MeanSling Sport Top first ride

    I installed the MeanSling Sport Top on our 2015 SL this morning then Justina and I took it on a 70 some mile round robin. The temperature was around 92 degrees and we rode both Interstate and twisty two-lane, here are our first impressions with a 9" Madstad windshield. .


    The installation was not entirely "easy", quite a bit of tweaking to get everything adjusted just right, (still needs some), but definitely straight forward and lots of adjust-ability where we will get it tweaked just right.
    It will take a little getting used to for a single driver to hold up the top while entering, getting out, though very doable. Justina was able to get in and out of the passenger side without even lifting the top. (Yes, we know about the lift supports, maybe in the future)
    Of course, we lost our wide open visibility, overhead traffic lights become a challenge to see, but horizontal visibility not affected.
    The top eliminated all wind buffeting inside the cabin even on the Interstate.
    The top obviously helped keep the sun off but engine heat became more noticeable, with the reduced air movement under the top it still can became quite warm while sitting in traffic.
    Adjusting the windshield all the way to it's upper adjustment allowed more air into the cabin when moving making it comfortable enough.
    It was very stable with just minor vibration up to 75 MPH.
    Our Sedici T2 Distanza Sissy Bar Bags still fit.
    The top is very easily removed though we will have to choose before a trip if we want to go dressed or topless.
    I was concerned about having the cover no longer fit but Justina reminded me that the top can be removed, set into the cabin, and then the cabin cover can be installed.


    We are supposed to get some rain, (finally), this weekend, if it does I am looking forward to getting out and riding in it with the top.


    Oh, maybe I should mention that we are very pleased and satisfied with our purchase! :)


    Following are some pictures.

    According to some here if you ride in the rain you may be killed. I've rode in the rain several times and only been killed once so I'm figuring they could be partly wrong. have a nice ride.

    lol, Yea here in the Pacific Northwest if one does not ride in the rain then one might as well just put the up SlingShot in mothballs for six months or more out of the year! So far installing more appropriate tires and using some common sense when it is wet out has kept us out of trouble! :whistling:


    Bill

    Welcome to the world of covered riding. The good part is that you won’t get as wet while sitting still. The bad part is your still gonna get wet.


    That being said, we love out Gull Wing. Wouldn’t ride without it.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    John
    '15 Nuc 'em 'til they glow orange
    '15 Ram 2500
    '16 Denali 289 RK
    '17 Mazda 3 HB


    :ORANGESS:


    SOG supporter

    Quote from War Hoop

    According to some here if you ride in the rain you may be killed. I've rode in the rain several times and only been killed once so I'm figuring they could be partly wrong. have a nice ride.

    I was out in the poring rain yesterday , And a truck driver never even seen me in my S/S and blew a stop sign right in front of me and all i could do was hit my brakes and listen to my antilock brakes clacking away' Close is not the word..I almost T boned him...Let me tell you that experience Scared me Half to death....
    Hope it doesn't happen again..... :whistling:

    Some times a Cigar is just a Cigar.......

    Good Grief Hunter....at least you have another "Half Life" to go...................


    Seriously, glad you're ok.

    18 SLR Lemon/Gray
    Vanderhall Venice (traded for SLR Apr '18)
    '16.6 SLR LE (traded for Vanderhall Oct '17)
    '11 & '14 Can Am RT's
    60 Years of 2 Wheeling

    Quote from hunter

    I was out in the poring rain yesterday , And a truck driver never even seen me in my S/S and blew a stop sign right in front of me and all i could do was hit my brakes and listen to my antilock brakes clacking away' Close is not the word..I almost T boned him...Let me tell you that experience Scared me Half to death....Hope it doesn't happen again..... :whistling:

    Always ride like your invisible to others because most times you are.

    I was up and down part of the night so was out playing some more with adjusting
    the top and it ultimately become apparent that the SlingShot is not
    symmetrical from side to side, (I really should have realized this when
    MeanSling sent two differently dimensioned drivers side front tubes,
    DUH!) The instructions state to use one tube and if there is over
    a 3/4" difference in height from the passenger tube, install the
    alternate tube. We only had about a 5/8" difference so I left the
    original tube in place where I was finding that to level the top from
    side to side I was almost all the way down in the adjusting slots on the
    driver's side, and just the opposite on the passenger side, limiting my
    vertical adjustment options. Well, I finally decided to try changing
    out the driver's side to the alternate tube and now WALLA, I use the
    same holes on both sides now.



    Added note, and another DUH, if you are going to adjust the top to an
    ADJUSTABLE windshield, it will also help greatly if you make sure that
    the windshield is level!


    Bill

    I'll add my explanation here as well. It's also posted in the other thread by @wjfyfe.


    "yes, I have found that regardless of year the driver's side a-arm height can vary as much as an inch when installed. The mirror mounts do not have a critical weld measurement and therefore can be off a good bit from the passenger side. Interestingly the passenger side has always been found to be that same every time. This issue is not reported by other tops because of the way they are mounted but does explain why some forcing of frames into position is required.
    The MeanSling simple centralized rear latch system requires the top to be balanced left to right so that the top is level when viewed from behind. That is the long answer as to why the top is supplied with 2 driver's side A-Arms. This was one of the most frustrating part of development. Testing and confirming the average A-Arm heights and having enough adjustment to allow all SlingShots to be fitted. Early 2015-2016 tend to suffer more than later models. My personal installations confirms that 75% of all SlingShots need the shorter arm."

    Proud supporter of S.O.G.

    (Slingshot Owners Group)

    :thumbsup:

    Owner/operator: MeanSling LLC :thumbsup:

    Ride number three this morning, OAT at around 67 degrees, cloudy and dry, other than the temperature, pretty much a repeat of ride number one. there is one big kudo in which I have to express where when we changed from the stock windshield to the Madstad, about 60% of the cabin buffeting was eliminated. Now adding the MeanSling Sport Top, absolutely all, and I mean 100%, of the buffeting has been eliminated, totally gone! I foresee this making longer road trips less tiring and more pleasurable. :)


    Bill

    Quote from wjfyfe

    Ride number three this morning, OAT at around 67 degrees, cloudy and dry, other than the temperature, pretty much a repeat of ride number one. there is one big kudo in which I have to express where when we changed from the stock windshield to the Madstad, about 60% of the cabin buffeting was eliminated. Now adding the MeanSling Sport Top, absolutely all, and I mean 100%, of the buffeting has been eliminated, totally gone! I foresee this making longer road trips less tiring and more pleasurable. :)


    Bill

    yes, this is one of the big advantages of this top. Prior to developing the top I found myself having a headache after a lengthy highway drive at or above 80mph. I'll be honest, that was all my highway trips. The top eliminates this problem. The air flow inside can also be managed by the type and height of the windshield as will as the adjustments to the top that change the angle of attack.

    Proud supporter of S.O.G.

    (Slingshot Owners Group)

    :thumbsup:

    Owner/operator: MeanSling LLC :thumbsup:

    Quote from wjfyfe


    As the top gets stretched out over time I am thinking we should be able to work out most of those wrinkles, though they really are not bad as is.


    Bill


    Looks good Bill



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    @wjfyfe one more thing. Yes let the top sit for about a week. The top can then be pulled off the SS and you will want to re-stretch the fabric around the frame. No need to remove it completely. Just go around the perimeter of the top releasing the fabric and roll it around the bar and secure the Velcro. Do this a couple of time.

    Proud supporter of S.O.G.

    (Slingshot Owners Group)

    :thumbsup:

    Owner/operator: MeanSling LLC :thumbsup:

    Another observation where without this top we were adjusting the windshield primarily to lessen the turbulence over the top bouncing our helmets, Now since the Sport Top seems to have eliminated that issue, we are adjusting for the airflow provided underneath the windshield, controlling cabin comfort.


    Bill