Screens, old and new

When I got the Sprint, it came with a rather strange windscreen which turned up at the top, almost vertically. I now realise that this is a proper Triumph accessory screen, named with great originality and wit "Triumph Higher Screen, Tinted" (officers, for the use of), costing a huge £116. I didn't like the appearance, and in practice it is a mixed blessing. It is awesomely good at keeping the wind off the rider. Even at highly-illegal speeds (on a closed track with trained, professional riders, of course) riding behind it was eerily calm with almost no wind pressure at all. Unfortunately, with that undoubted benefit came the worst wind noise I have ever had on a bike. It was unrelenting and harsh. At any speed over 60 mph, I could not hear either the exhaust or the engine - just the chaotic blast of white noise in my 70s-rock-deafened ears. It looked somehow wrong, too - the Sprint is pretty sleek and racy, and this looked like it belonged on a 30-year-old BMW tourer*. One member of a forum I visit called it 'nerdy', and I have to agree. It's, how you say, sensible, like a Pakamac on a supermodel.

On the same forum was a guy in Taunton who offered to swap. He was 6'4" and needed a higher screen; he had in his garage a double-bubble screen which he didn't want. Strangely, a double-bubble screen was what I did want, so we agreed to exchange. I received the DB screen yesterday and put it on the bike. It looks a million times better. I haven't had a chance to test it on the road yet, but I'm hopeful that it will be quieter, even if it lets a bit more wind through. But from an appearance point of view it is already a success. I'll be sending the other one off to Taunton as soon as the guy lets me know he is home and able to receive it.

Before:



After:



*Not that there's anything wrong with those. But horses for courses, and all that.