Epic Windscreen Fail...

Dude, similar thing happened to me this past weekend, lucky for me I only broke 1 of the 4 tabs so once I finally got it in place and screwed down it was ok.

They do fit like crap though but at least they look nice.

 

I have tried two different Zero Gravity windscreens on my VFR. Each one left wide gaps between the cowl and the edge of the screen when viewed head-on.









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I would say to the people who break thing-pay a pro to install the stupid screen because that's what I am doing because I have clumsy hands and are stupid like you guys.:crushed:

 

I'm a professional installer lol. Not on bikes, but I used to do awesome car audio stuff. Maybe I've just lost my touch lol.

 

I think that we expect things we buy to fit; I recently bought rain visors on ebay for my SUV and the fitment was crap - that is my own fault as I went with cheap crap and that's exactly what I got... if you pay good money for a product, one expects it to fit.

 

I used to be a professional auto-electronics installer. I left that business when the general paying public began choosing cassette over 8 track. Should have seen where some people wanted their decks installed in the cars and trucks, when the vehicles were not made to accommodate such installs. Worse job ever then was working on a factory air conditioner in a "68 Chrysler New yorker. That was a true bitch.

 

I realize when you doing custom work it very easy to screw up. I hate making mistakes and breaking stuff that actually does work very well. A VFR is not a Mack Truck. It's very easy to break stuff like oil drain plugs-I have to so no to that one-its 20pounds of torque-same as my car. But a plastic wind screen is not supposed to be 2 inch's thick. The ZG Touring is a fine piece of work-you can see pretty good though it. In a poring rain storm, you should be able to duck down and the rain will go right over your head. To me that's very cool. I think you should pant the lower part in black to protect the gauges in sunlight. Old wind screens are going to break easy due to age. I would say installing one in the cold is a bad idea. I don't expect it to last forever. Use a light touch and don't rush so much. I had a very hard time drilling out the holes for the R+G sliders, screwed it up a bit, but it came out ok-not perfect. R+G sliders do a lot more than just help in a fall-they really lock the fairing on like iron. I also installed a new battery, adj clip-ons higher-1 inch spacers. I installed a sargent seat and got the cowl to work-took a bit of trouble, but its a very fine seat. I found out I actually like that I can barely keep my feet on the ground with vfr. The stock suspension is actually quite good. I have new m5 tires on and put maybe 60 miles on them-truly a very excellent tire-I was riding pretty fast without much effort-I still want a scotts damper-a bit too much money to spend right now so I am doing simple not too expensive stuff. Fork oil change, screen install , brake bleed, clutch next-screw it let the shop kid do it
I don't feel like screwing stuff up right now!:mechanic::bravo::kc10:

 

I agree with you - when it comes to messing with stuff which has the potential to kill you - I pay the shop to get it right - but not everyone is able to afford that approach. I also go out of my way to use my local Honda dealer who have an excellent service team with a great reputation. Yes I could save a few euro by using one of the quick service type places around, but you don't know what level of training and supervision they work under or where the parts came from. At Honda at least I can watch the work being done, or just might take a 2014 VFR800 for a test ride!:smile:

:focus:

As for the ZG screens - it is worth stressing these things are designed with racing in mind - where saving weight is important, so they are thinner than the stock article. But it seems there are now quite a lot of fakes out there masquerading as genuine ZG racing equipment, and I wonder if fakes are responsible for some of the recently reported traumas:

If you go to the official Zero Gravity racing website this is what they say...

"Superior Optical Quality: Zero Gravity Windscreens feature the finest optics of any windscreen on the market. All Zero Gravity windscreens are fabricated using highly specialized "vacuum forming" techniques similar to those used to form aircraft canopies. The result is a virtually distortion free optical lens.

Strength plus Flexibility: Made from the finest grade of acrylic plastic, Zero Gravity windscreens are stretched as they are formed, a process which results in superior strength and flexibility. This flexibility allows the windscreen to absorb road vibrations and resist cracking.

Best Fit to OEM Fairing: Zero Gravity windscreen are factory pre-drilled* and ready to install. The mounting holes and windscreen profile match the O.E.M. fairing for a precision fit.... "

So does this really sound like the same product which people are having problems fitting? :rant:

I guess we have all seen suspiciously cheap screens available on internet auction sites, but nowadays many fake vendors have wised up and are setting their prices only slightly below the genuine article price so they don't really stand out. Hence when it comes to motorbike stuff I either buy direct from the manufacturers own online sales site or through an approved local agent. Strangely I have just been watching a UK TV program which showed there were now plenty of fake AGV helmets from China, and fake Yamaha branded leathers from Pakistan and loads of other biking gear and parts being sold on-line - and some of it of such low quality it could really put your life at risk.

Just my 2p



SkiMad

 

So THAT'S where the Honda dealer with the excellent service team and great reputation is!!! In London!



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No "Kick Moto" in Anthy-les-Bains in the French Alps! - Brilliant, knowledgeable staff, who are willing to go that extra mile :smile:.


SkiMad

 

Well I had a bit of luck like yours a few months back, had to change the thermostat so i put the tank upside down on the seat and let the throttle body sit on top of it. Well when undoing the thermo hoses I bumped the tank and off it went onto the floor dragging the throttle body with it. Dented the tank(it was full), bent the screw for the idle adj and bent the holders for the throttle cables.

 

Yeah I used to install when CDs were still cool. So it's been a minute lol.

 

Back then I was taking computer classes in school where all we had was a terminal. The computer was the size of a small store town town somewhere and we prepared the wrote the programs using a computer language called Fortran. No flash drive there I tell you. All done with mathematics and punch cards.

 

It's a hit and miss. The zg screen on my old 02 did fit like crap but the one on my current 02 I just got fits like factory perfect. I guess it depends on the batch.

 

This is what a ZG touring is suppose to look like correctly installed with custom lower plastic paint! I guess the wolf has to show you how to do things.:tongue2::director::team2::flex:

 

I just installed a new ZG DB screen on my '95 VFR750 today. Alerted by the previous posts on this thread, I checked the ambient temp (55F), made sure the bike was up-right (side-stand was down and in service), all the lights in the garage were on, I had on my Nitrile gloves for scratch prevention, my glasses were clean, I was 100% sober but complying with my medication regimen (baby asperin daily) and with several rattle cans of flat and semi-matte pain, just in case.

Because the mirrors were off as were other bits in order to replace an upper body panel, this was not a "start to finish" event - it took me all of 3 minutes max to get the new ZG firmly in place. Maybe 2. It could not have been easier (unless the ZG guys came over and did it for me).

I think that SkiMad, wondering if people having trouble with installations are not dealing with the real thing but poorly made copies, is spot on. Mine was purchased from a US based dealer, not eBay or Amazon, and I had no problems whatsoever.

So, I guess the take-away is, if you're considering a ZG, don't be put off by the problems that others posting here have had, but do make sure you're dealing with someone you can trust and hold accountable for the bone fides

 

that could be-china fakes ZG wind screens? Age may have something to do with it too-old wind screen are more likely to break.:ranger: