Wind Noise and Buffeting solution summary

[Norm]

My request is specifically for opinions relating to the R1200GS

I have done numerous searches on the problems of wind noise and buffeting and there is obviously mountains of opinion and info and with contributors varying from GSA’s to 1100’s 1150’s etc there is no real ability to assess the specific solutions for the 1200 GS.

The contributions offered are all useful but are specific to and differ according to the seated height of the rider.

I would like to try to identify successful and not successful solutions and summarise a range of riders sizes, seat settings, screen settings etc.

So if your contribution can follow the questions below I am sure this will be of help to those chasing the elusive pot of gold.

REMINDER 1200GS only

Height

Leg

Seat setting high\low

Screen used
Screen setting

Tobinators fitted yes or no
Tobinator Setting

Winglets fitted yes or no

Satisfaction with solution on Noise and Buffetting
No change
Little improvement
Acceptable
Fantastic solution

I hope this post is not too anal but trial and error is expensive !!!!

 

[g.s.john]

part-x for an RT

 

[Stevo]

Why don't you do a search... There's tons of info on this

Seriously though - here you go

Height - 6ft 4"

Leg - 34"

Seat setting high\low - high

Screen used - Standard with laminar lip
Screen setting - one from top

Tobinators fitted yes or no - yes
Tobinator Setting - 3rd from bottom

Winglets fitted yes or no - Yes NN's

Satisfaction with solution on Noise and Buffetting
No change
Little improvement
Acceptable - it works for me!
Fantastic solution

Note - Toobinators didn't seem to make too much difference.
There is still bufffeting to the very top of helmet - but hey i'm riding a bike
Laminar lip relatively low cost and can be easily removed/sold, if not the solution you're after.
Visor up at 85mph - not too much of a problem.

I hope this helps

Stevo

 

[Ali-bear]

6ft

Two legs

Seat setting high (can't get low to fit properly)

Ditched rubbish standard screen in favour of a Wunderlich Flowjet
Screen setting about in the middle of the small amount of adjustability offered

No Tobinators but I did try a set when I had the standard screen - gave up eventually.

Whats winglets?

Satisfaction with solution on Noise and Buffetting: Fantastic solution it was pretty good with no screen at all but I thought it was better to have a small flyscreen to protect the instruments and offer a little wind-blast protection at high speeds.

 

[g.s.john]

6' 4'' 33'' inside leg mra vario screen stops the buffeting (jaws motorcycles) seat high low with airhawk,
dont know about the winglets also lower footrests (1'')
best of luck with your search

 

[Ruadh08]

Touratech screen extender works brilliantly for me, 6'2, seat in medium position. Cuts most buffeting.onyack

 

[bustupbiker]

5'10" 29 leg

standard screen with MRA adjustie thing bolted to the top set in the middle.
BM winglets
Low seat on low. works.

 

[deaninkl]

Norm, I have done a lot of work on this subject and started a few threads myself. I ridden without srceen, tried all the different positions settings, inserted spacers between screen and mount (cheap torbinator..). As I live in Malaysia I can't get everything that you can try in the UK, but that is probably a good thing else it would cost silly money.

By Far (and I mean a long way infront of anything) the best investment I have found to be a good set of earplugs and a decent touring helmet (I use a Nolen Full face as when I bought it Schubeth were not available, but I've now found them.

EAR PLUGS are the single best noise abatement system, get good ones such as 3M and fit them properly. For me the difference is night and day, but fitting properly is essential.

I must say that for me the problem is noise not the physical buffetting, as its warm here all the time wind flow over the rider is needed to keep cool. But the noise realy does my head in. recently I read of a new fairing from from the US, its a big perspex thing but apparently does the Job, I read it on here so you shoud be able to find it.

Height: 5'8"

Leg: 30

Seat setting high\low: Low

Screen used: Standard with Laminar Lip
Screen setting: second from top

Tobinators fitted yes or no: NO
Tobinator Setting

Winglets fitted yes or no: YES (BMW GSA Type)

Satisfaction with solution on Noise and Buffetting

Little improvement

 

[Davy F]

5'11"

32" inside leg.

Standard screen set to lowest position.

Standard seat (well, Sargent actually ) set to high position.

Arai TourX

No problems.



Funnily enough, when I picked the bike up from the dealer, they had the screen set to the high or furthest forward position. "That's the prefered position for the masses" was the reason given by the salesman. I suffered all sorts of buffeting, even with my Arai Astro and was made worse when I got the TourX. With a little experimentation, it didn't take long to work out that having the screen set way forward was like having a barn door up front and all the turbulance spilling off it onto me. Simply dropping the screen back was a revelation in comfort.

 

[araspitfire]

I'm 5'10" 32" leg
Seat is on the half/half low/high position.

I've tried a few things before I settled on my final solution, which I'm happy with.

cut my OEM screen down (GS). This is nice in the summer... slightly more wind-noise than with no screen at all, but way better than full OEM screen.

I had a NN long, but it wasn't the answer... smashed it in an off in Norway. (thus how I know what it's like to ride long distances with no screen =)

I bought a Givi screen... Same as the NN Long....

I applied the top half of my OEM cut-down screen to the top of my Givi screen, leaving a gap... sort of (very much) like a big TT screen extender, with more overlap. I adjusted it so that I'm just barely looking over it. (line of extension is just below horizon)...

Very happy with this for winter.

No winglets.
I do have Tobinators, and messed with them quite a bit. I currently have them all the way forward.

Al...

 

[Martin]

REMINDER 1200GS only

Height 6'5"

Leg 36"

Seat setting high\low BMW High Seat on high setting

Screen used Nippy Norman super high,
Screen setting three down from vertical

Tobinators fitted yes or no - no
Tobinator Setting

Winglets fitted yes or no - no

Satisfaction with solution on Noise and Buffetting

Acceptable - much better than standard

 

[billynomates]

Touratech screen extender works brilliantly for me, 6'2, seat in medium position. Cuts most buffeting.onyack

And me with Corbin seat on low.
No buffeting
6/1 34 inside leg.

 

[Bear]

I'm 6'6" with a 36" inseam. The standard R1200GS (not Adventure) screen is noisy in all positions. Mrs Bear on the pillion is always aware of wind buffeting. Removing the screen was an improvement for both of us. I now feel wind on my chest and she is largely spared the buffeting. As per another thread I'm experimenting with a cutdown screen to see if I can find an improvement to either the noise (we both use earplugs) of buffeting.

 

[Owen Snell]

Height 6'4"

Leg 36"

Seat setting high

Screen used:

Option 1 - Standard screen with laminar lip. This moved the buffeting upwards to the top of my helmet, but buffeting was still uncomfortable with the screen in any position.

Option 2 - Cee Baileys screen, used, from fellow tosser. Much better, probably not high enough for a quiet ride, but airflow over helmet now reasonably smooth. Just done 650 mostly motorway miles in 2 days of travelling and not suffering at all. Must get ear plugs though. Use top position on this screen.

No Tobinators or Winglets

 

[harry]

Norm, surely the important measurement is from base of spine to top of helmet whilst seated on the bike. Leg length immaterial

 

[Norm]

Norm, surely the important measurement is from base of spine to top of helmet whilst seated on the bike. Leg length immaterial

I agree, In fact I did mention that it was the seated height of the rider that i thought was the important variable,

I just wanted to know the leg length purely for personal perverted reasons.

I am 6ft tall
31" leg
Seat on low setting, I get a full foot on the ground at standstill without any lean. (sometimes left foot and feck me sometimes the right........)

Standard screen at lowest setting, ride is noisy with a little buffeting, if I drop\stoop over the world becomes serenly quiet, this is what I want...
Standard screen set at highest setting, noise ok but extreme buffetting at head level. Stooping makes no effect.

I ride with a Schuberth C2 lid which is an excellent noise reducer and I use custom made silicon earplugs.

Thanks to all contributors, your responses are covered by data protection and I will not pass the leg size details on to direct line or to any other nuiscance company that may want to sell you made to measure winter thermal leggings

 

[Davy F]

I drop\stoop over the world becomes serenly quiet, this is what I want...

So that'll be a car you're wanting then.............

 

[spock]

I hint got nun'a this fancy stuff on my bike,the screen is set in the fast position,you know, very low,I use a tour x lid,and I tall'ya boy I can hear a sparr'a fart it's that quiet

 

[Norm]

I hint got nun'a this fancy stuff on my bike,the screen is set in the fast position,you know, very low,I use a tour x lid,and I tall'ya boy I can hear a sparr'a fart it's that quiet

But if there is no wind noise around you then presumably there is no wind and therefore does a sparra fart smell?

 

[F104]

I'm 6.4. I can not drive without earplugs. The buffeting of the screen above 40 mph is right around my ears no matter what the screen position is. Had this with the original saddle, but also now with the (optional) high saddle (+40mm) in the high position, and I'm trying to work out how to get it even higher. By moving it up you get a great leg angle, and slightly more forward body position. Either that and/or i cut down the screen.
Torbinators I haven't tried, but fail to see how they could be the solution, unless you want to be limited in how far you can turn thandle bar
Re ear protection so far the yellow foam ones worked best, but are sensitive to placement. I tried Alpines with max dBA filter, and local made (Lapeyre) custom made ones, also too loud.

After much doubt just spent pds 175 on custom made ones from ultimate ear in the UK. Did this during Goodwood Festival of Speed, and they arrived (only..) yesterday. I was nervous as earplug experiences so far were very dissapointing. Haven't tried these yet on the bike, but i do know already they are the best earplugs I ever had. Never seen (heard really) such noise reduction. For the pds 175 they are fitted with tiny speakers, and those too sound better on my stereo then any other ear phone we have at home, including a B&0 one. My only fear is i'll need a MP3 player with aux-in mixer microphone to hear my boxer and/or someone talking to me..