Wind GS v GSA

I just can't do an RT. It's nothing personal I could just never bond with an RT. I would be full of self loathing. Every ride.

An RT would almost certainly be the answer, if noise and wind blast cause you migraines then buying a GS or GSA will not solve your problem, the RT would or at least get 99% there, so it comes down to how much of a problem migraines really are for you?? Sometimes the solution isn't always ideal in your mind, but better for long term health.
 
I recommend the smaller 'rallye' screen on either the GS or the GSA. I've had that on both a 2017 GSA and 2017 GS and found it to be an all-round better riding experience. 'Clean' air, no buffeting or road / tyre noise . Ridden from UK to Portugal and back, including long periods of 100mph without major wind pressure on my head / neck / shoulders. Keep the screen on the lowest setting. (Important). It is not like riding a naked bike, but a nice half way house. There is wind noise obviously, so test ride a GS rallye with the rallye screen and see what you make of it. The rallye screen is expensive, but there are a couple of seemingly exact copies out there at less than half the price. They look cool too! (Tinted obviously). Beyond the wind / buffeting issues, you'll know from previous GS ownership that the boxer engines have a rumble / drone type noise at motorway speeds. I have heard newbie GS owners 'suffering' a bit with this, but it has never bothered me (even on my original 2004 GS). You need an extended / proper test ride. I think a small screen is you best bet if you are going with a GS/GSA. These add on screen deflectors are popular and have a big fan base, but if you are less than 6 ft tall, you'll most likely be looking through the screen all the time. :-/ I had a S1000R for a while and while you can't fail to love the crisp pick up on those things, they are bloody noisy! :) (Be sure to test a GS and a GSA).
 
Just picked up a Rallye screen off ebay to see if a smaller screen works for me. Also ordered a Chinese copy Touratech bolt on deflector to play around with on my other screens.
 
Don't want to highjack the thread but I wonder how many people ride with 'visor-up'. I have a full-face but find that for most of the time I ride with visor-up with glasses unless going at +80 on motorway.

Just wondering :cool:
 
Just picked up a Rallye screen off ebay to see if a smaller screen works for me. Also ordered a Chinese copy Touratech bolt on deflector to play around with on my other screens.

Well played! Hope you enjoy it. I love mine. More of a summer thing of course!
 
Rallye screen was a disappointment, I found it noisier than the Givi. I have a spoiler incoming which may help, however I'm going to give the MRA Multi X screen a go, just got so see if I can fine a smoked one at decent price.
 
Thank you all for replying and for the kind offer Cliffbase. I have custom made earplugs from ultimate ear and have tried various helmets from shoei, arai and shuberth. I've spent a fortune on screens and the extenders. I ended up cutting the screen on my XR right down so that it was almost a naked bike and tried an MRA but never really found the right solution. I'm quite small at 5ft 8 so just wondering whether being more enclosed in a big old GSA with a massive screen and bodywork, winglets etc might be the answer. I will of course test ride it's just that sometimes on your test ride day you get calm weather and all seems good and then the real world hits while you live with the bike for years so I was interested in people's thoughts on the comparison.

PS I just can't do an RT. It's nothing personal I could just never bond with an RT. I would be full of self loathing. Every ride.

I'm the same height as you Cooky and ride a GSA. Standard, I couldn't find any position where the screen prevented either buffeting or excessive wind noise, at least once past (ahem) sensible rates of progress.

The bike was fitted with Givi hand guard deflectors and uses the standard factory top edge wind deflectors either side of the screen. I replaced the screen with an MRA standard variotouring screen. The screen doesn't wallop about like the standard one did and hey presto, all buffeting gone. I still get some wind noise but the front profile of a GSA is not the last word in laminar air flow! The screen works very well even in the lowest setting. Wind noise is a little more but, here's the rub, unlike the standard screen I don't think I'll end up with a migraine after an hours ride.

That's all without ear plugs. With ear plugs it's nigh on perfect. A quiet ride free from buffeting. I use the inexpensive but excellent Alpine "Motosafe" ear plugs and highly recommend them over just about anything I've tried to date. they're comfortable, low profile and very effective...you hardly know you're wearing them. On the whole, comparing the GSA against the standard GS, I'd say that it is better at deflecting some of the wind blast but you really need something like the MRA to help reduce turbulent airflow over the rider.
 
i had a givi a330 screen on my 09 gs. certainly kept the wind off but acted like a sail in side winds and pushed the bike all over the road. others opinions may differ.
 
It's not just the noise though that seems to be the issue, it's the buffeting.

You can't prevent wind noise, but you can shape airflow over bike and rider to make it more laminar and less turbulent. It's the constant turbulence at cruising speeds that can lead to headaches, earplugs or not.

No need to pay a ransom for plugs these days...better to choose helmets carefully in the first place imho based on how effective they are at managing noise levels then just add inexpensive in ear buds. That's all I've ever found necessary to get things to all-day acceptable levels. Trouble with helmets is that you have to look at reviews or feedback from others and one make may not suit the headshape whereas another might. Eradicate buffeting and most of the riding fatigue from wind can be removed (not to mention relieving the neck muscles from a pounding!).
 
For me , its the wind noise that I have to try & minimise as it really aggravates my tinnitus. I have never suffered buffeting on any bikes except when riding in strong cross winds. Strange how people are affected in different ways.
 
I guess so. I have bad tinnitus in my left ear, the result of shooting and have lost most of the hearing in that ear. Last year, I started to develop tinnitus in the right ear so now the earplugs and a good (low noise) helmet are a must. The noise never bothered me on even long rides (before the tinnitus) but buffeting has. I started paying attention to screens and helmet designs, and those two factors (getting them right) made a world of difference for me.
 
Thank you all, OP here. So I went ahead and got the GSA knowing that the stock screen was awful for head buffeting and wind noise but optimistic that one of the many screens/extensions/alternative helmets etc would sort me out.

Migraine for for me is caused by a number of factors. One is general exhaustion and the big GSA is a lovely ride so far as the seating position and wind blast to the torso is concerned, so much reduced fatigue levels generally in that area during a recent weekend trip to Wales.

I tried a Wunderlich Ergo 2 screen with screen stabilisers which for me was just as bad as stock although others have had great results with that.

I then fitted an MRA screen which despite being the same size as the original screen is much quieter and zero buffeting. The weekend trip to wales involved 2 long days of riding and --- no migraine :bow

I think a different helmet could make things even better as I have a Shoei sports helmet but the extra helmet curtain of something like a Neotec might make my head too hot which can be another trigger...:rolleyes:

Anyway, I'm basically happy with where I'm at now.

thanks again for all the comments and suggestions - and the private messages
 


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