Another buffeting thread, I just installed the krator repop t sport fairing with 16" recurve shield. Super happy with how it looks and blocks the wind but noticed over 50mph buffeting sets in pretty bad. Added/made the windshield spacers like JD's kit and helped slightly. Still buffeting between 60-70mph. Does the recurve shield make this worse? I'm thinking about swapping out to a 16" straight shield or possibly adding the lower tree fork deflector. I'm 5'11" btw and wear a simpson bandit full face.

 

It's the crappy *** recurve shield. I have the same problem

 

Recurve shield is such a bad design. I bet you eliminate the buffeting with the straight one

 

What did you do to fix this issue? I'm thinking of just ordering a 16" straight shield. It seems like the height is not the issue.

 

I had some really terrible buffeting on my '08 w/ 12" apes, 2" risers, and a National Cycles windshield.

The first thing I did was pull the visor from my ATC950 helment. That didn't do it so I went through the whole process of height, angle, bar angle, ect.

Decided to give the bars one hell of a shove forward out of frustration, low and behold they moved A LOT more than I thought they should. Pulled the bar bushings out and they are super soft and pliable. Swapped them for a set of Arlen Ness bar bushings and my 35-85mph buffeting is almost entirely gone.

Might be worth your time to quickly pull the bushings and give them a squeeze. If they're soft - its a $26 test for potential fix. Bushings worked for me.

 

I just installed new 8" risers with 4" mid bend bars and new bushings so I know that's not the case. Everything was smooth sailing until the fairing install. I'm going to try and trim off the recurve and take it down to 14" or so and see if that helps.

 

That's the thing with the additional height and surface area of risers/bars and windshields. They magnify the force on the one item holding it all to your forks - the bushings.

What brand and type of bushings were installed? Do you have deflection in your handlebars when pushing the bike? Factory HD bushings (non-urethane) are flaccid in comparison to the Arlen Ness poly bushings. After having just solved this issue on my bike, I would highly suggest you pull out your brand new bushings out and give them a squeeze. If the bushings smoosh down by more than 1/4" of their overall diameter - you're going to have buffeting with any windshield. This might also save you from having to cut that nice windshield - don't nobody wanna do that.

RevZilla has a decent video that equates the types of bushings generally required VS total height of risers/bars.


Good luck and let us know what you find!

 

Thanks for the info, I had no idea that might be the culprit. I actually replaced mine with the same Arlen Ness poly bushings when I did the bars and they seem pretty sturdy so I'm guessing it is not the case. I might pull one just to confirm. I'm going to cut down the shield later and see if that fixes the issue.

 

Shoot, you've still got heavy buffeting with Arlen Ness polyuerethane bar bushings? Sounds like I am entirely wrong! Definitely worth the pucker factor of cutting a windshield to give your current bushings a squeeze - maybe 10min of work. My stock HD rubber bushings will quite literally FOLD IN HALF under finger pressure. Arlen Ness Poly wont even deflect 1/8" before it feels like my fingers are gonna break. Granted, the mirrors aren't all that useful now. But it sure as hell beats the buffeting at highway speed - it was bad enough that it felt as though the bike would change lanes FOR you. You're most likely correct with your windshield being the culprit, I just hate to see you forced to trim the thing. Mine almost ended up on eBay prior to the Arlen Ness poly bushings! Speaking of which, my windshield is still a bit jacked from all of the adjustments/testing - need to fix that.

Stock HD rubber handlebar bushings:



Good luck man let us know what you find.

 

I dont think handlebar bushing has an affect on wind buffeting. The recurve creates a unwanted turbulence in higher speed, therefore a bad design. It should redirect the wind over the head of the rider, not back to the direction of the wind. That is exactly what the recurve do in my head :P