Skidmarx screen on a K75S anyone with pics?

[szabgab]

Dear all,

As the bike starts to shape up mechanically I am about to tackle the cosmetic side of things. My screen has been cracked on the mounting points, since I have got it, I have glued it and so on, it is sound but not pretty. I was looking into the aftermarket screens (as BMW charges ridiculous amounts on yet another piece of plastic) and came across a British manufacturer, Skidmarx selling screens for our bikes for a good price. However their windshield is wider and longer, than the stocker and I was just wondering, if anybody has got pictures of such a screen on the bike? For some reason the screen manufacturer does not have any pictures of that thing mounted on an actual bike unfortunately..

The screen in question is this ->  https://www.skidmarx.co.uk/bmw/bmw-k75s-flip-up-tall-screen?search_query=k75s&results=2 They have different colour options. Also they have their ebay webshop, but for some reason the screens there are sold with a huge markup.

The dimensions are: overall height ~21", height of main part of screen ~17.5", width ~18"

I do believe, the last screen posted by Gio on this topic http://www.motobrick.com/index.php?topic=7435.0 is the one, I am looking for.

Thank you!

Gab

[stokester]

BMW has them in the US for about $150USD.

[szabgab]

BMW has them in the US for about $150USD.

Thanks Stokester... The US price for this is better, what we would be charged in Hungary (180 USD), but given how crappy the British Pound is, the Skidmarx screen is half of the BMW list price...

[Martin]

Szabgab I had my 75s screen taken out by a low flying bird. It broke off the corner, but no other damage. I bought some super glue gel and a spray pack of kicker (activator) from a local hobby shop. You apply the glue then line up all the parts and when you are satisfied with the alignment you spray with the kicker this sets the glue in an instant. You can then carefully sand off any surplus glue. The repair was then cover with boat deck tape (anti slip) cut to size and matched on both sides and front and back. The end result  looks good and the deck tape reinforces the join.
Regards Martin.
Windscreen Crack 1.jpg (47.96 kB . 768x576 - viewed 529 times)
Windscreen Crack 2.jpg (46.73 kB . 768x576 - viewed 500 times)
Windscreen Repair 1.jpg (54.72 kB . 768x576 - viewed 511 times)
Windscreen Repair 2.jpg (37.8 kB . 768x576 - viewed 560 times)

[szabgab]

Szabgab I had my 75s screen taken out by a low flying bird. It broke off the corner, but no other damage. I bought some super glue gel and a spray pack of kicker (activator) from a local hobby shop. You apply the glue then line up all the parts and when you are satisfied with the alignment you spray with the kicker this sets the glue in an instant. You can then carefully sand off any surplus glue. The repair was then cover with boat deck tape (anti slip) cut to size and matched on both sides and front and back. The end result  looks good and the deck tape reinforces the join.
Regards Martin.
Windscreen Crack 1.jpg (47.96 kB . 768x576 - viewed 529 times)
Windscreen Crack 2.jpg (46.73 kB . 768x576 - viewed 500 times)
Windscreen Repair 1.jpg (54.72 kB . 768x576 - viewed 511 times)
Windscreen Repair 2.jpg (37.8 kB . 768x576 - viewed 560 times)

Martin, thanks for the tip. I have done something similar, superglued the pieces together and covered the ugliness with car type stretchable vinyl. However mine is damaged in a slightly different way, somebody has gone all He-man on the screws and that cracked the screen bolting holes sunshine shaped. You fix one crack, the others will carry on spreading. If you drill them out, you basically remove a large chunk of the screen, as the cracks are very not much spread out

[Martin]

To stop cracks from spreading you need to drill a small hole at the end of the cracks and use a thinner wicking superglue. I haven't tried it yet but a filler can be made using super glue and baking powder. Due to the fact that deck tape is made to be walked on, it is thicker than a lot of other tapes. Careful use of a heat gun allows it to be molded somewhat to do compound curves the heat also helps it to adhere. I also have it applied under my 22Lt top box and on my tank to stop belt buckle scratches caused by morons who think it's their right to sit on your bike while you are not there.
Regards Martin.

[szabgab]

To stop cracks from spreading you need to drill a small hole at the end of the cracks and use a thinner wicking superglue. I haven't tried it yet but a filler can be made using super glue and baking powder. Due to the fact that deck tape is made to be walked on, it is thicker than a lot of other tapes. Careful use of a heat gun allows it to be molded somewhat to do compound curves the heat also helps it to adhere. I also have it applied under my 22Lt top box and on my tank to stop belt buckle scratches caused by morons who think it's their right to sit on your bike while you are not there.
Regards Martin.

Yes, I would drill holes, but there are just too many cracks. Using ordinary superglue wicks into the cracks, but the glue itself is brittle and if I tighten the screws to anything but finger-tight, the screen just cracks either straight away or on the first bump in the road. I did try to strengthen it from the rear by gluing a thin acrylic piece to it, it does help somewhat but it is not the ticket either. So in my case I will have to cough up the dough for a new screen no matter how much I try to avoid that :) That strong vinyl, you have put on looks rather sharp though, so I might use something like that on the bottom part of the belly pan where it gets all those stone chips and it is going to be painted with black bumper paint anyway...

[johnny]

common sense is required...

and another trusted screen manufacturer...

parabellum

[daveson]

Another option is a second hand bike shop.
Or if not in hurry look for one on net for sale.
Or make one from a sheet of polycarb. You don't need much skill I found as I did it on my bike. But you want two pieces one for practice run and one to keep. I got a few pieces for free from a local commercial playground company.

[szabgab]

common sense is required...

and another trusted screen manufacturer...

Thank you Johnny.

The first link is dearer, than the factory screen especially with postage charge. Given how much I still love the original look of this bike, I would be hard-pressed to fit anything, that looks different (especially for a premium)

The Secdem is nice, but it is a high screen, and I am just tall enough (6"1) not to have buffeting issues with the stock windshield as I am sitting in full (but clear) air stream from shoulder up. I fear an inch or so rise in the screen would direct air right in my face.

I start to fear, I am talking myself into getting a stock screen for silly BMW prices :D

[szabgab]

Another option is a second hand bike shop.
Or if not in hurry look for one on net for sale.
Or make one from a piece of polymer. You don't need much skill I found as I did it on my bike. But you want two pieces one for practice run and one to keep. I got a few pieces for free from a local commercial playground company.

I was thinking about that, however the S screen has got multiple bends and even if I get rid of the flip, I am not sure, how I could contour the plexi without kinking it. As the stocker is rubbish anyway, I thought about making a plaster negative from the inside and choking that in the stove with a new plexiglass on top on low heat setting, till the plexi takes the shape of the plaster, but nobody really done something similar and I fear, it is because it is just plain silly :) My mum has got an advertisement studio and they are bending plexisheets in right angles with a heating element, but making a screen with hard bends would make look the bike just a tad too DIY :)))

[K1300S]

another option. 
http://www.aeroflowscreens.com/K75S/K75S.htm

[The Mighty Gryphon]

If it was my bike, I would do what Martin suggested.  Instead of the non-skid, I would use stone-guard which has a slightly smoother finish that would probably be easier to clean.  If turbulence is an issue(it was for me) you can shorten the windshield about 4or 5 inches. 

The cut down screen puts my helmet in clean air, reducing helmet noise a lot.  The bike also looks a lot better and even a bit modern with the lower screen. 

[szabgab]

If it was my bike, I would do what Martin suggested.  Instead of the non-skid, I would use stone-guard which has a slightly smoother finish that would probably be easier to clean.  If turbulence is an issue(it was for me) you can shorten the windshield about 4or 5 inches. 

The cut down screen puts my helmet in clean air, reducing helmet noise a lot.  The bike also looks a lot better and even a bit modern with the lower screen.

Now skip what I said about the factory screen, this actually looks rather nice. The bike lost a bit from the top of it's head, so I'd probably cut slightly less, but the look without the flip is great actually!

[Martin]

Gryph the deck tape has never been a problem to clean. It just gets a wash like any other parts of the Brick. Bugs don't even seem to stick, and we do have some bloody big bugs in OZ. I think it also helped in keeping my screen from suffering a lot more damage when the bird hit it. The nylon plugs actually pulled out of the fairing which had to be replaced. This screen is now probably twenty years old. My OEM one which I reinforced with the tape due to the corner being broken off, also had cracks radiating from the mounting holes. The replacement screen has always had deck tape fitted as a precaution and this has seemed to work no cracks.

Regards Martin.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Martin, when you say marine deck tape, the stuff I think of is something like 36 grit abrasive.  Stone guard can be pretty thick and doesn't have quite the aggressive texture. 

[szabgab]

Martin, when you say marine deck tape, the stuff I think of is something like 36 grit abrasive.  Stone guard can be pretty thick and doesn't have quite the aggressive texture.

I had a look myself, and 36 grit is the heavy duty stuff. Normal anti-slip is more like 60-80 grit

[Martin]

In OZ I've only ever seen two types of surface, the gritty tape and the textured non gritty tape. I use the textured surface one, if you look at the photos there is no grit. When I first started using it you could get it from any marine place. Now I can get it from only one place and it is old stock and once gone it will not be restocked. It used to be available in four colours black, white, red and blue now only black. I first used on my tank after suffering scratches then used it on my belly pan for nearly 15 years. I'll try and post a better close up some time today.
Regards Martin.

[Martin]

Hopefully  better pictures showing the texture, and originally you could also get it in different widths. It was available by the metre off a roll or in a packet. When it started to become hard to obtain I did a check and it was available on line.
Regards Martin.

Deck tape 1.png (45.59 kB . 768x576 - viewed 498 times)
Deck tape 2.png (90.05 kB . 768x576 - viewed 463 times)

[szabgab]

Hopefully  better pictures showing the texture, and originally you could also get it in different widths. It was available by the metre off a roll or in a packet. When it started to become hard to obtain I did a check and it was available on line.
Regards Martin.

Deck tape 1.png (45.59 kB . 768x576 - viewed 498 times)
Deck tape 2.png (90.05 kB . 768x576 - viewed 463 times)

All I have seen is the sanding paper lookalike thing. This actually is a lot nicer, probably something to be walked on barefooted?

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I did a search last night and after a couple hours of looking came to the conclusion that it's all 80 grit abrasive paper now except for the non skid that's for bathtubs.  Trouble is, that stuff only comes in white or gray.

I suppose that you could fill in the grit finish a little by coating it with something like truck bed liner. 

If the purpose is to hide the cracks and reinforce the plastic, I suppose you could put a couple layers of the black vinyl film that's used for signs on the front and back.

[Martin]

Gryph I also did a search and couldn't find any. I have a couple of metres in stock, but I guess it would be a wise move to get some more. The last time I bought some he didn't even know they had it, and he'd never sold any. They didn't even have a price in the computer and had to pull a price out of thin air. Why is it when you find a really good product it disappears. The hunt is now on for another source.
Regards Martin.

[szabgab]

I did a search last night and after a couple hours of looking came to the conclusion that it's all 80 grit abrasive paper now except for the non skid that's for bathtubs.  Trouble is, that stuff only comes in white or gray.

I suppose that you could fill in the grit finish a little by coating it with something like truck bed liner. 

If the purpose is to hide the cracks and reinforce the plastic, I suppose you could put a couple layers of the black vinyl film that's used for signs on the front and back.

Hi couple of layers of anything is going to be trouble. Using the stretching vinyl made for car places was a pain, as you have to have the proper technique, otherwise you end up with creases... I doubt I could do a reasonable enough job with multiple layers of the same thing. I did try to buy some truck liner btw, but all I have seen was this service, when they spray it on for you rather than having that thing in a spray can. The closest, you will get to that look (which I incidentally like so much, I would paint the whole bike with) is bumper paint, but that is some crappy plastic, that cracks readily and peels off...

[johnny]

black magic ablack5 sniper rifle tape... good to a mile out and then some...

[szabgab]

Gryph I also did a search and couldn't find any. I have a couple of metres in stock, but I guess it would be a wise move to get some more. The last time I bought some he didn't even know they had it, and he'd never sold any. They didn't even have a price in the computer and had to pull a price out of thin air. Why is it when you find a really good product it disappears. The hunt is now on for another source.
Regards Martin.

Martin, Gryphon, Johnny - I went to this anti-slip shop (there is such a thing, who would have thought) and they have the sandpaper looking tape for outside and textured pvc to be walked barefooted inside. That pvc looks exactly like the one, you have sent a picture of, it is not cheap, around 10USD per metre, but it is very very strong, basically a thick layer of PVC with grain on one side, looks very much like this https://www.amazon.com/Safe-Way-Traction-Resilient-Rubberized/dp/B00I511BDQ If you search for rubberized anti slip, that is the stuff, we are looking for