Ultra owners, how do you endure the buffeting?
#1
04-07-2010, 10:31 PM
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Beroun, Czech Republic
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Ultra owners, how do you endure the buffeting?
Hello everybody. I know this subject has been beat to death here or elsewhere, but apparently it’s mostly FLHX people who are complaing and playing expensive games with their windshields, deflectors, baffles etc. What I would like to speak about is Ultra.
Yesterday me and my girlfriend, so far a BMW GS crew, test rode new Ultra Limited. (We are considering buying ex-demo Ultra Classic or brand new Standard – that is still available for Euro markets this year – but neither was available for the test ride.)
While I absolutely adored many aspects of the bike including engine, handling and ride quality (well, apart from potholed roads), there were two nuisances major enough to be a deal breaker for us. The first one, garage-speed manipulation, is avoidable to some extent. But I was surprised how much head-beating buffeting there was on the motorway. It buffeted in the very unpleasant way that makes your eyes vibrate and your teeth clinking. My pillion passenger had the same experience. We use BMW and Schuberth flip-up helmets which are considered as some of the most sleek and refined in the business.
The buffeting was apparent in speeds as low as 60 mph and became close to unbearable above 75 mph. (Usual traffic flow speed at our motorways is ca 85 mph.) I spent a lot of time experimenting with palm of my hand and found out that if I place my palm right before my forehead, much of the buffeting is gone. Nothing seemed to be coming from bellow. I am 5 feet 11 inches tall.
Now I would really love to hear from you Ultra owners if this is something you just become accustomed to or if there’s a good solution, like a wind screen low enough to look over it and sturdy enough not to deflect in highway speeds. I can’t justify spending equivalent of $30,000 on a bike that is this unpleasant at long motorway stints.
P.S. Please do not be surprised if you find this post on other H-D forums, too. I am not starting a flame war here, just wanna hear from as many Ultra owners as possible.
Yesterday me and my girlfriend, so far a BMW GS crew, test rode new Ultra Limited. (We are considering buying ex-demo Ultra Classic or brand new Standard – that is still available for Euro markets this year – but neither was available for the test ride.)
While I absolutely adored many aspects of the bike including engine, handling and ride quality (well, apart from potholed roads), there were two nuisances major enough to be a deal breaker for us. The first one, garage-speed manipulation, is avoidable to some extent. But I was surprised how much head-beating buffeting there was on the motorway. It buffeted in the very unpleasant way that makes your eyes vibrate and your teeth clinking. My pillion passenger had the same experience. We use BMW and Schuberth flip-up helmets which are considered as some of the most sleek and refined in the business.
The buffeting was apparent in speeds as low as 60 mph and became close to unbearable above 75 mph. (Usual traffic flow speed at our motorways is ca 85 mph.) I spent a lot of time experimenting with palm of my hand and found out that if I place my palm right before my forehead, much of the buffeting is gone. Nothing seemed to be coming from bellow. I am 5 feet 11 inches tall.
Now I would really love to hear from you Ultra owners if this is something you just become accustomed to or if there’s a good solution, like a wind screen low enough to look over it and sturdy enough not to deflect in highway speeds. I can’t justify spending equivalent of $30,000 on a bike that is this unpleasant at long motorway stints.
P.S. Please do not be surprised if you find this post on other H-D forums, too. I am not starting a flame war here, just wanna hear from as many Ultra owners as possible.
#4
04-07-2010, 10:43 PM
Road Captain
#5
04-07-2010, 10:43 PM
Extreme HDF Member
#7
04-07-2010, 11:03 PM
Road Warrior
Well Cerv, To many variables exist for me to know for sure. I just recently picked up my first and it is a standard model. Any buffeting I get is strictly due to my speed, winds and angle of being hit by said winds. Most of the time, even at some, well not to mentioned higher speeds, it is still not to uncomfortable. Don't forget your on a motorcycle and exposed to all the elements. How much wind would you be enduring if their was no fairing at all. I wear a "Sweet, Strutter" billed kayak helmet and I wear it a little on the loose side. I have only experienced a coupe of times where I was uncomfortable because of the wind pulling my skid lid around on my head. But said, it is a motorcycle. I tightened my lid and didn't worry about it. If you can't stand a little wind, your going to hate being caught in the rain.
Some of the bigger BMW's might have gone through their wind tunnel for some real time wind tuning, but we put ours through the wind tunnel every day, weather permitting. I might one day try the adjustable lower fairing deflectors. Keep in mind that if you move air from somewhere it's going to be different somewhere else. You might not like the results.
My $0.02
aka Bob
Some of the bigger BMW's might have gone through their wind tunnel for some real time wind tuning, but we put ours through the wind tunnel every day, weather permitting. I might one day try the adjustable lower fairing deflectors. Keep in mind that if you move air from somewhere it's going to be different somewhere else. You might not like the results.
My $0.02
aka Bob
