[Tangle Eye]

As I've recently ventured out onto I-40 and some other larger highways in the area I've noticed a bit of what I'd call helmet vibration that shows up around 60 - 65 mph. I supposed this is helmet buffeting but it's more like a fine vibration - just enough to feel it and notice it when you are reading road signs, etc. Hope that makes sense.

I have a 19 inch Memphis Shades Fats windshield. No lowers - the signature pic was made with lowers but I had to take them off to make the light bar turn signals work.

I'm not sure if the air causing this is coming over the windshield or from underneath the windshield. I don't think I noticed this as much with the lowers but I not really sure about it.

I also wear a Nolan N102 helmet that has the "vision protector" sun shade mounted. I don't think this is causing any effect as I seem to still get the buffeting with the shade up or down.

I'm wondering if a product like the Laminar Lip http://www.laminarlip.com/cruisers.php or Baker Built Air Wings http://www.bakerbuilt.com/cruiser_bikes.htm would have a positive effect.

Just kinda looking for opinions, advice, experience with these devices, etc. As I said - this is only an issue at interstate speed.

 

[bullzeyet]

First.....let me explain something. Riding a motorcycle is an "open aired experience" at highway speeds!!! :lol: :lol:

Don't know how tall you are for one thing as this has an effect for helmet "vibs/shaking" from the air flow of the motorcycle. The shape and angle of the windshield also affects the helmet. Depending on how long the "lower" part of a windshield "is" also dictates the amount of air pushing past the gas tank and flowing back to the rear portion of the gas tank and then "up" to your chest/chin area....hence you get some turbulence under your helmet causing the vib/shaking of the helmet. :?

Now this doesn't take into effect road roughness, crosswinds or passing vehicle turbulence but I can say....some helmet vibs are expected on an "open aired vehicle". :roll: :lol: :lol: :wink:

Bullzeyet

 

[billp]

Buffeting

This is an old problem with shadows with windshields. The air is coming up from behind the windshield. Lowers help this problem as well as adjusting the windshield angle. You might do a search here for related posts. Hope this helps. I don't know if the baker wings help this problem but I have them on my Valk and really like them.


billp

 

[CBOLLING]

I don't want to hijack your thread,but what do you think about your Nolan Helmet? Does the movable sun blocker help? I have had my eye on that helmet for a while and would love to know what you think about it.

I know Chornbe had a Laminar Lip on one of his shields, maybe he can give you some input.

 

[TucsonDon]

Re: Buffeting

This is an old problem with shadows with windshields.

Good luck finding a solution that works for you. It's my personal opinion there is no "complete" solution ... you'll always have some buffeting. I recently rented a Goldwing with it's full fairing and all the wind management Honda could engineer ... and even with all that I had buffeting. Not as bad as with my Shadow and 19" Fats, but still enough to notice.

I think Chornbe has some experience with the Laminar Lip. If I recall, he was generally pleased with it. However, that product is really meant for the shorter windscreens. It's clear plastic, but you wouldn't want to be looking through both your windshield and the Lip. Maybe you're presently looking over the 19" Fats ... if so, then the Lip is appropriate. But if you're like me where you look through the top 4" or so of the Fats, then the Lip isn't so good a solution since it would mount pretty much in your line of sight.

 

[chornbe]

After years of trying to make cruisers and standards into fully qualified touring bikes with good weather protection, I gave up for several reasons; prime among them is exactly what you're talking about. With cruiser seating positions, your legs act as an air dam bringing air up your torso and curling up behind the 'shield causing buffeting. Your typical lowers available are too small to do squat about it. Now I just ride the cruiser with the bags and nice seat and such, and deal with the wind from the naked front end. It's a much more pleasant riding experience. Sport bikes have it right - a clean, well managed stream of air is better than full blast nakeds or even half-way stuff like cruiser windshields.

The Laminar Lip helped, but not enough. It probably added (just tossing some numbers around as a means of example - not hard scientific numbers) an addition 20% of buffeting protection when I needed ~50%. Close, but not quite close enough.

Having said all that, I did put ~7000 miles on the Sabre with the Memphis 'shield so it couldn't have been *that* bad

As I've recently ventured out onto I-40 and some other larger highways in the area I've noticed a bit of what I'd call helmet vibration that shows up around 60 - 65 mph. I supposed this is helmet buffeting but it's more like a fine vibration - just enough to feel it and notice it when you are reading road signs, etc. Hope that makes sense.

I have a 19 inch Memphis Shades Fats windshield. No lowers - the signature pic was made with lowers but I had to take them off to make the light bar turn signals work.

I'm not sure if the air causing this is coming over the windshield or from underneath the windshield. I don't think I noticed this as much with the lowers but I not really sure about it.

I also wear a Nolan N102 helmet that has the "vision protector" sun shade mounted. I don't think this is causing any effect as I seem to still get the buffeting with the shade up or down.

I'm wondering if a product like the Laminar Lip http://www.laminarlip.com/cruisers.php or Baker Built Air Wings http://www.bakerbuilt.com/cruiser_bikes.htm would have a positive effect.

Just kinda looking for opinions, advice, experience with these devices, etc. As I said - this is only an issue at interstate speed.

 

[Eldorado]

I ride the Sabre and have the National Cycle HD Windshield, I wear the Nolan N41 Classic 3/4 helmet, never had any buffeting but being as I wear glasses I got a lot of wind in the eyes with a 1/2 helmet, so I added the NC Chrome Lowers and this stopped 95% of the eye wind and what I get now does not bother me enough to make the eyes water, I also have the Cobra Engine Guards and during cold and wet weather I use the SageBrush Engine Guard Chaps, now with these on I get very little if any wind and of course no buffeting (which I mentioned never had), I do look thru the top of my windshield as I also have the Corbin DT seat which drops you a little lower and back just a little, so all in all my ride is very comfortable for a 5' 10" frame.

 

[We trudge on]

Tangle Eye:
Although we do not own a Sabre, we also wear a Nolan N-102 helmet and experience none of the buffeting you are describing. As such, we tend to doubt that your issue has anything to do with your helmet.

As an aside, we too like the smoked vision protector on the Nolan, and can tell no difference in wind effects on the helmet whether the visor is up or down.

We hope this is helpful in eliminating one possible (helmet) concern.

We trudge on.

 

[rmw]

Windshields on bikes have always reminded me of wing slats on airplanes. You might try putting some spacers on the windshield to decrease the angle of incidence to the wind and see if you can get the wind burble to form behind you. You might be suprised how a little change in the angle of the windshield effects buffeting.