New Windshield uses very little more fuel

Hello group!

I thought it may interest you in how my fuel consumption changed, after changing out my factory Honda OEM windscreen, and replacing it with a Givi 214DT full height screen.

I ordered the screen from Twisted Throttle Canada and paid a reasonable $125.87 plus taxes (free shipping by FedEx). I also ordered the installation kit, at $18.89, but did not find any reason to use it. The install kit consists of 2 small metal plates with pre-drilled holes to match the OEM mounting points, and 4 replacement hex head bolts, that are slightly longer than factory bolts.
As I opened the sealed bag the install kit as in, I cannot return it. If someone requires it I can send it their way, unless I can be convinced I need it on my bike. The windscreen remains very solidly mounted, and has given me no issues, even in winds of 53KMH.

Install photos are here: https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ags0n2CJN4h4rRzEpvCSkRcABbeR

When I sit on the seat (I am 5' 8"), I am looking through the windscreen at a distance of about 3" down from the top. WOW! Talk about quiet riding now. For our Saskatchewan fall riding, translate that to very cool, it is great. I will likely revert to the factory screen in the spring when the weather warms up.

As I log every fuel fill with a computer program called Car Trak 4, and fill up in the same way every time (fill on sidestand, level surface, and only to just over the small cross bar visible in the fuel tank neck), I feel my fuel numbers are fairly accurate.

I went from using 4.692 Litres/100KM with the factory screen, to 4.981 Litres/100KM with the Givi screen, or a change of 0.289 L/100KM.
In Imperial measure, these three numbers translate to 60.2MPG before, to 56.71MPG after install of the new screen, with a difference of 3.49MPG increase.

Most of my driving since purchase of the bike averages 4.84L/100KM, or 58.36MPG. Most of my driving is freeway over a 30Km distance, at speeds 110KMH. I feel pretty good about these numbers, but would be interested in feedback from the group.

Thanks for letting me share with you.

Isn't it nice to have a windscreen with NO scratches on it?! Great photos also. Thanks.

Thanks for posting Max. I have been thinking about about a big screen for fall and spring riding.
You have answered every question I could have asked.

I find the gas mileage is lower in cooler weather anyway. One tends to make more short rides.
More cold starts. More warm ups.

Givi didn't come up with those installation kits as they call them for the heck of it. The windshield will flex more without them. The brackets upper end are designed to be screwed to the SW's frame, which makes the installation much stronger. The original windshield was much smaller and put less stress on the rubber mounts than the larger Givi screen does. I've installed two of the large Givi's and one of the adjustable. I can tell you at least on the adjustable there's a big difference in the rigidity of the windshield with the brackets and without. I didn't put them in at first, but after riding the bike at speed decided to install them. There was a very noticeable stiffness with them in place, especially when passing large trucks at freeway speed on a windy day. The non-adjustable Givi has as much surface area as the adjustable so I can't see how it would perform differently.

There is also a D214ST. Doesn`t seem like much difference.
D214ST

214DT

I also bought the non adjustable Givi screen and it suited me perfectly, but it seems the adjustable is more popular among forum members. I would recommend to use the install kit. You have already got it and it's better to install it than to ask yourself later: "why I did not do it". There is a reason why the manufacturer supplies it, even if it does not seem to be necessary.

Thanks to Reg, Gremlin qnd Exavid for your comments. I cannot for the life of me determkine how to use the installation kit brackets, that I paid for, as there are not guides/instructions that explain what to do with them.

Can anyone direct me to any websites (photos would be great) that explain how to use the brackets?

Thank you in advance.

this is the Givi install pdf, it is not the most comprehensive but it shows where the kit goes.
https://m.fortnine.ca/media/pdf/givi/D214KIT.pdf#page=1&zoom=auto,-203,573

Gremlin,


Thank you for such a quick response. I have saved the PDF and will printing it large.

In reviewing the information, it seems that I am to install the windscreen over top of the metal plates, which are more than 1/16" thick, and then use the original mounting hole for the lower of the three holes in the windscreen. Seems to me that this would stress both the lower mount as well as the screen.

The suggestions for the rubber gasket install only apply to the 2145 screen and not the 214DT screen. Or,... is this a misprint?

I never thought I would be asking for more help, but here I am, again requiring clarification.

Thank you.

My memory seems to be failing me. What rubber gasket?

I think the main advantage of using the kit is that you create another bolt hole by drilling through the plastic and have another bolt to hold it all. By using the metal bracket you would distribute any stress from one bolt onto several. It seemed perfectly logical to me when I did it.
There used to be references in the library about doing this, but I remember that one had to be extremely careful when drilling out the new hole so you not destroy the thread which is hidden underneath the plastic.

Once I had my drill point marked I slipped a putty knife blade inside the plastic to prevent any chance of hitting the threads in the frame. I also started with a small (1/16th) drill bit to make sure it was where I wanted it. After that it was only necessary to drill to the final size. Use light pressure and drill slowly because it goes through the plastic quickly and one doesn't want it to grab.
I think the main thing gained with the bracket is tying the windshield and bracket to the frame of the bike. Without the bracket the wind load is putting a bit of a twist on the windshield mounting. On each side the front bolt is compressing the rubber only upward, the middle one isn't stressed much and the rear one is compressing the rubber downward. With the bracket in place all three bolts are compressing the rubber upward so all three bolts are bearing loads in the same direction. Only the frame-bolted bracket has any downward load and that's transmitted into the frame and doesn't move as the rubber mounted bolts can.

Looking for info about the Fit Kit I came across someone saying that it was not required on 04 and up.

When I look at the instructions posted in this thread it states Silver Wing 600 '01/'03

Looking on GiviUSA it states windshield must be combined with a specific make and model fitting kit D...KIT.

I know for sure that the kit that came with three windshields I installed, two fixed and one adjustable Givi that went on two '03s and one '05 were the same. There was no difference in what year Silverwing either Givi windshield fit on. The installation kit came with the windshield so it would seem there's no difference in the fitting kit whatever year Silverwing one has.

http://www.twistedthrottle.com/givi-windscreen-honda-silverwing-600?gloc=1&gclid=CPmL9rSbv88CFQKraQod-zcDaw

Good information Paul.

If one was to switch back to the OEM screen for summer months would it require the removal of
the kit? Or could it stay on with the OEM screen.

My advice would be to buy the adjustable screen. Then you wouldn't need to switch back and forth. to answer your question I'd reinstall the OEM windshield the same way Honda put it on the bike. The original mounting was sufficient for the OEM screen.

Thanks Paul.

5 minutes. Now that was a fast reply.