Wind buffeting, R1200GS

[ec1dc]

Hi Everyone,

Does anyone have any advice on alleviating the buffeting from the wind that a 1200GS passenger gets? Maybe a taller screen, if anything suitable is available. My missus is giving me a lot of grief and her neck muscles are getting bigger!

Thanks

Dave

 

[terayon]

There are lots of taller screens but as with anything else it's down to lots of specifications like rider size, pillion size, helmet type and shape and seating positions.

 

[Chris Terry]

A "flappy" jacket can make a difference too.

 

[k12pfc]

Apparently a car is good, alternatively do what I did for my partner and buy her a Direct access course, problem solved, no longer a pillion.

 

[birdseye]

Hi Everyone,

Does anyone have any advice on alleviating the buffeting from the wind that a 1200GS passenger gets? Maybe a taller screen, if anything suitable is available. My missus is giving me a lot of grief and her neck muscles are getting bigger!

Thanks

Dave

Ride slower

 

[andyclift]

alternatively do what I did for my partner and buy her a Direct access course, problem solved, no longer a pillion

This is, without doubt, the best solution. I did it with my wife last Autumn and there are a number of spin off advantages too.

- The bike is much faster.

- It leans more

- A lot more space to move around on the seat

- The banging noise in my helmet when braking seems to have disappeared.

- The whining noise in my Autocom at three figure speeds has totally gone.

- I can watch MotoGP on the box without SWMBO wanting to change channels.

Downsides

- Although the MPG is better I seem to be paying fo 30 - 40 litres every time I fill up.

 

[Paul Wakefield]

An RT was my solution (stupidly took SWMBO for a test ride on one and that was that). Very reluctant change at the time but now delighted.

Paul

 

[Greybeard]

Try a Touratech screen extension (not very pretty - I've got one!) or a bigger screen....

 

[andyclift]

Fitted an Adventure screen on my GS. It cost about £300 for all the bits although the screen itself was only about £110.

The installation was very easy, although if you fit the winglets you need to drill some holes. I measured the hole positions from a GS Adventure.

Expensive but worth every penny and has transformed the bike. The buffeting has gone and its a lot quieter. I can drive at illegal speeds in comfort with visor open. Not sure how much difference the winglets make and if these are not fitted it saves a few quid and drilling holes. I think it looks better as well.

It doesn't shake at low revs like the standard screen and the additional brace is a useful place for fitting satnav.

Can't say what effect it has on pillion though, wife drives her own bike now but she never complained about the standard screen.

 

[sfarson]

Try a Touratech screen extension (not very pretty - I've got one!) or a bigger screen....

This extension works, and I like how one can easily clip it on/off in seconds.

 

[JayGee]

Try a smaller screen, tghe buffeting is much less and the wind blast only slightly increased. alternatively swap to an RT.

 

[Thunder]

Fit the GSa winglets and your pillion will feel the benefit.

Not that expensiv and available from yout BMW dealer, all you need to add are a couple of 25mm washers and locknuts

 

[Foto John]

Maybe you could give this a try!
http://www.mv-motorrad.de/lshop,sho...99926498,10170,,Tshowrub--001.1099926498,.htm

I'm not sure whether it was introduced on the 1st April or not, though!

 

[NLS]

now that is funny (real or not)

 

[rodsharp]

I agree with Jaygee

Fit a smaller screen .I did this with an 1150,cut the top off the standard screen and raked it right back ( had to improvise the front mountings and used cable ties but used it like this for over a year and miles better than big or standard screen.
Now I have a 1200 I made up 2 spacers for the side mountings and use the old cut down 1150 screen again tying down the front with a cable tie. I know it sounds a bodge but believe me it is absolutely rigid ,no buffeting at all ,looks better and gives perfectly good wind protection up to much faster than we can go in this over regulated god forsaken hole I used to love called England.

 

[The Bede]

... I reckon the buffetting has more to do with the low pressure void behind the screen than it does from forward wind blast. Unless you use a screen the size of a barn door (or an RT) I don't believe you'll do much to alleviate it. Except possibly by fitting Tobinators.

... I follow the Jaygee school of thought. I'm 6'1" and have the seat in the 'high' position, but I have the standard screen raked right back and I don't find buffetting to be a serious issue until I'm hitting ban territory. It's a useful reminder to cool it (that and the fact that the wind noise obliterates my autocom music)

... Helmet shape also seems to be a factor as previously mentioned. I'd been using pure domed profile Arai lids without a problem, when some smarmy salesman persuaded me to invest in an AGV GP-Pro, which is both lighter than my preferred Arai and all aerodynamically sculpted "to reduce wind buffetting" according to said smarmy reptile ... Bollocks ... the AGV, despite the claims and light weight, is like wearing a barn door on the ol' noggin, whereas the Arais produce less Buffett than a live performance of Margeritaville (what a shame they seem to be eliminating many of them from the range in favour of a load of Carlos Fandango F1 stylised cobblers!)

... See if you can borrow some different lids from your riding buddies (or even your friendly dealer) with and without baffles, air dams, rear spoilers, go faster stripes, rippled surfaces and experiment a little to find what works for you.

 

[JayGee]

I bought a wide/tall screen from Nippies and whilst it was better in some situations it was worse in others. I got a hacksaw and cut it down to about 6 inches less than the OE screen, shaped and smoothed it so it looks a professional job and now find the buffetting has almost gone. OK I get slightly more wind blast but it's not much worse than with the standard screen and quite bearable up to 110mph and at least I don't get the dreaded head shakes as I ride, these used to be unbearable at 100+ which is what you want to do on a German motorway (which I try to avoid, but sometimes it's the best way of getting to interesting roads).