Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: Iron53man on September 18, 2015, 06:46:32 AM
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anyone have a windshield assembly for sale? not lookin to spend $700 on them and not sure if my service contract will cover it... here's the story in case y'all have any ideas how or why it snapped, i assume just from being 7 years old or whatever...
So this past weekend i went on my first big trip on the connie. on my way back i was on one of those two lane (one lane each way) highways goin about 55 or 60 mph with a 20-25 mph crosswind. i had my windshield about halfway up when 3 semi's in a row passed by me and blew GIANT gusts of wind, i mean i got rocked all the way to the shoulder almost. well, when the third semi went by and the gust of wind i just heard a giant crack and my windshield kinda fell against the console where the gauges are so i had to pull over and lowered it down. all those pushpin like screws that hold the front upper fairings on broke off and are no where to be found now. well, i zip tied it all together (clearly not able to raise it up and down now) and finished the 3 hour drive in the heavy wind with a ridiculous amount of wind noise and buffeting, but coming from the supersport bike class i'm used to that, thank gosh. well a few nights ago i spent taking the front end apart tryin to figure out what's wrong... looks like there is a guide that attaches to the middle piece which is attached to the assembly is actually one solid piece, not screwed or bolted. well, the guide broke off from that track, which broke off from the main assembly that bolts to the frame. and so here we are... with no way to fix it as i can't weld it either cuz it's plastic (might be able to get a plastic type weld done by someone)... but either way, not sure if it's cuz it's a faulty piece and that plastics not too strong or if it's wear over time, or just my stupidity for not getting the windshield back down before the semi came by...
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What shield were you running? Have you got pics?
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I don't have any pics of the part that broke right now, it's with my mechanic as he's discussing with my service contract provider about getting it all covered, but we aren't sure if they will. I also have no idea what windshield it is, as it was on the bike when I bought it and seems to have no manufacturer/company logo on it that I can find, but here's some pics of the windshield when I got it, it's giant!
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You're right...it's huge. might be the problem. Would like to see a pic of the broken part sometime. It sounds like your service contract is not a Kawasaki factory warranty. Have you checked salvage and ebay?
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it's definitely not a factory/kawasaki one as I bought it used. It is a Used Powersports service contract through a place called Etho's Group. I've been on the phone with them all day yesterday trying to figure it out, but until they talk to my mechanic they can't do anything about it so I'm lookin around for the part just in case... ebay looked decent, maybe $600 or so if i remember right... which is a lot but still better than $700.
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Looks like you have an 08 and it comes with a pretty small shield.
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It's not only HUGE, but with a severe reverse curvature, even lowered all the way. The only thing I can tell you is it could happen all over again man. You need to replace that windscreen with something less radical. The entire mechanism is marginal on this bike. Was going to ask you to operate the mechanism now that you removed the windscreen and bracket, to make sure it wasn't damaged too. Good luck.
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replacing it was on my list, just hadn't got to it yet. just today i got the V-Stream windshield, hopefully that'll help with it, also it'll look a little better as well.
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It's not only HUGE, but with a severe reverse curvature, even lowered all the way. The only thing I can tell you is it could happen all over again man. You need to replace that windscreen with something less radical. The entire mechanism is marginal on this bike. Was going to ask you to operate the mechanism now that you removed the windscreen and bracket, to make sure it wasn't damaged too. Good luck.
+1
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You might want to search this forum for a stronger fix to your current mechanism. I remember reading about fabrication/installation of metal guides to replace the plastic originals. I had my whole mechanism replaced under warranty and the tech suggested to me that I put the stock screen on when I took it in so that Moma Kawi didn't question my larger that stock screen as the cause. Now I always worry about breaking the guides again with my tall screen back on. And I agree that it is gusts of wind that causes the breaks, not the constant pressure of the bigger screen.
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I live in fear of this happening with my CB Ultra Tour screen. 60,000 miles and its still working (knocking on wood).
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Bet I am going to catch a cuff or two for this but.... when I pass a large truck or similar, I reach up and hold the windshield to stop the worst of the violent shaking. My windshield is a CalSci large, with an MRA visor on top of that so the whole thing is very large and it does dance around quite badly with any kind of buffeting wind.
I know this is horribly unsafe but in my own defense, I do not use the same hand that I do when I fuel the bike while sitting on it.... so I am spreading the risk equally between hands, which I figure cuts my risk of getting hurt in half.
Brian
I live in fear of this happening with my CB Ultra Tour screen. 60,000 miles and its still working (knocking on wood).
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BDF, yea, I can see where some will fault you for safety, but it works for you so do it.
I assume you don't do this if your concerned with other factors at the time.
I've wondered about shields and mechanism failing on the C-14 since I bought mine.
The shield (when raised) is in a heck of a strain at high speeds. (even with stock shield)
Does Kawasaki specify anything about what speeds it can be raised?
Ride safe, Ted
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I can tell you that the stock windshield in the all the way up position will do just fine in a 170MPH breeze....
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I believe we are not supposed to move the windshield while the bike is moving, at least I have heard others say that although I do not remember reading it in the OM myself. ??
If you mean how high the windshield can be at what speed, or if there is a speed limit with the windshield fully raised, I do not believe so. All the way up at any speed with the stock windshield should be fine although Kawasaki may take issue if the bike was going way, way over any highway speed limit in the US. Of course that would not hold water in Germany for example 'cause there is no speed limit on parts of the Autobahn, and they sell the same windshield / windshield mechanism on the C-14's they sell there.
I was one of the very first people to get a CalSci large, and Mark (owner of CalSci) asked me if I was sure I wanted to do that because in his opinion, the windshield mechanism on a C-14 was awfully light for such a large screen. As he has seen lots of motorcycle windshield mounting systems, I take his opinion with some value. That said, it seems that relatively few windshield mechanisms have actually broken, and I believe all that I have heard of breaking were wearing a larger (often much larger) windshield than stock. With the visor on top, mine is about 10" larger (Easy Boys!) than the stock Gen. 1 windshield and at highway speeds when it gets buffeted, I believe either the windshield or mechanism would have broken by now if I did not steady it a bit; it really does bounce around awfully violently. It is kinda' like drinking that stuff you make, we were all a bit surprised that nobody went blind.... ;) :rotflmao:
Brian
BDF, yea, I can see where some will fault you for safety, but it works for you so do it.
I assume you don't do this if your concerned with other factors at the time.
I've wondered about shields and mechanism failing on the C-14 since I bought mine.
The shield (when raised) is in a heck of a strain at high speeds. (even with stock shield)
Does Kawasaki specify anything about what speeds it can be raised?
Ride safe, Ted
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I can tell you that the stock windshield in the all the way up position will do just fine in a 170MPH breeze....
Yea, I have no problems with the stock screen, which is gen2 and larger than the small gen1.... at any speed. AND with the X-creen attached to the top, too. At least no problems so far...
But that monster he has is not stock. And what an incredible angle on that thing. If I were Kawasaki and saw that screen, "warranty denied"! Of course, it doesn't sound like this is a factory warranty thing, anyway.
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I would never have bought a screen like that if it was my original bike. but the pre-owned contract covers the bike "as is" and is valid unless i, personally, change anything else from the way i bought it... not sure how they track whether it was on there when i bought it or not, but as of now the contract company said it is going to be something they can cover. just waiting to here back for confirmation.
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I would never have bought a screen like that if it was my original bike. but the pre-owned contract covers the bike "as is" and is valid unless i, personally, change anything else from the way i bought it... not sure how they track whether it was on there when i bought it or not, but as of now the contract company said it is going to be something they can cover. just waiting to here back for confirmation.
That's great news and somewhat unexpected from an aftermarket warranty company. Good luck.
If it happens that the broken assembly is returned to you I would cover shipping to have it.
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I suspect the 155 mph limiter on the Gen 2 bikes is due to the limit of the larger gen 2 wind screen. My limiter is gone but I never expect to test this theory. I do know the CB Ultra Tour is ok at 130 mph in calm air.
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I suspect the 155 mph limiter on the Gen 2 bikes is due to the limit of the larger gen 2 wind screen. My limiter is gone but I never expect to test this theory. I do know the CB Ultra Tour is ok at 130 mph in calm air.
My bike is a 2012 Gen 2. Right after I had it shipped to Germany.. Cough Cough... and got it out on the autobahn the stock windshield suffered no damage topping out at 170 but then again I didn't have it there for any extended amount of time. I thought the 155 limiter was a regulatory thing? No? Brian's gift certificate for Ghul that I won at least years fall rally took care of my limiter.
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OFFTOPIC: Great! I am glad to hear you actually used it 'cause as I remember, it had a time limit and I was afraid it would just sort of sit around until it expired. Glad to hear you used it and it seems like you like it- win, win!
Brian
My bike is a 2012 Gen 2. Right after I had it shipped to Germany.. Cough Cough... and got it out on the autobahn the stock windshield suffered no damage topping out at 170 but then again I didn't have it there for any extended amount of time. I thought the 155 limiter was a regulatory thing? No? Brian's gift certificate for Ghul that I won at least years fall rally took care of my limiter.
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OFFTOPIC: Great! I am glad to hear you actually used it 'cause as I remember, it had a time limit and I was afraid it would just sort of sit around until it expired. Glad to hear you used it and it seems like you like it- win, win!
Brian
Win.. I won a door prize. Win it was something I wanted. Win it was $100 off so I could explain it to the wife in a way that allowed me to spend the other $275 AND Win because rather than mail it to Ghul I used it as an excuse to ride 3 hours to have him do it live!!! I LIKE WINNING!! LOL.
Yeah I was up at the fall rally with my son riding passenger. This year we are going again but this time he's riding his own 2014 Versys 650 :)
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Had a similar problem to the OP. Strong cross wind, single carriageway, doing about 180 kph, 18 wheeler passing in the other direction, heavy turbulence and crack, windscreen flops down.
It’s a 2010 windscreen with slight modifications in that I drilled extra holes to raise it about 2 inches and fitted an MRA spoiler on the top - see pic. It is not a drastic change to the original and it wasn’t even fully up when it happened, so just a bad set of circumstances.
On arriving home, opened it up and found the bracket had broken – see pic - Windscreen bracket with broken piece” (pic courtesy of the Australian forum). I wasn’t so lucky, the broken off piece was long gone together with the Teflon guide.
Priced a replacement but, as all have found, the bracket is not sold separately and only available as a full system at about US $ 700. Not wanting to spend this kind of money decided to find an alternative solution.
Did some searching and found the Australian forum where someone had made an attachment plate with welded stainless steel and reported that this had worked. Not having the facilities to machine and weld stainless, thought about using mild steel angle 75 mm wide and 3 mm thick but with the one side ground down to 5 mm. In order to attach it to the broken bracket, drilled 3 off 5 mm holes through the bracket through the circular sections. (Also drilled a 2 mm hole through the front to strengthen the assembly – more about that later) – see pic “Windscreen bracket repair 2”
Bent the angle iron using a vice, a clamp and 2 pieces of wood to keep the bends true. Found that it needed a cut-out to clear the lip on the guide plate hence the strange shape. To allow the angle to bend it was slotted and welded after the bending- Finished article pic “Windscreen bracket repair 3.
Need to post some more pics so will carry on in the next post.
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Repair continued.
In order to strengthen the whole assembly, on the Australian forum they recommended slotting the guide bar and tapping a thread into the new plate. As I again don’t have the facilities to do this, I rather drilled a 2 mm hole right through with the idea of using a 2 mm bolt and nut.
Assembled the set up and used a sharp pencil through the hole to mark where the slot should go.
Cut the slot with a small angle grinder and a worn down thin cutting disc and finished off with a file - see pic “Windscreen bracket repair 4” which is a top view showing the slot and bracket
Having lost the Teflon guide, I had to make this from a Teflon block. Cut the slot with a hacksaw and filed it down to fit. Once completed, drilled the 2 mm hole through the Teflon to accept the screw. “Windscreen bracket repair 5” shows the end view with the Teflon guide.
Windscreen bracket repair 6 shows the finished assembly from underneath.
The OE slot in the Teflon guide is wider than the one I made and I think this is what contributes to the normal movement of the screen. Mine is a snug fit and the windscreen is not affected in the same way behind trucks. The one down side is that with the 2 inch risers I have, the front corners of the fluid reservoirs now touch the screen at full lock.
If the position of my slot in the Teflon had been a bit lower, this would have created the necessary clearance.
However by this stage I didn’t really want to fabricate another block so let it be.
Have also returned the screen to the original mounting holes to reduce the force on the assembly.
Have now covered about 2000 km since the repair and all going well.
So in future in a strong cross winds and seeing approaching trucks , will be tapping off , lowering screen and following Brian’s advice of holding the top to support
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This is making me nervous for when I run with the stock full screen and the MRA X-creen on top. Perhaps I will try to avoid trucks in such situations.
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Good luck with that. I just get by them at light speed.
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I've tried several different windscreens. I've had the Aeroflow large, CeeBailey's Ultra, CalSci large/wide, Vstream, MRA X-creen and the one I currently have on my bike, the tinted CeeBailey's EuroTour.
My favorite windscreen "looks" wise was the Vstream but it wasn't the best at producing clean air.
The tinted EuroTour is nice and produces "clean air" and I like having it on my bike but I still like the MRA best!
All those windscreens were good in their own way but I prefer the smaller screens. The smaller screens aren't quieter than the large screens but the large weren't that much quieter to make that big of a difference IMO and I like that I can lower the smaller screens to let more air in when it's hot. If I need to be warmer in the Winter I'll put my warm gloves on and my heated liner, dickie turtle-neck, fire up the heated grips and seat warmer and I'll be fine!
The MRA X-creen was small and discreet yet produced really clean air. Put the MRA on the Madstad brackets and it was awesome! I loved that windscreen but SOLD IT. I was thinking about the windscreen I could use "year round" and felt the EuroTour would be better but I feel I could have ridden with the MRA year-round and been just fine. Hope you have a good home now :'(.
I had to "thin out" the herd and chose to keep the CeeBailey's but could have easily kept the MRA and may have to purchase another one later on down the road. I will agree that the larger shields can make a person "nervous" in windy conditions or when passing large trucks/tractor trailers (no one should be passed by a large truck unless you're parked on the side of the road)!
Trying to find the best windscreen for me was a pain and cost me some money but at least I know what works for me so it wasn't a complete loss!
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The MRA X-creen was small and discreet yet produced really clean air. Put the MRA on the Madstad brackets and it was awesome! I loved that windscreen but SOLD IT. I was thinking about the windscreen I could use "year round" and felt the EuroTour would be better but I feel I could have ridden with the MRA year-round and been just fine. Hope you have a good home now :'(.
I gave up trying on the concept of one windscreen for "year round" and now flip between a cut-down gen2 screen + X-creen and a full gen2 screen + X-creen. Seems to work great, as long as I can pick the correct time twice a year to switch between the two :)
Of course, needs will be dictated by your local weather patterns and your temperature tolerance. In SE VA it is both freaking hot and pretty darn cold, plus I don't have hardly any tolerance anymore.
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I gave up trying on the concept of one windscreen for "year round" and now flip between a cut-down gen2 screen + X-creen and a full gen2 screen + X-creen. Seems to work great, as long as I can pick the correct time twice a year to switch between the two :)
Of course, needs will be dictated by your local weather patterns and your temperature tolerance. In SE VA it is both freaking hot and pretty darn cold, plus I don't have hardly and tolerance anymore.
I hear ya'! It's different for everyone depending on where you are. I am in So. Cal. so the MRA could be used all year here. I do live in Ojai, Ca. which can get pretty cold in the mornings during winter...like 20 F...sometimes lower so my mornings can be cold but heated gear fixes that!
Mike
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Debating between the CB Euro and the V Stream. I'm 5'9 so I think either one would work for me. Would like to see some pics of the V Stream on the Connie if someone could post a couple pics I'd appreciate it. Could be the deciding factor.
tony
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Debating between the CB Euro and the V Stream. I'm 5'9 so I think either one would work for me. Would like to see some pics of the V Stream on the Connie if someone could post a couple pics I'd appreciate it. Could be the deciding factor.
tony
I will tell you that, IMHO, the V-Stream looks BEST on the Connie! It's a great looking windscreen!