Last Updated on: May 6, 2025

Windscreens and spoilers is for some, like myself, a never-ending story. Recent discoveries had me go back to this topic again.

Recent discoveries were quickly followed by new theories. Of which some just might actually survive past summer solstice (on the northern hemisphere). But we shall see about that. Summer solstice is, at time of writing this post, still way off. So good news, for my theories!

Anyways, on Good Friday of 2025, after days with unfavorable weather for motorcycle riding, sun came out over my region. But a northern breeze, later in the day building up to stronger wind, pumped polar air down through the country.

I had put on a new spoiler. To begin with in the same position used for two others. Then I started to fiddle with positioning. Well, I’ll come back to this later, but first some background history.

August 2024: out testing Puig Sports windscreen without spoiler.

Windscreens, the sporty ones

Late July 2024, not long after a Euro Adventure (writing still in progress), I replaced the stock BMW windscreen with a Puig sports screen. The stock worked, but not well. So the plan had been put the Puig sports screen on before leaving. But the delivery was late so that plan went south (as well).

I’ve had good experience with Puig Sports screen on a KTM 1290 Super Adventure S. That influenced my choice. As you can see from the link to their page all the sports windscreens listed are adapted to the chosen motorcycle, brand or model.

Despite differences there are some commonalities. One being height or length. The other that all versions are quality products. Though I’ll quickly add that all the qualities in the world won’t help if the windscreen doesn’t deliver benefits. On the GS it turned out to work as good as on the KTM, but also revealed similar weaknesses or shortcomings.

The screen itself is so low that even if cranked up to max height, you still don’t get issues with buffeting or turbulence. That doesn’t mean you manage to solve wind noise problems though. Which I guess is a key reason why many go for taller windscreens. Small windscreens might solve parts of the wind puzzle. Tall screens brings turbulence or buffeting, especially for taller riders.

So I got another spoiler. Having two allowed me to experiment, with various positions, heights and angles.

August 2024: out testing Puig sports screen with AliExpress spoiler.

Spoiler and adjustments

The reason for getting the second spoiler had to do with a problem with the windscreen itself. Since having curved edges, probably to improve aerodynamics, and reduce wind vortices around the edges, one needs good clamps. My Puig spoiler, plus a replica from AliExpress, simply were shaken off, or pulled off while trying to adjust height.

The Puig got damaged one day while flying off. So I bought another spoiler from AliExpress. It looked good online, but somewhat primitive once I got it. Made of thick plastic and had sharp edges. However, the clamps looked promising, made of metal with a good fixing solution.

Took it out on some bumpy gravel and dirt roads, also where I lost the Puig. No drama, it stuck like glue.

Late September 2024, trying out spoiler positions.

I continued to ride and test under various circumstances and found several low positions in which the spoiler made a difference. The idea and theory behind low positions is to make air in-between accelerate. Something that, another theory, brings a dampening effect that reduces vortices or turbulence. And produces an air pocket effect.

More experiences

For the rest of the season I did only minor adjustments. But what lower positioning didn’t solve, was wind noise. I always ride with custom molded earplugs. But these primarily helps on oscillation and buffeting, while letting higher frequencies through. So the wind noise is not gone.

Being able to adjust the spoiler when in motion is useful to trim airflow during changing conditions. And thus helps to minimize or reduce wind noise.

But adjusting this type of spoiler (above picture) is impossible or dangerous to do while riding. Because you have to both change angle/height as well as spoiler tilt. So during winter I bought another Aliexpress spoiler. It’s a replica of the Puig, but at (less than) a fraction of the costs. The design allows, in theory, height and tilt adjustment on the fly.

The AliExpress Puig spoiler replica. It looks good but…

But the variant also meant return of the clamp design problem. In order to be able to adjust height one needs to torque the clamps on the spoiler correctly. Which turned out to be difficult. Too loose screws, the clamps came out of the rails on the spoiler. Too tight the height adjustment became from difficult. And the whole damn spoiler and brackets came loose.

Windscreens & return of a problem

The problem was, like I experienced last year, amplified by the curved edges of the windscreen. But also, slickness of rubber paddings in the clamps. By the way, it’s the same problem with the expensive Puig. The rubber inserts are there to prevent damage to the windscreen when you clamp it on. One bike wash and the next time you pull to adjust height it might simply come off.

Soap + slick rubber = bad combination.

The AliExpress spoiler #2 looks good and is well designed, but…

Both me and a friend had the same experience last year. So I filed down the rubber, to make it more rough. And also to hopefully make the clamps grip better on the edges of the screen.

Failure & a new spoiler

Decided to take the combo on some real life offroad tests. To see if it would stick. It didn’t. Just like last year vibrations or oscillations caused by washboards made it come loose. Before parking the project I did some checking of the clamps. The plastic pieces are pretty thick and sturdy. So the plan now is to use a Dremel to create a cavity. This should allow the clamps to grip more firmly around the curved edge of the windscreen.

That’s the theory. No, another theory. Time will tell if that theory will survive.

I’d already bought spoiler #4 on AliExpress. Initially thought it just to be a smoked version of the clear one. Turned there were more differences. The clamps were the same sturdy metal ones. But the spoiler itself was much thinner.

Spoiler number 3 from AliExpress. Looks better and slightly different.

Now this might seem insignificant. However. a thick, square edge might lead to stronger wind vortices created along the edge. The fact that this model is made of thinner material, in theory could reduce the problem. Have considered sanding the edges to make them round. Now I have one extra spoiler to experiment on.

Minor improvements on the clamp mechanism makes number two easier to height adjust. However, as seen on the picture above, to fully adjust height you also have to adjust tilt. That can only be achieved by loosening the the mechanism in front of the spoiler. Not something you can, or should do, while riding. Less so with gloves on.

First tests with the new spoiler was promising. Not even the bumpiest of rides, with jumping, or riding fast on washboards, made it come loose. The clamps didn’t move an inch. So now, I was both back at square one with regards to noise and protection in windy conditions.

Finally a combination that worked under (almost) all conditions?

An interesting discovery

Finally I’ve arrived at the point of this post and topic update. Yeah it took “a while”. But I had to explain what led up to it. A “breakthrough” happened on Good Friday 2025. Symbolic one could say. The only Easter day with decent riding weather.

The spoilere here in max height position or close.

Riding up into the country a cold north wind tried its best to make the ride an unpleasant experience. It grew stronger the further north i got. Stopped the bike and put the spoiler in the highest position. Which meant that there would be a gap between the spoiler and the windscreen.

I tilted it so that it was in angular parallel alignment with the windscreen.

Windscreen and spoiler sideview

The theory behind this position was that air would be pushed along the windscreen and continue up behind the spoiler. Thus reduce wind noise created along the edges of the spoiler itself. Eureka! It worked so well that I rode the whole way, with the wind coming from all kinds of directions, with the same setting back south and home.

Result!

Windscreens & spoiler conclusion

A spoiler combined with shorter windscreens can, potentially, act as well as a tall windscreen. With regards to turbulence and wind noise, maybe even better. That all depends on physics, not the least your height. Many in the 190 plus centimeters (6″3 +) category have for long been battling with the same issues. Finding the right balance between wind protection and cooling options.

At this point in time I dare call this experiment a success. The combination makes it possible to harness, or make use of, aerodynamics and wind, to create air pressure that actually helps on overall wind noise reduction. In my tests that day I rode with the wind coming from all directions. Absence of turbulence, combined with wind noise reduction, didn’t change with the change of wind direction.

In warm, windy conditions one will still get some air in-between the windscreen and spoiler. Then comes the freedom of moving the spoiler all the way down. And finally adjust the windscreen to the lowest position.

Said in other posts, among others this one, it’s not exact science. But this is the closest I’ve been to solve a combination of several challenges, or problems. I hope you found some of this useful. Good luck with your own experiments!

Interested in more?
Previous post about spoilers.