Fork mounted wind deflectors on a Road King
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 4
From: Alabama
Fork mounted wind deflectors on a Road King
Last week was the first time to go on the interstate with the Road King. At about 70 I started to pick up pretty bad buffeting, at 80-85 it was REALLY BAD. It was suggested to try the fork mounted deflectors. I already have the small deflector between the forks.
I bought the fork mounted wind deflectors and installed them last night.
I REALLY dislike the looks...I have not ridden with them yet, but to me they look terrible.
Do any of you have them mounted on your bike?
Do they really help?
The air is coming from below around the tank area. Is there anything other than these deflectors to help with the buffeting?
I am wearing a HD hybrid helmet which is fairly thick. I am wondering if I change to a thinner helmet will it help the buffeting.
I bought the fork mounted wind deflectors and installed them last night.
I REALLY dislike the looks...I have not ridden with them yet, but to me they look terrible.
Do any of you have them mounted on your bike?
Do they really help?
The air is coming from below around the tank area. Is there anything other than these deflectors to help with the buffeting?
I am wearing a HD hybrid helmet which is fairly thick. I am wondering if I change to a thinner helmet will it help the buffeting.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 866
Likes: 2
From: Pocahontas, IL
Yes, they work. They work best when your feet are on your floorboards and knees by the tank (as oppposed to feet on the highway pegs. If I still smoked, I could almost smoke a cig behind the windshield. The deflector between the forks only helps about 3% of the wind if any at all 
I totally agree on the looks. I can't stand them on the bike but they work so darn good. I only put them on when I know I will be doing a lot of interstate traveling. They also catch a lot of bugs!
I totally agree on the looks. I can't stand them on the bike but they work so darn good. I only put them on when I know I will be doing a lot of interstate traveling. They also catch a lot of bugs!
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,797
Likes: 1,188
I think they look okay; they almost blend in with everything else. And they do work great; nothing better to stop buffeting in my opinion. For whatever reason, a passenger seems to really increase buffeting on an RK, and the fork lowers work in that case, too.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,183
Likes: 4
From: Fennario
Hmmm... I never experienced buffeting on my King at any speed, highway or surface streets. I did have the small bracket installed. I also ditched the stock windshield for a 17" LRS.
This topic is so subjective, that you'll likely exhaust all your funds if you try everyone's suggestions.
Good luck to you...
This topic is so subjective, that you'll likely exhaust all your funds if you try everyone's suggestions.
Good luck to you...
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 4
From: Alabama
I have the stock windshield and if I am relaxed I am looking through the top 1" - 1 1/2" of the windshield.
If I stretch to sit straight up I am looking just over the top of the windshield.
I am thinking about cutting 1" off the top of the windshield.
Do you think this would help with the buffeting?
If I stretch to sit straight up I am looking just over the top of the windshield.
I am thinking about cutting 1" off the top of the windshield.
Do you think this would help with the buffeting?
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 261
Likes: 3
From: Marquette MI.
The fork wind deflectors work great
but I agree about the looks, the looks kind of grew on me and I don't mind it anymore. If you want to greatly reduce the wind coming up from the forks then you should give them a try.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,183
Likes: 4
From: Fennario
I have the stock windshield and if I am relaxed I am looking through the top 1" - 1 1/2" of the windshield.
If I stretch to sit straight up I am looking just over the top of the windshield.
I am thinking about cutting 1" off the top of the windshield.
Do you think this would help with the buffeting?
If I stretch to sit straight up I am looking just over the top of the windshield.
I am thinking about cutting 1" off the top of the windshield.
Do you think this would help with the buffeting?
It's all so subjective. What is intolerable buffeting to one person is just a little wind in the face to another.
I will say that I hate looking through a shield, so I've always used ones that allow me to look over the top.
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 770
Likes: 1
From: Coeur d' alene, Idaho
I went to a HD maintenence seminiar and the mechanic suggested you try different helmets first. Sure enough, I had a HJC modular and a Shoe RJ platinum. If I just took the visor off the Shoe it was night and day different. Then, I bought a Bell 500 which is real light and smaller than the Shoei. Buffeting was gone up to 80 which is as fast as I go. Personally, I do not like the looks of the deflectors on the RKC.
I also messed with it on my Heritage Softail. I found if I kept my knees tight against the tank, it broke up the wind enough to greatly lessen the buffeting.
I also messed with it on my Heritage Softail. I found if I kept my knees tight against the tank, it broke up the wind enough to greatly lessen the buffeting.
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Road Master
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 752
Likes: 23
From: Acton, CA
I have never had any buffeting on my RK... I did cut my windshield down to 17.5", but even before that, no buffeting, just found it very annoying to have the top edge of the shield right in my line of sight all the time - it was very distracting and distorted the view some. A shorter windshield may certainly help with the buffeting.
Ideally, you want to be able to look over/above your windshield comfortably when riding... the top edge of the shield should be about mid-nose height, this will provide good visibility, better wind flow to you and your helmet (wind coming over the windshield hits at a better spot) and still protect you from bugs and heavy wind on you. That height also allows you to easily duck in behind the windshield when crossing through rain, or a hwy dividing a field full of moths, bees, butterflies (yes, it has happened)
Ideally, you want to be able to look over/above your windshield comfortably when riding... the top edge of the shield should be about mid-nose height, this will provide good visibility, better wind flow to you and your helmet (wind coming over the windshield hits at a better spot) and still protect you from bugs and heavy wind on you. That height also allows you to easily duck in behind the windshield when crossing through rain, or a hwy dividing a field full of moths, bees, butterflies (yes, it has happened)
Last edited by caberto; Apr 1, 2011 at 01:32 PM.