Before
starting, put your V-Strom on the center stand or use a shop support brace so
that your motorcycle is secure. Don’t
try this installation with the cycle leaning on the side stand.
Remove
Existing Screen
If you have a stock Suzuki screen, remove the two
screws near the upper corners of the headlight cowling with your allen
wrench. Keep those two screws--you’ll
need them. Then carefully pull up on the
screen to remove it. Wiggling it
helps.
If you have another brand of aftermarket windscreen,
you’ll have to figure out how to remove it.
Remove Instrument Cowling
The instrument cowling is the black plastic piece
that looks sort of like a toilet seat.
The instrument cowling can be removed without removing your stock
handlebars. If you have aftermarket
handlebars that are lower than stock, you may need to remove them from the
triple clamps before removing the cowling.
First, remove the four screws that connect the main
fairing to the instrument cowling with your allen wrench. Then use your allen wrench to push in the
centers of the four black plastic retainers--just push them in a little (about
1/8 inch)--and use your fingernail to pry up and remove the retainers. Remove the small black plastic spacer panel
between the rear tips of the instrument cowling. Now remove the instrument cowling. Do this carefully and work slowly. Take your time! There are two plastic nipples on either side
of the cowling that are connected to rubber grommets in the fairing. Pull the cowling away from the instrument
panel so as to gently pull the nipples out of the grommets. Also make sure that the rubber boots on the
odometer and clock buttons are clear of the cowling. Wiggle and pull until the instrument cowling
comes away.
Cut Hole In Headlight Cowling For Lower Bracket
Locate the drain hole in the headlight cowling at the
bottom of the windscreen insert slot.
From the center of this drain hole, mark a ¾” wide horizontal line on
the headlight cowling exactly 6” above the drain hole. Make sure this line is centered on the flat
center section of the cowling. Now cut a
slit in the headlight fairing approximately ¾” wide by ¼” high. Start the slit by drilling two holes with a
¼” drill bit – one at each end of your ¾” line.
Then connect the two holes by cutting two straight lines in the
plastic. A Dremel tool is perfect for
this operation but a sharp knife will also work. Clean up and straighten any imperfections
using a small file or a bit of sandpaper.
Consider applying masking tape to the cowling surface
before you begin. This way, if you slip,
you will be less likely to scratch the surface of the cowling.
Take your time – the plastic is easy to cut – which
also makes it easy to cut crooked. It’s
more important to make the slit clean and neat than it is to keep strictly to
the ¾”x¼” measurements. If your slit
ends up being 1” x 3/8” it will still be fine.
The slit just needs to be large enough so that it does not touch the
lower bracket. Your fairing flexes and vibrates
during operation. The bracket isolates
the windscreen from the fairing vibrations by hard bolting it to the
sub-frame. If the slit in the cowling
touches the bracket, it will be harder to install and line up the bracket and
the vibrations from the fairing may be translated to the screen.
Install Lower Bracket
Remove the instrument cluster. The instrument cluster is held in place with
two plastic nipples and one 8mm nut. If you look through the slit you just cut you
will see the 8mm instrument cluster nut that needs to be removed. Reach under and behind the instrument
cluster, locate the 8mm nut, and unscrew it with a 8mm wrench. If your handlebars do not allow easy access –
remove the handlebars from the triple clamps.
Once removed – you can pull the instrument cluster away from the
sub-frame by pulling it carefully towards the rear so as to pull the plastic
nipples from the rubber grommets located on the bottom of the instrument
cluster.
Remove the rubber grommet at the top of the
instrument cluster where you removed the instrument cluster 8mm nut. Slice the rubber grommet in half by inserting
a pencil or similar object into the grommet then slicing through the rubber all
the way around the circumference of the groove in the center so that you end up
with two complete rubber washers. Put
one half of the rubber grommet back on the instrument cluster set-post. This will allow the lower bracket to lie flat
against the sub-frame and insure proper line-up with the bottom hole in the
windscreen. You will use the second half
of the rubber grommet as a washer when reinstalling the 8mm nut.
Once the instrument cluster is removed, a 3” slot in
the sub-frame becomes accessible at the bottom of the instrument cluster
sub-frame. Insert the large bolt, lock
washer and washer into the slot so that the lock washer is next to the bolt
head and the smooth washer is next to the slot with the bolt head towards the
rear of the bike and the bolt shaft pointing towards the front. Slip the straight portion of the aluminum
screen bracket through the slit in the fairing so that the hooked part of the
bracket is towards the bottom of the headlight cowling. Then place the aluminum bracket onto the bolt
through the lower hole in the bracket.
Secure it in place – finger tight only – with the other smooth washer,
lock washer and nut. Line up the upper
hole in the bracket with the smaller hole in the sub-frame where the instrument
cluster was attached at the top so that the upper hole in the aluminum brace is
lined up vertically with the instrument cluster bolt hole and so that the
bracket itself is centered in the headlight cowling slit.
Reinstall the instrument cluster by inserting the
plastic nipples into their locator holes and screwing on the top 8mm nut using
the 2nd half of the washer that you cut in half (finger tight
only). Do not tighten anything just yet.
Install Upper Bracket
Insert the upper bracket into the windscreen slit so
that the outer holes in the bracket line up with the screw holes in the
headlight cowling. Use the stock Suzuki
screws and finger-tighten the bracket to the cowling.
Now take the MP Cycle Designs windscreen, insert the
tip into the bottom of the windscreen groove in the headlight cowling and check
to make sure that the three holes in the screen match up with the three
mounting nuts -- two in the upper bracket and one in the lower bracket. Also swing your handlebars from stop to stop
to make sure that nothing hits the screen.
Be careful here not to scratch the black paint on the back of the
screen. If you have any doubts about
fitment or suitability of the screen on your bike, now is the time to stop the
installation and return everything to MP Cycle Designs for a refund.
If everything looks good, remove the screen and
tighten up all the nuts and bolts. It is
very easy to over-tighten the 8mm nut on the instrument cluster. This will tweak the instrument cluster and
will not allow the instrument cluster cowling to be installed properly. Tighten it just enough to squeeze out a
little the half grommet washer under the 8mm nut.
Replace Instrument Cowling
Replace the instrument cowling. Carefully wiggle it back into place. Replace the black plastic spacer panel. Take the four black plastic retainers and
push out the center pins so that they stick out about 1/8” from the top. Insert the retainers in their holes then pop
the center pins down until they are flush with the top of the retainers. Insert the four screws and tighten with the
allen wrench.
Install MP Cycle Designs Wind Screen
Insert the two long machine screws through the black
plastic caps, then through the two top holes in the screen. Do the same with the shorter machine screw
and cap through the center hole it the screen.
Insert the three rubber spacers over these three bolt shafts on the back
side of the screen. Insert the tip of
the screen into the bottom of the slot in the headlight cowling, then screw the
three machine screws into the mounting nuts.
Make sure you install the rubber spacers between the screen and the
rubber grommet nuts. Tighten the top two
screws keeping an eye on the space between the tips of the screen at the widest
portion of the screen. You want to
tighten the screws so that the tips are an equal distance from the headlight
cowling. In some instances you may need
to tighten one side more than the other -- this is not a problem. Make sure the screw caps are positioned so
that the cap drainage holes are at the bottom.
After tightening all the
screws and bolts, give the top of the shield a good yank in both
directions. The shield should have
minimum flex and should not disconnect from any of the mounts. If it comes loose, you did not tighten the
screws enough. If there is any problem
whatsoever at this point, contact MP Cycle Design before continuing. If the screen is stable as described, take
your bike for a spin and rest assured you will return with a big smile on your
face.
WARNINGS
AND DISCLAIMERS
Do not install or use the windscreen without the
lower brace installed as instructed. The
brace minimizes flex, which improves screen performance and insures high-speed
stability. Using the screen without this
brace may result in damage to the motorcycle and injury to the rider due to the
screen flying off while in use. Use of
the screen without this brace voids any warranty. MP Cycle Design is not liable for any product
malfunction that may occur if the screen is used without this brace. Install the brace!
Do not install or use the windscreen without the tip
of the screen inserted into the fairing as pictured in the instructions. MP Cycle Design is not liable for any product
malfunction that may occur if the tip of the screen is not inserted into the
fairing as pictured with all 3 set screws securely in place with plastic caps.
MP Cycle Design is not responsible for injury
resulting from the operator exceeding legally posted speed limits which result
in accident, injury and or malfunction of the windscreen.
MP Cycle Design is not responsible for injury due to
the operator not wearing a DOT approved helmet with impact resistant eye
protection while operating the motorcycle.
Always wear eye, head and body protection whenever operating a
motorcycle and ride within the posted speed limits. MP Cycle Design strongly promotes certified
motorcycle training courses.
DO NOT USE PAPER PRODUCTS (paper towels, newspaper,
etc.) to clean the windscreen. Use a
damp soft cloth for cleaning. The use of
any type of plastic polish is fine as long as you use a soft cloth to apply and
buff. With proper cleaning, the shield
should last a good long time. You will
probably never need to replace this shield.
Warranty
If at any time within the first 90 days (beginning
with the date it is delivered to your door) you are not totally satisfied - for
any reason - return the windscreen in as-new condition in the original box and
packaging material for a full refund – no questions asked.
