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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: Sicarii on May 09, 2007, 01:31:10 PM

Title: F-18 Windshield Install
Post by: Sicarii on May 09, 2007, 01:31:10 PM
Well I got a used F-18 windshield off of ebay and installed it today.  It was a piece of cake to install, but I had to get slightly longer bolts for where the headlight connects to the brackets.  The windshield itself has 2 slots on each side for mounting, but there was nothing on the stock bike to mount the top slot to.  I might fabricate a bracket for it if I get real bored but it will stay on fine with just one of the slots connected and tightened down a lot.  The screen seems to be of decent quality, and it looks really nice on the GS, the two dials fit nicely in the double-bubble design.  I took it for a little test drive, and I think it does cut down a small amount on wind but it is really not that noticeable of a difference.  You don't really have a whole lot of options for what angle it sits at, you can kind of adjust it but not very much before it hits the dials or looks wierd.  So the bottom line is:  Looks cool, keeps a small bit of wind off your torso, and doesn't seem to do much for your head unless you crouch in right behind it.  EASY to install, but maybe should have some extra brackets made for the top slots.  I'll try to post some pictures in a little bit.
Title: Pics
Post by: Sicarii on May 09, 2007, 08:43:46 PM
(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h295/icemanju23/P5090041.jpg)
The windshield installed

(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h295/icemanju23/P5090043.jpg)
The 2 mounting slots

(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h295/icemanju23/P5090044.jpg)
Angled all the way back

(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h295/icemanju23/P5090045.jpg)
Angled forward

(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h295/icemanju23/P5090046.jpg)
The guages
Title: Re: F-18 Windshield Install
Post by: genEricStL on May 09, 2007, 08:58:24 PM
My f15 (or 16 , I forget which , sorry) came with two clamps for the upper holes . They were kinda like a smashed W shape , with the hole being in the middle peak of the W . When you bolt the through those upper holes they just barely catch the back of the headlight mounting brackets (the W-shaped clamps go on the inside of the windshield , with a carriage style bolt inserted through the outer part . They are included with the windshields normally , but having bought it used , amybe the previous owner didn't keep them  :dunno_white: I'd see if American-whatever (the manufacturer) will sell you the clamps and bolts seperately , as I didn't install mine at first , but noticed that the windshield kept working it's way further and further back until it hit the gauges and started making a horrible buzzing noise while at highway speeds  :mad: If you're unable to find the brackets , maybe you can get some foam insulating tape from the Heating & Cooling isle at Home Despot , trim it , and insert it across the outer edge of the gauges where they make contact with the windshield  :dunno_white:
Title: Re: F-18 Windshield Install
Post by: Sicarii on May 09, 2007, 09:03:33 PM
Yeah, I was thinking about fabricating a little bracket to go to that top slot.  Right now, the whole thing is basically free-floating, I have it tightened down before it hits the guages.  So far the wind hasn't been enough to push the thing back enough to hit the dials, but the thing I don't like is it's very "boingy"... every time I hit a bump it vibrates because it's only mounted at the one point.
Title: Re: F-18 Windshield Install
Post by: darb85 on May 10, 2007, 01:29:31 PM
Boingy!

I see you make up words as well. 

Looks good though
Title: Re: F-18 Windshield Install
Post by: nick_packer on August 14, 2008, 01:09:00 PM
Sicarii where did you get that seat?  Is it comfy?  The stock seat on mine lets the passenger come right up to me when I slow down and smash my.......

Doesn't feel good... wondering if the seat you have will keep my passenger back a little.
Title: Re: F-18 Windshield Install
Post by: Trwhouse on August 14, 2008, 01:30:37 PM
Hey all,

National Cycle (nationalcycle.com) makes the windscreen and can provide brackets, and that seat is  a Corbin, if my eyes don't deceive me. (corbin.com)

Good luck,

Trwhouse
Title: Re: F-18 Windshield Install
Post by: CyberEye on August 14, 2008, 10:22:10 PM
I went with the F16 on mine.

(http://www.1am2.com//files/6/random%20crap/n860555331_3605268_7490.jpg)
Title: Re: F-18 Windshield Install
Post by: b_long_1 on August 14, 2008, 11:02:21 PM
Quote from: CyberEye on August 14, 2008, 10:22:10 PM
I went with the F16 on mine.

(http://www.1am2.com//files/6/random%20crap/n860555331_3605268_7490.jpg)

my friend has the F-16 and I think it looks really good on his 2001. I like yours as well. Looks great .
Title: Re: F-18 Windshield Install
Post by: mullethunter3 on August 15, 2008, 05:55:45 AM
Quote from: nick_packer on August 14, 2008, 01:09:00 PM
Sicarii where did you get that seat?  Is it comfy?  The stock seat on mine lets the passenger come right up to me when I slow down and smash my.......

Doesn't feel good... wondering if the seat you have will keep my passenger back a little.

It's a Corbin seat. The passenger doesn't slide forward on it. I've got one. It's very nice!
A quick google search returns this :http://www.corbin.com/suzuki/gs500e.shtml (http://www.corbin.com/suzuki/gs500e.shtml)
I hear they're around $300 or so.