Rider Report: MRA Vario Touring Screen

[NikosR]

I'm a bit of a screen junkie, owning a total of 4 screens for my 06 ST, in a futile attempt to find the perfect screen which, of course, doesn't exist.

I have: Stock 06 low screen, T Aero screen (stock for 07), MRA double bubble and my latest buy the MRA Vario Touring screen. The one with the additional adjustable flap / spoiler.

I ride my 06 with the stock low grips. I'm 180cm tall but I'm of the long upper body - short legs construction so my head tends to stick out in the wind quite a bit.

What I was looking when buying this screen was relatively comfortable cruising at speeds up to 180km/h (yes, that's cruising for me) without having to get in a crouched position. I know that no screen on the ST will get you in still air (due to the fairing shape and the tall sitting position) so what I was looking for was smoothed air flow.

The Vario screen itself follows more or less the form of the Aero but is about 2cm lower than it in the middle. The flap is adjustable in 6-7 positions with the highest one giving the most effect of smoothed airflow (and causing the most noise). Construction quality looks nice and I had no part vibrating or falling out when I tried it at speeds exceeding 220kmh.

I have found that this screen comes closest to what I required. Cruising fairly comfortably at up to 180km/h. In fact up to about 140km/h the ride is very comfortable (unless of course one gets side winds). This comes with the following 2 disadvantages:

1. Smoothed out air flow (the thing that allows me to cruise at up to 180 in relative comfort) comes at the expense of increased noise (not turbulent noise, more of a whoosh) which might be very noticeable if your helmet is in a certain position getting hit directly by the airstream coming through between the screen and the flap). Sometimes it feels you're going faster just because of this air noise.

2. At speeds more than 180km/h this increased noise makes riding uncomfortable and since one has to crouch anyway, I find the Aero screen does a much better job.

I have decided to keep the MRA Vario Touring screen as standard on my bike and only change to another if I know I will only go for quick ride in the twisties or for the very rare track day. Of course that is until I try my next screen...