You can’t get rid of wind, but you can manage it. Since 1975, National Cycle has been designing and manufacturing hardcoated polycarbonate motorcycle windscreens in the USA to effectively manage wind. National Cycle is a Tier 1 supplier for BMW, and its ZTechnik brand is exclusive to BMW fitments.
Among ZTechnik products are VStream windscreens, with a patented V-shaped profile that channels the wind vortex to the sides, away from the rider, for a quieter, more comfortable ride. National Cycle VStream windscreens are dimensionally formed from 3.0mm Quantum hardcoated polycarbonate, which provides exceptional crack and impact resistance (see chart below) and outstanding optical clarity.
National Cycle offers VStream windscreens for BMW touring, sport-touring, and adventure motorcycles, including my 2025 F 900 XR. I evaluated all three models available for the XR – Sport, Sport Touring, and Touring – over several hundred miles on my favorite backroads and some limited-access highways. These windscreens all feature National Cycle’s latest hardcoating process, Quantum Plus, which has higher resistance to abrasion than glass. It’s also highly hydrophobic. In the rain, you’ll see water hit the windscreen and bead right off. (The cleaner your windscreen, the better it works.)
Test Notes:
- Your humble scribe is 5-foot-7, prefers to look over a windscreen, and wears earplugs when riding.
- The F 900 XR has a lever to raise or lower the windscreen on the fly. References to High position and Low position reflect this OEM adjustment.
- The stock windscreen has a center height of 17 inches and width of 14 inches.
- Swapping one windscreen for another is quick and easy, using a T25 Torx wrench and the stock fasteners.
The Sport option is the shortest VStream model for the XR, with a center height of 15.5 inches and width of 13.5 inches. Although it is slightly smaller overall than the stock windscreen, the VStream’s unique shape puts the top edge slightly higher and farther forward than stock. In Low position, a smooth flow of air is directed onto my modular helmet, which provides a refreshing breeze to my neck and shoulders on warm days. There’s some wind noise, but it’s less than the noise created with the stock screen and practically free of buffeting. In High position, wind noise is noticeably reduced as air flow is directed farther up and out.
The Sport windscreen comes in dark tint, and since it’s short enough for me to look over in either setting, the tint doesn’t obscure my view ahead. This screen has become my choice for warmer weather and whenever I can avoid long runs on major highways. I think it looks great on my black XR. It’s available for $144.95.
The Sport Touring windscreen occupies the middle range with a center height of 18.75 inches and width of 14.25 inches. That’s 0.75 inch wider and 3.25 inches taller than the Sport option, and the difference is significant. Below highway speeds, Low height lets me look over the screen easily and creates a fairly quiet pocket of air with minimal wind noise on my helmet. Flip to High position, and wind noise drops noticeably. In my typical riding posture, I look through it just below the top edge.
The Sport Touring windscreen comes in light tint. This is probably as big a screen as most F 900 XR riders would want (unless they’re quite tall). This screen will be my choice for cooler spring and fall riding. It’s priced at $164.95.
The Touring windscreen is big, with a center height of 21.75 inches and width of 15.5 inches. In either High or Low position, I look through it. While that’s not my preference, its optical quality is excellent, and the extra height creates a noticeably quieter cockpit. Spring arrived late in 2025, so I tested the Touring screen on days when temperatures never surpassed the 40s. The extra coverage helped keep the cold at bay. I noticed fuel economy dropped a few mpg, likely due to a combination of cold temperatures and pushing this large screen through the air.
The Touring windscreen is clear (untinted). If you’re a taller rider or just want the highest degree of wind protection, Touring has you covered. It can be had for $169.95.
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Of these VStream models, Sport provides the wind management I want for spirited riding on winding backroads. Sport Touring adds useful extra coverage for cooler weather or highway riding. Touring is bigger than I need, but if you’re significantly taller than me (and who isn’t?) it may suit you.
Excellent review of V-Stream windscreens and comparison of the different sizes for the author’s height. Choosing an effective windscreen for a given rider’s height can be difficult.