Windshields and Buffeting!

I have recently taken my Vetter faring off my bike and converted the bike back to a Standard. I tried riding without a windshield, but alas, I got the snot kicked out of me at 75 MPH (Not including all of the protein I got from eating those bugs in my teeth!) :smilie_happy:

Overall, the faring had some distinct advantages; wind reduction, good storage, tunes, removable lowers that helped stay cool in the summer but blocked cold air in the winter and lastly, it did provide good visability to the cagers.

But it was heavy. It was dated (my Wife called it the "Batgirl Bike") :cheeky:

It also had a lot of wind buffeting at speeds above 70 MPH. I like road trips and the highways I travel tend to have an average speed traveled at 75-80 MPH. Any slower and you become a target for the other vehicles! :shock:

Around town, I use a 1/2 helmet with an open face and sun visor that works great! Get up to 70 MPH and the wind noise kills me! My other helmet is a 3/4 with a face shield and no sun visor. It helps tremendously with the wind noise and buffeting, but I really like the sun visor.

But the main issue on the highway was the buffeting. PICS to follow:

Here is a good side view of the faring installed:




The top of the windshield was just above my eye line. The rake of the windshield followed the rake of the forks fairly closely. There really is no other adjustments that can be made since both the faring and windshield are fixed. The only options left are cutting down the windshield (which increases wind buffeting) adding the Vetter vents (which I know a few others that have them and still experience buffeting) or trying a GL1500 vent (which again others have done with out reducing buffeting).

Here is the bike without the faring:



Obviously, the buffeting is greatest in this configuration! :smilie_happy:

I just recently added a National Cycle Plexi-faring III windshield and it really makes a difference. Unlike the Vetter faring, I do get air coming around the sides of the windshield which is refreshing without knocking me off the bike at 75 MPH.







But I am still having buffeting with my 1/2 helmet. :cheeky:

I hate to point this out to you Gerry, but you are still going to have the buffeting of some type even with the windscreen. The only difference is that now instead of the Vetter transferring that buffeting to the frame, your windscreen will direct the buffeting to your handlebars. Which one do you think you will feel quicker at 75+? I saw that real quick on the 1200.

Again, unlike the Vetter faring, the Plexi-Faring III is highly adjustable! It can be raised, lowered moved forward or back and the rake and can be changed significantly.

*I tested all of this at 75-80 MPH on the highway with my half helmet on.

*I initially set the windshield on a rake angle similar to the forks, but installed all the way down the fork with the rubber gasket resting on the headlight. The top line was just below my line of sight. Too much buffeting (and teeth chattering!) :smilie_happy:

*I change the rake angle back 3 degrees and that lowered the buffeting and made the air smoother, but not quite there yet.

*Next, I raised the windshield up and reset the rake angle a bit forward. Again slightly better, but still too much buffeting.

*Next, change the rake angle as far back as it would go against the speedo/tach. BIG IMPROVEMENT! :rocks: :yes:

*Still getting a bit of buffeting over the top of my helmet, but the air is a lot smoother. I am on the right track now that I know which rake angle is smoothest.

*Last change, I raise the windshield as high as the lower straps can go (just under the headlight brackets) and keep the same rake angle. EUREKA!! SMOOTHE AIR AT 80 MPH!!!! arty:



This is incredible! The air smoothed right out, the front end is not hopping in turns and the buffeting is gone (at least for me, I can't speak for my Wife). Put my feet up on the engine guards and it really smooths out!

I am an extremely happy camper!! I believe that this move to go Standard with the Plexi-Faring III windshield was the best thing I have done for this bike so far!

I really shouldn't be shocked or surprised. Its not like I should not have known this from my original riding experience. My '81 Suzuki GN400 had a Plexi-Faring II back then.

If I follow, raised high with a steep angle did it?

I've been looking for a solution. Hate buffeting.

The "Bat Girl Bike!" :smilie_happy: Looks good and I'm glad you're happy.

~O~

With this adjustment are you looking over over the top or through the windshield. Is there any distortion of objects when looking through windshield?

If I follow, raised high with a steep angle did it?

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Yes it did, but the angle is only 1 to 2 degrees steeper than the fork angle. I think it has more to do with the shape of the windshield overall with more of a "bubble" from the front out and over the top.

With this adjustment are you looking over over the top or through the windshield. Is there any distortion of objects when looking through windshield?

Click to expand...

I am looking through the windshield. The top is just above my eye line now. I do not have any distortion of objects looking through even with my sunglasses that are polarized.

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=123737#p123737:23ahvsci said:

dan filipi » Wed Jul 02, 2014 1:23 pm[/url]":23ahvsci]
If I follow, raised high with a steep angle did it?

Click to expand...

Hey, I should add that with the windshield raised up, it is about 1" above the headlight (all around the headlight). Maybe the open area is creating the pressure difference that is sought after with the vents that I have heard so much about?

I also want to be clear.....the buffeting is smoothed out at all speeds up to 82 MPH in clean air. Get behind another vehicle and ride in that wake votex and it will beat you up!

When on the highway at high speeds, I try to not travel behind any other vehicle.


Last summer when Brian and I were riding together back from Joe's, even his bike would put out a wake vortex when I would ride behind it even staggered in the same lane. We would actually ride in separate lanes when I could to get clean air at high speed!

Yeah I suspect air coming in like that helps equalize the pressures.

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=123741#p123741:31c3e3m2 said:

mcgovern61 » Wed Jul 02, 2014 2:04 pm[/url]":31c3e3m2]
Last summer when Brian and I were riding together back from Joe's, even his bike would put out a wake vortex when I would ride behind it even staggered in the same lane. We would actually ride in separate lanes when I could to get clean air at high speed!

Click to expand...

I am glad you said it was my bike and not me that created the wake! :smilie_happy:

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=123742#p123742:1cf773wz said:

dan filipi » Wed Jul 02, 2014 2:11 pm[/url]":1cf773wz]
Yeah I suspect air coming in like that helps equalize the pressures.

Click to expand...

Come to think of it...I never had a buffeting issue with my Suzuki. A quick look at the pic above and it clearly shows the windshield is well above the headlight! Maybe that is really the key here!

I am glad you said it was my bike and not me that created the wake!

Click to expand...

:smilie_happy: I'm not a fool!! (Yes it WAS the bike......that's my story and I am sticking with it!)

Not only does it look good but it is doing a great job :good:

I don't like buffeting either. So I switched from stock windshield to that huge "wrap-around" one.
I am only 5'7" so completely covered by the windshield. Looking through the shield doesn't bother me at all (maybe because I don't ride in the rain or at night).

But I want to clarify. "Steep angle" means the shield is away from you or closer to you?
When I rode my Oldwing for the first time from the seller's place (75MPH on freeway, for one hour), I was bothered by the buffeting but soon learned that if I crouch forward so that my head is really close to the shield, I can avoid buffeting. This is intuitive enough but your discovery sounds like the other way?

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=123755#p123755:1i8my5se said:

skiri251 » Wed Jul 02, 2014 4:16 pm[/url]":1i8my5se]
But I want to clarify. "Steep angle" means the shield is away from you or closer to you?

Click to expand...

The angle is more towards the rider. The top is closer and the bottom is further away. It is the same as taking the rake angle and adding 3 degrees towards the rider.

Great news Gerry, that says a lot for the Plexi-Fairing and it's adaptability. The less buffeting would mean a less tiring ride especially for long distances.

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=123761#p123761:1c258k90 said:

backlander » Wed Jul 02, 2014 5:16 pm[/url]":1c258k90]
The less buffeting would mean a less tiring ride especially for long distances.

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EXACTLY!! That is my goal!! :yes:

It's so cool that things are working out for you on this conversion! So, what'll you do with all that free time, now that she's nearly perfect?