Modern Vespa

I have Givi Airflow which I had adjusted to be just below my eye line for winter riding - I have just lowered it about 2 inches and the difference I feel in the ride is good - I feel the ride to be more agile while more wind is caught on my helmet which is welcome for when it is warm. It may just be me but can lowering a windshield by 2 inches or so make ride better/more responsive?

Yes

Hello RiderUK.
I see your picture and wonder how it differd from the givi airflow i have on my 2009 400.

It seems yours has a different hight adaptation as mine.

Could you put sime more pictures , if possible from the sides and riders view?

It would be possible to test out some more in cm's or inches.

Thanks.

I have the same one Andre has (GIVI 504 I think it is). I use it in the warmer months as it flows "quieted" air through my mesh jacket. (In the colder months I use a Fabbri that I cut down to just below eye level.)

I do wish the GIVI could adjust a bit higher, though it works well enough as it is. It does bother me that it flexes quite a bit at speed. This doesn't seem to affect the function any, it just doesn't feel right. The Fabbri is rock solid.

Yes, absolutely it can make a handling difference. When you change the windshield, you affect the shape of the air envelope. If it's not pushing as much air, it should be more responsive.

I think it's 90% psychological The same as the feeling that a convertible sports car seems faster with the top down versus top up. Air movement, noise, etc., it all adds to the sensation of speed and performance.

Generally, the taller windscreen decreases aerodynamic drag. The "frontal area" is not so much different than with the lower windshield (since your body more-or-less has the same area moving into the wind), but the coefficient of drag is lower with the taller windscreen in place. In the final analysis the taller windshield should make you faster.

The way to test it would be a top speed experiment. Empty road, not much cross wind, make a run with the screen up and again with the screen down. Note any difference in top speed?

Thanks for all the responses - I will play around with the screen height to see how to get a summer sweet spot in line with best handling etc.

AndreNL - here are some more pictures as you had requested:

To RiderUK
Thanks for those pictures.
Your Givi is definit a different one than the one MPFrank and I have installed.
Your extra small window looks also larger as ours.
I wonder if that, i think bigger size, can replace our type of extra screen.
If the distance between the clips is equal I asume yes. I don't think the clips will be different.
I hope to have 2 inches extra in the winter and hope to have also some less 'wind' noise.
I know the top screen of our model you can also order separate.
But heck, its summer, keep your heads cool while driving my MP3 friends.
Have a nice weekend.

AndreNL: Could you post similar pictures of your windshield? It seems to be higher? (I have the same as RiderUK, but it is little to short for me (187cm)).

If your windshield is cut down too short, you can always add a Laminar Lip to extend it.

The Givi 504 is great for my sub-tropical climate. Usually left in the down position for most of the year, except when it rains or those early morning runs when its cool and the sun is still thinking about making its presence felt.

Previously I had a Piaggio Comfort screen which was slightly surreal as there was minimal air turbulence which resulted in being able to hear mechanical noises not previously known. I didnt like looking through a wet visor and a wet screen in peak hour night traffic. An obscure piece of local legislation (probably from the 1950's) concerning 3 wheeled vehicles meant I had to either fit a wiper blade (as if) or reduce the screen height below eye-level. The. 3" cut off the screen seem to result in airflow into the side of the helmet causing noise.
More than happy with the 504.

The Givi 504 is great for my sub-tropical climate. Usually left in the down position for most of the year, except when it rains or those early morning runs when its cool and the sun is still thinking about making its presence felt.

Previously I had a Piaggio Comfort screen which was slightly surreal as there was minimal air turbulence which resulted in being able to hear mechanical noises not previously known. I didnt like looking through a wet visor and a wet screen in peak hour night traffic. An obscure piece of local legislation (probably from the 1950's) concerning 3 wheeled vehicles meant I had to either fit a wiper blade (as if) or reduce the screen height below eye-level. The. 3" cut off the screen seem to result in airflow into the side of the helmet causing noise.
More than happy with the 504.

McKee here some pics.
Some with the top screen up, some down.
Hope it will help you.

André

Rider uk has a AF5601 the newer mp3's have an adjustable windscreen as Stock if you fit a AF5601 givi airflow its even more adjustable the lowerpart you can set higher or lower and the toppart

AndreNL got the AF504 then you can only set the toppart higher or lower

Thanks Maksor for your explanation. great

I don't know about your windscreen but I think your front tyres need switching over. The tread V should be pointing down at the front so that water is pushed away from the middle of the tyre by the tread. The tyres might have rotation indicators that will confirm this. I only recently bought an MP3 and had the same problem.

Hi N Joe - are you referring to tyres on my MP3?

Yup!

Ok, thanks for pointing it out - I will check the indicator and sort it out.

@ N joe,

I think that the wells are OK with Rider UK.
The moment the tire is on the road the V shape is pointing forward and the water guided to the backside, which I think is logical,

or am I missing the V-point here

AndreNL is right that, as fitted, the V is pointing forward when it's on the ground. The problem is that, as it reaches the bottom, the outer edges hit the ground first so will channel water toward the centre of the tyre. The other way round, the centre point of the V hits first so water is channeled out. This pic shows how it should work.




My tyres were fitted like RiderUK's but the arrow next to the word "front" was pointing backwards, so I swapped them. Problem is, all the Piaggio brochures and internet pictures seem to show the tyres fitted the "wrong" way round. I'm now confused!

Regardless of anyone's advice (especially mine) any tyre must be fitted as per the direction indicator if it has one.

N Joe

Thanks for this super info N Joe.

I am confused now myself.
I go and check my tires.

Is there a difference between the functioning of those line and blocks between summer and winter tires?

Greetings now from Holland.

The tires should be clearly marked with direction of rotation. Check the tire sidewall.


....

N Joe: your picture is OK for the car, but wrong on motorcycle, where it should be in the opposote direction. There was an explanation in older threads. Also pictures from Piaggio are probably OK (but I could not tell as I didn't seen them ).

Thank You AndreNL for pics, and Maxor for explanation.

PS.: I totally agree with indicator theory Yes, there were always some suspicions in the society about this strange arrow on the tire. Seems this is the guidance we can get : follow manufacturer recommendation .

Thanks McKee - I'm new to this scooter thing so was going on car and mountain bike experience.

"Looks wrong but is right" seems to work for the tyres as well as the MP3!

Gentlemen,

Could it be that this picture is showing the way the tire hits the floor.
So look at it as if you are under the tire with rolls on a window.
than I can understand also why the sign rotation is like that.
The V pointing fore wards like I (still) think is more logical....

Sorry N Joe

Lots of pictures show the tyres the "right" way round on cars but I still don't get why it's different for the MP3. I'm just going to have to accept that there are some things I'll never understand!

Differents in rubber compound
thats why

In short: force applied to the front tire (breaking) is the opposite direction from the force applied to the rear tire (acceleration).
That's why treads should be in the opposite direction.
Car tires and aquaplaning are completely different story (bike tire is not as flat as car tire).

I'm not doubting what everyone is saying but, as an engineer, I hate things I don't understand. Your comment about car tyres being flat (and maybe also staying upright when turning) sounds like a difference that might be the key to this issue.