Laminar lip: reduced turbulence?

[reidguyton]

Does anyone have good results with the laminar lip in significantly reducing wind noise and/or turbulence on the R120GS? I had one on my F650 GS and didn't notice a tremendous difference> I am trying to decide between the lip or going with the Ztechnic Vstream screen.Any thoughts? I am 5'9".

[tommcgee]

This is one of the subjects where everybody gets different results. Pick a bike, any bike, and some folks actually like the stock screen and stock seat.

[ekroth]

I like the results on my 1150RT...
YMMV.

[TexanRT]

I can't say how the GS would be improved or not but I recently installed a laminar lip on my Triumph and it transformed the ride. The windshield / windscreen on the trophy is short and the wind hit me right in the face shield. The ride was turbulent and noisy. I couldn't open my face shield above 50 MPH without having the wind stream push it closed.

With the laminar lip installed about 1 inch above the top of the stock screen and with about a 1.5 inch gap between the windshield and the lip the wind stream is pushed above my face shield near the top of my helmet. The ride is quieter and I can open my face shield at most any speed. There is little turbulence. Big improvement.

The lip attaches with 6 dual lock pads -- I know a friend who had his lip come off while riding and he installed some nylon bolts for more security. I'm using the dual locks for now and have tested them at speed -- so far so good.

I agree with the previous posting -- there are many variables that determine how the lip will work on a particular bike. FWIW -- the lip works well on mine.

[bobnmona]

I have a 2004 GSA and I'm 6'-3". I was getting so much wind turbulence that I was about to pay $$$ for either a Cee Bailey or Ztechnic. Then I saw a Youtube video about an Englishman who was riding the world with the same bike as mine and had installed a Laminar Lip on the stock windscreen - he was 6'-4" and said that it worked perfectly. I did some research and found a Lip that fit my bike for under $89 (including shipping), bought it and put it on.

I'm VERY HAPPY with the results and I didn't have to fiddle around testing that many Lip heights - I placed the Lip's mid-section parallel to the top of the windscreen and it worked great.

So, unless you have a couple of hundred dollars saved for a rainy day and don't have anything else that needs it, I'd try the Lip and see what you think. If you didn't like it you could always sell it on eBay...

[k75s]

I was skeptical at first about the Laminar Lip, but decided to try after reading a few posts and not wanting to possibly waste money on an after market windshield.

It definitely worked on my bike.

Recommend bolting to your windshield, but after you test the position a few times.

My Laminar Lip also came off at just over 60 MPH. It hit the top of my helmet and at first I did not know what happened. Then I looked down, could see that it was gone and thought it will be run over by the truck behind me. Luckily it landed in the other lane. There was not much traffic and was able to turn around and pick it up before it was run over. Amazingly, there were no scratches on the Lip, except some slight scrapes on an edge.

It is now bolted on. There is a lot of pressure at higher speeds and the way the Lip is shaped, the wind causes rotation of the lip. So the lower dual lock fastener is in tension and the upper set is likely in compression (until the lower dual locks start to separate). You can probably get by with just 1 bolt or screw on each side, but mount it low.

I just drilled through the dual lock pad and that is what I use for a soft material between the windshield and the Lip.

The R1100S windshield has a lot of curves in it and I do not think the Laminar Lip that I received was perfectly symmetrical. I was never able to get the open space between the windshield and the Lip to be symmetrical. (Maybe the R1100S windshield is not symmetrical, in keeping with the theme of it's asymetrical headlight design? )

I am overthinking this, I know.

[BCKRider]

My current K100RS came with a Laminar Lip on the stock little shield and I fully expected to replace it with the fairly tall Aeroscreen shield I saved from my wrecked K75 with an RS fairing. Hasn't happened. That little baby seems to give as much protection as the much taller Aeroscreen. Both provide a turbulence free ride for me - and I get (got) bugs on the faceshield with both.

I would definitely give it a try. If it doesn't give you as much protection as you want, my guess is that you could get the results you want with a considerably lower after market shield and the Laminar Lip than with a shield alone.

As many have noted, getting a turbulence-free ride, especially if you want a bug-free faceshield, isn't easy. I would try the Laminar Lip on your stock shield and, if not happy, try bringing your left hand up to find out where the wind actually hits. I would wager several inches higher than with the stock shield alone. That would give you an idea of how tall a new windscreen needs to be to direct air and bugs to the top of the helmut.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[gblawler]

I have a 2003 F650GS Dakar and replaced the stock windshield with a ZTechnik. The OEM windshield on the Dakar model is 12" high and the ZTechnik is 16". Definite improvement. It eliminated the buffeting, which I believe was mostly caused by the curled lip at the top of the stock windshield. I am 6' 2" and if I duck down about 4", I am completely out of the wind. When sitting upright, the air stream hits my helmet, just above the visor. My BMW dealer told me ZTechnik makes most of the OEM windshields for BMW, which explains why they do not sell direct and only sell through BMW dealers.

The thing I like about the ZTechnik is that it looks like it belongs on the bike. Some of the other aftermarket windshields change the look of the bike. I got mine for about $100 last year, which is a bargain, IMHO.

[Bezdelnik]

Is the brand name sold for BMW. National Cycle is the parent company. They make most of the OEM windshields for all brands of bikes.

[Rpbump]

I mounted a Laminar Lip to the "M" windscreen of my CLC about 2 years ago. I am 6' tall and the Lip deflects the turbulence/air over my head along with most small bugs. The Lip was mounted so I could look over the top of it while riding and it seems to provide some protection from the rain unless I'm in a downpour. For me it was/is a good investment. Ride Safe

[Polarbear]

GSA1200 here, 6'1", 32 inseam rider. The LIP made all the difference to the positive side! Nylon bolts by ACE Hardware is how I did mine, one each side and also using the velcro tabs provided from the LIP folks. It doesn't move, period, no buffeting to 100mph anyways. Randy

[RIDEOREGON]

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