2005 FZ6 Naked for cruising - fly screen options?

[lakshan]

Hi guys,

I've recently purchased an 05 FZ6 that's been converted naked. I cruise the highway often enough that I'm thinking I'll need some kind of wind protection. Has anyone had experience with this conversion and what fly screen/windscreen they are using? I'm trying to find some options online but there don't seem to be a lot on this topic. Any specific models that anyone is running and what their experience is like would be appreciated!

 

[timtune]

I had an 06 FZ6 and found the wind blast landed right in my face making it very noisey. While most people on the FZ forums were talking bigger taller screens to block the wind one smart fellow said to go the other way. I cut about 4" off the top and it put all that noisey wind blast in my chest and made things quieter and much more comfortable.
Just my 2 cents but I found it worked very well on long rides. (did the JBR on it)

 

[lakshan]

So in my case it's naked, no windscreen or front fairing at all. I was thinking a little fly screen would be ideal just for a little better flow?

 

[oioioi]

My 08 FZ6 is also naked.
I have a taller aftermarket windscreen.
Puig Rafale is the model.

It works fine.
I have posted a picture of it on here before. I will try to look it up.

​

 

[lakshan]

I'm thinking about grabbing this : https://fortnine.ca/en/puig-naked-windshield-smoke-0869h

 

[oioioi]

You might have to make a custom bracket to accommodate

 

[Priller]

I had an 06 FZ6 and found the wind blast landed right in my face making it very noisey. While most people on the FZ forums were talking bigger taller screens to block the wind one smart fellow said to go the other way. I cut about 4" off the top and it put all that noisey wind blast in my chest and made things quieter and much more comfortable.
Just my 2 cents but I found it worked very well on long rides. (did the JBR on it)

This is something I've found with my Tuono. The screen isn't big, but the wind coming over it is fairly smooth and not turbulent, landing somewhere mid-chest for me. While I can't hide from rain, it makes it a surprisingly relaxing place to sit at highway speeds, especially as the lean towards the bars balances nicely with the wind to take some weight off the wrists. The bars feel a bit too far away at a stop, but it makes perfect sense on the move as being leaned forward braces you and makes you feel less like a sail flapping in the breeze. Most importantly, there's no turbulence, which is what I find tiring on long rides (My old Hawk GT had me looking like a bobblehead at times). I have to wonder about the new Tuono that has a much bigger screen on the base model and whether it's actually better or whether people will think it's better just from looking at it.

How this helps the OP, I have no idea. Only that I agree that bigger isn't always better for wind protection, I suppose...

 

[bigpoppa]

This is something I've found with my Tuono. The screen isn't big, but the wind coming over it is fairly smooth and not turbulent, landing somewhere mid-chest for me. While I can't hide from rain, it makes it a surprisingly relaxing place to sit at highway speeds, especially as the lean towards the bars balances nicely with the wind to take some weight off the wrists. The bars feel a bit too far away at a stop, but it makes perfect sense on the move as being leaned forward braces you and makes you feel less like a sail flapping in the breeze. Most importantly, there's no turbulence, which is what I find tiring on long rides (My old Hawk GT had me looking like a bobblehead at times). I have to wonder about the new Tuono that has a much bigger screen on the base model and whether it's actually better or whether people will think it's better just from looking at it.

How this helps the OP, I have no idea. Only that I agree that bigger isn't always better for wind protection, I suppose...

why you gotta make me buy a tuono man?

 

[timtune]

I'm thinking about grabbing this : https://fortnine.ca/en/puig-naked-windshield-smoke-0869h

looks reasonable - depending where it spits the wind at you it's easily trimmed if need be. And yeah mine had the shield with a 1/2 fairing

 

[bigpoppa]

This is something I've found with my Tuono. The screen isn't big, but the wind coming over it is fairly smooth and not turbulent, landing somewhere mid-chest for me. While I can't hide from rain, it makes it a surprisingly relaxing place to sit at highway speeds, especially as the lean towards the bars balances nicely with the wind to take some weight off the wrists. The bars feel a bit too far away at a stop, but it makes perfect sense on the move as being leaned forward braces you and makes you feel less like a sail flapping in the breeze. Most importantly, there's no turbulence, which is what I find tiring on long rides (My old Hawk GT had me looking like a bobblehead at times). I have to wonder about the new Tuono that has a much bigger screen on the base model and whether it's actually better or whether people will think it's better just from looking at it.

How this helps the OP, I have no idea. Only that I agree that bigger isn't always better for wind protection, I suppose...

Can you do long highway stints to and from the good roads?

 

[Priller]

why you gotta make me buy a tuono man?

Can you do long highway stints to and from the good roads?

Derail!

Three things will be a problem for you for long rides: tank range, footpeg height, and luggage options. (Naturally, all this only applies to the gen I own. The new standard one is definitely more focused on distance work, at least by appearance, but no idea how it works in practice. Shame that new screen is a bit ugly and ruins the lines of the bike...)

The tank range is what it is. You *might* be able to improve it somewhat by modifying the fuelling, but only by increments or you risk running lean. 200 km is about the best you can hope for if you're judicious about throttle use and short shift like crazy. 170-180 to fuel light is typical for me, much less if you let it rev. This is fine for staying around populated areas, but could be problematic in sparser areas like Northern Ontario.

Footpegs are all a matter of preference. I'm a sportbike refugee and did light touring for a number of years on a ZX-10R (6-700 km days for three to four days at a stretch), so the frog squat is what I'm used to. The Tuono doesn't bother me at all. You can get lowering pegs that'll give you another inch or so, but not sure what that does to ground clearance.

Third, there's not a lot of hard luggage options. Hepco & Becker do a few things that are quite ugly with the bags off, but nothing elegant. If I follow through with my plans to make a sport-tourer out of mine, I'll probably go with a modded version of the SW Motech Blaze system, as it's much more easily removed for day-to-day and I prefer packing light. The tank is plastic, too, so tank bags are fiddly and the factory bra apparently doesn't actually fit newer models, at least according to AF1.

I feel your struggle. Looking for that perfect 'do-it-all-and-look-good-too' bike isn't easy. Bringing it back on topic, what about popping a flyscreen on the SDR? It sounds like an ideal bike for you otherwise, so if all you need to do is smooth the airflow a bit, maybe a wee screen would do enough? None improve the looks, granted, but it'd be a cheaper solution than eating taxes and depreciation on a trade...

 

[lakshan]

Thanks guys. I'm gonna do a couple test runs before buying anything (picking up the bike today). The little windscreen and i guess the position of my SV650S was pretty good in the wind. Before that my old KZ650 was naked and very upright and that's where I experienced a lot of bobble-head action haha. The FZ6 is a medium riding position between my two previous bikes so I'm curious to see how the wind will be.

After some searching I found some picture examples of how the puig windscreen fits on the FZ6 and it seems like it might be hitting my head with that height. I'll report back after some testing

 

[timtune]

Derail!

Three things will be a problem for you for long rides: tank range, footpeg height, and luggage options. (Naturally, all this only applies to the gen I own. The new standard one is definitely more focused on distance work, at least by appearance, but no idea how it works in practice. Shame that new screen is a bit ugly and ruins the lines of the bike...)

The tank range is what it is. You *might* be able to improve it somewhat by modifying the fuelling, but only by increments or you risk running lean. 200 km is about the best you can hope for if you're judicious about throttle use and short shift like crazy. 170-180 to fuel light is typical for me, much less if you let it rev. This is fine for staying around populated areas, but could be problematic in sparser areas like Northern Ontario.

Footpegs are all a matter of preference. I'm a sportbike refugee and did light touring for a number of years on a ZX-10R (6-700 km days for three to four days at a stretch), so the frog squat is what I'm used to. The Tuono doesn't bother me at all. You can get lowering pegs that'll give you another inch or so, but not sure what that does to ground clearance.

Third, there's not a lot of hard luggage options. Hepco & Becker do a few things that are quite ugly with the bags off, but nothing elegant. If I follow through with my plans to make a sport-tourer out of mine, I'll probably go with a modded version of the SW Motech Blaze system, as it's much more easily removed for day-to-day and I prefer packing light. The tank is plastic, too, so tank bags are fiddly and the factory bra apparently doesn't actually fit newer models, at least according to AF1.

I feel your struggle. Looking for that perfect 'do-it-all-and-look-good-too' bike isn't easy. Bringing it back on topic, what about popping a flyscreen on the SDR? It sounds like an ideal bike for you otherwise, so if all you need to do is smooth the airflow a bit, maybe a wee screen would do enough? None improve the looks, granted, but it'd be a cheaper solution than eating taxes and depreciation on a trade...

Priller what year was your FZ? (or do I have bikes mixed up?) I had a 2006 FZ6 and the mileage was great. Thing got about 60mpg and around 300kms per tank. I had no problems with the peg placement either ( and I have on many bikes).

As for long distance rides, it's what I took up the JBR the first time.

 

[Priller]

Priller what year was your FZ? (or do I have bikes mixed up?) I had a 2006 FZ6 and the mileage was great. Thing got about 60mpg and around 300kms per tank. I had no problems with the peg placement either ( and I have on many bikes).

As for long distance rides, it's what I took up the JBR the first time.

No FZ6 for me. Spent a fair bit of time on a buddy's first-gen FZ-1, a bike I genuinely love, but never a 6.

I was responding to @bigpoppa 's ongoing quest for his Goldilocks bike with some reasons why a Tuono doesn't tick all the boxes. One of his primary complaints about the SDR is being out in the wind and being bounced around, which isn't a problem on the Tuono, so I was listing the things about the Tuono that I didn't think he'd like...

 

[timtune]

sorry my wires were crossed

 

[killvino]

My 08 FZ6 is also naked.
I have a taller aftermarket windscreen.
Puig Rafale is is model.

It works fine.
I have posted a picture of it on here before. I will try to look it up.

​

Here you go. I had the exact same thing on an 07 speed triple. zero fairings except this.
Worked a lot better than I would have expected, it attaches to the handlebar and you can adjust it almost infinitely.
Took it off a few times when I was only in the city for looks, and really noticed the difference on the highway.

 

[wonderings]

Years ago I have a CB919, a fun naked bike. I added a Honda OEM fly screen. It was small and I was not sure it would help at all. It actually made a huge difference and was very helpful. It pushes enough off the chest to ease things up a little. Not sure I would do it for commuting or just riding around town, but on a long trip it is worth it without question.

 

[Lightcycle]

The screen isn't big, but the wind coming over it is fairly smooth and not turbulent
[..]
I agree that bigger isn't always better for wind protection, I suppose...

+1

With experience, riders eventually come to realize the difference between windblast and buffeting, and which of the two is the real enemy that causes fatigue.

 

[lakshan]

Fortnine apparently doesn't have stock of the 0869H puig anymore but instead thinking of this:

https://fortnine.ca/en/puig-retrovision-windshield-dark-smoke-with-black-semi-fairing-9560f

It's shorter, looks like it'll be similar to what you had @wonderings . Seems so expensive for a little piece of plastic but I think I'll try it.

 

[lakshan]

Update: picked up the Puig 0869H light smoke screen and it works great! It eases the pressure around my helmet but it's not completely gone and that's fine. I wanted something subtle looking with some wind relief and this does the trick.