Modern Vespa

Evening everyone,

I would really appreciate some advice/knowledge if possible?

I fitted the FACO Twin Screen today to my GTS, this one - https://www.sip-scootershop.com/en/product/wind-shield-faco-twin-screen_FA22791

All went on ok but when I took it for a test drive I hated it, it just blew all the wind onto my helmet and the wind noise was pretty unbearable!

So I got home and took it off thinking what a waste of time and money!

It came off but the expander bolts stayed in, I have now managed to wiggle them out.

How do these things work? Is the expander bolt supposed to stay in and you just screw different screens into it? After I take them out I guess they are no longer usable so are you supposed to buy new bolts if you want to reattach the screen?

I was going to try and sell it on eBay as it is "as new" and I doubt I can return it but does the buyer need the expander bolts that I have now used and have been, well... expanded.

Sorry for all the questions, any advice much appreciated.

One last question! Any tips on wind screens for 6 ft rider?

A number of years ago, I tried a Faco Twin Screen on my GTS 250. The idea of adjustable height seemed great, but I only used the screen for a short period of time and switched to a different one. I thought the Faco was too narrow and was not very sturdy when extended to taller positions. Under those circumstances it vibrated and would cause the adjustable fasteners to loosen. Others have had the entire upper section come loose, which is more excitement than I would want. I was able to remove and reuse the expansion bolts, however, when I sold the screen.

My personal favorites are the Vespa brand screens. The taller ones are somewhat wider and seem quite secure. I use the flyscreen in the summer and the mid-height in the winter on my 300 (I am 5' 9"). In your case, it might be better to use the full height and cut it down a bit to yield the optimal height.

Thanks for the reply, yes I do think I should have just gone for an OEM full screen one.

So the bolts are reusable then? Despite them having changed shape? I am a bit clueless with all this to be honest!

medium OEM.. am 6ft, can approve..

the tall OEM will push the wind onto the back of your head and will constantly feel like someone is pushing your head from behind... small is too small... the mid is where its at.

trust

Thanks for that!

Any thoughts on what I should do with my current FACO screen? I am really confused if someone else will be able to use it now that I have inserted and removed the expansion cylinders...

I have one at the moment, and personally, I have found it works just fine. I raised the top half, about half way up, and it suits me. Maybe it doesn't work for everybody, but for me, I'm happy with it, although it's not really the most attractive looking screen!!

Graham

As I said above, my experience is that the Faco expansion bolts can be reused. My only problem with the Faco bolts is that they are not as easy to remove from the sockets in the Vespa headset as are the OEM bolts. I found it necessary to tap them with a light hammer to loosen them before removing them.

^^^^ This, on all counts.

You just put me in mind of something: do the Flyscreen and mid-height screen use the same fastener/bracket setup? That would certainly make the changeover easier.

My wife's yellow GTS 300 has the Vespa fly screen and my white GTS 300 has the mid-height Vespa windscreen. They look similar, but the fly screen hardware is rounded and the mid-height's hardware is angular where it goes under the handlebars. Hope that makes sense.

Once you get the whole bolt out, you (or the next owner) can gently squeeze the expansion wedge back down to a smaller diameter with a pair of vise grips or a bench vise. They're reuseable.

'Deed it does. Thanks for this!

The expansion bolts themselves are the same but the curved rods are different. In the way I use them it doesn't matter however. I do not disassemble the brackets when I remove them. I loosen the long threaded fasteners with a box wrench and remove the entire OEM screen with brackets as one piece. I do the same in reverse to reinstall. Been doing that for years and it works fine.

The expansion bolts are indeed fiddly to get out but can be reused. Scooter west sells a kit with the bolts and plastic washers for around $10.

Wait until you get another screen. Take the expansion nuts off the new screen hardware and see if the it will bolt up with the stuck bolts. Might save some trouble forcing the stuck bolts out.

I have this same screen. Been using it a little over a year. I've done two SaddleSore1000s with it. The first, I left it down the first 700 miles, but put it up the last 300. It was more noisy up because it adjusted the wind right at my helmet, but it was getting cold so the exchange was worth it.

The second SS1000 I rode with it about half way up most of the ride. It started raining around ATX, so I put it up all the way in order to try and stay dry. It went back down by SA,TX where there was no more rain—again, due to the noise. (Pic below of one of the stops on the Big As Texas IBA ride with my flag in between the screens)

One other thing that came in really helpful, I was all geared up for cold rain. I was on leaving SA,TX and using my phone for GPS. A calendar notification popped up and stayed on the screen right over where I was supposed to turn. I had to rip off my cold weather glove (that doesn't work with my iPhone) and in order to not lose my glove, I shoved it between the two wind screens for the rest of that leg. Sure it was cold, but when you're riding 1000 miles in less than 24 hours on a Vespa, you don't stop to put a glove back on. 😂

I'm about 6 ft too, and honestly, I don't know if I'd buy this again, but the adjustable aspect has come in helpful a couple times.

This^

Bill

A length of wood (2x1 or similar) can help here.