New Windscreen, Bike is now hot and noisy

[Anonymous]

Hi all,
Just put on a new windscreen, Do I assume that the bike will now sound funny cause the screen reflects the engine sound back at me??
I hear every little pip, ting, ping, pang, and the valves slapping some.
OUCH. IT sounds Nasty. Is this normal.

The screen also has the legs down the sides (for your legs)?? and the engine seems to either be running much hotter or the heat just like the sound is being reflected back at me...
Please help with some experience.

thanks
Stimpy

[Anonymous]

It's normal. Just stick in some earplugs, put on a full-face helmet, and go for a ride.

Keep in mind it's an air-cooled engine, with all kinds of moving parts way up at the top, and no water jackets to muffle any such mechanical noise.

You'll get used to it, and you'll be thankful to have the fairing when you're caught in the rain; and with cooler months coming up on the calendar, your riding season will be extended.

Your windscreen sounds to me like it's a Plexifairing III by National Cycle. I had this screen on my first two GS850's, from '86 thru '96. Great product, cheap, and highly protective. I liked the leg protection too.

Nick

[Anonymous]

Thanks Nick,
your right on Plexi III and I love the benefits of no watering eyes in my half helmut. BUT at 70+ mph it feels like someone on the back seat slapping my head side to side generating a headache after 30 minutes or so. thats why I took it off last year.

Is it an ajustment problem? my other windscreen was close to vertical, the original Suzuki screen I bought new last year also. its worse, headache in 15 minutes, I know that wont go away....
This one I mounted at about a 35deg back angle...

Any ideas?? Bob aka Stimpy

[Anonymous]

You'll just have to experiment with the adjustment and the angle. It took me a while to get it just right.

Believe me, a full-face helmet works well with this windshield. It helps cut down the noise and limits buffeting.

Plus, it's safer.

[Anonymous]

I have the full face but bought the half face in april and like the less restriction of it. wind in face.. etc. moot point now with the windscreen I guess. Yes its safer but.... weighing - + of it. I also have headphones built in the full face but I wont hear the tics and noises that ar the first sign of GS engine trouble. I think.

Keep talking Nick.
Bob

[Anonymous]

You don't seem to have much confidence in the health of your GS. The last thing I want to hear is the ticking and whirring, which is why I wear earplugs and the full-face helmet.

If the bike is properly tuned, has good compression, the carbs are synchronized, the valves properly adjusted, the oil and other fluids topped off to specs; if the bike starts immediately, idles consistently, accelerates quickly, and holds the desired speed, then it's running the way it should.

So, put in the earplugs, don the full-face, start the engine, and go for a ride, in full confidence that the GS is doing what it's meant to do.

My handsome face is whole and unscathed, even after the serious spill I took back in December 2001 when I hit that deer. The chin guard of my full-face Shoei was seriously scraped. My head and face came out of it just fine. My injuries were broken ribs and collarbone.

Ticking is for clocks and bombs. Not GS bikes. I do everything I can to avoid hearing those noises. Do the same -- I highly recommend it.

My GK's odometer turned to 71,000 miles today. It runs perfectly. Chances are yours will too, for many years and miles to come.

Enjoy!

Nick

[Anonymous]

Thanks again Nick,

Just a bit worried my bullitproof 83 GS650GD with ONLY 15k on it was gonna act up on me- Want those other 60k miles to go....

I dont think you mentioned the massive heat, is it just reflected back off the windscreen? Is it blocking some of the airflow? I was thinking of cutting off the leggins to keep the airflow over the engine.

I stored her for 12 years (Long Story) but ressurected her last spring.
Lot of work and hoping the long sleep didnt have some other negative effects on the engine. I stripped my spare engine this winter and looking forward to rebuilding it this winter for the experience and of course a spare engine.
She starts, runs, cruises fine. funny clutch after I put new plates in. another story.
I appreciate all the

[Anonymous]

OK, you worrywart Stimpy. Massive heat? Yeah, there may be a bit more heat reflected. Do the lowers interfere with the airflow to cool off the engine? Heck no!

Remember -- I had a Plexifairing III for 11 riding seasons on my GS850, which most probably runs hotter than your 650. Did I ever have overheating problems? Not once. Did I appreciate the extra protection from rain and cold that the lower section of the Plexi provided me? Heck yes!

What you need to do is set aside a couple of fall weekends, take the 650 out in the cool autumn morning breeze, see it perform flawlessly in the warm part of the day, and enjoy life as a motorcyclist. Watch it come to life the following morning and give you the same kind of pleasing experience.

Relax. Go for a looooooong ride. The 650 deserves to be run. It's like an Alaskan husky -- it ain't happy unless it's running!

Nick

[Anonymous]

thanks again Nick,
Yup, guess I worry a bit after all the long hard work to ressurect her. Bought out of crate in 84 and seen 6 other bikes come and go but always preferred my GS, even over my waterbuffalo.

Really noticed the heat yesterday when it hit 93 degrees here in Boston.
sweatted my croakies off with the extra heat but YOUR RIGHT, It will be nice this fall cause My work just killed all our parking and I will need to bike in as long as I can keep the frostbite off.


appreciate your time and feedback.
Stimpy

[SqDancerLynn1]

It just takes time to get a feel for the bike and noises it makes. It could be my imagination My GS850 had been in storage for 12 years before I bought her. After I put 500-1,000 miles on it it seamed to run better

[Anonymous]

Let's see sounds noisy, running hot? Sounds like you got a Harley now. Relax those guys pay a fortune for what you just got on the cheap!

[saaz]

Prefer the GS over the GT750..thems fighting words!

But since I replaced my GT750K with a GS1000EC I suppose I cannot talk..but I wish I still had the old bike..

As Nick says, the fairing does make things sound different. Ticking noises usually mean its valve adjustment time. As for heat, these bikes get hot...thats how they dissipate the heat from running. If you have a full cover fairing and ride in hot weather an oil cooler is a good investment. Regardless, change the oil often.

I find riding helps you stop worrying so much....

[Jethro]

Ha Ha! It is now hot and noisy? Dammit boy, these bikes are inherently hot and noisy! It's the nature of the beast!