Modern Vespa

I just noticed that there is now a Laminar Lip for the stock 250/400 windscreen. Has anyone tried one?

http://www.laminarlip.com/mp3.php

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We just bought one of these for my wife's MP3 250. Ordered Tuesday, received Thursday. Prior to installing the Lip, it felt like somebody was sitting on my chest when I rode above 50 MPH. After installation, the Lip made a HUGE difference.

My wife says she barely feels the wind anymore. She's 5'2" and says the wind is just at the top of her helmet. No wind at all hitter her in the chest or shoulders.

I'm 5'11" and it made a very noticeable difference for me too. I would use this before using a full windscreen (on the MP3). I like the visibility the standard windscreen with the Lip gives me.

I'm considering getting one for my Yamaha TMAX and mounting it flush with the top of the stock windscreen. At speeds over 50 MPH, I get buffeting in my helmet. It's like somebody's trying to drill into my helmet. The Lip is supposed to help in this regard.

How easy/hard for the installation?? I think this would be perfect for me as I'm a tad under 5' and would save money by not having to get a whole new replacement windshield. But, have no idea how one of these go on.

Installation is almost instant. You're supposed to affix the dual-lock fasteners at above 15 degrees C, and allow to cure for 24 hrs, but I just fixed them on my X9 500's and rode them. Very good bits of equipment, I thoroughly recommend them.

Thanks for the quick reply. I just placed my order. I hope it's as easy as they say and you say. I've never tried to tell anyone I'm mechanically inclined!

Thanks, Keith and Jim.

I am also 5'11", so it looks like it should work for me as well.

Glad to help.

Please bear in mind that you'll still wind at the helmet. We mounted the Lip a little lower since my wife is on the shorter side. If you mount it a bit higher, the wind will be a little higher.

The Lip is definitely a GIANT step in the right direction.

I have had mine for about a month. Easy to install. I cleaned the windshield thoroughly in the spots that the little round stickers will contact. The wind pressure dropped substantially. Found myself going much faster since I kind of calibrated my speed around the wind noise of the original shield. Something to get used to. I can actually hear the piaggio engine whirl away now. Also, agree with the previous post that the wind is less but at helmet level. Definitely eliminated the chest level wind.

On my previous MP3, I mounted a Fabbri medium windscreen and added a Laminar Lip to it in the hope of eliminating helmet buffeting. I still had wind at the helmet level. So if the new Lip gets me to that level of improvement all by itself, I'll be happy. I don't want a tall screen that I have to look through.

I'll be ordering the Lip and I'll see how it goes.

Thanks, everyone, for the info.

Hmm...I guess one of the FEW perks of being short...I don't experience chest level wind with the stock windshield as is!!!

But the lip will hopefully take care of the wind hitting my helmet.

How much can you vary? I am 6'. can it be moved up a couple inches and still remain stable?

It should be stable regardless of how high you mount it. The air doesn't really push against it so much as it pushes up it. Take a look at their web site for some pictures. They claim 6-8" of extra wind clearance. Seems just about right to me.

their website does not show a very good picture on the 250/400. If you guys that install could add some good side and front pics, that would be great.

tia.

GREAT request...I'd like to see the pics..possibly with a ruler in there and let us know the height of the driver and where the wind hits them so we can get an idea of where to install for ourselves... THANKS in advance.

Any pics to share yet?

Received mine today and was a tad peeved when after wrangling with the locks...the one on the lower right side (facing the scoot) wouldn't contact with the windshield no matter how much I tried to bend/put pressure on it before and after pulling the paper off the sticky tabs...in the end it's not on my scoot and I'll be calling Laminar tomorrow.

Considering the simple concept of plastic to plastic via sticky (super sticky)..I couldn't get it to work for me....ugghh..

that stinks smrf!

I installed mine when it was slightly cool day...just below 70F. I had to bend the laminar lip so it flattened up. Then it did contact flush but I used painters tape to keep it tight overnight. Now if the mold is off i could see the lip not matching up to the windshield. Maybe they sent the wrong one.

I just received mine. I couldn't decide whether I wanted the clear or smoke, but finally ordered smoke.

They sent me a clear one. As much as I don't like their getting it wrong, I have to admit that I think I like the clear better.

The "Blue Beast" is in the shop right now so I'll install the Lip when it's back home. I think it will look very good. Now I just hope it works well.

Called and talked to Leo at Laminar who explained the principles of how it's supposed to work with wind and such and that I was attempting to install it too high so the curvature wasn't matching between the windshield and LIP.

FYI, he says there are some windshields on the MP3's that Piaggio sent out that won't go with this LIP...but after asking me about mine, he clarified I had the most commonly used one. I'll follow his advise and put it in a lower position tonight/tomorrow and follow with another update.

Ok, so I tried it again and still couldn't get then cam locks on the right side of the lip to contact my windshield no matter how high or low I tried to mount it. I'm going to call the factory again on Monday...MAYBE I do have one of those 'odd' windshields Leo was talking about. I'll update again later.

You must. I just installed mine in the highest possible position. One of the stickers on the right side (facing the windscreen from the front) wouldn't go all the way down. I detached the LIP at the velcro and clamped the dots to the windscreen overnight. I'm going to check it out in a few minutes.

Well, I must, too (have one of the odd windscreens). I couldn't get the LIP to lie down and when I flexed it a bit, the dots started coming off.
So...

I applied some squares of the super velcro I got at Radio Shack (they're called "Hi-Temp/Hi Strength Superlock Fasteners) to the windscreen, and the extra dots to the LIP. I positioned them so the LIP can be flexed a little straighter and the fasteners will mate flush.

We'll see tomorrow.

Did the business rep say which models are incompatible- by serial no. or year or ???

I would like to get one, but it sounds like I should wait until there are some more success stories-

The wind is horrible for me. The faster I go, the bigger the battle from the chest up. This could be a good option, but I would hate to have a screen that doesn't work with it.

I wish there were a clear cut way to tell who got which windshield...but no the rep didn't have such info. He only questioned me on whether I could 'see' through my windshield or not...which after trying to understand his question, he said I did not have the 'odd' windshield. Sorry I couldn't be more clear, but it was a challenging conversation I had trying to follow the guy on the phone.

I know the company has a big reputation for their LIPS but at this time I couldn't recommend it...hopefully we'll see if they can change that.

We had a problem with the lower right hand corner dot (if you're facing the front of the bike). I wound up detaching the half that is supposed to attach to the MP3's windscreen and putting it on the windscreen without being attached to the LIP. That worked just fine.

I am having problems with the SAME side as well. The upper right hand cam lock touches the windshield about halfway and the bottom one not at all even after I tried to flex the LIP by hand.

In case you want to see what my windshield looks like and how the cam locks don't touch the windshield...I put some pics on my site http://smrfcop.com/lip.html so you all following this thread can see what I'm talking about as well as I'll be directing Laminar LIP reps to the site to see the pics.

Not very revealing - smaller pics might be better...

Hard to take pics of something that won't stick up like it's supposed to and NO I don't have someone else to help me nor am I techno advanced with my camera or software. BUT...

You couldn't see the silvery cam locks NOT touching the windshield?

The top half of the of the pic is the LIP and the lower half is the reflection of the lip and my windshield.

Hi smrf,
I attached the LIP this morning, after letting the Superlock Fasteners set up overnight. It seem to be holding on very well. The trick was to put the Superlocks on a little wider than the LIP would normally go and, as Keith did, applying the velco to the original screen sans LIP. Then flex the LIP flatter until the velcro pieces mate flat before sticking it down. Using one-inch squares of the Superlock gave me a little room for adjusting. Doesn't look as perfect, but it works.

Now to test ride it to see if this has all been worth it.

I'm happy if that works for you but I don't think we should have to velcro them on extra and go through what you both did to make it work..it should work out of the box.

I contacted Leo at Laminar again and he's viewing my pics and this thread hopefully to read others feedback. In fact he may be trying to contact you to see about getting your scoot over to the factory to get this properly fitted since you're the closest...if he asks you, I hope you'll consider helping out for yourself and all of our sakes.

I was instructed to call back this afternoon for followup.

I'm happy if that works for you but I don't think we should have to velcro them on extra and go through what you both did to make it work..it should work out of the box.

I contacted Leo at Laminar again and he's viewing my pics and this thread hopefully to read others feedback. In fact he may be trying to contact you to see about getting your scoot over to the factory to get this properly fitted since you're the closest...if he asks you, I hope you'll consider helping out for yourself and all of our sakes.

I was instructed to call back this afternoon for followup.

AAAAAAAH! smrf, I heard you the first time!

I completely agree that this should work out of the box. Of course, this is Scooter Universe we're talking about.

If Laminar wants me to come down to Santa Ana I might consider it. It's a trek, and the traffic can be terrible. Honestly, they would have to make it worth my while in some way. And, since it's their business, they could send someone up here to me.

I'm sorry if I sound unhelpful, but, similar to you, I think that they should get it right in the first place or assume the costs of getting it right later.

Have you been able to take a ride with it on yet?

No, I haven't since it didn't stick at all the times I tried to install it. And I also didn't want to modify it with such things like clamps or velcro in case I returned I didn't want them to say I damaged the Lip.

Sorry smrf. That was actually directed at mpfrank.

So, mpfrank , have you ridden with it yet?

Don't worry that happens all the time! LOL

Tomorrow.

It's on really firmly, so I don't anticipate it de-laminating. Just want to see how well it functions.

Hey, smrf, the clamps were no big deal - I cushioned them with folded paper towels. And neither they nor the squares damaged the LIP in any way. I could still return it.

OK, I took the LIP on the road today. I only got up to 50 mph or so, but there is a difference. With the stock windscreen the airstream hit me full on the chest. With the LIP attached at its highest position, the bottom of the airstream is now just below my chin. It got better as I went faster. I can duck my head forward and get out of the wind entirely, though I really wouldn't want to ride very far this way.

Pro: I'm not fighting the wind, and the bike is undoubtedly more aerodynamic. I didn't feel any helmet buffeting at the speeds I was riding. It will certainly be more comfortable when it gets cold. (It hit 97 degrees F on my ride today). It's unobtrusive - the bike retains its original look. I found myself riding 5 mph faster without realizing it.

Con: There is more wind, and noise, at the helmet level. Hearing protection is even more of a necessity (I wear Hocks Noise Brakers). I found myself riding about 5 mph faster without realizing it.

BTW, I am 5'11" tall, with a 31" inseam.

Conclusion: I made it work; it's a keeper. Now Laminar Lip LLC just needs to increase the curve radius of the Lip to match the windscreen so that it's an easier install.