101.5 MPG on my 2003 Ninja 250!!! - Page 13 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

dcb · 09-21-2009, 11:39 PM

There are plenty of non-eco forums for advocating driving like a squid.

MadisonMPG · 09-22-2009, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcb

There are plenty of non-eco forums for advocating driving like a squid.

Win on dcb's part.

Driving reasonably slower is ALWAYS safer.

theycallmeebryan · 09-22-2009, 01:07 AM

Today i embarked on an adventure to build a touring windshield for my bike. It's starting to get a bit colder in NJ, and i want to prepare early before the real cold arrives.

You can see in this picture of me (at work) that the stock windscreen directs air right at my chest.

So i went to home depot and bought this:

Got home and make a stencil of my stock windshield on a poster board. I then taped off the lexan sheet with painters tape, and applied the stencil to the lexan. I cut the lexan with a jigsaw (fine blade at high speed!). Then i test mounted it.

I liked the look of it thus far so i removed the painters tape.

Heres a cockpit view:

And heres how it looks from my helmet, sitting normal.

So i took it for a test ride expecting it to not work well.... and indeed it didnt.
The windshield is so flat that the incoming air just bends it right over.

At 0mph it looked like this:

At 30mph:

And at 50mph:

PS: do not try to do 30mph or 50mph in your garage.... the speed limit is 0mph.

So i immediately began thinking of ways to prevent the bending. Of course the shield is only 1/10th" thick, but the stock shield is too, granted its shorter. I first thought about how a lot of harley windshields have metal bracing behind them. But then another thought came to me.... Curving the windscreen adds strength to it. So i began to do just that...

I made a plug with a piece of aluminum ducting my dad had in the garage. I flatted it out to the desired shape and clamped + taped it to construction benches. I then laid the shield on top and clamped + taped it tight onto the plug.

I then carefully used a heatgun about 6 inches away in steady, uniform motions. I did this for about an hour and half, off and on, readjusting the shield to make sure it was tight on the plug. You have to be careful with Lexan. If you heat it too much it will bubble up and ruin your work. You have to be patient and gently and uniformly heat up the piece.

I stopped working on it at this point and am leaving it sit over night on the plug. Hopefully this will help strengthen up the shield. If this doesnt work, i may have to resort to bracing it....

More to come

Christ · 09-22-2009, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theycallmeebryan

More to come

I just have to say that I think personal safety dictates that you remove the corners at the upper edge of the new windshield...

theycallmeebryan · 09-22-2009, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christ

I just have to say that I think personal safety dictates that you remove the corners at the upper edge of the new windshield...

You are absolutely correct.... I do plan to smooth out the edges a bit.

I wanted to make the screen function first, and get all that sorted out.... then i'll make it pretty.

Christ · 09-22-2009, 01:38 AM

You'll have to pardon my concern - I know from personal experiences that sharp edges hurt at high speeds, and I can only imagine that corners are just as painful, if not moreso.

theycallmeebryan · 09-22-2009, 08:15 PM

The shield is finished for now.... I spent a couple hours today tweaking it a bit.

The curve in the shield definitely helps! It does not bend back at all even up to 70mph.

Its also the perfect height and width. I sit in this little pocket behind the screen and feel no air.