Triumph GT windscreen on the R, worth it or buffeting?

The CalSci screen requires the black mounting strip, so you did that right. Attach one side very loosely and pull the shield over until the other screws line up. All of those bolts are in rubber so it is flexible.

jackrotten said:

The CalSci screen requires the black mounting strip, so you did that right. Attach one side very loosely and pull the shield over until the other screws line up. All of those bolts are in rubber so it is flexible.

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Agree that he's got the right parts, mine lined right up though and needed zero force to get the screws lined up. Odd.

Reminds me of my initial problem with powerbronze screen.
Remove bolts, line up holes equally on both sides, so they will be off a bit but equally. Bolts will go in at a slight angle!!

Thanks guy. I was able to get it in place this morning, but it really seems like it shouldn’t go on this way. My guess is that they measure and laser-cut the holes when the shield is flat. Then, when they curve it, this brings the holes closer together and out of alignment with the mounts. Maybe I’ll look into making my own if this ends up cracking due to the stress of the bolts.

R3_2.5 said:

Thanks guy. I was able to get it in place this morning, but it really seems like it shouldn’t go on this way. My guess is that they measure and laser-cut the holes when the shield is flat. Then, when they curve it, this brings the holes closer together and out of alignment with the mounts. Maybe I’ll look into making my own if this ends up cracking due to the stress of the bolts.

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The shields are curved, and the bolt holes are centred at the radius they sit at when tightened down fully. When they are not tightened down, they sit further away from their final position - at a larger radius - so the bolts will not (and cannot) line up to the holes then. It is best to pull it over a bit on loose bolts, each screwed in a few threads. The stress dissipates when it is tightened down in place. Just do NOT overtighten the bolts and do so evenly; a couple of turns each bolt at a time - criss-cross is best. Shields crack from being overtightened more often than any other reason. I have several different size shields that I use on my KTM 1190 Adventure: same thing, all of them.

estoma said:

The shields are curved, and the bolt holes are centred at the radius they sit at when tightened down fully. When they are not tightened down, they sit further away from their final position - at a larger radius - so the bolts will not (and cannot) line up to the holes then. It is best to pull it over a bit on loose bolts, each screwed in a few threads. The stress dissipates when it is tightened down in place. Just do NOT overtighten the bolts and do so evenly; a couple of turns each bolt at a time - criss-cross is best. Shields crack from being overtightened more often than any other reason. I have several different size shields that I use on my KTM 1190 Adventure: same thing, all of them.

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Maybe I’m misremembering my high school geometry, but by this rationale, when the windshield is just held in front of the mounting holes with no screws in place, the holes in the windshield should be outside of the holes they mount to on the bike. Larger radius because not tightened into place means holes further apart, as you say. But, the holes on this windshield are actually inside the mounting holes in this case. When you put the screws in place and tighten down, it wants to flatten out the center section of the windshield. Opposite of what you say, and what I was also assuming.

R3_2.5 said:

Maybe I’m misremembering my high school geometry, but by this rationale, when the windshield is just held in front of the mounting holes with no screws in place, the holes in the windshield should be outside of the holes they mount to on the bike. Larger radius because not tightened into place means holes further apart, as you say. But, the holes on this windshield are actually inside the mounting holes in this case. When you put the screws in place and tighten down, it wants to flatten out the center section of the windshield. Opposite of what you say, and what I was also assuming.

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I'm less that impressed at the rigidity of the CalSci screen. It flexes and moves a fair amount at speed (especially behind buffeting vehicles). A little stress on the screen might be all that's keeping it from flopping around like a wet noodle.

R3_2.5 said:

Maybe I’m misremembering my high school geometry, but by this rationale, when the windshield is just held in front of the mounting holes with no screws in place, the holes in the windshield should be outside of the holes they mount to on the bike. Larger radius because not tightened into place means holes further apart, as you say. But, the holes on this windshield are actually inside the mounting holes in this case. When you put the screws in place and tighten down, it wants to flatten out the center section of the windshield. Opposite of what you say, and what I was also assuming.

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When the windshield is held in front of the mounting holes (further away) with no screws in place, the holes in the windshield will feature inside the holes they mount on the bike. Further away, larger radius, larger implied circumference, but still the same (smaller radius) arc between holes on the shield. So the holes have to appear on the inside of the mounting holes, as you said, and the windshield needs to be stretched 'open' or flatter to mount it. But that should mostly have worked out by the time the windshield has been tightened down.

EskimoPie said:

I'm less that impressed at the rigidity of the CalSci screen. It flexes and moves a fair amount at speed (especially behind buffeting vehicles). A little stress on the screen might be all that's keeping it from flopping around like a wet noodle.

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I think that some pre-stressing is designed into most of the aftermarket windshields, especially the thinner ones, for that exact reason. The PUIG® and MRA® shields that I use on my 1190 dance around a lot in crosswind and can deflect substantially over 180 kph. But they work well otherwise, and you get used to them shimmying around. They have not cracked or failed otherwise during six years' use now.

There is no easy cure for buffeting, except seemingly trying (and wasting money on) shield after shield till you find one that buffets least. And what works for me might not work for you. I have found that shields with a reverse flip on the upper edge or an adjustable tip at the top work best. I must add that the main reason for that is that I cannot ride a bike looking through a shield - I need to look over it. But that's me.

cmintegra said:

I have the single piece Powerbronze and it's perfect for me. not too disruptive to the bike's lines and deflects just the right amount of wind from my chest. I'm 5.11" (1,80m) but there's a taller screen available. I think that a taller one may need some additional support at the handlebars at much higher speeds, but it's just my opinon

Happy riding!

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From another thread. He's mounted the screen directly on the bike without the GT screen mounts. Would this help with the malalignment of the holes?
I may be mistaken, I don't have the powerbronze, but just trying to help.
But I guess this applies for the smaller one. Never mind.