Stiffness in Windshield Adjustments

[Brillot2000]

Hello All,

I have been experiencing a significant amount of issues and stiffness with the windshield adjustments lately.

NaTalie is a used bike an I have to be at least the 3rd owner of this bike. There was a lot of sun damage on all the black plastics pieces when I got the bike. I replaced a lot of these pieces and painted the others with Rustoleum. Both of the rubber rail covers were all torn up, I replacement them already. Maybe that contributed to causing the stiffness with the rails while adjusting them and perhaps damaged them. No amount of cleaning or lubing with various lubricants of both wet or dry has not improved with the stiffness. Yet another thing I will have to replace at one point, which will cost me about $200 using my online suppliers.

I need to replace the headlight assembly first as it has cracks in it allowing water to ingress inside of it. That assembly is about $120.

NaTalie is looking to be a "Rescue Bike" that was abused by a previous owner somewhere down the line. The engine is perfect and runs fine. It seems that only just the body parts are neglected and poorly cared for.

I would like to know if any others have experienced the same levels of stiffness or had to replace the rails assemblies to remedy this issue.

 

[Macka]

I have had no problems with mine, or with the plastics (pannier catch towers aside) except for a crack where the RH side panel is secured to the frame above the RH footpeg.

Macka

 

[ARKNT]

My windscreen adjusts fine still but the black plastic has a lot of deep sun damage. The windscreen rail covers are in one piece but cracked. If I look hard I can still read NT700 on the black tailpiece behind the seat. It has spent a lot of time in the sun while parked at work over the years.

Brad

 

[seagrass]

Not sure if you have the original screen or an aftermarket screen.

Another member recently commented that their aftermarket screen put excess pressure on the mounts and made the screen hard to adjust.

Seagrass

 

[Brillot2000]

Not sure if you have the original screen or an aftermarket screen.

Another member recently commented that their aftermarket screen put excess pressure on the mounts and made the screen hard to adjust.

Seagrass

The issue is present with any windscreen installed, stock or aftermarket. The movement is still stiff and hard to move the rails individually when the windscreen has been removed. I have cleaned and lubed these rails a couple of times with both wet and dry lubricants with the same results. That's why I suspect the rails are bad or damaged.

I would be one of many...

 

[junglejim]

Cleaning and lubing is the obvious answer. It is generally a two-handed maneuver to raise and lower. Never mind that I beat on top of mine to lower it while riding (not recommended). And they are difficult to move when under way and there is wind pressure on it. But if it doesn't work with two hands while stopped something else is wrong. Was the bike wrecked before you got it. You mentioned numerous previous owners. I suspect maybe something is bent. Check for wear marks where something fits tight? or marks on the metal where some tried to straighten them? You should be able to visualize what's going on. Are they tight throughout the range or do they stick in one spot?

 

[Macka]

Not sure if you have the original screen or an aftermarket screen.

Another member recently commented that their aftermarket screen put excess pressure on the mounts and made the screen hard to adjust.

Seagrass

I have a Custom Made screen on mine (Screens for Bikes in Melbourne-- Highly recommended) which is 2" wider at the top and 4 1/2" taller and have had no problems at all.
I usually have it at the centre position which makes it just a little taller than the standard screen at "Full Up" and only put it fully up in heavy rain.
It then shoots the water way over my head and around my shoulders and I remain fairly dry.
It does flex a little bit when fully up but is not noticeable on the road.
The sliders have never changed in there operation. One a year I give them a spray with Silicone Lube.

Macka

 

[Brillot2000]

As previously mentioned this issue has been present since I got the bike. The bike may have been poorly cared for in its appearance and spent a lot of time in the sun from the previous owner that I bought it from.

I have cleaned and lubed the rail tracks several times without any favorable results. Aftermarket windshields need to the have the mounting holes enlarged or slotted to get the tracks to function to a reasonable level. After playing around with the alignment, the tracks require a lot more force to get the windshield to move in either direction. Just installing any aftermarket shield and putting the screws in as normal the windshield will not budge in either direction without excessive amounts of force when it does it only moves a fraction of an inch.

My experience tells me that assemblies such as these require replacement when they get like this and no amount of cleaning or lubing will address the issue. I am quite certain that either the tracks or sliders are worn out or have excessive amounts of wear that hinder their normal operation. Replacement of both side assemblies looks to be the road I am heading down. As it stands now that is going to have to wait for other items that require replacement. I will have to live with it for the time being until I can replace these assemblies.

 

[karl]

Have you tried to operate the slides without the screen attached?

 

[Brillot2000]

Yes, the movement is quite choppy and just as stiff. Kind of like skiing on gravel.

Something is not right with these.

 

[karl]

There are distinct detents but it should still be fairly smooth sounds like yours are toast. The rubber seals around the slides on my bike are starting to crack and fail been thinking about replacing them before they become unubtainium, good luck.

 

[Macka]

I know that it does not help you now but my custom screen fitted on with perfect hole alignment. No modification was needed and I can easily tap the screen down to the next detent with one hand whilst sitting on the bike. It needs two hands to pull it up when sitting on the bike but is easily done.

Macka

 

[Brillot2000]

No modification was needed and I can easily tap the screen down to the next detent with one hand whilst sitting on the bike. It needs two hands to pull it up when sitting on the bike but is easily done.

That was the last bit of information I needed to make my final determination regarding this issue. This affirms that I need to replace both of the rail assemblies in the near future.

 

[Turbo DV8]

These suggestions most likely won't apply to your situation, but since others with similar symptoms may come to this thread as a result of the title, I offer two possible suggestions to others.

First, I installed a Cee Bailey aftermarket windscreen on this bike, and the critical curvature of the windshield was not exactly identical to stock, and caused a stress to occur between the right and left sliders. This made it very difficult to move the screen up and down. They asked me to send pictures as best I could to them so that they could possibly tweak their Design, but I have not heard back from them.

The other suggestion I offer in general to anybody who is removing and replacing the windscreen, I stumbled upon when I had to take everything apart to replace one of the four slider rail bolts with had vibrated out. The windscreen bracket attaches to the slider rail with two Chrome hex bolts. There is a spacer washer for each one. I had inadvertently installed the spacer washer on the wrong side of the rubber washer, which put Just a slight tension on the slider, causing it to be difficult to move up and down. The terms I use for spacer and rubber washer may be incorrect, as my recollection is hazy, but the take-home is, pay very close attention to how the parts are being reassembled, while referring to the shop manual.

 

[DirtFlier]

[...installed a Cee Bailey aftermarket windscreen on this bike, and the critical curvature of the windshield was not exactly identical to stock, and caused a stress to occur between the right and left sliders...They asked me to send pictures as best I could to them so that they could possibly tweak their Design, but I have not heard back from them...]

I was under the impression that Cee Bailey no longer makes motorcycle windshields.

 

[Brillot2000]

The windscreen bracket attaches to the slider rail with two Chrome hex bolts. There is a spacer washer for each one. I had inadvertently installed the spacer washer on the wrong side of the rubber washer, which put Just a slight tension on the slider, causing it to be difficult to move up and down. The terms I use for spacer and rubber washer may be incorrect, as my recollection is hazy, but the take-home is, pay very close attention to how the parts are being reassembled while referring to the shop manual.

The Honda Shop Manual for this bike appears to be out of print. I requested one from my dealer over a month ago and still nothing. Some nutball on eBay wants over $200 for this manual. My dealer said that they are $75 if they could get one.

Anyone willing to share the page/s outlining what Turbo DV8 has mentioned above would be greatly appreciated. The microfiche offers very little assistance on the placement of the rubber washer. I am willing to try one more thing before ordering the replacement rail assemblies.

 

[DirtFlier]

All the printed stuff for American Honda is handled by Helm in Detroit and currently they show the NT service manual as Out-of-Stock with no ETA on the next printing. If I had to guess, I'd say they won't bother with another printing but you can leave your name requesting notification if and when they do arrive. .

 

[Brillot2000]

All the printed stuff for American Honda is handled by Helm in Detroit and currently they show the NT service manual as Out-of-Stock with no ETA on the next printing. If I had to guess, I'd say they won't bother with another printing but you can leave your name requesting notification if and when they do arrive. .

I am already on their waiting list too.

 

[Turbo DV8]

The Cee Bailey wind screen I purchased was 6 months ago or slightly more. They didn't sound like they were not going to be selling more windscreens, because they seemed very interested in learning exactly what was wrong with the curvature, and offered to send me a free windscreen when and if they came out with a new revision.

I will see if I could snap a picture of the page in the shop manual and post it here.

Even if I loved this bike to death, which I don't, the rapid increase in Parts becoming no longer available for it are one reason I would get rid of it. I loved my CX 650 turbos, but they were getting old and requiring parts, and so many were just no longer available. They were becoming worth more in parts then they were as a bike, unless you shipped them overseas where they command higher prices. I have one more in storage in my living room, and Europe is most likely where it will end up. And even the parts for the nt700v that are still available, I've seen the price is going up on those as they presumably are soon to become no longer available. If I had known the suspension on this bike or going to be such crap, and that the bike was a basturd child in the United States, with parts availability to match, I would have looked elsewhere. But I wanted a midsize, shaft drive motorcycle, and I suppose that's just what I got. Just.

 

[Turbo DV8]

This website is not allowing me to upload pictures, so the order goes like this... Slider bracket, metal washer, windscreen stay, rubber washer, bolt. I got just one of those out of order, on one side, probably because of failing eyesight, and it was enough to cock that slider just enough to greatly increase friction.