tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65063696374727414332024-02-07T16:00:00.225-08:00Ikarus ENGUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506369637472741433.post-69579267804699863842016-03-22T12:56:00.000-07:002016-03-22T12:56:54.581-07:006. IKARUS PHOTOS <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506369637472741433.post-84372131386491881792016-03-22T12:53:00.000-07:002016-03-22T12:56:43.399-07:007. FINALE? WHAT FINALE?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US">“It Aint Over Till It’s Over Baby”. O</span>Κ Ikarus have been working like a charm for months now... but something is bugging me... The next time I saw it next to the Desierto the bug crawls up toy me again and something doesn't feels right. I mean I know it works better... got better materials... and better aerodynamics... and it is lighter... But there is something that doesn't fit me right... </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">At first I thought that it was the fact that I had to get down from the bike to adjust the upper screen... </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Nop...Maybe the color?... Nop... I scratch my head and look at it and then it hits me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As long as I can the racks on the outside the setup kind of yells it is an amateur's makeshift hack. It needs a more clean look and the racks have to disappear somehow. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have your ever felt that you are getting in troyble as soon the idea passes through the back of your mind? That was the case. Now I "had" to dismantle everything to pieces and spreading everything on the bench again I had to find a way to hide those racks. Which mend only one thing... The lower black fairing -product of many hours labor- had to go under the knife. If I need to go Desierto style I have to make two parallel cuts where the racks are, from where special made brackets would go to the back side of the fairing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Easier said than done. Would the fairing survive the operation? Would all my fingers? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To be continued...</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506369637472741433.post-35582901549354673062016-03-22T12:52:00.000-07:002016-03-22T12:52:50.466-07:005. FINALE!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">And then it was finally springtime at last, so Ikarus could be fully tested. By testing I mean ride the hell out of the bikes with it on them. On this long term test, Ikarus flew with high speed winds on highways and he traveled inside Greece and from Athens to Bulgaria. He kept performing as before and didn't cracked or had any sign of problem from wind, vibration or bumping around off road with the bikes, in forests...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">...in Greece...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">...or around the Balkans...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> ...in Bulgaria...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">...flying with 200 klm/hour...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMKls5HIw_2GWR5IxVQL7ocbkL3KLfLhZ-aIEQexx-pctpOp9ikvSyH1OEiWRlLwt3LGaa4qToXcq4qkxTbaTjzxD1A4Ut5gPs-GrmTJiyIYff-G4VWP9BTNmbuQ3sY3f4wNxwBMrPoTn/s1600/donkey200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMKls5HIw_2GWR5IxVQL7ocbkL3KLfLhZ-aIEQexx-pctpOp9ikvSyH1OEiWRlLwt3LGaa4qToXcq4qkxTbaTjzxD1A4Ut5gPs-GrmTJiyIYff-G4VWP9BTNmbuQ3sY3f4wNxwBMrPoTn/s1600/donkey200.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">...keeping the cockpit vibration free...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmP5Pbj-zU3dORT6-fgch0QWG_lQi-XBakpyVX1XyaEIlnt1PLbZuXHaNwwjSsmJq3Tkq9ZKoRb2sAXViXsxmqhjYOcSbH8cBVJqMiAK3Yf2Uw2n1juShsqwpEwXYnNGM31C4x9QMhFhRm/s1600/donkey+mule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmP5Pbj-zU3dORT6-fgch0QWG_lQi-XBakpyVX1XyaEIlnt1PLbZuXHaNwwjSsmJq3Tkq9ZKoRb2sAXViXsxmqhjYOcSbH8cBVJqMiAK3Yf2Uw2n1juShsqwpEwXYnNGM31C4x9QMhFhRm/s1600/donkey+mule.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">...and killing bugs in and out of the borders.</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506369637472741433.post-18167164177693675782016-03-22T12:46:00.000-07:002016-03-23T11:53:16.724-07:008. "LEARNING TO FLY -LOOK MA' NO RACKS!"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: left;">How do you cut up a thing that took you an incredible amount of work and study to make? Do you start meditating, fasting and do yoga to get a steady hand? Or you just crack open the volume on the manhole's radio, pop up a beer and go to mayhem mode listening to the blues? The blues. Its always the blues... </span><span style="text-align: left;">With my dremel like I started cutting my way throug</span><span style="text-align: left;">h epoxy using as start</span><span style="text-align: left;">ing and ending points for my cuts the holes that the racks were bolting on to the fairing. </span><span style="text-align: left;">Four songs later they were done. And with no fingers gone!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Sanding time was here again and filling and finishing followed, mainly because this kind of laminating composite materials hate humidity getting between the layers and can cause them great damage in the future. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Next up the bracket's set. Since I wasn't able to find anything "readymade" to do what the aluminum racks did, I had to also make them my self. I choose 3mm thick plastic and the cutting and drillin' begun. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Several hours of curving time later I got to this... On the floor around my feet layed the little plastic corpses of all failled attempts. I take a break and while looking at them I realise that ...I need bolts! So off to the hardware store one more... </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDp3FQiMwmWBESF5GDJ7kYYKZ5AICtcMspUOEI0jJArkQFf8GspzJ1uvqDAHU2iJl4qgMOAOBgVdcqLY_Pd_ep81PKzcLrZ9nSeVSItSm4PrufvGNqrpplAZZz0zZJQamhb4ViN3r2c8c2/s1600/IMG_3844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDp3FQiMwmWBESF5GDJ7kYYKZ5AICtcMspUOEI0jJArkQFf8GspzJ1uvqDAHU2iJl4qgMOAOBgVdcqLY_Pd_ep81PKzcLrZ9nSeVSItSm4PrufvGNqrpplAZZz0zZJQamhb4ViN3r2c8c2/s640/IMG_3844.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rushing back to the cave, I start bolting things and soon... yeap it works! Ok after some more cutting and sanding and trimming... but it works! So I dismantle it again... Nop it wasn't a stroke, but I had to paint them all black to also check the looks of my setup. Then I assemble it and take it out to the sun to have a look... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But then I remember something else I always wanted to try, as I have noticed that many fairings of this kind have a window like cut on the lower front to maximize air intake between the two surfaces and additionally reduce buffeting. So a little bit later...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">But before I assemble it -again and for ...I cannot remember how many times... in a row- I thought, "lets get a picture of the complete cast for historic purposes". So I lay them all down and ...click. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Then I bolt it on to the bike and start riding. It works as before, only a little better in higher speeds. The moving mechanism works easily. Then as I look at it from the sides I get an idea. I measure the angles to the point where the support bracket meets the bikes sidepanels. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I think that it could get more steady if I reverse the angles so that I could get wider bends. Back in the shed and on to the bench. Again. So the aluminum tubes run down to the back of the lower bolting points and then turn forward instead of the other way around.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And a last detail: The hand bolts are working ok but are lame to look at. So next day I go thump nuts safari and I find some wonderful thump nuts made from bakelite, with bronze inner threads.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0HacggZKuN0FEJ5YS3MJ_KlNOGzJeKYmlI-ol2IIfzBk9yNjPPIpI9I4Qhfit-1INW7pT_ATTNMtMA8PuBTzzmJcCg5grisZJf1Y5_ruEjGSRo78sZcUukn8EoltAmVf0RnMhOFZUEZ7/s1600/IMG_3900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0HacggZKuN0FEJ5YS3MJ_KlNOGzJeKYmlI-ol2IIfzBk9yNjPPIpI9I4Qhfit-1INW7pT_ATTNMtMA8PuBTzzmJcCg5grisZJf1Y5_ruEjGSRo78sZcUukn8EoltAmVf0RnMhOFZUEZ7/s640/IMG_3900.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The epilogue is another disassemble of the complete structure, a proper spray-paint of the plastic parts and then a assembly with fresh secure nuts. And of course some last photos...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Total maximum height is 47 centimeters at full deployment. Minimum height completely retracted is 35 centimeters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">...and a small trip to Kisavos mountain for a test ride...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">In the meantime another one in the riding crew just got a twin Bmw F 650 GS, test rode the Ikarus and wanted one. So here we go and at his we tried a slightly bigger air duct upfront.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Ikarus family keeps breeding...</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506369637472741433.post-67601837960006369982016-03-22T12:43:00.001-07:002016-03-22T12:52:20.052-07:004. A HIGHER ΙΚΑRUS <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>ΙΚΑRUS: THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And then it was time for some hardcase senario testing. A guy tested my fairing and liked it BUT it was a little bit on the sort side for him. To be exact the owner of the beautiful Lava Orange F 800 GS is 195 centimetres high and he had tried many fairings in the market with no smiles. His Ikarus had to go a liiiiiittle bit higher. So back to the shed I was...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">For starters I build him another kind of plexiglass screen. The main profile fitted the one of the black base but it was almost 10 centimetres higher. I had to work with a bigger plexiglass piece and it was a tough one as it almost didn't fit in my oven and it could easily get burned, touching its walls. But it cooked nicely -no crisp ends- no melted plastics in the oven! Then I build some longer spacers and racks, so that the bigger screen would have better stability and more air passing between it and the base (black) screen. I guessed that otherwise it would have more vibrations as its center of gravity is higher and its heavier, and its bigger surface would have more resistance to the air stream. Of course now the top end is higher but so is the head of the rider, and we agreed it would be safe in any case. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-i9zzN1z6PeVnbs9LNeXceb2GNx90O7kCOs_L8HlhV3rT7bNKczfoz0t2HfqB3kwctCpj-Nkhu3NmID_xj8ickEnyTzhWiVsxz1ltgN2IfXncSHaHdgoU0ILPmXRWh9Ufyfc2Cl3XiYJK/s1600/IMG_3153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-i9zzN1z6PeVnbs9LNeXceb2GNx90O7kCOs_L8HlhV3rT7bNKczfoz0t2HfqB3kwctCpj-Nkhu3NmID_xj8ickEnyTzhWiVsxz1ltgN2IfXncSHaHdgoU0ILPmXRWh9Ufyfc2Cl3XiYJK/s1600/IMG_3153.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I also formed a support bar with different angles so it would surely hold on to the extra stress, but one that could be more easily bolt on and off to the motorcycle. I 've made a support bar for my bike that was rock solid but being bolted to the rear bolts of the instrument and lights bmw plastic subframe, it would be a pain for the guys at bmw service to work -assuming they could find the way to unbolt it if needed- so we went another way. I tried to follow the angles and curves of the Bmw turing screen support bar. It wasn't easy but after some cursing and aluminum throwing away it came up nicely. I also found some heavy duty P clips to bolt it on the base with good quality rubber covers. It is stable but the vibrations -that used to make my gps screen tremble- are gone. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-Lcee7_5QRws8FRRL97GAp1cne3DA6hQj9doK8ecQpQGg1qnQRrPKz66jhF5eNSQTTgQbKqn3qDjp8MJl_vTAH2TDPcx0X1bQL4xWO-pTQJ1qJbRRpEdiK-SaJ3tnk6mHwefat7oWcuD/s1600/IMG_3142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-Lcee7_5QRws8FRRL97GAp1cne3DA6hQj9doK8ecQpQGg1qnQRrPKz66jhF5eNSQTTgQbKqn3qDjp8MJl_vTAH2TDPcx0X1bQL4xWO-pTQJ1qJbRRpEdiK-SaJ3tnk6mHwefat7oWcuD/s1600/IMG_3142.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Lava Orange Princess insisted -as if things were not hard enough already- that it wanted his front total black. So I had to paint the aluminum bars without having the ability to powder coat. So I painted them with a simple small brush and when they dried I coverde them with a layer of epoxy resin. They seem ok, but I don't know if and how long they will stay that way. But we can always repaint them. As everything on the built. Oh and playing with mat black spray paint I got a finish close to the look of our bikes black plastics (beaks end, hand protectors, air intakes etc). </span><br />
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...so it was time for... TESTING-TESTING:</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGrRi_SPc8efgS82Jqv3EgV8h8cMi0Ugo8n57EOuUOhj13Y7bYqyk8Zdyj80JXKJzIcH1AMc0Qhai5AloqQ6hnyfg-GUiaEcFlOEsRQajeMoKpl07GD47y2iOvzVnMCRo6Zr0yQLTvt47/s1600/IMG_3145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGrRi_SPc8efgS82Jqv3EgV8h8cMi0Ugo8n57EOuUOhj13Y7bYqyk8Zdyj80JXKJzIcH1AMc0Qhai5AloqQ6hnyfg-GUiaEcFlOEsRQajeMoKpl07GD47y2iOvzVnMCRo6Zr0yQLTvt47/s640/IMG_3145.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTo1i17ZLDM4w2LOq5j7TCWvDsaiJgwXHjyc4_AjsdR9xWmzeqJto-u_9lThit7E5AkE5xAH-Gia4wCFY0OfLgTeO9DefoHy_yaJZIREA7xaJR1M8hEigyk5gIBS7WNTQJ4VWtxK1TOO3J/s1600/IMG_3151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTo1i17ZLDM4w2LOq5j7TCWvDsaiJgwXHjyc4_AjsdR9xWmzeqJto-u_9lThit7E5AkE5xAH-Gia4wCFY0OfLgTeO9DefoHy_yaJZIREA7xaJR1M8hEigyk5gIBS7WNTQJ4VWtxK1TOO3J/s400/IMG_3151.JPG" width="400" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">Take 4 (and last?)</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Motorcycle: BMW F 800 GS </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rider's height: 1,95 cm </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Helmet: HJC HQ1-LORDSHIP CARBON</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Wind: Moderate (4 on the Bofors scale </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Screen's max height: 50+ cm</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Test field: Athens to Lamia National Road </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Drivers notes: </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">Air flow is on top of his helmet. He body is fully covered from air stream. Can ride with the helmet screen open up to 180 klm/hour. His previous screen was a Bmw touring so he had to go there... There is a small air flow bellow his armpits, no serious vibrations. He only got the screen to slightly tremble, up to high speed with the wind on his side. No buffeting noise, as the wind noise is reduced, he can hear the motors sound for the first time...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BNY9Ss0sh_AzrY42TsxXaNOrHbj1dEYLLnrvbGTQSXBj2-kgMnDS6e5ZH8D1vLWVzV2_YjKCcMv9UX4Qe3BG7VTqjad1wb11SuboOMgW_cYcVMjcB9E_cueGnVK9ckkXTvQ_8tfZolCm/s1600/IMG_3150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BNY9Ss0sh_AzrY42TsxXaNOrHbj1dEYLLnrvbGTQSXBj2-kgMnDS6e5ZH8D1vLWVzV2_YjKCcMv9UX4Qe3BG7VTqjad1wb11SuboOMgW_cYcVMjcB9E_cueGnVK9ckkXTvQ_8tfZolCm/s640/IMG_3150.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My results: </b>Ikarus works. On is basic form you cat ride up to 180 klm/hour comfortably, without buffeting, noise, or vibrations. You can have your helmet visor open up to 130 -depending on wind speed and direction- and generally a rider of a hight up to 180 cm can have a decent coverage almost up to the bikes top speed. Its aerodynamic is decent, as it doesn't seem to slow the bike down on acceleration, or increase its fuel consumption. With the clear screen down on its lower point you can get to ride off road without hitting it, no matter how low you bent your body. Gps mounting is good as you need a slight lower of your line of sight to have the gps on its center. It also covers the gps from the rain sufficiently. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Built-wise:</b> Ok, it wasn't easy. You have to learn how to work with epoxy resin and aeroglass cloth(or fiberglass), hand bending of aluminum tubes -without denting them, on the last farting curve forchristshake!- and thermoforming of straight common plexiglass sheet, cutting it drilling it (without cracking it at the end...). BUT neither the cost of raw materials nor the ...learning curve are punishing if you want to try it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> You won't need any special tools. Most "exotic" things you should buy is a cheap heat gun and a tube bending hand tool (to the dimensions of the tubes you gonna use), and -assuming you have a drill and a dremel-like thing- you 'll be set to go. There is going to be a lot of sanding though, but you can do it by hand. If you are going to buy a tool for the job, make sure its the most maneuverable you can buy and has a small head that can fit in inner corners. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Overall is a fun procedure ideal for a winter hobby, and by starting around October you can surely have your new fairing ready by the time the weather clears again for riding. The key ingredient in the mix is free time and ...persistence. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">"So why so few solutions in the market?"</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Manhours are expensive. Skilled manhours that is. That is the main reason we don't see a thing like that as a kit from any big companies that produce after market motorcycle stuff. They big majority of them prefer compact one piece plexiglass solutions that can be made almost automatically, with industrial mass production and have a great profit margin. But plexiglass as a base would break when epoxy won't. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then you got the prince Desierto from Touratech, which is made as a big metal esoskeleton and then covered with cheap plastic. My guess is because that way they can mass built it cheap -either inhouse, especially the metal parts, or outsource them- and then control assembly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most interesting thing I saw researching my project is the Mirage by Britannia Composites. But I wasn't able to get one on my hands and play with it. Its has a really clever -back to basics- approach to the subject and is cheaper than the Touratech part. Come to think of it its only natural as the company is smaller and focused on fairings, so has invested time and money on getting good with plastic. They use cheaper plastic (fiberglass front /abs back I think) that the epoxy resin I chose and the make for it by adding a cheap/strong metal part to reinforce it. Which is fine but I guess the thing would be heavy. And it requires the instruments to get off the bike to install it and then bolt them on it. But provides a good area for switches and gps and a good shelter for ballast set-ups under it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Anyway I will have to give you a more detailed report of all the screens I have tried on my bike or on friend's bikes in my next blog post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> Bottom line: </b>If you gonna try something like that you need epoxy cause it provides a good, solid yet durable to stress/vibrations base that looks good. Ok it is more expensive than fiberglass (6 times more I think) but the total built was hands down cheaper than a Desierto or a Mirage. And fun. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506369637472741433.post-36467342038618204182016-03-22T12:36:00.002-07:002016-03-23T11:25:01.923-07:003. TESTING<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Phase Eight: One Step Up and Two Steps Back</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Its riding time at last! I tie my gps on the bolts that tie the racks holding the plexiglass and off I go. Oups! There is a construction crew in the neighborhood digging the streets, that turned the place to an enduro trail, and my fairing starts swinging back and forth like a hoola hoop champion. So its back in the shed, as I obviously need some kind of support, cause if It dances like this now, up in the mountain it will fly away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I pick up my son's tablet computer and I start searching what the major companies have done to support their screens. I get some 10mm aluminum tubes from hardware supplies and start bending them. After a bunch of broken ones on the floor, and a couple -ok, a lot- of hours of try it on and face palm splashing and I get one to fit -in a dakar instrument tower like angle- just where the plastic instrument bridge bolts on the bike's frame. GPS mount on, gps "ON" and "Houston we are ready for lift off". </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWaAX-nkY0SnIRcPlkP4eXgfICmLn6nUXR2BMXtJFnWkLG9zDWkOJBK8r1watHbI7Wk1UgWks0NrB0ocrtor11qUuwMhcTTJUCtoKrISNU5ZFPzrAWjudSTfHtHCoV1hiQcblWYbPh4ec/s1600/IMG_3068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWaAX-nkY0SnIRcPlkP4eXgfICmLn6nUXR2BMXtJFnWkLG9zDWkOJBK8r1watHbI7Wk1UgWks0NrB0ocrtor11qUuwMhcTTJUCtoKrISNU5ZFPzrAWjudSTfHtHCoV1hiQcblWYbPh4ec/s1600/IMG_3068.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After a short ride around the hood the hole think seems steady enough for the open road. The only problem seems to be that it is too steady bolted on the bike and the vibrations pass from the motor straight to the screen complex, as my gps screen showed me, blurring on idle. I use some rubber coated washers to isolate it but with little affect. Anyway I will have to relocate my support bar anyway cause it would make taking off the screen system complicated.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5QkfBi_w5ofpkH-T4XbpPCIOzK-u3i3qeRlkrs7RCgltO6dR15e2hQODyrHJ0zzzBZ2tPw80OcfFwBMXY4I-JIXzXl6J0BMXdJPwgTvdVKu8YONk-wUtOLorTQM6ZDq-UVPGhQi99Vhl/s1600/IMG_3075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5QkfBi_w5ofpkH-T4XbpPCIOzK-u3i3qeRlkrs7RCgltO6dR15e2hQODyrHJ0zzzBZ2tPw80OcfFwBMXY4I-JIXzXl6J0BMXdJPwgTvdVKu8YONk-wUtOLorTQM6ZDq-UVPGhQi99Vhl/s1600/IMG_3075.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Phase Nine: If only we had an wind-tunnel...</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGHEEp8mUwCE7g3Cxf7Tv-NID1rND11i_yXtzUg4DpntmgX3dCl8Q7bhuCgRt00BXBI_Zvwj_sAqhOCSORK4eyWMVFfupPMV6dRIlqoUFDK6wkZNs8Ffb_hMi5MhlTDZQ68xyo2Tjz2JH/s1600/IMG_3097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGHEEp8mUwCE7g3Cxf7Tv-NID1rND11i_yXtzUg4DpntmgX3dCl8Q7bhuCgRt00BXBI_Zvwj_sAqhOCSORK4eyWMVFfupPMV6dRIlqoUFDK6wkZNs8Ffb_hMi5MhlTDZQ68xyo2Tjz2JH/s400/IMG_3097.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Take One:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Rider's height: 172cm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Helmet Type: HJC FG-15 (street/simple/ no beak) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Wind: 4-5 on the Beaufort scale</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Screen Position: Top Up</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Test field: "Katehaki" highway</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Results</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>:</b> I can go up to 120 klm/h with the helmet fully open, althought the wind is pretty strong. The main flow of the air is on the top of my helmet and there is a very small draft of air just on top of the instrument panel. Ypu can only tell if you move your hand there going 120 klm/h or more. Its the air that passes between the bottom black base of the screen and the plexiglass part, and it does perform the miracle of "no buffeting" praise the lord of all aerodynamics!</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVxpn8NhsaOlkxK5iyVAfliVMxFlmXRt4J0POuFVpJYjPcpkzWA8Cvn1lfX49Bjx6CdqzEkbBOrdUh2XABhuWnC1Qhdbyjp_gfONaaYObO651SidoM-j9YPgQ_a5mKTxIdQrcH3TqvW1h/s1600/IMG_3098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVxpn8NhsaOlkxK5iyVAfliVMxFlmXRt4J0POuFVpJYjPcpkzWA8Cvn1lfX49Bjx6CdqzEkbBOrdUh2XABhuWnC1Qhdbyjp_gfONaaYObO651SidoM-j9YPgQ_a5mKTxIdQrcH3TqvW1h/s640/IMG_3098.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My shoulders seem well protected from the airstream, and I don't even hear the "boom- boom" sound that the air makes closing behind big "barndoor" type screens.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is really impressive is the sound of the bike speeding up. Its so quiet I can hear clearly the engine! Furthermore is that the front end of the bike seems more stable that before. Its probably the supporting bars job, because the bikes instrument bridge was always vibrating a lot, causing eve the beak to move at high speeds. On my way back there is a big Ford Transit with elevated roof in frond of me, the kind of brick like van that cause turbulent airstreams. I move on purpose into its streams behind it. Wow, this think really works! Its steady, smooth and quiet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Next day I change the lower aluminum sliding racks, only for aesthetic reasons, as I want to make them less protruding and bulk and to make them follow the lines of the base fairing. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKpsHEdD1EArAPY2lHFBM6u5z3prd_FgatU5P4BhvoLNomCYNhlQsA8DecseiVGItcK6jB3HeiXAiIs91_SSgDI4XO2BZplJVTiEyDNXJok74fVKHH_dV7xOx1dqnjWJbYg-C_njQgB6zg/s1600/IMG_3096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKpsHEdD1EArAPY2lHFBM6u5z3prd_FgatU5P4BhvoLNomCYNhlQsA8DecseiVGItcK6jB3HeiXAiIs91_SSgDI4XO2BZplJVTiEyDNXJok74fVKHH_dV7xOx1dqnjWJbYg-C_njQgB6zg/s1600/IMG_3096.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Take Two</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Rider's height: 172cm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Helmet: HJC FG-15 (street/simple/ no beak) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Wind :4-5 on the Beaufort scale</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Screen Position: Top Up</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Test field: Athens to Lamia National Road</span><br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Results:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> I can ride with the helmet open up to 130 klm/h! Air coverage remains the same. Road is empty so I decide it is time to push it a little bit more. I close the helmet and I speed up. The bike is completely stable and I am covered up to 170 klm/h. Up to 160 klm/h the only thing that reminded me of previous -no fairing- rides is the lower end of my blue jeans that slap around like crazy. I slow down and then speed up rapidly to see if the bigger frontal surface gave me more wind resistance. Nop. Bike accelerates as before, just more smoothly! Of course only gas consumption will tell me for sure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I reach a big 18wheels truck, sailing with its nylon cover flapping around in the wind and I put the bike in its air stream, behind it. Wow indeed!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It seems that this bike IS stable. It just had poor aerodynamics from the start. Its the first time I can ride over 140 without even thinking about it, or struggling with buffeting or wobbles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Only thing is that the gps -for the first time in a place where I can look at it without taking my eyes from the road- reflects the sun in my face. Got to built it some shade flap. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOBAH_xJ9wIhyphenhyphenZEXAxvd7YgE432-EctaJ10IJzm6yNcPuVk9deDds3IGnnb_Ni9k0oSg0s4AveUhAKUd8ZREQV5qzO0tyxeYQh54b6E4o8q4YfLsmEwdZyHehkk4cERiMy9MgKTW0NBRP/s1600/IMG_3095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOBAH_xJ9wIhyphenhyphenZEXAxvd7YgE432-EctaJ10IJzm6yNcPuVk9deDds3IGnnb_Ni9k0oSg0s4AveUhAKUd8ZREQV5qzO0tyxeYQh54b6E4o8q4YfLsmEwdZyHehkk4cERiMy9MgKTW0NBRP/s1600/IMG_3095.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Back home, checking everything again. No bolts loosen, nothing cracked, nothing bent. Nothing deformed. Now I have to run more miles on it to stress test it. Every bit of spec they gave me about epoxy was confirmed so far. It can really stand its ground and it is worthy of its extra euros, compared to polyester. You can see it even when you try to cu and drill it. Now I got to get some nicer nuts and bolt and to decide on the color. Red like the rest of the bike or black like the plastic fender extender the bike carries on the beak? Will see...</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2WYpNRCvDJRLINPuckihvUitIJVBfDYLdTdbhraMsJ151QZ76EdKWmIMRYnJBpACT2hJq-VlPb5IjTaeOMG_LXEeJNIeYyAwhB0FEGyi1h5nopYR7ocU1cu5RbKvgqY_rl1DmjMjOxc3/s1600/IMG_3100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2WYpNRCvDJRLINPuckihvUitIJVBfDYLdTdbhraMsJ151QZ76EdKWmIMRYnJBpACT2hJq-VlPb5IjTaeOMG_LXEeJNIeYyAwhB0FEGyi1h5nopYR7ocU1cu5RbKvgqY_rl1DmjMjOxc3/s1600/IMG_3100.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"Testing -Testing": HOW DARE YOU!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Its was a quiet night when Ikarus met a Desierto of the Touratech family. One word led to another and soon the night involved a test drive of them on the half empty streets around town. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2kHMT0ZnkbJ_61cedCbT46Cm3dlaYDGfQ1-CgD4OAZKotYSZG4yVYAKleEjE5lI3rghjwkffBBK7tHcv6wjRHfUhq0_hSQdGuDa38it0ysBkLW6JbV3YLRrwgTlhpKyt9yxjp9qSOatY/s1600/IMAG0225+teo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2kHMT0ZnkbJ_61cedCbT46Cm3dlaYDGfQ1-CgD4OAZKotYSZG4yVYAKleEjE5lI3rghjwkffBBK7tHcv6wjRHfUhq0_hSQdGuDa38it0ysBkLW6JbV3YLRrwgTlhpKyt9yxjp9qSOatY/s1600/IMAG0225+teo1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Take 3:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rider's Height: 180+ cm </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Helmet HJC RPHA-10 (street, with good aerodynamic profile)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Wind: Moderate </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Screen position: Top Up </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Test Field: Sigrou Avenue/ coastal avenue</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj362uzgXbKpFo_DXDBaps1jy9Rc4IqYaMKx0Bd0VZV7YEPdua97y2nbtnv-4OZT80ZthWksscXaghH2YoiJBiPIb1Xk4GehsZk93vSbwFALt3Kyv6cT2kzn2MFW01M6bUxakNzma_MffIP/s1600/IMAG0222+teo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj362uzgXbKpFo_DXDBaps1jy9Rc4IqYaMKx0Bd0VZV7YEPdua97y2nbtnv-4OZT80ZthWksscXaghH2YoiJBiPIb1Xk4GehsZk93vSbwFALt3Kyv6cT2kzn2MFW01M6bUxakNzma_MffIP/s640/IMAG0222+teo2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">Results:</b><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> "Air flow at the top of my helmet. No turbulence up to the head. No wind noise even with open helmet's screen, up to 120 klm/h. In the city full wind coverage up to 175 klm/h. Wider air pocket than the Desierto's, especially up to the shoulders and head. But the height adjustment system is not so easy to use as the Desierto's one. Impressive!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506369637472741433.post-45696895918543572092016-03-22T12:27:00.001-07:002016-03-23T11:20:35.225-07:002. PLEXIGLASS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">Phase Five: Cut Once, but count Twice...</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Or when try to measure precisely on 3D curved objects can lead you to insanity! Especially on things partially asymmetrical like the F800GS face! The lines can seem wring but count right alla the time as the curves contrasted by the straight but uneven openings for the asymmetrical lights can easily fool the eye. Anyway where were we? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xeR3QdE0HIkUh2V-4rcTtPq_wyTLoGnWvDXAsYxxL8xLivcCCWv2d2Q9LCOiDeOE9Ri6bmxgQ3N-RXvRqEziNIEnoW-kDvZYYRbJ4GpSkwR2LKwBT6UVNun_VmZ5_G6oFrcadtOIXL_G/s1600/IMG_3041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xeR3QdE0HIkUh2V-4rcTtPq_wyTLoGnWvDXAsYxxL8xLivcCCWv2d2Q9LCOiDeOE9Ri6bmxgQ3N-RXvRqEziNIEnoW-kDvZYYRbJ4GpSkwR2LKwBT6UVNun_VmZ5_G6oFrcadtOIXL_G/s1600/IMG_3041.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ah yes the finish... At some point you realize that the sanding painting sanding procedure can go on forever like a mandra. It soothes the mind but you loose track of the build. And the point is to see if this thing works with the bike and the wind. So mat black it is and on to the bike. You can always repaint, which by Merphy's old law will be needed if you finish it to perfection and then test it as a tool will slip and scratch the hell out of the paint. So:</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptRGzZkGOmE4jWc9Y9kocTsM83bEgcX_4zGkreHDSVJnXBjV6M9etCJJgXz8qY8fjONfPAezcXuFkPPvoBfEv2XPI8ZhNTksEbCaaP5STEtDY5mRR7swLdTXDYBqCfXnj9ndjJUHVmeNG/s1600/IMG_3042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptRGzZkGOmE4jWc9Y9kocTsM83bEgcX_4zGkreHDSVJnXBjV6M9etCJJgXz8qY8fjONfPAezcXuFkPPvoBfEv2XPI8ZhNTksEbCaaP5STEtDY5mRR7swLdTXDYBqCfXnj9ndjJUHVmeNG/s400/IMG_3042.JPG" width="241" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPN54xev3kgtZl2Vv9F-vzbAfNGlpZro5BWbZVGa89NzpY4RJ_UV0cDNx1m48EBt_03e77UQWk3QizMAT-V9-bbrLtQvYAXLnwPWpCzWctIZ7rBZd5XtFSGc6t0HbxG51oCB3bC8-MiWZD/s1600/IMG_3039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPN54xev3kgtZl2Vv9F-vzbAfNGlpZro5BWbZVGa89NzpY4RJ_UV0cDNx1m48EBt_03e77UQWk3QizMAT-V9-bbrLtQvYAXLnwPWpCzWctIZ7rBZd5XtFSGc6t0HbxG51oCB3bC8-MiWZD/s400/IMG_3039.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; text-align: left;">I bought a piece of clear 4mm thick plexiglass, heat bend it, cut it sanded it and sand it to follow the curve of the base. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMeRI4Ng3kNJL-Curr_mkM5rxkk7afRSq9VKW4Ql4DZbddRBYQVVtglKhqMwDSjlvd2IUVe_mtMnAXZHQ3Q7GsnrkHr3YwBZndrOGD-IdUIAvQtCTmRzEifx98_kQa4PJFBWRC_ChnYOc/s1600/IMG_3043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMeRI4Ng3kNJL-Curr_mkM5rxkk7afRSq9VKW4Ql4DZbddRBYQVVtglKhqMwDSjlvd2IUVe_mtMnAXZHQ3Q7GsnrkHr3YwBZndrOGD-IdUIAvQtCTmRzEifx98_kQa4PJFBWRC_ChnYOc/s640/IMG_3043.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Phase Six: Epoxy and Plexiglass -The Mariage </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFa4b-k0TaYIx8OP0bDiTwfFn1HsdtJpV_WKRlpLLhDliclvyAkpdUoIRjMiXSPnn1Js3y_QI_LeJ5k77fYX1s8QAx-ctZFUs8WIRLEKzK6NQXMBX1jjNBZGgikqEmhACpvG4gJd1vm0kV/s1600/IMG_3049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="593" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFa4b-k0TaYIx8OP0bDiTwfFn1HsdtJpV_WKRlpLLhDliclvyAkpdUoIRjMiXSPnn1Js3y_QI_LeJ5k77fYX1s8QAx-ctZFUs8WIRLEKzK6NQXMBX1jjNBZGgikqEmhACpvG4gJd1vm0kV/s1600/IMG_3049.JPG" width="640" /></a></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Things go tough here as there are a zillion ways to get the one on top of the other, but I need something cheap strong and practical. So its shopping time again and back to the hardware store we go! I needed something cheap that holds but won't rust. So I picked up some aluminum curtain rails and some square profile aluminum tubes. I trimmed some nuts to slide inside the rails, so that the bolts could tight on them and the rails at whatever length I wish. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxcXLYIOVCK2fIuewHFUs_W4-XuuVp8az-usRIfZon14BISeEuOqFVbiEceYXgFiVY8UsBFc80tpp0knxxbdqiQHSniDxTPWa6_U-UVossjKbVvcgzaHCeH-_8llWjdU1HqSI3AnJRKOf/s1600/IMG_3044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxcXLYIOVCK2fIuewHFUs_W4-XuuVp8az-usRIfZon14BISeEuOqFVbiEceYXgFiVY8UsBFc80tpp0knxxbdqiQHSniDxTPWa6_U-UVossjKbVvcgzaHCeH-_8llWjdU1HqSI3AnJRKOf/s400/IMG_3044.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVs8dZrYUi-gstVl1QOjyfZvnDaPOvsZPgCUyCxZDITgi5JItgn-sfVGyNR04v7nfmmdvUnKew2y8y-qncESiZSag1R__a5FdG7QmTgK7ImJwAbYY5p03qkl4evQAV7H5p891JN1abqTlN/s1600/IMG_3046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVs8dZrYUi-gstVl1QOjyfZvnDaPOvsZPgCUyCxZDITgi5JItgn-sfVGyNR04v7nfmmdvUnKew2y8y-qncESiZSag1R__a5FdG7QmTgK7ImJwAbYY5p03qkl4evQAV7H5p891JN1abqTlN/s1600/IMG_3046.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Allen head screws, and although I thought to go with thump nuts, as some screen makers choose, the idea of someone unbolting them as they see him upfront there, and take the screen, even "for fun", made me reconsider. Who would take a plexisglass screen just for fun? Well I know a few people myself... Anyway with just an allen No 4, I can adjust the height of my screen for now. Which is easy turned with the torx 25 on the bike's toolkit under the seat. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFE7C378kVYcIE2ZOqGjjC6gbFh3UEZIGRKM-dl0fy8qb1wU7B6WwSjlIQhMVWc6w54mtF-wl78VBr9JuTgULoFDinFfHg0sATKV8vZ7MW40ykRJTKlK4N3NroTCj5gFzhlI9tWqezzab/s1600/IMG_3045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFE7C378kVYcIE2ZOqGjjC6gbFh3UEZIGRKM-dl0fy8qb1wU7B6WwSjlIQhMVWc6w54mtF-wl78VBr9JuTgULoFDinFfHg0sATKV8vZ7MW40ykRJTKlK4N3NroTCj5gFzhlI9tWqezzab/s1600/IMG_3045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFE7C378kVYcIE2ZOqGjjC6gbFh3UEZIGRKM-dl0fy8qb1wU7B6WwSjlIQhMVWc6w54mtF-wl78VBr9JuTgULoFDinFfHg0sATKV8vZ7MW40ykRJTKlK4N3NroTCj5gFzhlI9tWqezzab/s1600/IMG_3045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFE7C378kVYcIE2ZOqGjjC6gbFh3UEZIGRKM-dl0fy8qb1wU7B6WwSjlIQhMVWc6w54mtF-wl78VBr9JuTgULoFDinFfHg0sATKV8vZ7MW40ykRJTKlK4N3NroTCj5gFzhlI9tWqezzab/s1600/IMG_3045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFE7C378kVYcIE2ZOqGjjC6gbFh3UEZIGRKM-dl0fy8qb1wU7B6WwSjlIQhMVWc6w54mtF-wl78VBr9JuTgULoFDinFfHg0sATKV8vZ7MW40ykRJTKlK4N3NroTCj5gFzhlI9tWqezzab/s640/IMG_3045.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I already feel that I need some kind of spacers to increase the distance between the black base and the plexiglass. Around 3cm high. I study the best fairings around, talk to people, and read some basics on aerodynamics. From what I 've read the airflow between the two surfaces has to equalize the air subpressure behind the screen. Otherwise the negative balance of air presure behind the screen, with that in front of it, will cause the air pocket to collapse, ruin aerodynamics, and minimize the cover from the air. Will see...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUFazWl1otEts9to8aESckpiSZIVIcJo_SrPEtZxsZ6P9qvKY70iJ0Ou_J6lwbiD74IiDLGLH62mO6SwMvVDrQGiX-ZfkVzvbqXh14XL3HlOZohls9JYyuMLgFTFXRSuLjNeiMCPU9ddF/s1600/IMG_3050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="571" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUFazWl1otEts9to8aESckpiSZIVIcJo_SrPEtZxsZ6P9qvKY70iJ0Ou_J6lwbiD74IiDLGLH62mO6SwMvVDrQGiX-ZfkVzvbqXh14XL3HlOZohls9JYyuMLgFTFXRSuLjNeiMCPU9ddF/s1600/IMG_3050.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And for those of us that get a kick out of numbers... So far we got: Total weight 1060 gr!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is 100 grams less than a plexiglass screen in the same size! Thanks to epoxy, the heaviest part on the set are the bolts. Then the heavy part is the plexiglass. Should I go with 3mm thickness? Will see, but keep it as a mental note. At the same time the epoxy part is the strongest with maximum thickness less than 3 mm!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfLQHBSn_Hm2ulz4TiTi6mQWDpIXeZRGYy_Pf-15QNoXzhCUKzfsqvoXD196mW2ZXA-FEYHt1oxeZeivEwzb8VJvEkyZp83OjONQ0pkuAa09gkFtiUQMjoesMe_ZlODDxXtaF-g1cQ0VO/s1600/IMG_3052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfLQHBSn_Hm2ulz4TiTi6mQWDpIXeZRGYy_Pf-15QNoXzhCUKzfsqvoXD196mW2ZXA-FEYHt1oxeZeivEwzb8VJvEkyZp83OjONQ0pkuAa09gkFtiUQMjoesMe_ZlODDxXtaF-g1cQ0VO/s640/IMG_3052.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Phase Seven: On the bike</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;">With the upper screen on its lowest point, we got 33cm from the upper headlight edge. For reference the total height of the F800GS original is 27cm. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4P9ci0XK-8w7rzTEXgvc-rUpDSQKoy6eEwxOaelCHGiSEYhova64sHCk2WqWn1jLE5p4dap_kZh6DVSmoSw0dnmbARpPhKYCtB9Jb_vZq_z30WJO6tG0BSe-cs7tUTkEqbl682qbKEveS/s1600/IMG_3054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4P9ci0XK-8w7rzTEXgvc-rUpDSQKoy6eEwxOaelCHGiSEYhova64sHCk2WqWn1jLE5p4dap_kZh6DVSmoSw0dnmbARpPhKYCtB9Jb_vZq_z30WJO6tG0BSe-cs7tUTkEqbl682qbKEveS/s1600/IMG_3054.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Upper screen fully deployed: 45.5 cm.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhYxQ7gSVAMM5YoRXmtDGLI2_Je8ma8UQTaN3PW71ZVGAX7nFeyubnxUtRTRb5gAkUtSq5_ozbfYu7F_EIwJF3j7F3WIpMH3ISzOtcNbnFg6BxD1Lsd7avGsHbHYe8o0Nws3GVbMgMmVR/s1600/IMG_3051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJISSZApemWd1uSqtyZkuKpKlDC49n45dY7HN_QYEgDLmPONq3jSCtiAc0rKxW2Z4zGld0pM-p-ErDHnuTTMOJvD_TXfS2x3rWJX8Y8rqG5twBq7pAtE8_IzAi6EiJJ0YkAMHBctGOynxV/s1600/IMG_3053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJISSZApemWd1uSqtyZkuKpKlDC49n45dY7HN_QYEgDLmPONq3jSCtiAc0rKxW2Z4zGld0pM-p-ErDHnuTTMOJvD_TXfS2x3rWJX8Y8rqG5twBq7pAtE8_IzAi6EiJJ0YkAMHBctGOynxV/s1600/IMG_3053.JPG" width="548" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Maximum width at the base 46 cm. Maximum width of upper screen at the top of it 31 cm. </span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC12hHxLQtMBRlN-rbWIjjxzLVp4I9sn3fOT1Ek_o-z2TjpE4JWi9ewrsCjCK6lKsuJdKCwV1KZv1h6pT6JZjIh74ECjKBziExRhe6uMwcA8Ri3THhnh56giNiAiJwJUS6_OFyrCl6IZX3/s1600/IMG_3057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC12hHxLQtMBRlN-rbWIjjxzLVp4I9sn3fOT1Ek_o-z2TjpE4JWi9ewrsCjCK6lKsuJdKCwV1KZv1h6pT6JZjIh74ECjKBziExRhe6uMwcA8Ri3THhnh56giNiAiJwJUS6_OFyrCl6IZX3/s320/IMG_3057.JPG" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4aCZCHJBLXgXxbjlm-Wm7A7viCO7ObUATbKZyIuiQnuS9iEpPiyJ7EwrcUCJWxmMk_CzItVI3yxumIbZD-zL6VMWvxxlbhyDJjKxAq83FP3apN1jK5NZUW4iJ5biL126huQKy1aj-nmI/s1600/IMG_3058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4aCZCHJBLXgXxbjlm-Wm7A7viCO7ObUATbKZyIuiQnuS9iEpPiyJ7EwrcUCJWxmMk_CzItVI3yxumIbZD-zL6VMWvxxlbhyDJjKxAq83FP3apN1jK5NZUW4iJ5biL126huQKy1aj-nmI/s320/IMG_3058.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Yes, it works! At least with the bike still it can travel freely up and down with two turns of the bolts. With mo extra pressure. With just one hand. And with motorcycle gloves on.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLLLxhqpMFBzDqQXn13AeyqJOnDjvYQh8yYI_aXbwv7DMTUpzOBG5RVVQYx_CuFMtH7WNlb3lMAP6fgMAO4Eg25gMh_kb4ATHMkmHjmQlW-Tp4Sz0yvjPf4Z-TtqApedSIz4FitWi-QBG/s1600/IMG_3061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLLLxhqpMFBzDqQXn13AeyqJOnDjvYQh8yYI_aXbwv7DMTUpzOBG5RVVQYx_CuFMtH7WNlb3lMAP6fgMAO4Eg25gMh_kb4ATHMkmHjmQlW-Tp4Sz0yvjPf4Z-TtqApedSIz4FitWi-QBG/s640/IMG_3061.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Next check, interfearance with bike's controls. Yeap thw bike turns full lock on either side without meeting the steering bar, the hand guards or anything else. Big deal?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> I would'n think of it as such, until I tested a screen -of a famous adventure brand- that on full lock to the left (yes the locking side...) the steering bar was hitting the screen. Go figure... </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeyx8LpiBAdWSgAeGtAjHGQhqCrAXkXmP6UiVxxZG76vL9CNvydWO1VdFAJaxYF3T4RF97aOyrIArPBzyhLEPCOHqEtr2xFmr4BTd5t3Eh5vskbKzQlhaKuHU32skkgVvfH8tvUqE5GFa/s1600/IMG_3064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeyx8LpiBAdWSgAeGtAjHGQhqCrAXkXmP6UiVxxZG76vL9CNvydWO1VdFAJaxYF3T4RF97aOyrIArPBzyhLEPCOHqEtr2xFmr4BTd5t3Eh5vskbKzQlhaKuHU32skkgVvfH8tvUqE5GFa/s320/IMG_3064.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvtoVSUa_qeO0K9jyxorIT_wVTi4uXZ3kYFYgFCp93YcMF9AactGMUlv2NI-hvd9E2-7n2STMgO8fpBKP-G0zxtb-_I95Es0rI-VpJ2wiVfF195904WWBKjRcGCXDsicbkL2IJ3dp7FbP/s1600/IMG_3065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvtoVSUa_qeO0K9jyxorIT_wVTi4uXZ3kYFYgFCp93YcMF9AactGMUlv2NI-hvd9E2-7n2STMgO8fpBKP-G0zxtb-_I95Es0rI-VpJ2wiVfF195904WWBKjRcGCXDsicbkL2IJ3dp7FbP/s320/IMG_3065.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">On our next episode: TAKE THE MF THING ON THE ROAD ALREADY!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Oh, and test it with strong winds, on high speed, on rough terrain, and Oh, oh a gps mount, definitely a gps mount on it... and what about that bars they kind of kill the cool of the entire built... Will see...</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506369637472741433.post-6637604606430872492016-03-22T12:02:00.004-07:002016-03-23T11:18:05.681-07:001. ΙKARUS FAIRING FOR BMW F 650/800 GS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is a record of the effort to built a fairing of variable height for a BMW F 650/800 GS bike model, with materials that can be easily bought out in any market. The main target is to built a variable height adventure fairing, with out special tools or exotic materials and the end product to be cheaper -at least to materials- to the ones the "adventure" motorcycle after market has to offer. But foremost it has to work aerodynamically better than most of the available screens out there, that I tested out and found pretty disappointing. Or just hilariously expensive to buy. A very good starting point though...</span><br />
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Phase One: The Mold</span></h4>
<span style="font-size: large;">I took the screen that seemed to work better with the wind and has the simplest form and make a polyester mold of it. I chose polyester only because it was the cheapest material I could find. My mold took 4 layers of polyester soaked fiberglass, of the cheapest industrial type, you can find in any hardware store. I applied them to my old screen after I coated it with 4 layers of PVA fluid, so that it wouldn't stick on it permanently. </span><span style="font-size: large;">And this what I got! Not bad for a first timer...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoicr5jfx4iAnzf14ey8pRs-U_wVlRrgjdGMsIKtgdMHuNEmQoHIg7vAYGivgLl5OILPxIkHAI1Z77LtY2FESrma4ozTWkK17UWTyAtu9LubkUIeUk0B6FE81_S7DMBjIylhUQEnksBkoq/s1600/%CE%A6%CF%89%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%86%CE%AF%CE%B10111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoicr5jfx4iAnzf14ey8pRs-U_wVlRrgjdGMsIKtgdMHuNEmQoHIg7vAYGivgLl5OILPxIkHAI1Z77LtY2FESrma4ozTWkK17UWTyAtu9LubkUIeUk0B6FE81_S7DMBjIylhUQEnksBkoq/s640/%CE%A6%CF%89%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%86%CE%AF%CE%B10111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Attention: </u></b> Polyester contains styrene that is harmful, linked to cancer, toxic poisoning, irritating to skin, eyes and lungs, and especially nasty to your brain. So use a proper mask, goggles, gloves, cover your skin, making sure you do it in a well ventilated area, while using it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWm_1eLPqDZLgHsk0gS4ArkOphBLuoWX0NmKFIXSkE9-cMcHuNcgr8MeyDH7ISGFyK7K6Zmr9bO16YRyF3qV-A3vj7kyictNLu0WIndsn4VAW2bZsZiqNPIeCIJx1FVwPpUCgpyxKWdLt/s1600/%CE%A6%CF%89%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%86%CE%AF%CE%B10109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWm_1eLPqDZLgHsk0gS4ArkOphBLuoWX0NmKFIXSkE9-cMcHuNcgr8MeyDH7ISGFyK7K6Zmr9bO16YRyF3qV-A3vj7kyictNLu0WIndsn4VAW2bZsZiqNPIeCIJx1FVwPpUCgpyxKWdLt/s640/%CE%A6%CF%89%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%86%CE%AF%CE%B10109.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I marked the shape of the original screen on it and started taking measurements of other screens (height, width, mounting holes etc) and then I cut it. On the left side image you can see marks for the various heights of other screens, on 27 cm (BMW F650GS), 30cm, 33cm (BMW F800GS), MRA screen, Givi etc I decided not to limit his height so that I could try building base fairing parts in different heights in the future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Initially I chose to give it a height of 32 cm (34 max?). The reason was that I wanted something high enough to cover the instruments of the bike but also a medium sized GPS, mobile phone etc that could be mounted on top of it. The built will have to cover these things from branches, rain and bugs at its lowest setting. But with the minimum amount of rise, so that you could not easily hit it with your face in case of a faceplant.</span><br />
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<b style="font-size: xx-large;">Phase Two: The base of the screen </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_c65Dqff71PYOHd56NCDeHoE5mXS5sXgYlpSPanQy21ViNmMQxccV3uABnyVnOu_3hCGB9uHyE1hWQ8MrXy24mkeVwecTjGWt1CXAKDOSiZyFR2KWdvhDwE2C-7j8Rbly3bVCNx0DOdy7/s1600/IMG_3022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_c65Dqff71PYOHd56NCDeHoE5mXS5sXgYlpSPanQy21ViNmMQxccV3uABnyVnOu_3hCGB9uHyE1hWQ8MrXy24mkeVwecTjGWt1CXAKDOSiZyFR2KWdvhDwE2C-7j8Rbly3bVCNx0DOdy7/s640/IMG_3022.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I apply 6 layers of PVA on my mold and wait for it to dry. Then I start covering it with epoxy resin, then covering the resin -as soon as it gets sticky- with aeroglass fabric. Its a cloth similar to fiberglass but its more structurally woven and it can vary to weight and thickness, giving your build either extra strength per layer or easy conformity to shapes, and smooth finishing. Usually you find best to use heavy and thick aeroglass for the first layers and thinner ones for the outer ones. You repeat the resin-layer tango and then you wait for it to cure for some days.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGvgbF-22zSBgul4_AxnGz7k_-SKRn2fBikPT7PHcb7ZuPDST3QgjMuKxAodr84Uv8f1_hoPQIQST8fQVShSmgJ_8DHeGD0mhV9TDyF6BVTlpFtV1S9dSeMzwLNGgyo52QqEKX1k_ga5D/s1600/IMG_3021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGvgbF-22zSBgul4_AxnGz7k_-SKRn2fBikPT7PHcb7ZuPDST3QgjMuKxAodr84Uv8f1_hoPQIQST8fQVShSmgJ_8DHeGD0mhV9TDyF6BVTlpFtV1S9dSeMzwLNGgyo52QqEKX1k_ga5D/s640/IMG_3021.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Although epoxy is not as harmful as polyester (and not so stinky!), it is important to take precautions. It is also a big deal that you work in an environment with around 60-70% humidity and with a temperature from 20 to 30 degrees Celsium, if you want to avoid any surprises.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Six or more layers later the mold looks like this. The white cloth around it is the aeroglass. I always cut it bigger cause the sticky epoxy resin won't give you many chances to put it on wrong, as I found out with cursing out loud frustration! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> As online resin mentor Ebrabaek (thanks again) described it you should think flypaper spread when you apply the cloth. But he never mentioned me being the fly, stuck with an epoxy filled trap on me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Phase Three: Unleashing the beast </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The black marker transfers the dimensions I chose to the epoxy piece, just before I carefully but sometimes with brute force- detach from the mold, trying dot to destroy any of them. Small wooden or rubber inserts are very helpful at this stage. My dremel tool cuts away the outer material. So from this:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZogWdJ5zTZY7V8uj-APJ63-U6nVRIh_KXskMFXEesp4w5TP2XKpxApdudDtl1aFwMrEujwfQD5xAQTbcG3Nt_UEpOLWXfcyxm-4eh6WYNRzdK6GR5fRe4ilSG8_ptY7J6nvXcflSLhhe4/s1600/IMG_3020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZogWdJ5zTZY7V8uj-APJ63-U6nVRIh_KXskMFXEesp4w5TP2XKpxApdudDtl1aFwMrEujwfQD5xAQTbcG3Nt_UEpOLWXfcyxm-4eh6WYNRzdK6GR5fRe4ilSG8_ptY7J6nvXcflSLhhe4/s1600/IMG_3020.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We get to this, after much fiddling, with varius washing and scrubbing devices. Must admit this feels like watching a sculptor releasing a form out of raw marble block... </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4z9sLJhZXmJrKzEIgOSOeOuRHHLLDkTQOp396WLd_D7rlqoNydC3IBGZppefbEINYA2-lUqDNNpB9aiDmgTPudoK_N01EL6U33T_Xcamueh3M3d_F4pL3MzRga7HS4MF9VciGMozQAi4d/s1600/IMG_3023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4z9sLJhZXmJrKzEIgOSOeOuRHHLLDkTQOp396WLd_D7rlqoNydC3IBGZppefbEINYA2-lUqDNNpB9aiDmgTPudoK_N01EL6U33T_Xcamueh3M3d_F4pL3MzRga7HS4MF9VciGMozQAi4d/s400/IMG_3023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Do_lS8tWcO00XPVNZrdBGb2f8Vut4U1_IalaJ7vv_MWLvgMuUlk3vZoDwb77idaAbofBnCFGELzMdhOtNFMd5WANE33ZMH9_ZiS6pb-zQ0gJ00oqb8ZAhJG64oJuSBtlPY6lH5g81vZ4/s1600/IMG_3024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Do_lS8tWcO00XPVNZrdBGb2f8Vut4U1_IalaJ7vv_MWLvgMuUlk3vZoDwb77idaAbofBnCFGELzMdhOtNFMd5WANE33ZMH9_ZiS6pb-zQ0gJ00oqb8ZAhJG64oJuSBtlPY6lH5g81vZ4/s400/IMG_3024.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So far the result is pretty encouraging. The piece I got on hand has a good solid texture, seems extremely strong for a plastic flimsy thing and it weights like a feather, compared to the after market screens. But I will weight it at the end of the process.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggnNjvK0breCYQ2ZYYS2sfDZZFUhwD_MJUwP3A5ga0Vh_UlERFCHikV6MMJQBpvP_c2tP3qSS7Kos0l8PpKn3Iuu9PYcdSPf_rTtj0IqCTGjjrWepsY8ot0-Llr9-5FcR_7PPVz5Q51KjC/s1600/IMG_3026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggnNjvK0breCYQ2ZYYS2sfDZZFUhwD_MJUwP3A5ga0Vh_UlERFCHikV6MMJQBpvP_c2tP3qSS7Kos0l8PpKn3Iuu9PYcdSPf_rTtj0IqCTGjjrWepsY8ot0-Llr9-5FcR_7PPVz5Q51KjC/s1600/IMG_3026.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Phase Four: Fitting On the Bike</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcp2XgzqhTNjmjwMa63f-TdMmvLWZqlik83jV1NB8AoqapEW0CLVhTWlDMkBnkPPvQfTtPvodckq_BpUpQEvQAW-tt6ZN4nXDTx0f4GakGVJqy_64DLKxVjcyjtLTIRhHITxT93aYuJI3d/s1600/IMG_3030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcp2XgzqhTNjmjwMa63f-TdMmvLWZqlik83jV1NB8AoqapEW0CLVhTWlDMkBnkPPvQfTtPvodckq_BpUpQEvQAW-tt6ZN4nXDTx0f4GakGVJqy_64DLKxVjcyjtLTIRhHITxT93aYuJI3d/s1600/IMG_3030.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Now we enter familiar waters. Wet sanding, washing more sanding, washing, drying, checking, repeat. Some filing -epoxy has its own preferences to materials- and then the first try on the bike, to check if we got a proper fit. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Drilling more sanding and then "nuts and bolts" time!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQP_hLagqeSAPbbHZhnjtVYe4veLxFEa9DngFXNYWos9BUD_iHYxXIfCctlC16Ly84EB9BjuhavC7sIfGfIGSVS3oSFVjzhJCX429484jZdPXhLKDBhqJp2OYLXmz96Zcl5VSKn00H6x7/s1600/IMG_3031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQP_hLagqeSAPbbHZhnjtVYe4veLxFEa9DngFXNYWos9BUD_iHYxXIfCctlC16Ly84EB9BjuhavC7sIfGfIGSVS3oSFVjzhJCX429484jZdPXhLKDBhqJp2OYLXmz96Zcl5VSKn00H6x7/s640/IMG_3031.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Nice! Now a last thin layer of epoxy resin to make it extra smooth. And then we pop a beer can open, sit back and wait for the resin to settle...</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506369637472741433.post-30934450117333506062016-03-18T08:43:00.006-07:002016-03-23T12:15:22.855-07:009. AFTER MARKET SCREENS COMPARISON <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Once upon a time, not a long time ago, a brand new owner of a BMW F 650 GS (twin cylinder, 800cc), turned the key on his new bike to find out that "it is really windy up here!". One could say its normal since the bike rides fast and the brains in the company's "design brigade" decided that it should be a naked bike. In total contrast to the owner who had the weird notion that the bike he bought should be able to travel him far away and to commute no matter what the weather report says. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28z_UIg14Z5qwbgqfUmAtSzHSNPfFXP4OktRzJnLaM8aM0QA_paErAiD2VVdbsDR7NVBFlkeF7big3s2rRhYBkQ14GsISIXBRr2q5Qe3QtWrGY-nG_V6AXUUouWcSF8HiGo6w4yt99TpO/s1600/close3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28z_UIg14Z5qwbgqfUmAtSzHSNPfFXP4OktRzJnLaM8aM0QA_paErAiD2VVdbsDR7NVBFlkeF7big3s2rRhYBkQ14GsISIXBRr2q5Qe3QtWrGY-nG_V6AXUUouWcSF8HiGo6w4yt99TpO/s1600/close3.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So this guy -all and all 172 centimeters tall- after getting all the joy of the airstream all over him, decided, as the winter was closing in around him, that he should have something more than a tiny piece of plexiglass that barely covers the instruments, between him and the elements. And started buying and screwing on...</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Big Brothers Screen, BMW F 800 GS </span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuiTzryU32msaXW3qVLH_hac2KK66RD9gFGrfU_m1WScT0fXFP2BXHz1xI-pQKKYlHCCvZK0WqpkhiO4kVOibBfO3XkqhY1rHu-g5jwsSq-E0ah54P7VwdI4io8qqgJQL-0WnW21n9IlV/s1600/DSC_0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuiTzryU32msaXW3qVLH_hac2KK66RD9gFGrfU_m1WScT0fXFP2BXHz1xI-pQKKYlHCCvZK0WqpkhiO4kVOibBfO3XkqhY1rHu-g5jwsSq-E0ah54P7VwdI4io8qqgJQL-0WnW21n9IlV/s640/DSC_0066.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hope dies last, as the saying goes. But hope won't be tormented first, as this guy was from the F 800 screen. The slightly larger screen did posed as more efficient and surely more "badass". in reality it was just "bad" and by far worse that the smaller F 650 GS version. The reason is quite simple. With the small 650 "non screen" you ride in a clean evenly distributed on you aistream. No buffeting no extra noise, as every other naked bike. With the F 800 screen, all the elaborate bents, angles and stylish design manage to sent a very turbulent current of air exactly under your helmet and to your upper chest! Your hands are exposed. The wind is really noisy and straight to your throat all the time to the point you get to sound like Barry White after a while. It doesn't even protect the gps fully, so its stored to be used for "special operations". Next...</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">BMW Touring</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.ascycles.com/images/products/BMW/Touring-Windshield.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="487" src="https://www.ascycles.com/images/products/BMW/Touring-Windshield.gif" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.wunderlich.de/shop/media/catalog/product/2/5/25370-000_02.jpg_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></a><a href="http://www.wunderlich.de/shop/media/catalog/product/2/5/25370-000_02.jpg_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">It still is a mystery to me... How on earth a company like Bmw, with such a knowhow and tradition of building amazing touring motorcycles, with all this money and years invested in aerodynamics -the RT Pininfarina fairing being still an icon-has managed to do such a shitty work with this one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">They got to all that trouble to make a wider -down low- fairing, adding extra weight to the bike, demanding a special support bracket to bent it up to the top to achieve what? Emptying all the air it blocks right to the riders helmet visor! If he is my height. For taller guys its worse.. Calling that thing "Touring" can be understood only as a sample of peculiar German humor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ok, I can assume they wanted low buffeting noise right where the air pocket closes. But gently dumping it on my visor doesn't solve anything! There might be one of those crazy German TUV regulation involved that forbids the screen to go up, over a certain height... over the mirrors (?) don't know... Maybe some yuppie in the Bmw marketing think tank-that the closest thing to a bike he ever rode was a an Indian moto rickshaw in a company's convention to Bombay- order the screen to be curved backwards so that the bike looks more "fast" or "dynamic" or "sexy", to boost sells.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I don't care, he could have stick some tits to it. Or he could give the tits as a bonus with every owners manual. The only thing this screen does is to make its buyer poorer, and by a fistfull of cash. And the only good thing for me was that I tested someone elses screen and didn't have to buy it myself. Next...</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Wunderlich Ergo Vario</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvWnAi0UVCR2_UmxKayiKuGI0wSB9pnztKvZqTqgN7O8PkSjwqFQKxQc-gxeapuuAu_2yODn9gatLaRB3VhNkV2lPHuIjlF_UjL4ekMhq_Z2bZJ7iAfcsF7djM5SRaMVAH9o5lddCoCTd/s1600/wunderlich+ergo+vario.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvWnAi0UVCR2_UmxKayiKuGI0wSB9pnztKvZqTqgN7O8PkSjwqFQKxQc-gxeapuuAu_2yODn9gatLaRB3VhNkV2lPHuIjlF_UjL4ekMhq_Z2bZJ7iAfcsF7djM5SRaMVAH9o5lddCoCTd/s640/wunderlich+ergo+vario.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am sure you 've heard that "assuming is the mother of all fuckups". that was the case with this one. The client sees the Wunderlich trade mark and is assuming they know their stuff. Next to it he sees a "Vario" indication, so he assumes that with a variable height he will find a position that suits him. The old "the bigger the better" philosophy is reassuring to so many people. But this is not the case.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The area of coverage from the air is as huge as the barn door screen. But isn't right. Mainly because this screen is not only huge but more vertical that it should be and has the aerodynamics of a brick wall. An expensive and very nicely finished one but still... As a result where the screen ends, the air pocket closes in violently, causing buffeting, a boom- like sound to the sides of your helmet, and turbulence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Another problem is that it has no opening to equalize the difference in air pressure between the front and the back of the screen. The more you accelerate the more you feel as something sucks you to the front, near the screen. Off road things get worst as the hole thing is very heavy and causes the front plastic parts of the bike to move up and down when hitting pits or bumps, although the upper part is all the way down. The reason was revealed when I put the complete thing on a scale. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">As it is made from lexan -for the extra durability of the lower part to hold the upper one (plexiglass won't stant it)- it weights almost 4 kilos! That is almost 4 times the weight of the Givi alternative. And that is what is causing the off road earthquakes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Only thing that explains the Wunderlich flop came to me as I was looking at the bike and reminded me of a news stand. The proportion of it on the bike kind of left me with the impression that it was built for the 1200 GS and they simply modified the headlight cut and the bolt holes to make it fit to the F series. Off the bike and for sale it went so fast that I didn't even take oa photo of it. Next... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b> Touratech Large Touring Screen</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcqpNn0fW7hyphenhyphenCbT_cD4KuB38lhUkJ8HN_5VTmsFZrYMwS25a-Z8mZGsjFl1CULus5hPgPTyYGte5z9UtdfVRsn7zHbJso4dKQPR9xRbY9TbMR5o1WOjVNjreTbRP-OnmymY2HDrvNq_JH/s1600/DSCN0183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcqpNn0fW7hyphenhyphenCbT_cD4KuB38lhUkJ8HN_5VTmsFZrYMwS25a-Z8mZGsjFl1CULus5hPgPTyYGte5z9UtdfVRsn7zHbJso4dKQPR9xRbY9TbMR5o1WOjVNjreTbRP-OnmymY2HDrvNq_JH/s640/DSCN0183.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Tried it on a friend's bike. Noisy from buffeting, unstable to side winds, although it's form and size seemed logical and the height to be at a decent level. Nice look and covered the gps set up. Friend sold it as it never worked good enough but was pretty expensive. Next...</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">MRA Vario Touring Screen</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZmp6wCO9gamKiFlHA7WG2ohdJtcVAWQX7tsIiub7BgUPpnr4vOLHcHiV18nobdAbXEYADcUnVSxVnLy6147RAHWl1jxFzdUwclqNXXZ_0KaRSVOxDaeNoIqHJxnXqBXAKzrAfEZlj1wR/s1600/DSCN0275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZmp6wCO9gamKiFlHA7WG2ohdJtcVAWQX7tsIiub7BgUPpnr4vOLHcHiV18nobdAbXEYADcUnVSxVnLy6147RAHWl1jxFzdUwclqNXXZ_0KaRSVOxDaeNoIqHJxnXqBXAKzrAfEZlj1wR/s640/DSCN0275.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">MRA's good name within the dual purpose riders community made me tried it. But most of the guys telling me to do it had japanese bikes. I paid a good 140 euros to get a screen that the dealer didn't have not even one piece to look at and was trying to sell me showing it to me on the internet! Taking about professional salesmen! My initial impression was very disappointing, as I was mid winter and with that screen I was cold even riding downtown! Then I started riding in the countryside and I understood how it was made and why. They went the opposite way of the "make it barndoor big" regime trying with the smallest possible not to block but to channel the air stream, and the upper part lift the airflow upwards to comfort you and reduce instead of block air pressure. The result is a very quiet ride from a screen is so compact that you have to be thrown off a cliff to break it. BUT... the air that is channeled is still cold and you get cold yourself. And when it rains you get soaked. As guys with more aerodynamic expertise than mine explained, when it rains the wind has a different behavior as it is "thicker" and won't "open" as it should from the upper spoiler. And sold it was. Next...</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Givi D 333ST+ΚΙΤ</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsFQJ_893xbi0ZpzXiuwchYfdraRyNIRlnKZIRWz5Qk1X0HcO_phwZZIOD7siNf8jJLTIWg6mzoeeoeyYaHVMZt8bYesDe_R2D6LTV26QoLOTNFYjTuaTwr1Pb9OhQsvLVm1jExlaWSuJ/s1600/22+10+2012+043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsFQJ_893xbi0ZpzXiuwchYfdraRyNIRlnKZIRWz5Qk1X0HcO_phwZZIOD7siNf8jJLTIWg6mzoeeoeyYaHVMZt8bYesDe_R2D6LTV26QoLOTNFYjTuaTwr1Pb9OhQsvLVm1jExlaWSuJ/s640/22+10+2012+043.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I don't know how they do it over at this company. They never make the absolute best of anything. They never make the worst. Never the cheapest. Or the priciest. But in a magical way they get to cover a big area of product lines and come up with the best cost to quality to functionality ratio. In simple words, you pay a reasonable price and you do your job. Simply. After a rainy month, with me getting soaked every day on the way to work and back, I decided the "lets try another screen on" game got old. Went to a shop, took out the screen and without even bolting it on the bike I clamped it on my old one and sat on the bike to see how tall it was on me. Bought it, bolt it on and rode home. Dry, for less than the price of a German made 10cm high spoiler add on. Then I noticed it had a sticker warning you that at a certain angle with the sun, it might work as a lens and concentrate the sun light to burn the bike's plastics. At first I laughed thinking it was some lawyer's veto to a "better safe than sorry" company policy. Then I heard that it has happened. And then I saw a bike with the burn mark on the instruments! </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">JESUS CHRIST ON A FARTING HARLEY BEING CHASED BY ANGRY RAΒBIS ON POLICE BMWS MAN!</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This is a facepalm fail of epic proportions on motorcycle R&D! There goes the company's image and credibility buried under a sticker saying "congratulations on your new screen have many happy and safe klms blah blah, but watch in what angle you park your bike to the sun's orbit cause it might melt your speedometer". Now every time I 'll see a Givi banner on MotoGp race I 'll think of an Italian guy that explains to his son "...and that my boy is the banner of an Italian firm that makes state of the art bike parts. They even sell a wind screen so energy and environmentally efficient that not only stops wind and rain but melts the bike's plastics without any other energy source other than the sun! Just like you do to ants with your magnifying glass my little Nero. Who knows, maybe someday you get to work for them...". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Other than that the screen worked fine. Light, cheap but good quality plexiglass that send the airflow to the top of my helmet, with little noise and almost no buffeting. Wider at it's base it makes a wider airpocket just where it should, without being of barndoor size. It also has two small metal plates to bolt down and on the side to stabilize it as plexiglass is kind of a feather in the wind without support. There was a small issue with strong side winds in high speeds but no big deal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The only problem is that at 44 centimeters high you shouldn't go off road with it. Covered with mud it would block your line of sight low on the road. And in case you got a faceplant you might get a karate chop from angry Italian plastic right to your face. Not good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">What I needed was something like this but with the upper screen part to be able to slide down a few inches when I get off road. Easily and quickly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Soon I got across Touratech's Desierto and Britannia Composite's on the net and the answer to the problem was obvious. But prety expensive... </span><br />
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