And now....buffeting
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 14,731
Likes: 2,536
From: Mountain Top, Alabama
For me, the Lower Fork Baffle greatly reduced the air coming over the tank and into my face. The Lower Deflectors (Fangs) pushed the air more to the outside giving me a wider comfort zone. The stock windshield height on my '11RKC is ideal in that going down the road I can feel the wind right at the top of my helmet, and I am just looking over the top of the shield (It's about nose high).
The best advice I can suggest is get it on the highway at a good speed on a cool day, and feel around with a bare hand and find the source. Sounds to me like your windshield may be a little on the short side, the wall of wind is probably hitting you in the face instead of the top or over the top of your head. We have some sponsors on the forum that can help you out with some advice, like Jim at Fast Aire.
My .02
The best advice I can suggest is get it on the highway at a good speed on a cool day, and feel around with a bare hand and find the source. Sounds to me like your windshield may be a little on the short side, the wall of wind is probably hitting you in the face instead of the top or over the top of your head. We have some sponsors on the forum that can help you out with some advice, like Jim at Fast Aire.
My .02
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 44
Likes: 1
From: lake charles la
Buffetting
I HAVE TRIED A 7 AND 8 INCH WINDSHIELD, NOW BACK TO THE 12 STOCK. tHE 12 STOPS MOST OF THE BUFFETING. ALSO TRIED A 3/4 HELMET, NOVELTY HELMET(GOT BUSTED BY THE LAW) 1/2 HELMETS, THE ONLY ONE i CAN RIDE WITH IS THE ARTHUR FULMER HALF. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE BUFFETING NOW MATTER WHAT WE TRY. MY SUGGESTION IS 2 ALEVE'S IN THE MORNING BEFORE A LONG TRIP. IT TRULY IS THE HELMET CAUSING THESE PROBLEMS BUT 2 ALEVES IS BETTER THAN BEING BRAIN DEAD. SORRY HEADACHES SUCK
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 963
Likes: 1
From: Bellefonte PA
So, I took the windshield off to see what difference it would make. Obviously there is a lot more wind, but no real buffeting. It had been a while since I had ridden shieldless and honestly I don't know how I did it for all those years. It takes a lot more effort just to sit comfortably and the wind pushing against my head made it feel like my helmet weighed ten pounds. Weird. But I digress.
I put the shield back on. I tried putting my arm across my chest and I can definitely feel the air coming up from underneath which I'm sure contributes to the turbulence behind the windshield, but I couldn't effectively block it with my arm. I tried squatting down lower and sitting up taller with no noticeable difference. What did get me into calm air was leaning far forward toward the shield, while still maintaining the same height of looking a few inches over it. Not sure if that is an indicator of my shield being a bad size/shape or if I had simply moved my head forward of the pocket of buffeting from below. Any windshield experts out there have any feedback based on these observations?
I put the shield back on. I tried putting my arm across my chest and I can definitely feel the air coming up from underneath which I'm sure contributes to the turbulence behind the windshield, but I couldn't effectively block it with my arm. I tried squatting down lower and sitting up taller with no noticeable difference. What did get me into calm air was leaning far forward toward the shield, while still maintaining the same height of looking a few inches over it. Not sure if that is an indicator of my shield being a bad size/shape or if I had simply moved my head forward of the pocket of buffeting from below. Any windshield experts out there have any feedback based on these observations?
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,328
Likes: 154
From: Lake City, Florida
About 10 years back I rode a Roadking Classic (now ride a Ultra Limited) like you, I wanted to see over and not through the stock windshield so I cut off a inch or two with a saber saw at nose height.
I ended up having a shorter and 3 inch wider (inch and half on each side) windshield custom cut for me by I think it was National. I really liked riding in the hole that that wider windshield punched though the air, (not as much as I do with the batwing fairing, hard lowers, and fork mounted air deflectors that my Limited has). It just seemed that with the stock RK windshield and the distance I sat back from it that all the wind was coming around it. That '99 RK came stock with the little horse shoe shapped air deflector under and in between the front forks.
I ended up having a shorter and 3 inch wider (inch and half on each side) windshield custom cut for me by I think it was National. I really liked riding in the hole that that wider windshield punched though the air, (not as much as I do with the batwing fairing, hard lowers, and fork mounted air deflectors that my Limited has). It just seemed that with the stock RK windshield and the distance I sat back from it that all the wind was coming around it. That '99 RK came stock with the little horse shoe shapped air deflector under and in between the front forks.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: Queensland Australia
Just bought a 2012 SG and noticed immediately over 60 mph the buffeting, so bought a new HD 3/4 helmet, that made it a bit better tight fitting helmet, got the fork triple tree mounted baffle it helped a bit too and then got fork deflectors and that helped a bit more, I still think I will need to get a curved slightly higher windscreen with the lip to get the last bit of pressure off my head.
Before this I had a streetbob with a touring clip on windscreen and it was a lot worse.
I can still remember when I used to say windscreens are for wussies and then you get old and need a windscreen.
Getting old sucks!!
Before this I had a streetbob with a touring clip on windscreen and it was a lot worse.
I can still remember when I used to say windscreens are for wussies and then you get old and need a windscreen.
Getting old sucks!!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,727
Likes: 6
Don't just put your hand out and feel the air, follow it, see where it is coming from. I bet you will find it is coming from around your crash bar, approximately 6" above to 6" below the top bar. I made wind screens and mounted them on the crash bar. I have no buffeting at all.
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 963
Likes: 1
From: Bellefonte PA
Don't just put your hand out and feel the air, follow it, see where it is coming from. I bet you will find it is coming from around your crash bar, approximately 6" above to 6" below the top bar. I made wind screens and mounted them on the crash bar. I have no buffeting at all.
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 963
Likes: 1
From: Bellefonte PA
I know this is a result of airflow characteristics around the bike and it is not a new phenomenon by any means, but why is it that it takes putting on a helmet to be affected by it?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,727
Likes: 6
Not sure if this picture will come through. I did it the easiest way I could think of, all I did was get a couple P clamps and attach plexiglass to them, I'm pretty sure I made them larger than they need to be and I didn't make them decorative at all, but I'm into functionality more than looks anyway so they are fine for me. You might want to make some more attractive ones.
Nope, don't see the picture. I forget how to do that. I have a picture in my album, how do I attach it here?
It has nothing to do with a helmet of any kind, other than some helmets might help block it.
Last edited by jjnoble; Sep 18, 2012 at 09:26 AM.