Laminar Lip, or tall screen

Hi there.

As promised some info on my laminar lip which I have had fitted for a good ten months now, on a stock screen. This post was originally written for back then for a different forum.

The big advantage of the lip is that it does the job of a big screen, but still allows you to see over the top and without having to look through.

I can confirm that the lip works a treat, and being adjustable (you can mount it in different positions on the existing windshield) you should be able to work out the optimum position for you. Initially before I fixed it to my screen I used strong insulating tape to stick the lip to my screen, and went out for a ride. I then decided upon a position at which the middle part of the lip is about 2 inchs above the stock shield at the middle, and about half an inch higher at either side. At this setting I can cruise comfortably at 60-70 mph with my visor open. (Note I am 5'11") The lip reduced the roar of the wind noise to a quieter more comfortable whistling sound, bearable for short distance, but I would probably still opt for ear plugs on longer journeys. Having said that 2 years ago I developed tinnitus, so am a bit funny now with ambient noise levels. The lip does seem to project the main wind blast significantly higher, and I feel that the bike is more stable at high speed also as a result of the lip. I also added additional mounts putting the middle of the lip one inch above the middle of the stock shield, making the lip half an inch lower than the stock shield at either side. Although still effective, it was not as good as my first chosen setting, as my head started to get a little buffeting. That one inch makes a big difference! Thus based on my experience noted above I would advise there is another option to spending lots of money on an expensive screen you have to look through.

For those less tall riders, somone say 5' 8" tall would be able to easily mount the lip and still be able to see over it, mount it between a half, to one inch heigher than the stock shield at the middle part.

Finally, in case anyone is tempted IMHO don't go for a tinted screen that you have to look through, especially at night. It's a nightmare! My reasons are as follows.... Some 15 years ago when I was still young free and single I borrowed a mates bike with a dark tinted tall screen, and it was hellish driving it at night. I daren't go fast cos I couldn't see through the damn screen at night... In fact I was too busy worrying about what I couldn't see that the whole experience of riding his bike, a kawasaki GTR1000 was ruined. I couldn't wait to get back to my BMW K100RT.

Finally with regard to the laminar ears which I fitted a month later...

I have been out for a test drive, and found them to be much better than expected. They seem to kick out the bulk of the airflow a few inchs past the ends of the handle bars. Also they seem to work well as anchoring struts between the fairing and the screen, and as a result the screen seems much steadier now at high speed. It's great, Thanks to the "lip" and the "ears" I was able to drive up a nearby dual carriageway at 70 mph with my visor fully open, and for the first time able to hear the engine over the wind noise. (this was when my variator and exhaust were stock and much quieter!) It would seem that the "ears" are also effective in eliminating some of the wind roar aswell as diverting most of the wind blast further out away from the hands. I am well impressed with the whole laminar set up, it really has a made a significant difference in ride comfort, high speed stability, and reduced the wind roar.....

Sorry, I don't have a great photo of it.....



This one shows the vecro pads a little clearer, but this is a photo of my bike, not the S'Wing!



The ears although effective both on the bike and the scoot, seem to work better on the scoot, but then they were designed for the S'wing scoot, though I think you can get them for some other bikes too. Check out the web sites below for more photos and prices.

http://www.laminarlip.com/silverwing.php

http://shop.heroblobs.co.uk/collections/silverwing

Another option is to make your own! I've made a lip for my bike, and although it makes a big difference, to be fair it ain't as good as the original for the S'wing! I will probably make a mark two sometime.. :D