1200 GS Passenger Turbulance ?

[Biggen]

Hi
We have a problem!
My good lady and my self have recently purchased a very nice 2000 mile full spec R1200gs 09 now the bike rides perfect and i am very happy with it.
The problem is she is getting beaten up around her head on the back with bad turbulence she is not very happy.
What I can’t understand is we also have Suzuki B-king with no fairing or wind protection and she has never suffered this problem on this bike in the last 3 years.
Now this is a serious issue as i really don’t want to get rid of the GS as i like the bike and it took me ages to find one like it.
I have tried the screen in different positions with no effect I just can’t understand where it is coming from. We had a twin can on demo from Rainbow and the only difference was it had a top box and this did not appear have the same problem?


Any Ideas Welcome ???

Regards Neil

 

[(RIP) Johno23]

I Tour a great deal 2 up. mrs J on the back. She has never moaned about turbulence...........unless she just expects it!
However I have a Givi330 screen and winglets fitted to my 09 GS. Made a huge difference to me! and probably improved the ride for her too.

 

[Tommac]

I tested a 2009 GS and the turbulance for my wife on the back was terrible so ended up with a 1300GT. Then we tried a 2010 twin cam GS and it was much better. Don't know why as they seem to be the same screens.

The consensus of opinion here is that the Givi screen works really well for most folk. Winglets from an Adventure are also thought to be helpful. There are 14 pages of discussion here
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=224105&highlight=givi+af330
Good luck

Tom

 

[JJ's GS]

I have the same set up as Johno23 above.
My wife didn't complain much before with the standard screen and since I've fitted the Givi I've had no problems for either of us.

Might be worth a try for you.


JJ

 

[robjet]

this may sound stupid but have you tried putting the front seat into the high setting , we had the problem but shes happy now

 

[howdoo]

Tobinators

I have a Givi Airflow screen which is great for me but at 70 and above causes a lot of turbulence for the gf on the back.
Tobinators set at approx 1/2 way cure it for her.

 

[Rasher]

I Tour a great deal 2 up. mrs J on the back. She has never moaned about turbulence...........unless she just expects it!
However I have a Givi330 screen and winglets fitted to my 09 GS. Made a huge difference to me! and probably improved the ride for her too.

+1, the bike does give a bit of buffeting compared to the sportsbikes we are used to, but she never found it awful, I fitted an AF330 but not really played with it much as it just sort of worked on the first position (fully back) and I just raise and lower the screen a little (Half way up up for long motorway runs / cool weather and fully down on slow roads / Hot weather)

 

[Doofus]

Hi

I have a 2005 GS with a Nippy Norman high screen and Vario top box (with back rest) pretty much always on. We don't have any pillion buffeting issue at all, and we spend a fair bit of tme slogging motorways.

I found in winter my upper thighs got very cold compared to my Fazer 1000 - I added the GSA winglets and was very surprised how much difference they made - it would be a must-do mod if I replaced the bike.

I'm currently thinking about getting a B King - how did you find yours? I tried a Hayabusa last week and loved the engine but not the ride position - I'm hoping a B King will be the best of both worlds.

(Don't worry if you want to say you prefer the GS as I'll be keeping that!)

Darren

 

[iandavid]

Might be worth adjusting the standard screen first. When I collected new 2010 GS from dealer he set screen in the most vertical position. Buffeting was awfull so I angled it down about midway. Vast improvement, surprisingly. However it will depend on your height and on swmbo's height as I sit on the low seat and missus is perched upon high although she is only 5' 2". However I can ride with my visor up, in towns, but she can't as it takes her breath away. It's down to trial and error unfortunately.

 

[Pip_UK]

Hi Neil, naked bikes don't usually suffer from turbulence, because the airflow isn't being violently shifted by a screen, so nudists get a quieter ride, at the price of taking the airflow straight in the chest. So a cheap and easy experiment would be to remove your GS screen and temporarily go naked with the Mrs. and see if that's any better. It will also test if your own lid might be generating a bit of turbulence just behind your head.

Screens take the windblast off your upper body, and it usually then arrives very messily off the top of the screen, at face level, and the standard GS screen has the aerodynamics of a tea tray. The screen cuts a hole in the air, which then rushes back in with a thump, creating the turbulence. Try opening the side window of your car at 70 mph on the motorway to obtain the same effect.

The topbox may be a factor, as the GS is quite roomy and your lady might be sitting or leaning further back, with that nice pillion confidence of having a backrest - some pillions feel the need to lean forward from the concern about being spat off the back.

There's also the factor of how much protection she gets from your body. If the pillion is a wee lass, and the rider a big lad, then she's shielded from the airflow (and the rain). However if her lid is above yours, then she's in the turbulence.

Getting a taller screen might help, as it moves the turbulent airflow a few inches higher, hopefully over the top of everyone's heads. Different screen shapes and extra adjustability also allow you to flow the air differently.

Screens are like Helen of Troy - the topic that launched a thousand threads, so you're not alone by any means. Plenty more info, links and opinions around the site.

HTH and best wishes for finding a solution - we can't have unhappy pillions.
-Pip

 

[Biggen]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys just a note my bike is GSA with wingletts i think a set of tobinaters may be worth a try.
or possibly a givi screen.
I have tried the seat in different settings with no change i am currently looking for a pair of standard GS seats in the hope that her being higher than me may have some effect like on the B-king having a stepped seat.
This also allows her to see where we are going istead of looking at the back of my head .

Best Regards Neil

 

[Biggen]

Hi

I have a 2005 GS with a Nippy Norman high screen and Vario top box (with back rest) pretty much always on. We don't have any pillion buffeting issue at all, and we spend a fair bit of tme slogging motorways.

I found in winter my upper thighs got very cold compared to my Fazer 1000 - I added the GSA winglets and was very surprised how much difference they made - it would be a must-do mod if I replaced the bike.

I'm currently thinking about getting a B King - how did you find yours? I tried a Hayabusa last week and loved the engine but not the ride position - I'm hoping a B King will be the best of both worlds.

(Don't worry if you want to say you prefer the GS as I'll be keeping that!)

Darren

Darren
The b-king can only be described as a very under stated machine it is awsome and probebly the best bike i have owned and i have had a lot of modern sports bikes and this was my first naked machine i bought it new in 2008. I have changed the exhausts on it for BOS carbon ones and a tail tidy as i could not live with the standard exhausts.
Mine is currently up for sale with all the standard bits,
extras include
Hell Brake lines, Bos Carbon Cans (£1400 New price), Titax Levers, Led Tail Tidy It has done just over 3000 dry pampered miles with full dealer history 58 reg in black looking for £6400 if you are interested.
Can email pics if you like


Best Regards Neil

 

[stever1]

I Tour a great deal 2 up. mrs J on the back. She has never moaned about turbulence...........unless she just expects it!
However I have a Givi330 screen and winglets fitted to my 09 GS. Made a huge difference to me! and probably improved the ride for her too.

+1

 

[Deleted account 240901001]

Keep the bike...ditch the Ol' Lady.....

 

[Doofus]

Darren
The b-king can only be described as a very under stated machine it is awsome and probebly the best bike i have owned

Thanks for the feedback - I put a deposit down on one today. Thanks also for offering yours - based on what's on Autotrader and Ebay you are asking what seems a very fair price, but I decided to go new.

Darren

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Ditch the screen

Works for me

Andres

 

[Biggen]

Hi Guys
I went for plod out to Squires coffee bar tonight folowing the missis on her XLR 125 and got chatting to a fellow gser he had this problem so he fitted a standard GS rear seat to raise his old lady up a bit and removed the winglets and hey presto her head does not get beaten up by the wind any more.
I will give this a try as i have just sealed a deal for a pair of standard GS seats and removing the winglets is free.
Even if this puts a bit more wind on me i dont care if it stops the other half moaning and enables the GS to stay in my stable

I will post progress

Regards Neil