I'll throw a couple of answers out there that i believe are true. Just opinions, no fact.
80% + of my riding is highway, 60-80 mph.
a). What speed do you feel helmet buffeting
With my ACC Half it almost all went away. The wind seemed to be grabing my old helmets from underneath. The thiner the sides the less it can grab. My old helmets felt like they were going to jerk my head off. New ACC doesn't even tighten my chin strap (at 80).
b). Do you think it depends on wind direction.
I think so, 70 mile an hour head wind is 70 miles and hour worth of buffeting. Get a tailwind and the miles per hour are reduced as the wind you are driving into is moving away from you. Is it much of a difference, enough that i can feel it.
c). Do you feel overall bike buffeting (wind catching the bike).
Yes, i can feel it from the sides the most. That's what makes semis so much fun. Wind is blowing you one way, get next to the truck and it sucks you in that way, pass the truck and you go back the other way. of course we've all felt the left/right buffeting behind a truck.
d). Do you feel bike buffeting differences with or without windshield on.
Yes, more surface moving the wind with the windshield. I can also feel a difference when i have a cross to slight tail wind as it grabs the windshield.
e). Have you found any tricks to reduce the effect?
ACC helmet for sure, avoid loose fitting cloths, especially leathers. I put a small HD leather bag under the headlight to help stop some of the wind coming from front to underneath, be careful with this. If there is anything heavy in the bag you could damage the top of your fender as the shock compress and the bag hits. I really think those fork deflectors would probably work great but don't want them on my bike. Your height and the height of the windshield makes a big difference. I use the low profile and at 5'7 or 8" it works great, i look over the top. Even with mine and inch one way can chg the way the wind hits me in the face.
f). What is your opinion - is it specific to HD windshields, and why is this occurring?
My opinion is it would be the same with any brand of similiar types of windshields.
I think it's normal as aftermarket companies and clothing manufactures make products like jack flaps and fork deflectors and other stuff to help deal with it. I think metrics don't have the problem as they have all that front end plastic that deflects the wind. All that plastic is there for a reason through their wind tunnel research. Put more plastic add on's to the front of an HD and you can get rid of a lot but then you would loose the personality of the style of HD that you have. Check out the front of an Ultra, lots of wind deflection stuff there. Good luck.

 

RonnR,

I would love to get together next time you're in town. Shoot me a PM or e-mail when you're headed this way. If it's in the spring when you come back there is a breakfast run the 1st Sunday of the month starting in April. About 50 miles north to Cassoday. It's a nice ride and there is great food, LOTS of bikes and vendors as well.

Interesting about your legs affecting the buffeting. I'll try that next time I'm out with my windshield in place.

 

This is a MOST important subject to me, and I've posted about it before. Now maybe my bike is different from the rest because of the long front end, so the angle is bad. I tried both the HD quick release mid and tall. The mid only didn't cut much wind, and the tall gave me double vision from the head rattling. It didn't matter whether I wore a full face or a 3/4. It didn't matter where I sat, high or low or on the side. The wind was coming from around the sides mostly. IT WAS AT ALL SPEEDS, 5 MPH TO 90 MPH. It's strange because the windshield on my last bike, a Yamaha 1100 Custom, worked perfectly. There was no wind pressure, head whipping, wind buffeting/snapping, or anything. Course it was the only thing good about the bike.

I did find the perfect answer. That tool bag mounted high stays put, and I get no chest wind or head wind pressure. I wear a face shield for the rocks and bugs.

 

I don't know if it's just the tank lift or a combination of things.

I've got a Windvest shield which is really small with an outward facing lip at the top.The height is adjusted to where I'm looking over the top by about an inch.I wear a half helmet adjusted really tight,grab the right strap,not the helmet and snug it down good. I've got a small bag at the base of the shield on the inside,a three inch tanklift and have reversed the mirrors where they hang below the handlebars which makes a big difference in airflow.

I ran from just north of the Ohio River to Mobile just last Tuesday in one day.Made the last two hundred and fifty miles in exactly three hours with two gas stops,running ninety to ninety five most of the way and once ran it up to a hundred ten or a little better and smooth as silk.

My thinking is that my combination must work better than most,maybe those big ol' dresser windshields aren't really the answer.

God Luck

Tom

 

Great Thread

Found it in a search so I figure by adding to it will bump it up to the top. Last sunday was my first long disdance ride ever and I was very disappointed with the buffeting.... my helmet shook so bad it made my eye ***** funny. I thot maybe it was the helmet cuz I bought the harley carbon fiber one. But after rading several threads I belive it is a resuult of the windshied. Up to 80 kph all is fine upwards of 90 kph and more it starts and it gets worse with the speed increase. At 150 kph it is totally unbearable and had to slow down Anything after 100kph I can also feel it affecting the bike too. again icreasing with speed. I got the essentials kit when I bought the bike so I aint sure which windshield it is. After reading some posts here I will try a few of the suggestions. But living where the Alaska Highway starts you can just imagine how bad the bugs are here. riding without a windshield is NOT and option. Any guys out there with an 07 lowrider and the touring windshieds? Input would be great.

 

I just don't notice any buffeting on our 02 RK. Is this a problem on the Dynas and/or Softtails only?

 

No. Both of my Road Glides had unacceptable levels of buffeting with the stock shields - although handling wasn't compromised because of the frame mounted fairing.

 

I just wanted to throw one other idea into the mix. I have a memphis shades fats on and I get a little buffeting, wind direction dependant, but I took my left arm and put it on my chest and the buffeting went away almost entirely. So I just order one of JackFlaps vests to try out and see if this will eliminate that buffeting. Jsut a thought I wondered if anyone had thought about.

 

I've got a Memphis slim and get far less buffeting than without it on ... it makes a huge difference and I just don't like eating bugs. I thought about the Jacks Flaps as the wind gets pretty bad above 90mph ... but then i figured I don't want to feel too comfortable at high speeds.

 

i have a super glide and have a memphis fat 19 inch hight from the head light,and have it as low as it will go and blocks some of the air comeing from the tank.i look through it about 3 inchs under the top and i can look over it if i sit up strait and tilt my head up a little.i were a hd 1/2 corbon fiber helmet.i get some buffetting but not alot and i can run 80mph strait in the wind all day long but the side winds will push you around some in your lane and in a strong side wind i get buffetting on all of my body.i never took it off i got it at the memphis shade tent at bike week in daytona on s us1.i love it and wont take it off i can ride all day with it at hiway speeds.and i like my hd touring seat to.
now when will the brown truck come with my rineharts.
one more thing its there solar it looks clear but as a very very slight tint and dont pick up the sun in a bad way and works good at night.