Kappa vs Givi Windshield

I was looking to purchase the Givi af214 but found that Kappa makes the same windshield kaf214. My understanding has been that Givi and Kappa are pretty much the same company. I ordered a mounting for a givi trunk from Kappa and it saved me mega bucks and the fit was perfect. So I'm thinking that these two windshields are the same as well, but the Kappa cost way way less. Does anyone have experience with this before I purchase?

Im suspicious. Perhaps Kappa is the altruistic side of Givi and you will save a bundle and be completely happy but...... maybe it is a pure knock off and a cheap version of a fine product. I know this, in the big world you get what you pay for. Cheers, good luck.

I'm not suspicious, the daughter of the Givi founder owns Kappa. They're basically the same products with the more well known Givi going for the premium end the market.

Tell me now!!!! My Givi AF214 is in the mail. Oh well, its only money

Thanks Meldrew for confirming for me I really appreciate it now I am order with confidence

new7man wrote:

Thanks Meldrew for confirming for me I really appreciate it now I am order with confidence

Your report on this should be interesting.

I have both (although on two bikes) and they are the same product. Only the logo is different (Givi is nicer) .
This may not be true for other products as Kappa brand is used to sell cheaper accessories.

Yep the Kappa airflow windscreen is around a $100 cheaper than Givi. Wish I had seen that a week ago! Only thing is the Kappa ships from Italy while the Givi ships from Canada to me.

For those in the UK - Kappa
AIRSTREAM
KAF214 on e-bay from Italy at £88-51 plus £15.03 postage!!

I bought Kappa crash bars for my KLR650 after determining that they were identical to Givi and MUCH cheaper.

When I contacted an Italian internet dealer he told me that the Givi screen was a better product. I suspect it is the profit margin on the Givi screen that is better!  

Either way you lose your Honda badge on the original screen; unless you replace it with an after market one. I think it's only fair to the Harley riders that they can see what is about to overtake them

Not sure of anyone is still listening to this thread but if they are I can confirm that the Kappa screen is IDENTICAL to the Givi counterpart. I fitted a Kappa in the summer and didn't like the small Kappa sticker on the screen so I carefully peeled it off. Underneath it said "Givi" !!!

Added to this, the instructions (if this what you call the useless pictures that were in the box) also refer only to Givi.

So to sum up :- If it looks like a Givi, works like a Givi, and says Givi on it, IT IS A GIVI.

Does the added weight of the Kappa affect performance?



I would think that extra money in your pocket would be heavy.

And what about all the time you spend looking for new things to buy with that extra money.

The weight difference does not affect performance. The adjustability for the weather, wind flow, helmet, etc.

As for the extra money, whats that? LOL

I just installed one a month ago. Same as the Givi.

https://www.silverwing600.com/t8834-kappa-kaf214-windshield-install

I see the Givi branded Airflow on eBay for $168 including shpping from Italy. http://www.ebay.com/itm/AF214-GIVI-WIND-SCREEN-HONDA-SILVER-WING-600-2001-2009-WINDSHIELD-/252253809667?hash=item3abb7fac03:g:HaYAAOSwl9BWI0b~&vxp=mtr

I've bought Givi and Kappa and most of the time they are identical, the only exception I found was the Wing Rack I had on my Blackbird. Both worked fine but the Kappa was made from a very strong plastic and Givi was Aluminium. I swapped to the Givi because I wanted to powder coat it.
I just found and bought a Givi airflow screen on eBay from a place in Italy for £78 plus £18 postage, which seemed a good deal. The seller took a while to post it, it then got lost by DHL in Italy, so the seller sent another one which I got yesterday. The instructions are awfull can anyone give me any tips please!

I think the trick with Givi instructions is not to try to follow them as soon as they come out of the box.

Study them until an overall picture of what has to be done forms in the mind. Then they become clear.

Worth a try, anyway.

Yes, the instructions are bad. For me it wasn't bad because the holes were already drilled for that mounting bolt. It must have had an Airflow installed before. Read some of the installation posts here, a lot of guys did not even install that mounting screw and haven't had any problems.

Rumour has it (I think Meldrew posted it) that the fitting kit is also for the tall Givi screen, for which it is necessary.

Finding the place to make the extra hole in the plastic on the Silverwing and then making it is very easy but, it seems, unnecessary for the Airflow screen.

HORNBLOWER wrote:

I've bought Givi and Kappa and most of the time they are identical, the only exception I found was the Wing Rack I had on my Blackbird. Both worked fine but the Kappa was made from a very strong plastic and Givi was Aluminium. I swapped to the Givi because I wanted to powder coat it.
I just found and bought a Givi airflow screen on eBay from a place in Italy for £78 plus £18 postage, which seemed a good deal. The seller took a while to post it, it then got lost by DHL in Italy, so the seller sent another one which I got yesterday. The instructions are awfull can anyone give me any tips please!

You'll find that it's very easy to fit Hornblower. Be careful removing the front fairing panel at it's easy to damage it. Gently pull it downwards and it should release OK.

After that it's just a case of off with the old and on with the new.

I fitted the extra brackets (a lot of guys on here don't bother) as I think they add a bit of extra strength to the mounting, and Givi must think so too. You'll need to gently drill two holes (one each side) in the plastic to allow the new brackets to be fitted, but this too is very easy. Again though, go carefully as you're only drilling through a wafer thin bit of plastic - you could almost do it by just holding and turning the drill bit in your fingers.

Simply go slowly and carefully and you'll be fine. Good Luck!

Riggers.

Thanks for your replies re fitting the screen, I went out to my garage last night to fit it. The front faring panel has been vibrating a lot recently and as I removed I saw why. Some heavy handed past owner has snapped the upper mounting screws points and the bits in the middle off and then covered everything in glue half an inch thick which has then come undone, so I spent the evening cutting it away back to the bare plastic! On the plus side, it has evidently had a Givi screen on before because the metal plates were still in place with the extra hole drilled and a bolt in it!!
So a new question, what is the best glue to use? It looks like Araldite has been used before but it didn't really stick very well and most peeled off with my thumbnail.

By your description, it sounds like they might have used 5min. Araldite which never seems to set rock hard, as the 24hr.does. Personally, I prefer JB Weld for panel repairs such as you describe. However, with any of the 2-part epoxies, you must remember to "key" the surfaces to be joined ( ie score/sand/scrape.) as the join is a still only a mechanical one and needs something to grab onto. A quick squirt with brake cleaner gets rid of any grease etc. Some of the tupperware fixings are so flimsy, it's no wonder they break so easily!

HORNBLOWER wrote:

Thanks for your replies re fitting the screen, I went out to my garage last night to fit it. The front faring panel has been vibrating a lot recently and as I removed I saw why. Some heavy handed past owner has snapped the upper mounting screws points and the bits in the middle off and then covered everything in glue half an inch thick which has then come undone, so I spent the evening cutting it away  back to the bare plastic! On the plus side, it has evidently had a Givi screen on before because the metal plates were still in place with the extra hole drilled and a bolt in it!!
So a new question, what is the best glue to use? It looks like Araldite has been used before but it didn't really stick very well and most peeled off with my thumbnail.

A friend of mine swears by Q Bond. It works in a different way to just glues. It actually reinforces the joint by adding a plastic layer around the joint. It's a bit difficult to describe in a few words but put as simply as I can you apply some powder to the parts being bonded and then apply a liquid which melts the powder AND the parts into a new joint. A bit like welding does to metal.
My friend repaired a broken lug from the side panel of my Yamaha TDM900 and it's now stronger than new. It's a bit expensive but very effective.

[quote="Riggers
A friend of mine swears by Q Bond. It works in a different way to just glues. It actually reinforces the joint by adding a plastic layer around the joint. It's a bit difficult to describe in a few words but put as simply as I can you apply some powder to the parts being bonded and then apply a liquid which melts the powder AND the parts into a new joint. A bit like welding does to metal.
My friend repaired a broken lug from the side panel of my Yamaha TDM900 and it's now stronger than new. It's a bit expensive but very effective.
[/quote]

Hi, new here but beware of Q-Bond it is simply a cyanoacrylate and that releases its grip over time where there is moisture. The powder trick can be done cheaply using ordinary household baking soda. However, I don't know what powder Q-Bond use.

This is what to do. Apply a reputable super glue to the parts to join. It doesn't matter if you apply a drop too much because if you hold the parts together and sprinkle some baking soda over the glue, it will set like rock in a few seconds as it soaks up the excess super glue. This technique is good for building up fillets to strengthen certain joints. If you must use this to repair your bike, then paint over the glue with a couple of coats and that might seal the moisture out. I used this method to glue some alloy tabs under my ST1100 headlight panel. The glue to plastic joints failed after 12 months of UK weather!

Most motorcycle plastics are best joined with glue that plumbers use to join plastic piping. The same glue is very effective on sheets of ABS plastic such as found in double glazing and plastic doors. The glue is a solvent that actually melts the surface layer and "welds" the pieces together as it sets - like the polystyrene glue you used to get in Airfix plastic model kits.

I repaired some cracks in my ST1100 fairing by cutting some ABS sheet from an old double-glazed and insulated door. I cut a backing patch to size and shape then applied some glue to both pieces - not too much or it melts right through - and kept pressure on it for several hours until set hard. Of course, the bare plastic surfaces must be free of grease, paint, dust, etc. but it remains fixed to this day (4yrs.)

Tone wrote:

For those in the UK - Kappa
AIRSTREAM
KAF214 on e-bay from Italy at £88-51 plus £15.03 postage!!

Thanks for that Tone,changing screen on my SW asap.also after a topcase,will a Kappa fit the Givi monokey carrier?

Davefirestorm wrote:

Tone wrote:

For those in the UK - Kappa
AIRSTREAM
KAF214 on e-bay from Italy at £88-51 plus £15.03 postage!!

Thanks for that Tone,changing screen on my SW asap.also after a topcase,will a Kappa fit the Givi monokey carrier?

I have two Kappa paniers that fit on my Givi monokey racks on my Kawasaki KLV1000.

I tried to find the Kappa version of the Givi Airflow AF214, but the ebay link must be quite old and I can't find anything cheaper than £109 for a Givi branded screen.

Both Givi and Kappa are based in Daventry near where I live,2 different phone numbers but same office I think.Rang Givi number yesterday and the Airflow screen is in stock @£120+vat but I have to order/collect at dealer 1/2mile away they won't deal with members of public,will sort a screen out next week when back from oop north Yorkshire