The Kawasaki Ninja 1000’s adjustable windscreen is a great idea for a sportbike, but the problem we found is that when adjusted in its fully upright position, the windscreen didn’t really provide that much more protection. Instead of deflecting the airflow away from the rider, it merely created a lot of turbulence at the helmet level. Just a little bit more height to the windscreen and it would work a lot better in our opinion.
Puig USA must have heard our complaints, as the company has come out with an accessory windscreen that is larger in all aspects than the stock unit. Made from the same high-impact 3mm-thick acrylic plastic as most OEM and quality aftermarket windscreens, the Puig screen for the Ninja 1000 is not only 40mm taller than the stock unit, but also extends an additional 35mm on each side as well as another 35mm on the bottom leading edge. The surface shape of windscreen is also slightly different, with more pronounced bulges/curves towards each side by the handlebar area to help deflect airflow away from the rider.
Build quality of the Puig windscreen is excellent, with beveled edges and precisely drilled mounting holes. Overall optics are also superb, with no distortion or cloudiness to block your view (not that you’ll be looking through it much or hunkered down behind it like you would with a supersport bike, but good to have nonetheless). Installation was a snap, and despite its extended length on bottom, top and sides, there were no clearance issues.
After spending several weeks riding the Ninja 1000 with the Puig windscreen, we’ve found the Kawasaki to be even more enjoyable to ride. When set in the fully upright position, the turbulence that used to be present in the helmet area is mostly gone, and a good majority of the airflow is directed away from the rider’s chest area as well. Even when set in the middle and lowered positions, the airflow seems smoother with less buffeting in the shoulder and helmet area, and the added length doesn’t intrude in the rider’s space (again, we doubt many Ninja 1000 riders will be tucking down behind the screen) or block any instrument view. While obviously nothing like a full-on sport-tourer fairing, the protection is a major improvement over the stock windscreen.
The Puig windscreen for the Kawasaki Ninja 1000 is available in smoke, dark smoke, and green shading (there are a variety of colors and finishes for other bikes), and stock, racing double-height, and oversize touring windscreens are also available for many bikes.
Details
Puig windscreen, Kawasaki Ninja 1000
Retail: $92.95
Puig Racing Screens
puigusa.com
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