Bad buffetting

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Apr 13, 2012 | 02:51 PM

#11

ddm502001

Road Warrior

Joined: Dec 2008

Posts: 1,616

Likes: 17

From: Mid West

I have a few friends with 'other' rides, they have all experienced the same issues with buffeting, cannot understand as their bikes are "so much better engineered than HD" until they ride mine or a test ride at a stealer.

I made the mistake of test riding a friends RG, may be the next HD I get as the ride and the fairing difference made it a real pleasure to be on. My old RK with a aftermarket batwing is still good on the road or in town either way.

Apr 13, 2012 | 04:12 PM

#12

Challenger

Thread Starter

Road Master

Joined: Apr 2011

Posts: 911

Likes: 10

From: Wisconsin

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMRO

Sorry - can you explain buffeting? Is it a sound or a feeling in the bars themselves? And only on the highway at say 60 mph+?

THANKS!

Buffet is "dirty air" If you ride without a windshield at all on say a sporty or dyna your face is in clean air.

Buffetting is caused by a low pressure area. Your fairing punches a hole thru the air and creats a low pressure area behind it and high pressure air needs to fill in the gap behind it causing turbulance on your helmet/glasses. It can vibrate your helmet/glasses so bad that its impossible to see---buffetting---- The air usually comes from the front fender and up from the tank hence the use of fork baffle and fork deflectors.

You can also increase the hight of your windscreen and actually "move" the dirty air/buffetting back behind and above your face

Last edited by Challenger; Apr 13, 2012 at 04:14 PM.

Apr 13, 2012 | 07:00 PM

#13

GMRO

Road Captain

Joined: Nov 2011

Posts: 505

Likes: 50

From: Russellton, PA

Thanks for the great info.

I do not hear and do not feel any of that on my UC.

Apr 13, 2012 | 07:56 PM

#14

racklefratz

Road Master

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 914

Likes: 1

From: Republic of Texas

"Buffeting" is what you get with some of the stock HD configurations. You just have to decide how much airflow you can be comfortable with, and deal with the rest appropriately. It's not a new issue.

Last edited by racklefratz; Apr 13, 2012 at 08:01 PM.

Apr 13, 2012 | 09:21 PM

#15

tail11

Road Master

Joined: Jun 2006

Posts: 953

Likes: 8

From:

I test rode a cross country a year ago at a Victory test ride day. It was set up with the short toenail windshield. It was a nice ride until we hit the freeway and my glasses shook so bad that I had to hold onto them with my left hand. The Victory guy laughed when I told him how I felt about the windshield and told me I should ride the other bike with a taller windshield. I told him no thanks and left. Victory gets a lot of things right on their stock bikes, but the windshield is really not functional (just like HD).

Apr 13, 2012 | 09:28 PM

#16

tail11

Road Master

Joined: Jun 2006

Posts: 953

Likes: 8

From:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Challenger

This is by far the easiest explanation I've ever read. Thank you!

Apr 15, 2012 | 10:09 PM

#17

W.P.

Cruiser

Joined: Dec 2011

Posts: 240

Likes: 7

From: WI

I'll give you my .02 on buffeting. It's kind of a pulsating wind that you can hear or feel or both that most folks relate to as wind that hits your head coming over, around, under the fairing and or shield or up from the lowers or road. It's kind of what you get between clean air blast (No wind protection at all) and in a bubble still air. Usually the faster you go the worse it gets and mother natures wind speed affects buffeting too.

Last edited by W.P.; Apr 15, 2012 at 10:15 PM.

Apr 15, 2012 | 10:27 PM

#18

Timekeeper10

Cruiser

Joined: Feb 2012

Posts: 178

Likes: 5

From: Topeka, KS

I have a ten inch stock windshield that won't redirect the disturbed air over the top of my helmet. The vibration is to bad to see through at highway speed. I am looking to add a recurved windshield but until then the answer for me is no helmet. I would like to give my passenger a break as well but have to find the right windshield.