Modern Vespa

I just picked up a 2011 GTS 300 and am loving it I am thinking of getting a windscreen for it but was wondering if anyone noticed any noticeable performance advantage with the screen (better aerodynamics and so forth).

Thanks for your input

Different screen heights are available, which changes things slightly.

Where I live, it can sometimes be quite windy and it's common to see parked scooters with large screens that have been blown over in a storm - the screen acts like a giant sail.

A windscreen tends to have a negative effect on performance, not a performance advantage.

You're likely to be a lot more streamline when you don't have a giant flat shield in front of you. A windscreen tends to be more about comfort.

On the contrary to what Jake says, most people have said the screen gives a small performance benefit as some of the wind is deflected from the front of the Scoot.


I think the most important thing is to buy one of the correct height for your size because if the wind hits you in the wrong place, the screen makes riding bloody noisy.

The Twin Screen is a good compromise as you can adjust the height. The negative is in rain, the upper portion channels the water directly on your thighs.

As mentioned above, comfort is the main feature.

A medium height or shorter screen (like a flyscreen) can improve your top speed a bit by smoothing out the airflow over and around you.

Your body is very draggy as far as the wind is concerned, with an irregular shape, flappy clothing, and lots of surface area. A well shaped screen can direct and smooth the airflow.

Aerodynamic drag increases as the square of the speed increase. Power required to overcome aerodynamic drag increases as the cube of the speed increase.

A tail trunk can add to the smoothing, keeping the airflow "attached" until it's past the rear of your scooter, creating a "teardrop" shape around your bike.

A windscreen will provide a slight improvement in aerodynamics up to a point. Too tall and you end up trying to push that clear wall through the air. I actually cut down and bent the brackets on one windscreen to improve the angle of attack, which improved performance, airflow and associated noise.

As noted above, you'll want to ensure the correct height. Ideally, the rider should be able to see over the top edge of the screen and see a spot on the road on level pavement about 20-25 feet ahead of you. Higher than that and you end up trying to see through bugs and water droplets in bad weather.

Some screens will generate a bit more noise than others depending on where the airflow is directed.

The Faco Twin Screen is nice as you can easily adjust it as needed.

The primary benefit of a windscreen is rider comfort. A windscreen will reduce rider fatigue and provide protection from stones and bugs (which can hurt quite a lot at 35+ mph), keeping your gear and helmet face shield a bit cleaner.

I believe the tall screen does increase your cross section and wind resistance. In my experience a mid-height screen is the best balance of protection from the wind and streamlining air flow. It is also possible to cut down a tall screen to a customized height for your profile. There have been several posts on this site about windscreen cutdowns.

Back in the day a flyscreen would add 3-5 mph.

I got a small boost from the Piaggio midsize screen, and an additional 2mph over that from the Malossi screen. With the large Winter screen, you can almost feel it slowing the bike down.

Most riders like their windshields.

When I bought my, 'used', 500 mile, '20 GTS, it had a full-height Vespa screen on it. I test rode the GTS with the screen on, but removed it ASAP when I got the bike home (then gave it away to a member here).

I don't recall the screen effecting the Vespa's handling during that short test ride, but everything about the bike was new to me at the time, so my sensory overload of riding a Vespa for the first time EVER may well have masked any
negative handling impressions I might have associated with the large, fork-mount windscreen.

Has anyone here noticed any negative handling characteristics at higher speeds or crosswinds with the large screen mounted?

That there was one tall booger, eh?

I love my short "flyscreen." It keeps a lot of wind off of the chest area for a more comfortable ride, and definately improves aerodynamics and top-end speed.

I had one for a while on my GT200 (it came with the bike). It "sailed" pretty badly at highway speeds. I had to tack into the wind, or it would cause me to change lanes when I hit gusts. Truck turbulence would push me around.
It was great for city use and speeds-it really kept road crap and vehicle spray off me, and bounced away a lot of rocks and bugs headed my direction, but I did not like it above 45 mph.

big ones are bad. little ones are good.

I think SIP are watching this forum... they've just released this video (German but with English subtitles:

My fly screen was very noisy due to buffeting. Removing it helped a lot.

Mine only goes on in the winter when I appreciate less direct cold air hitting me. I take it off when the weather is nice.

For me this works best as the Vespa is primarily used as a cute fun zippy practical little short to medium errands, visit friends, etc., I value the aesthetics, and I have other bikes to do the bulk of my miles on.

I find it does take me a few minutes to get on and off, is a bit annoying to do by myself, so, it may or may not make sense for others depending on where/how you ride and how much patience you have vs how much you care for looks.

I do something similar. I use a mid-height screen on my GTS in the winter for the above reason. In the summer (mid-Spring thru mid-Fall) I use a flyscreen. Western Oregon has a fair number of cool days even in the summer so I appreciate the air deflection provided by the short screen. I don't find doing the switch in the Spring and Fall particularly time consuming or difficult.

I never had a screen on any scoot until I bought a GTS used with one attached. It tops at only ~8 inches above the headlight, but make a huge difference. No wind in my chest. No movement in a crosswind. I would get a similar screen on any scoot.

I've tried most windshields out there. The OEM medium or narrower summer windshield from Faco or Givi work best for me. I get a few mpg higher on my top end, about 3 with it. The tall is dead quiet behind it which is nice but hard to keep clear in fog or when there is a lot of dew. Short or sports screen I find causes wind to go to my upper chest then want to push my helmet up and not pleasant. Some of them seem to be particularly noisy as well. YMMV

On my 2016 GTS300, the windscreen is very good (mine is by Faco). I can't say if I can go any faster because of it, but it certainly reduces buffeting and minor impacts (bugs, stones, etc.) on me.

My only issue is that the height and angle of the screen are such that the slipstream flows over the screen and directly into my face, forcing me to change to a helmet with a built-in pull-down shield in order to protect my face. On other bikes, the slipstream typically goes up over my head because I sat lower, but my Vespa makes me sit upright and "tall" instead of laid-back.

My suggestion is to get the tallest one you can tolerate, but regardless I'd rather have one of any height than no windscreen at all.

I am a big fan on the Medium height Vespa Windscreen. This subject has been discussed before on this forum. Seems to be personal preference. Long rides or multiday rides are tough on the arms without a windscreen to defect the body acting like a sail. The constant pull on the arms is fatiguing.

Hey, the Harley crowd likes vibrating and being blown in the wind. Each to his own. At my age, I prefer comfort.

Bob Copeland

After thought,

If you putt around the city on a small frame scoot - you may not need a windscreen. Just let the air flow.

If you are young and usually strong, you probably do not care about wind resistance on your boby acting like sail or fatigue. Heck, I rode all over Southern Italy (age 22) on my Ducati - windscreen unheard of. Although, I do remember being tired after a long days ride.

Bob Copeland

I wanted to jump back in here because just today I made a change to my windscreen on my 2016 300GTS. I recently installed a Prima "Tall" windscreen on my wife's 2013 150LX and I was absolutely floored by how much smoother - and quieter - it made her bike over mine with the Faco Mid-height screen I have. I was so impressed that I went and purchased the Prima "Tall" for my bike as well and installed it today.

The Prima directs the airstream over the top of the screen to pass ABOVE my head, as compared to the airstream hitting me directly in the face with the Faco. The difference in noise is so great I can now easily hear sounds from my bike that I never noticed before - including the hum of the tire treads on the pavement and other mechanical noises I never heard before today.

I'll admit the first test ride made me a little nervous because now I have to sort out what sounds are normal and which may not be, but without a doubt I am extremely impressed with the Prima "Tall" windscreen.

Can you still see over the screen or are you now looking through it?

It depends if I slouch!

If I sit up straight I can easily see over it, and if I hunch a bit I can take shelter behind it. The only way to truly know how it will work for you is to either find someone who has one (and will let you sit on their bike), or just take it on faith based on the dimensions. Everyone's "torso height" will be slightly different, and that will affect how the screen works for you.

I will tell you that the height from the top of the headlight opening to the top of the windscreen is 16". In addition, the Prima is slightly wider than the Faco, and has contoured bottom flares (that protect your hands somewhat) to really shape the slipstream, so it appears someone spent a little bit of time in a wind tunnel when they were designing it.

Prima also makes a mid-height version but that appeared to me as too close in size and shape to my old Faco screen to make much of a difference. I only found out about how well the 'tall' version functions because I installed one on my wife's LX150 - and I was suitably impressed.

How about a link to your purchase of the Prima "Tall" windscreen for gts. Which supplier?
TIA
Tony

The part number for the Prima Tall Windscreen is 0700-1004 if you want to search for it yourself.

I bought the first windscreen here (I got free shipping):
https://www.scooterworks.com/collections/windscreens/products/prima-windshield-tall-clear-vespa-lxgtgts?_pos=2&_fid=9595bf8af&_ss=c

When I went back to Scooterworks to buy the second windscreen, free shipping was not available. I went to another online vendor and got it with free shipping, but it ended up being drop-shipped from Scooterworks so it was all the same in the end.
https://www.scooterdynasty.com/windshieldprimacleartallfor50cc-300ccvespalxgtgts.aspx

Hope this helps!