MeefZah
Curmudgeonly
Project cost: $25
Parts needed: UFO (or similar brand) part # 11-2713 KT04051001 Front number plate 2013 KTM SX150
Tools needed: razor knize, hacksaw or Dremel, Phillips screwdriver, drill with 7/32" bit, tape and clamps to mock up the location prior to drilling holes, thin regular (straight blade) screwdriver
Change in bike: minus 6" from the top of the windscreen (in factory low position), minus 3" on each side of the windscreen
Mechanical aptitude: If you can turn a screwdriver you can do this
Project details and notes:
I really dislike the stock windscreen. I find that it buffets me horribly, making rides uncomfortable. I'm average size, like 5-11, 32" inseam, and I could not believe that there were no really good fixes for this issue.
I adjusted the screen every way I could, including using longer bolts and spacers to change the angle. No dice.
I tried the Madstad, which on my Strom worked pretty well. No dice on the S10.
I pulled the windshield off, and rode a few hundred miles without it... and I loved it. The air hitting my helmet was clean, and there was no buffeting. As a pleasant unexpected benefit, the lack of a shield really made the bike feel smaller and more nimble.
The only issue I had was the ugliness of the stock mounts with nothing on them. I needed a cover of some sort:
My problem, then, was this: find a small shield to basically cover up the existing mounts, but which would not provide any real reduction or change in angle of airflow hitting my chest and head.
I considered a few options, including the CalSci shorty windshield, or a custom cut of that making it even shorter, but I couldn't make myself pony up the $150 for what was essentially a trial and error thing.
I also considered cutting down the stock shield, making a Lexan smaller shield, having a Kydex cover made, or using a retrofitted flyscreen off a BMW GS or a Buell Lightning.
As I was thinking on this, I got to looking at dirtbike plastics.
I thought to myself, "self, a front number plate might make a bitchin' cover". I began looking for sharply angled plates that might have similar lines to the S10. Advantages to using a dirt bike part were cost, ease of accessibility, color matching, and most importantly - the plastic is UV stable and flexible.
I ended up going to the local KTM shop, Action Extreme Cycles, http://www.aesracing.com/, and wandered around in their repair shop for a while. I sized up a bunch of different front number plates off various KTM and other bikes. Ultimately, it looked like a number plate off a 2013 KTM SX150 would provide the coverage I needed while still keeping the lines of the bike.
I ordered one.... $25.00. They come in white, black, and orange. Because my S10 is black, I was able to essentially get a color matched piece.
This is the part:
Out of the wrapper, you get this. The mis shapen section on the bottom right is a snap cover for the brake cable of the KTM (included but not shown in this pic). It looks not so awesome, but it's acceptable in my mind:
OK, what the hell, lets mock this thing up and see how it looks... hmm... actually looks pretty damn good.
The install is pretty straight forward. Remove the existing windshield using the 4 Phillips bolts. Retain the bolts and the rubber well nuts, but you will not be reusing the shield or the plastic fascia panels that the bolts go into. Remove also the fascia cover under the windshield by center punching and then gently prying up the 3 plastic rivets with your small flat head screw driver. You will not be reusing this part. You now have this (note, I realized I left the 4 windscreen bolts in in the below pic, you want to remove them):
Take the KTM plate and cut off the 2 nubs and their flanges which are on the back / bottom of the plate(visible from the top side in the picture of the part, above). You can use a razor knife, Dremel, or small hand saw to do this.
Using the OEM shield, and some trial fitting, place the KTM plate where you want it to go, and drill 4 7/32" holes into the appropriate part of the plate. I opted to set the KTM shield as low as I possibly could get it on the factory mounts while still covering the mounting posts completely. You can move it a bit higher if you want.
Screw the 4 Yamaha windscreen bolts through the KTM plate and into the well nuts, and secure the bolts.
Install the KTM plate's brake cable stay, if you want a more finished look. It serves no purpose on this bike but it covers up the are on the bottom right of the plate fairly well... and I guess looks "adventurey".
That... is... it.
I suppose, if you wanted to cover the hole in the top middle of the plate, you could pry the metallic Yamaha logo off the fascia cover that goes between the dash and the windscreen, and silicone it into the hole, as shown.
The hole and tab on the back top of the plate also make a convenient place to bolt a lightweight dashboard accessory - I plan on attaching a small thermometer there since the S10's temp gauge is awful.
Add your choice of bitchin' sticker to the front and there you have it... I think it looks pretty damn good, more off roady, and it absolutely flows a ton more air and eliminates the buffeting.
One thing I plan on doing is to get some black stainless washers to place under the bolt heads, on the front of the S10. I don't think this will be an issue, but the flexibility of the KTM plate may allow the plate to stretch over time and pop over the bolt heads, and off. I didn't have any right handy, so currently the pictures do not depict this.
Thank you, and I hope this is helpful to someone. -Mark
