My new aftermarket Madstad Engineering Windshield

During my recent winter service with oil change and new rear tire, I had a new aftermarket windshield installed.   It's from Madstad Engineering.   I don't believe anyone here has heard of it.   It's usually Givi for aftermarket.

It's a bit pricey but the mount is solid.   It comes in 2 pieces.   The bottom black piece is a formed metal piece that bolts into the 6 holds where the original Honda windshield was.   The 2nd acrylic piece bolts onto a pair of custom made adjustable clamps.

The idea is to create a more vertical windshield to deflect the air flow.   I'm 5'9" and ordered the 19" version.  

I think it's the best looking windshield for the Silverwing but it's just my opinion.

y2kcio wrote:

I think it's the best looking windshield for the Silverwing but it's just my opinion.

I respect your endeavors to do something different; but I don't share your appreciation of it's " good looks". Maybe it's because I live in a different hemisphere.  


Oh, I forgot, welcome to the forum!

Interesting look. My '02 Swing has a Givi wind screen. I can look over the top of mine. I like that better than looking through it. I do get a little more buffeting, but my helmet's face shield moderates the effect of what wind comes over the top. If I go over 80, I just duck my head a little to get it out of the windstream. Like I say, an interesting look, but I think I like my Givi better!

Another windscreen rarely, if ever, mentioned is one made by Isotta. I have had one fitted for over a year now. After fitting a length of Micro-Swirl ( see www.saeng.com ) along the top to minimise some annoying helmet buffeting, I'm well pleased with the result. Unfortunately, try as I might, the procedure to post a photo on this forum just simply does not work for me.

I considered the Isotta screen when I bought my Silver Wing five years ago, mainly because it offered a bit of weather protection for the hands. At the time the only supplier I could find was in Japan and I'd have hated it if I'd bought one and it had been too tall, so I bought the Givi Airflow.

In the past I've bought a few lengths of that Micro Swirl Stealth edging from SAENG in the US, I first used it back in the early Nineties on a Parabellum touring screen on my BMW R100 GS PD, then a BMW K75 RT, and finally on the OE and Sprint Manufacturing screens on my Honda CN 250 Helix. Thinking about it now I also had a set of their mirrors on the corners of the Sprint screen and bought their Winglets and never fitted them

Back then before online sales I used to mail off my order with payment in dollar bills to SAENG and it arrived in about two weeks. Now with online sales I did consider trimming my Airflow but the postage to the UK had increased to something ridiculous like $40. I used to get my previous orders in a Jiffy envelope with a $2 postage stamp on it.

I do have a small length of the self-adhesive screen edging along the centre of the top of the Airflow lower screen which stops rain drops coming through the gap between the lower and top screen. I kept the edging after junking the Winglet kit when clearing out the garage when moving house.

Yes Meldrew, the postage on gear from the US is just crippling. So much so that, where possible, I simply don't buy from there if I can avoid it. Surely it must be affecting sales internationally? I fitted some SAENG mirrors to a GIVI screen on a Burger I also ride. Expensive but they are probably the best I have ever fitted to any machine I have owned.

Who cares how Windshield looks----comfort on 4-500 mile days is the thing. Buffeting can drive you nuts. Basic design problem on SilverWing/Helix/Reflex/Burgman 400.....your nose is too far from tip of shield. Above are all are scooters I have owned from new.....and ridden now near 400,000 miles.

I have had test rides on BMW scooter.....buffeting seems to be controlled better.....Suzuki Burgman Ex. 650, seemed ok.

Windshield comfort---base line---BMW with Heinrich 2 piece....Vespa with correct/right shield height....last Harley with tin legshields/winter windshield kit. All worked,, even in crappy weather. Looking over.

Would like to try Madstad----but Givi Adjustable works fine on present SilverWing, and after 2 new ones and they are no longer made, there will not be another SilverWing in my garage to throw money at to try to get better wind management.

You keep going on about riders noses being too far from the tip of the screen, personally I don't the screen tip too near my helmet. I don't want it near my face wearing an open face helmet, or anywhere it could make contact if I had to brake sharply, I don't want rain drops splashing off it onto my visor, or not being able to hunker down behind it in really bad weather.

Heinrich were a small German low volume manufacturer that made expensive accessories for old air-cooled BMW bikes from the Fifties to the Eighties and have nothing to do with what modern maxi scooters whatsoever.

Riding with a good screen is only one part of the equation, if you don't have a quiet well fitting helmet and wear earplugs, you're never going to get the full benefit.

Heinrich vs Modern maxicooters-------the way air flows/buffets has changed since the 50's.

Nose to tip of windshield=8 to 12 inch seems to work-----on Maxi-scooter we are at something 18-24 in. and this I where all/most of the buffeting come from.

Wow, looks like the thread goes to show the original Honda SW windshield is inadequate. I agree the looks of whatever aftermarket windshield aren't as important as the functionality of reducing wind buffeting and noise.

That being said, my initial experience with my newly installed Madstad windshield has been positive so far. I only have 10 miles on it but I noticed an instant difference over the stock windshield. Madstad suggests the windshield be adjusted between 55 and 65 degrees angle. They included a paper template to help with the angle adjustment. I can see over the top of the windshield.

Pros: Installation by my bike technician took 30 minutes. Reduces wind buffeting and wind noise over stock. Adjustable angle to get the best out of it. The 2 piece aluminum bottom half and acrylic top half is very stable, no noticeable vibration of the windshield while riding. I can see over the top of the windshield. Almost no buffeting at speeds up to 50 mph. I can actually hear the parallel twin's sweet sound now!

Cons: A bit pricey at $269 plus shipping. Total was just under $300. The way I look at it is you pay thousands of dollars for the bike, so $300 is not that big of a deal over tens of thousands of enjoyable riding. At 70 mph, there is still some buffeting and noise but it's acceptable and still better than stock. Maybe a better helmet will help.

I'll play with the angle some more, put some more miles on it and report back if anyone is interested. In the meantime, keep 'er rubber side down!

john grinsel wrote:

Heinrich vs Modern maxicooters-------the way air flows/buffets has changed since the 50's.

Nose to tip of windshield=8 to 12 inch seems to work-----on Maxi-scooter we are at something 18-24 in. and this I where all/most of the buffeting come from.

I believe the technology and the shape of the shield and faring is a factor more so than the distance. I'm 29" from my nose to the top of the windshield on my "other" cycle while the windshield is in the lowest position, and I get plenty of air from the shoulders up. If I put the windshield 1/4 way up, the distance from my face increases and the buffeting stops. If I put it half way up, the windshield is almost 32" from my face, I get no buffeting and hardly any wind noise, and I'm still able to look over the windshield. If I put it full up it looks like a barn door with almost 35" from my nose to the top of the shield. I look through the screen and ride in calm wind and can enjoy sounds around me without the deafening rush of the wind.

See my base line for first comparison----having purchased and used over 75 new bikes/scooters and then using them everyday in some horrible conditions is where I come from. BMW RT's did not work well for me in this area but Vespas did. Same windshield design, Givi Adjustable works fine on SilverWing, does not work as well on Burgman 400

My opinion---HondaNT700V STOCK, left alone has great wind management up to 70 mph or so...
looking over!! Last week I got caught in ice storm/freezing rain----shield ended up with 1/4 inch ice....no see thru, looking over got home.

Look at WWII HD WLA 45 with windshield with canvas lowers===worked well...I had WLA 45 with no windshield---For years in Japan there was cheap windshield ($20 or so) I used on various bikes which worked well....even on BMW R60/6-----shield plastic shield, canvas lowers.

Kenjj50 wrote:

Interesting look.  My '02 Swing has a Givi wind screen.  I can look over the top of mine.  I like that better than looking through it.  I do get a little more buffeting, but my helmet's face shield moderates the effect of what wind comes over the top.  If I go over 80, I just duck my head a little to get it out of the windstream. Like I say, an interesting look, but I think I like my Givi better!

My SW came with a brand new Givi ... BUT when it rained was hard to see though so i used a dremel saw rotary bit and cut it down 8 inches.  i use a helmet and face sheild so wind is no issue. and now i can see the road ridding in the rain.



before

The Madstad windshield system is a "Positive Pressure Shield System".

That is why it cuts down on Buffeting and Noise.

Look at the New BMW scooter, It too is a Positive pressure shield system, That is the difference!!!!

a Positive pressure shield, lets a Large Volume of air Under the shield, that air under the shield pushes up against the bottom, under the shield at same speed as the air traveling above the shield, when the air under the shield hits at speed, the air above the shield, it forces the air above the shield to blow up higher.

So a smaller shield on a positive pressure system acts and functions like a Larger shield, as a smaller shield move more air away from the rider, Provided you have properly adjusted, height, tilt, and spacing, correctly.

The Stock Windshield, and Many Many if Not all aftermarket windshields are Negative Pressure Shields.

I will NOT ride a bike unless I can see over the shield. Period!!

I am on gravel watch, when riding and tires and Gravel Don't Mix very well around sharp turns, at any kind of speed.

I've no idea if the Givi Airflow is a Positive Pressure or Negative Pressure, but looking at mine there sure seems to be a lot of space between the lower screen section and the mounting rails on the top screen. It's not that important to me because I have a section of SAENG screen edging smoothing out the airflow there and dispersing raindrops, and an adjustable air deflector.

Even with a screen you personally find efficient you're still going to get hearing damage from amplified wind noise inside your helmet, so without a good helmet and a set of well fitting and comfortable ear plugs you're wasting your time.

Sounds to me that the Madstad with its metal base "shield" & (multi position) polycarbonate screen and the (varying height) Givi Air Flow windscreen are both using the laminar air flow principle to achieve that positive pressure.

Tim

I just looked at the Givi Air Flow Windscreen, It is a positive Pressure system. As it uses the air Under the top shield shrouded and directed up by the lower shield, to push Higher the air traveling over the top shield.

That's how they get away with a much smaller shield as it acts like a Larger shield.
But cuts the wind noise by a fare amount.

Now I wear Earplugs every time I ride, a bike that doesn't have a madstad shield on it, or use less hearing protection so more sound gets through, Earplugs do cut a Lot of the wind noise out.

But I want it to be as Near silent as I can get, and still be able hear sounds around me.
I don't wear earplugs on my bikes that have a Madstad windshield on them, as wind is muted to some point.

I would like to ride a silverwing with one of those installed on it to see how they are compared to a Madstad.

Everybody talks about airflow over the top of the helmet, but hardly ever about the airflow around the SIDES!

It's all very well looking at diagrams that show the air flow going up and over the helmet, but that simply creates a vacuum/low pressure on either side. Consequently, a lot of buffeting can be caused by this - especially in side winds.

I first placed a laminar flow aerofoil on the top of my windscreen. It was fine in still air and an improvement over stock. However, it broke accidentally so an opportune time to try a Givi AirFlow with the adjustable height screen. Looking at the design, it not only has the height adjustable screen, but "ears" on the base screen that make it wider.

In my opinion - with only a basic knowledge aerodynamics - the most important feature is the way the base screen has "flutes" built in that direct the air on either side at an angle of roughly 45 degrees. This seems to control the vacuum effect and reduce buffeting originating from either side.

The biggest difference I felt when first riding with the Givi adjustable screen was air pressure acting directly upon my back. It was pushing me forward - an unusual feeling, and in the cold winter air made me dress warmer, but far better than the head buffeting.

I think the design is deflecting air from over the top AND around the sides, creating a low pressure area between the screen and the rider. The air pressure felt on my back is simply air trying to fill that void and being blocked by myself.

I notice the Givi Airflow adjustable screen is popular with many other makes and the base screen always has the aforementioned "flutes" built in. Cleverly, the same top screen can be used for many makes.

I have a Madstad adjustable bracket on my KLV1000 and it works very well along with an adjustable aerofoil MRA screen. However, one day I might just change it for a Givi Airflow.