Mount wind protectors for hands on Piaggio MP3
Problem:
1. In winter direct wind freezes hands when riding. Even the best and warmest gloves don't protect from cold well enough.
2. Hand guards are not so common for Piaggio MP3 (on contrary of Suzuki Burgman, for instance, which is sold with hand protectors as option).
3. "Universal" hand guards are not so universal when it comes to Italy-designed vehicle.
Solution:
I ordered these hand protectors for following reasons:
1. They have 2 points of mount (the most unversal wind protectors have only 1 point of mount).
2. Proximal mount point uses metal plates that possible to bend and fit to Piaggio MP3 handle.
Result:
The scooter width is kept the same. The wind in finger area is not felt at all. The wind protectors don't interefere with brakes and steering. The plastic quality is reasonably good but not the best: some edges are sharp and must be smoothened.
Steps:
1. Unscrew the original handle tips with LN4.
2. In defference with other manufacturers, Piaggio weldered tip screw into the handle. That means:
a) supplied with hand guards handle tip doesn't fit as is.
b) supplied bolt is too long and its screw is too short.
Here it is shown "extra" part of the handle tip:
Cut it away.
3. With soldering iron and sharp knife reduce the insetion diameter to 16 mm.
4. Measure how mauch screw to be added to the supplied bolt. the screw must reach the end of the handle tip.
5. Make the needed screw (6 mm diameter). Cut the supplied bolt by length of original bolt + 7-8 mm.
6. Mount the handle tip assembly with TRX35:
This is bottom view. Proximal support is not mounted yet.
7. Choose the optimal position to mount the proxinal support.
Consider inner cables in the handle, comfort placement for nuts. Pay attention on ease of assembly/disassembly: you will be needed to remove and mount the hand guards in future for special service (for bulb replacement in the dashboard, for instance).
8. Bend the supplied metal plates to fit the handle bar surface. The left plate is bent.
9. Assemble the proximal support for the hand protectors. Use toothed washer under a nut to prevent unscrew.
10. The final result: there is enough room for hands even in gloves.
Side view.
Front view.
Steering is not affected: there is some space between hanguard and wind shield in extreme handle position.
Ride safely :-)
1. In winter direct wind freezes hands when riding. Even the best and warmest gloves don't protect from cold well enough.
2. Hand guards are not so common for Piaggio MP3 (on contrary of Suzuki Burgman, for instance, which is sold with hand protectors as option).
3. "Universal" hand guards are not so universal when it comes to Italy-designed vehicle.
Solution:
I ordered these hand protectors for following reasons:
1. They have 2 points of mount (the most unversal wind protectors have only 1 point of mount).
2. Proximal mount point uses metal plates that possible to bend and fit to Piaggio MP3 handle.
Result:
The scooter width is kept the same. The wind in finger area is not felt at all. The wind protectors don't interefere with brakes and steering. The plastic quality is reasonably good but not the best: some edges are sharp and must be smoothened.
Steps:
1. Unscrew the original handle tips with LN4.
2. In defference with other manufacturers, Piaggio weldered tip screw into the handle. That means:
a) supplied with hand guards handle tip doesn't fit as is.
b) supplied bolt is too long and its screw is too short.
Here it is shown "extra" part of the handle tip:
Cut it away.
3. With soldering iron and sharp knife reduce the insetion diameter to 16 mm.
4. Measure how mauch screw to be added to the supplied bolt. the screw must reach the end of the handle tip.
5. Make the needed screw (6 mm diameter). Cut the supplied bolt by length of original bolt + 7-8 mm.
6. Mount the handle tip assembly with TRX35:
This is bottom view. Proximal support is not mounted yet.
7. Choose the optimal position to mount the proxinal support.
Consider inner cables in the handle, comfort placement for nuts. Pay attention on ease of assembly/disassembly: you will be needed to remove and mount the hand guards in future for special service (for bulb replacement in the dashboard, for instance).
8. Bend the supplied metal plates to fit the handle bar surface. The left plate is bent.
9. Assemble the proximal support for the hand protectors. Use toothed washer under a nut to prevent unscrew.
10. The final result: there is enough room for hands even in gloves.
Side view.
Front view.
Steering is not affected: there is some space between hanguard and wind shield in extreme handle position.
Ride safely :-)