Madstad versus Parabellum versus CalSci Windshield on '14 Tenere?

[Too Tall]

Currently have the stock windshield with the Madstad bracket and the Yamaha winglets on my '14 Tenere. At 6'5" tall, the combination definitely does not provide the wind protection and reduced turbulence I'm seeking.

Have studied the Madstad, Parabellum, California Scientific, etc websites seeking the right windshield to replace my stocker with. However, I want to hear from actual riders with their thoughts and recommendations before I "plunk down" more real money.

 

[Kabish]

I'd be interested in this question as well.

I'm 6'4" (34ish inseam) and currently just using the stock shield which sucks. I've looked at madstad and have read it does not help much with stock and it cost just as much as an entire replacement shield. Not to mention once you covert over to madstad some other after market shields will no longer work..

 

[Harry Dresden PI]

At 6'3" Inseam 32" on my 2014 S10 ES, I used a madstad bracket with a +1" largest windscreen from Madstad and it worked well for me. The screen is so large it is great protection from rain and wind. It protects my arms and shoulders better than any of the many windscreens I have bought and tried on my 2014. It is the best at side wind protection and also gives great protection at the highest adjustment level.

However, it moves around a lot and was often too big for normal short rides (less than 100 miles at speeds under 65 mph. I also had issues with the Madstad bracket not helping that much and in the end was using the OEM bracket with the Madstad Extra Large + 1" custom shield. (I visited Madstad and talked with the owner / designer and he custom cut the shield for me and installed the Madstad bracket. A great guy.

Currently I am using the Russian Top Add On Screen with the Puig touring screen but have not done enough testing to say you may want to try it.

I found the largest new Cee Baily screens are good but narrow for a big guy like me and they work well for head protection but leave my shoulders to get soaked in the rain.

The OEM std and OEM touring shields suck for me in all ways but never tried the russian top screen with the touring OEM screen

If you live near Madstad or Parabelum or Cee Bailey or Cal Sci most will allow you to buy and try and return the screen within some time period.

IDEA

Some how get all the people who have the largest windscreens from each of the various vendors and meet and do some swap testing to figure out the best route!

Good Luck ... I have spent near $1000 buying and trying many of the windscreens and may someday even buy one of each ,,, LOL Wife would kick me to the curb

 

[craigd]

I am 6'2" with 34" inseam and ride a 2014 with the stock bracket and home-made bracket supports to reduce shaking. I used the tall Yamaha factory windshield for quite a while, but was not really happy with it. This past spring I bought a National Cycles V-stream and it was a big improvement, but I was still not completely happy. It is great on a calm day in smooth air, but cross-winds or interstate highways with truck turbulence still give me quite a bit of buffeting. I recently talked to Mark at CalSci about a windshield for my girlfriend's new Versys 650 and during the conversation we got onto the subject of my Super Tenere. He assures me that the aerodynamics of his windshield will be better than the V-stream, so I went ahead and ordered one for each bike. They are in the mail, so I will update when I have a chance to try them out.

 

[aage]

I´m 5"10 and I have Madstad bracket along with Givi Airflow ( its for 2011 till 2013. Easy to mod for 2016, only drill two holes ) I normally ride with it in its lowest setting and I can ride upto normal highway speeds here in Iceland (max 90km/hr) with my visor up. Very nice and effective. I hate buffeting and noise as is from the standard windshield. I had the same system on my BMW R1200GS. I have tried many windshields in the past and nothing compares to this setup in my opinion.

I also added mirror extenders and that cured the windbuffeting hitting my sholders . I´m very happy with it as is now.

As you see on these photos you can pull the front shield much higher than i´m using it, so it might be good for you taller guys to.

 

[bnschroder]

I am 6'5", 36" inseam and replaced my stock shield with an XXL Parabellum on the stock mount, highest position, strengthened by the usual extra braces.
It creates a turbulence-free environment and I can ride with my visor open at highway speeds and I love it, though it is not absolutely quiet and I still ride with ear plugs.
Just last weekend I switched for my stock shield because I was planning a lot of gravel and it's hot out here, and I was miserable compared to the tall screen. Felt like my fillings were rattling in my teeth. Anybody need a short stock shield for a '14?

 

[rider33]

6'2", most of it in the torso which means in the saddle I likely sit as tall as someone a few inches taller. I run a Parabellum tall with a Madstad bracket and OEM winglets. 'Never really have been sure if the winglets made a difference but the shield and bracket sure did.
In the lowest position (where I keep it) I can still see over the screen and buffeting is pretty much eliminated. I still get some wind noise, depending on the direction but nothing out of line. Here is a shot from Logan Pass in Glacier last week with the full touring kit:

If the tall doesn't do it they make a extra tall but with the adjustablity that bracket gives you I doubt you'd need it.

 

[Rodge]

Hello TooTall,
I'm 6 ft, long torso.
I have the Gen 1 Calsci X Large on my '14 ES and I couldn't be happier, removed the adjustable mechanism kept the 1/2" accessory bar bracket, had to slightly bend it and everything is good with a lot less vibration/shaking.
You could add a MRA x-screen tour on it and I'm pretty sure that would be a good solution for you.
Cheers

 

[Nissbird]

I´m 5"10 and I have Madstad bracket along with Givi Airflow ( its for 2011 till 2013. Easy to mod for 2016, only drill two holes ) I normally ride with it in its lowest setting and I can ride upto normal highway speeds here in Iceland (max 90km/hr) with my visor up. Very nice and effective. I hate buffeting and noise as is from the standard windshield. I had the same system on my BMW R1200GS. I have tried many windshields in the past and nothing compares to this setup in my opinion.

I also added mirror extenders and that cured the windbuffeting hitting my sholders . I´m very happy with it as is now.

As you see on these photos you can pull the front shield much higher than i´m using it, so it might be good for you taller guys to.

+1, I use the Givi airflow with a home made bracket, after trying the stock screen and a Yamaha "high" screen I find the adjustability of the bracket and the screen allow me to set the angle of attack and height to eliminate buffeting and reduce wind noise.

 

[craigd]

So, here's my initial impressions on the CalSci. I would say that it is slightly more quiet and has smoother airflow than the National Cycles V-stream. It is also narrower, so allows more air to hit my shoulders, and therefor not quite as much protection overall. On the positive side, if you are doing any offroad, it is less likely to hit the ground if your bike decides to take an unplanned nap. One other small negative, the bottom is low enough that it catches some light from the headlights, which is obvious when riding in the dark. The V-stream has a blackened area on the bottom, so this was not a problem. I will probably paint the CalSci to eliminate this.