| Author | Message | ||
     Hughesatron |
I went on a 850 mile 2-day ride recently, and the wind beating took its toll by the finish. I was comfortable with no fatigue, but my head hurt from the wind blast. I decided to make a change. I saw a bunch of posts about the Palmer and other windscreen brackets/shields. I bought a new windscreen for my Honda VFR 800 and it didn't make much of a difference. I thought the same might happen for my Uly. I didn't want to fork over the money for something that I wasn't sure was really going to make much of a difference. So, I made this windscreen bracket for $15 with parts from home depot. I bought a single 3/4" x 36" metal bar, 4 nylon spacers, and 8 sets of 1/4" bolts, washers, locking washers, rubber grommets. and nuts. It took a little bit of calculation to find the exact angle I wanted, but it effectively lifts the windscreen about 4" vertically. I'm absolutely impressed and psyched with the new setup. I don't have to wear earplugs now every time I ride! I went out and put in some headphones and it was no problem. I'm never going back to the stock setup, that's for sure. Here's some photos of the stuff I bought and what the final install looks like.        | ||
| Mnrider |
Wow-very nice! | ||
| Xbeau12s |
that's pretty cool! Very good job on the fit and finish it looks like. I have a taller screen but that looks more at home on the X | ||
| Buellerxt |
Very cool and impressive. Enjoy the comfort! | ||
| Badrap |
Great Job, I like how you integrated the support into the bracket. I just got my palmer bracket in the mail today and hope I'm as pleased with the results as much as you are. Once again. Nice job, you could market those.  | ||
| Sage |
Looks like it will do the job. | ||
| Pontlee77 |
Ideas + tools + skill, all makes the deal. | ||
| Sleez |
looks pretty good. i am going to be a bit critical here, just as suggestions, not hating in any way!!! looks like you did not use SS hardware? i would use SS button head screws and lock nuts. the U-bolts at the handle bars look kinda clunky, i would have tried adel clamps, you know what some call strap clamps or cushion clamps??? http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&rlz=&q=adel+c lamps&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=ZeYrTN2tE8OInQf9_vjeCQ&sa=X &oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CD QQrQQwAg other than those tweeks, it looks great, and the biggest thing is how it functions. sounds like it works good. i might have to try something similar. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Nice job, and very inventive. I always am way more impressed with folks that come up with their own solutions and fabrication then those that are so proud of something they just purchased made by someone else. A couple of questions for you: Since it doesn't look adjustable in the normal sense, how did you arrive at the configuration that you ended up with? Why do you spacer it out away from you instead of towards you? Air turbulence usually has a way of coming back together the further back you get from the windshield . I mean to say, the closer you put your face behind the windshield the quieter it gets at least with most normal windshield setups. | ||
| Hughesatron |
Thanks for the feedback everyone. Sleez- I used the standard hardware fasteners you'll find at Home Depot. They don't rust (Zinc plated metal), so I'm hoping they will be ok. What benefits would stainless steel hardware have over the ones I have? I actually did look for the adel clamps, but couldn't find them. I went with the U-bolts because two points of contact on the support bar may provide an additional level of support and strength without the pivoting concern of the adel clamp mount. Thanks for the suggestion and link! Electraglider- I made a best guess on the angle based on the other aftermarket supports out there. I made the brackets 1 1/2" longer originally, but it was too high. The bottom of the windscreen was higher than the top of the gauge cluster screen, so air could go straight through horizontally without deflection. Secondly, I spacered out the windshield to allow the concave grommet a surface to pivot on and meet flush with the windscreen (you are referring to the white 1/2" spacers, right?). Also, I think aesthetically it looks better to have the same spacing between the windscreen mount on the bracket and the bracket onto the gauge cluster screen. If you are referring to the distance perpendicular to the gauge cluster screen, then that was more for aesthetics than anything else. It is closer to your helmet than the palmer screen (http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc205/sportster 1200/palmer003.jpg). | ||
| Hughesatron |
Sleez- I read a little about zinc coating vs. SS (http://www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=1380). It looks like SS would be better for corrosion resistance in exterior applications. If I see rust creeping in, I may swap the hardware out. Fortunately, here in Colorado we do not have high levels of humidity and I don't think rust will be much of an issue, but SS would probably have been a better choice from the get-go. Thanks. | ||
| Sleez |
hey ryan, no worries, i just prefer SS hardware in ANY outside application, from boats to racecars to motorcycles. adel clamps can be found in various places, most don't know them as adel clamps, that is a ref to the aircraft part manufacturer. i get mine at the local true value dealer, or the truck parts center. looks real nice, i have been going over it in my head, and have come up with a way to make the angle adjustable, stay tuned for further thoughts!!! | ||
| Motorbike |
Hugh, nice job on the fabrication! It must have been difficult to get the bend angles of the rear straps just right so they match each other? Looks like you put a little effort into getting it just right! I have the Palmer Brackets on my 08 XT with the stock windshield and it is great! An added benefit is that you can now clean the inside of the windshield and the top of the flyscreen also. Thanks. | ||
| Motorbike |
Hugh, nice job on the fabrication! It must have been difficult to get the bend angles of the rear straps just right so they match each other? Looks like you put a little effort into getting it just right! I have the Palmer Brackets on my 08 XT with the stock windshield and it is great! An added benefit is that you can now clean the inside of the windshield and the top of the flyscreen also. Thanks. | ||
| Motorbike |
Oops! I accidentally posted my last comment twice. Can someone tell me how to go back in and remove one of them? Thanks. | ||
| Tiltcylinder |
Gotta say, I really like the elegant single piece upper bracket. Nice work! Just made a smaller than stock 'short' unit(just enough to protect the GPS) due to the hot weather. My enormous screen works great but there's NO airflow now... | ||
| Trevd |
Looks great! How did you bend the metal bar? | ||
| Chopped_burban |
That looks really good and functional. I'm very impressed. But keep it away from my Uly.... first thing I thought when I saw the pic looking down toward the instrument cluster was "Wow, all sorts of room to mount more toys"  Nice Job. | ||
| Billyo |
I was thinking the same thing. The xm and gps could easily go there, or maybe the speakers, or... |
