I've got a GSA standard screen with Tobinators - the principle of letting air in to prevent the vacuum that causes buffeting precludes having still air. One of the best bikes I ever had in the wind stakes was a naked Guzzi V11 sport. Windy but 'clean' wind if that makes sense, and the helmet was much quieter as a result. Not what I expected at all, but there you go...

 

[Flanners]

I have the standard BMW Adv screen and find it really comfortable, I think there are so many individual rider factors involved on whether a screen 'works'. After 20 years on sports bikes the GS is positively bliss on the screen front.