LOL, csnow.
I too wonder about a cutout, it seems like it'd have to be pretty big, almost to the point of defeating the purpose.
The Fumato valve thing looks interesting, assuming it doesn't fail at an inopportune time. But you'd still have to be able to access the valve, wouldn't that require a hole in the shield as well
I've also thought about a topsider in the past, maybe I'll get one now. Comments on them seem to be split vehemently for and against, which means it's probably fine.
required that the front cover be installed because it provided a shield to keep air from tearing off the rear cover
Uh... there's a rear cover??