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Screen options for the Blackbird |
In general you have to say that the standard screen for the Blackbird is very good indeed as regards wind deflection from the rider and styling. In 2001 a
new, taller screen was added to the Blackbird - to quote Honda why: |
A member asked on the forum: Can anybody out there HELP me with information on the Double bubble screen. I did read that these are better, stopping the wind hitting the top of your head. I would be most grateful for any help, as to where to buy one if this is better. So lets see what everyone says...................Bezzer responds: It all depends on how tall you are and more importantly your riding position. The double bubble does throw the air up higher but if the standard screen gets you in the chest now a double bubble will get you in the head causing more noise and turbulence. Add that to the fact that the aftermarket screens are all slightly different and then you have the higher Givi and the flip type and you can spend a fortune trying to find the right screen for you. If its getting you in the head now a double bubble may throw it over. An idea is to meet other members and try their bikes with different screens. (Good point Bezzer)! I've had a Powerbronze and an MRA double bubble but keep coming back to the standard screen which I've found is better at higher speeds and less noisy round the head, the wind pressure on the chest helps with comfort as well taking the load off your arms/wrists. I don't think you can really compare heights either to try and find the right one, same height people can have longer bodies/shorter legs and vice versa. Jonah responds: I have fitted a Nuvo D/Bubble screen what a difference. The wind goes straight over my head at all speeds and I am 6ft 1". You even feel the difference at low speeds and what's more it fits perfect. Onzas thoughts: I now have the MRA screen on the bike. Better made than the Fabrri with a blacked out bottom section and a deeper fitting lip to match to the original body work. It's a lot more flexible than the original and the Fabrri which would be a good thing if ever I find myself flying over the top of it! However, if I'm perfectly honest, it's not as pretty as the Fabrri one. Wht can't you get German fit and engineering with Italian design flare Onza again: I tried the MRA which was a good fit to the cowl but its flexible nature meant it wasn't quite true to the eye and this bugged me. I swapped to the Fabbri but had to paint the bottom half with acrylic paint and then silicon seal the joint to the cowl to keep the weather out. Quite a bit of fuss but it seems worth it now. Maybe most people wouldn't bother but I can be a bit of a perfectionist at times. I've also seem some bike s with a brand I've not heard o before. Pugi of something like that. They look good as the bubble starts narrow at the front of the screen but flares out to the whole width by the time it reaches the top of the screen. Shot lines views: I got my double bubble from spain, made by "Puig". Try www.motoplastics.com It looks great, has a cool logo, comes with a darkened lower section to hide wiring, fitted perfect first time, and works wonders at reducing wind blast, buffeting & noise. I highly recommend it. Grippy's thoughts: I have just fitted a Motrax Fabbri double bubble. It went straight in with no fiddling about or re-drilling, so very happy with that. Available in different colours and tints, mine is "light tint" and so the bottom needed painting black to hide the electrics. "Motrax are confident that the Fabbri screens will become the benchmark for all other aftermarket screens". I will have to look a bit closer at other screens because the Fabbri screen doesn't have the stepped mounting flange that the original Honda part has. Because of this, there is a step where the screen sits under the fairing instead of flush with it and there are small gaps where the rain can get into the nose cone, so not so happy with that! There is more wind noise
with the Double Bubble, even at low speeds, but it has certainly got rid
of the buffeting to the head so I can put up with the noise. Birdaddicts views: My bird had a Givi screen on when I got her and I was quite happy with the wind protection it offered except for some wind battering in cross winds and higher speeds if you didn't get your head well down. This winter, part of my projects was to fit a double bubble screen, kindly offered by Gizzit. Although it was a powerbronze and is not regarded as the better ones around, I fitted it and it looks ok. Even better is the protection it offers, I never expected it to be so good and even had the bike up to 160mph when the red mist got the better of me whilst on our easter rideout (but that's another story) My recommendation is Double Bubble Bixxer Bob says... Nuvo double bubble. No windblast, stable as the proverbial. Fit is good and (with proper care when cleaning obviously) is resisting scratches well so far - done 30,000 miles over 4 years in all weathers. All in all, good value I think. Bixxer Bob again.... Think I've said in an earlier post that I've got a NUVO double bubble. It's great wind wise, but I've also got the "melting dash" syndrome. Some marks appeared on the dash which I thought were due to using the wrong sort of cleaner and that it had harmed the plastic. Then I read about "melting dash" on IXXRA and had another look. It was just co-incidence that at that particular time, the line cast by the curved edge of my screen lined up exactly with the marks on the dash. So I guess it's good gen. I suppose the only answer is to cover the dash with something in bright sunlight to avoid it happening again. Maybe an adaptation of those brightly coloured sun visors car drivers use in their windscreen......Na! I don't want my 'bird looking a prat! Numbits views: Givi touring screen not the best looking screen on the market, but knock's off most of the buffeting for a big git like me even at stupid speeds. Mr C' says: MRA touring , good quality, good fitment, excellent wind protection Scruffygit says: Was getting tired of being wind blasted for 400 miles at a time so fitted a Fabbri double bubble. The fit was a bit iffy where it fitted being a effectively just a curved flat sheet rather than being joggled at the edge to fit under the fairing. It did work at keeping the wind off me when riding solo but when Natalie was on the back, it set up quite a bad turbulence that knocked both our heads around so I went back to the original. Picked up a MRA db at the NEC. Excellent fit although it feels considerably more flimsy than the original, and it works very well - I can now sit at 90 in relative calm. Bootneck
says: Just to add more confusion to the subject.I am six foot slightly deaf so wind noise is an issue with me. I fitted a Power Bronze double bubble to my 2001 bird toured Spain and Portugal the wind noise and and buffeting was pretty bad. It looked good and was easy to fit I have to say. Anyway I have re fitted the o.e. (orginal factory screen) screen and it a vast improvement on both the noise and buffeting issues. Hope this is of use to someone out there, before they part with their hard earned. Regards Bootneck |
Suppliers
and Contacts |
| So you see the choice is yours as regards which one you choose. It is however a personal choice as regards what folk prefer - so lets have a look at the choices and some useful links to manufacturers and suppliers of the screens: |
Contact Pete at Sound Distribution - he does a competitive rate on the Fabbri Screens and tell him IXXRA sent you  |
MRA
Screen |
| What about these new Zero Gravity screens then? They sure do look nice  Demon Tweaks say.....Brand new from the USA for 2005/ High quality screens from Zero Gravity, the originators of the 'double bubble' screen. In the early nineties, following the lead of the Cagiva and Marlboro Yamaha factory GP teams, Zero Gravity began experimenting with the concept in screen design which improves the airflow over the rider whilst reducing the frontal area of the bike. The screen appears as a bubble within a bubble which is exactly how the screens are fabricated and named today. Most screens come factory pre-drilled and ready to install. The holes and screen profile match the OEM fairing for a precision fit. Available in Standard Replacement, Double Bubble or Sports Touring Options. Colours: Clear, Light Smoke, Dark Smoke, Red, Purple, Dark Blue, Fluorescent Green, Light Green, Yellow or Blue. Chosen by 2004 British Superbike champions Crescent Rizzla Suzuki and the best Superbike, Grand Prix, Supersport and Endurance teams in the USA, Zero Gravity screens dominate road-racing from club level to the nationals. Available in three types: SR Series (Standard Replacement), Double Bubble series and Sports Tuning (flip) series www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/ In the USA? Fancy viewing a selection of these screens, and get a discount too? Then contact Iggy at Exotic Sport Bike Not only do they stock a great range of screens for your Blackbird, but you also qualify for a 5% discount.....just tell them IXXRA sent you - their range includes: Airblade, Lockhart Phillips, Memphis Shades, Puig, Sportech and Zero Gravity Click the logo to go to their site  So there we
go - lots of information regarding screens - confused now? Try these suppliers: Demon
Tweeks
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