This buffeting business is breaking me!

On my F800GS, I have concluded now for my set-up it is the mirrors that is causing me the bother.
It is more a noise problem than buffetting my head around.

Tall Isotta screen and bigger Vario-Screen on top of it work well at pushing the air over my head and also sideways.
But by waving my hands around I can feel the air coming back in to hit the sides of helmet.

I fitted mirror risers which help in making me see better, but not much help with the noise.
I could have rotated the mirrors out more, but i did not want them much wider than the bars.

I will try riding with no mirrors sometime and see if i can prove it is really coming from them.
 
MRA X-Creen Tinted

abermarc said:
How much? :)

As an aside to that. I had a play at prodding the air this morning on my commute. The buffeting is defo around my shoulder/chest/armpit area. Feel like its blowing me from side to side. It never feels equal on both sides. Today I noticed I put one of my big shovel hands over the wing mirrors then I could only feel it on the other side. I could also feel some updraft from the sides too if I place my hand flat t the floor just behind the handlebars/grips but that didnt seem to me to be a powerful enough blast to be causing any issues. I'll do a short test run on a quiet road without any mirrors to confirm as soon as I can.

Anyone use mirror extenders to any great effect? Or even altogether different mirrors?
Click to expand...

I'd sell the MRA screen which is in very good condition, but has obviously been fitted, for £97.50 posted UK by Hermes. It's the X-Creen and they are £139 + delivery from: https://www.bikehps.com/acatalog/BM...RA_Adjustable_Motorcycle_Touring_Screens.html
I can send pics if you PM me your email address.
Let me know if you're interested otherwise I'll just keep it until I've settled on my favourite set-up :)
Cheers David.
 
daveg said:
I'd sell the MRA screen which is in very good condition, but has obviously been fitted, for £97.50 posted UK by Hermes. It's the X-Creen and they are £139 + delivery from: https://www.bikehps.com/acatalog/BM...RA_Adjustable_Motorcycle_Touring_Screens.html
I can send pics if you PM me your email address.
Let me know if you're interested otherwise I'll just keep it until I've settled on my favourite set-up :)
Cheers David.
Click to expand...

Wait out on that one. I've got a few other things I'd like to try first before committing to a new screen but thanks for the offer that is a reasonable price too.
 
Well i did some more testing on way home today and I have come to some more conclusions: -

1. I'll never stop mother natures wind. I'm starting to think I'm mistaking some of my problem for cross winds. Gusts today were upto 20mph and the wind sock on the motorway was quite animated!

2.i adjusted the wing mirrors a bit but that didn't seem to make a difference. So now starting to think others will be right. Wing mirror extenders will help me see better but do nothing for wind problem.

3. Some of the noise is defo coming in under my helmet.

4. Not something I have considered yet. I'm almost ashamed to say I have a cheapo Black helmet off Amazon, it is a tight fit. Too tight if anything due to my fat round head. Could it actually be poor aerodynamics of my helmet???

5. No noise created from wind over top of screen now. Its all happening on the sides.

I still want to try winglets and I also want a new helmet. Either may or may not work. The winglets I will try soon but the helmet is an expense that will have to wait.
 
abermarc said:
Well i did some more testing on way home today and I have one to some more conclusions: -

1. I'll never stop mother natures wind. I'm starting to think I'm mistaking some of my problem for cross winds. Gusts today were upto 20mph and the wind sock on the motorway was quite animated!

2.i adjusted the wing mirrors a bit but that didn't seem to make a difference. So no starting to think other will be right. Wing mirror extenders will help me see better but do nothing for wind problem.

3. Some of the noise is defo coming in under my helmet.

4. Not something I have considered yet. I'm almost ashamed to say I have a cheapo Black helmet off Amazon, it is a tight fit. Too tight if anything due to my fat round head. Could it actually be poor aerodynamics of my helmet???

I still want to try winglets and I also want a new helmet. Either may or may not work. The winglets I will try soon but the helmet is an expense that will have to wait.
Click to expand...

Please do not take this the wrong way, but if you have an off with a shitty helmet, you certainly will not have to worry about the wind anymore, helmet should be your number 1.
 
Smogbob said:
Please do not take this the wrong way, but if you have an off with a shitty helmet, you certainly will not have to worry about the wind anymore, helmet should be your number 1.
Click to expand...

So a helmet has to be expensive, not "cheapo" bought from Amazon to be effective? I'm sure the helmet in question is perfectly fit for purpose.
 
Smogbob said:
Please do not take this the wrong way, but if you have an off with a shitty helmet, you certainly will not have to worry about the wind anymore, helmet should be your number 1.
Click to expand...

I dont take it the wrong way but a correct and proper rating is all I care about frankly.

If you are lucky enough to be able to afford a £600 Shoei or Arai or whatever. Lucky you.

My helmet cost a £100, granted its a little uncomfortable but its not loose. So unless you have a race spec helmet I'd be willing to bet my bike that they are both rated to either DOT, Snell or ECE 22.05 standard and that makes their impact protection pretty much exactly the same.

Thanks for your concern though. I appreciate it. Can we get back on track now......
 
abermarc said:
I dont take it the wrong way but a correct and proper rating is all I care about frankly.

If you are lucky enough to be able to afford a £600 Shoei or Arai or whatever. Lucky you.

My helmet cost a £100, granted its a little uncomfortable but its not loose. So unless you have a race spec helmet I'd be willing to bet my bike that they are both rated to either DOT, Snell or ECE 22.05 standard and that makes their impact protection pretty much exactly the same.

Thanks for your concern though. I appreciate it. Can we get back on track now......
Click to expand...

Yep sorry for my concern.
 
Yesterday I fitted mirror extenders. Can confirm I can see better than ever. Surprisingly though can also confirm wind noise is marginally better.

Next step is to DIY my own winglets because for the life of me I cannot find any of the shelf ones for a 650gs. Though I guess that in itself should ring alarm bells and I should be asking myself .......well why should I need them if no one else ever has! I believe these will eliminate the updraft coming up from each side of the fairing and hitting me in chest/shoulders and getting in underneath helmet.

I can see that they are available for almost every other model and appear to be fitted as standard at least to the 1200 & 1250's
 
I have to ask, what were you riding before this??

Every bike I've ridden has had "buffeting" or noise of some description.

I ride a 2012 F650GS Twin, until recently I had the standard screen with an aerofoil, now I have a BMW Touring Screen.

This, combined with my Caberg Duke Flip Front Helmet & whatever I wear is fine & has been for the past 2 years up & down the A1 in all weathers. Some noise, some "buffeting", but nothing worse than any other bike I've had (ST1100, Diversion 600, GPZ305, KH100).

I wonder if you're looking for a holy grail that doesn't exist.....

D
 
Last edited:
I bought a new F800 GSA last year, the buffeting and wind noise was unbearable. Four screens and about £400 later made not one bit of difference. As has been mentioned the height makes virtually no difference, the wind comes from below and to the sides of the screen and deflects off your shoulders on to your head. Having done as others have by removing bits etc nothing works. Then one day I took my hands of the bars and folded them in front of me, there was instant calm, no noise and no buffeting. Not a practical way to ride I know. Next I held the bars next to the clamps in the centre, yet again total serenity ensued. The conclusion: unless you ride with your arms folded there is no cure, there is a design flaw in these bikes, I have heard that if you remove the front mudguard and fork protectors it will cure it, but that’s hardly practical. The final solution, get rid of the bike, I traded mine in just over 1000 miles from new and lost £2k in the process. The bike was just unbearable to ride and even with ear plugs the wind roar was deafening, will never go near another of the F series again.
 
Just another thought, I wore a flip up for years and it was great as sealed quite closely under your chin. I eventually changed to a full face Arai QV sport touring helmet which is super comfortable but noisy as hell.

I solved this with a Windjammer, that is fitted to the bottom of the helmet as per here --> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WINDJAMM...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Made a huge difference.

RBW.
 
abermarc said:
I dont take it the wrong way but a correct and proper rating is all I care about frankly.

If you are lucky enough to be able to afford a £600 Shoei or Arai or whatever. Lucky you.

My helmet cost a £100, granted its a little uncomfortable but its not loose. So unless you have a race spec helmet I'd be willing to bet my bike that they are both rated to either DOT, Snell or ECE 22.05 standard and that makes their impact protection pretty much exactly the same.

Thanks for your concern though. I appreciate it. Can we get back on track now......
Click to expand...

Why would you put up with an uncomfortable helmet?
 
abermarc said:
Yeah I sort of get the whole small screen/no screen thing and I do plan to try it just to see the difference but I'm doing 120 mile per day commute, of which 70% is on motorway. Granted I have car too so dont use bike everyday but I do use it whenever sun is shining.

SO my options appear to be: -

1. put up with it as is - it is bearable but not a pleasant ride
2. take a gamble on a screen change - may or may not work, money wasted if it doesn't
3. remove screen - instead of current problem instead being blasted with wind so strong I develop fatigue in my arms and neck as a result of trying to stay up straight at 70mph and likely also being blasted by horizontal rain if I catch a shower

I can say with almost certainty number 3 isn't going too happen, at least not on a permanent basis anyway.

No one mentions the mirrors or adding extra spacers to bottom of screen, are they generally not an issue on the twin's?
Click to expand...

I have a long motorway commute. I have standard (i.e. very small) screen on my 700GS. I cruise at 70-80 and I don't notice any more drag or achey arms and neck than when I ride my K1600 with a much bigger screen. And there's certainly less buffeting on the 700...
 
Micky said:
Why would you put up with an uncomfortable helmet?
Click to expand...

Quinten said:
I have a long motorway commute. I have standard (i.e. very small) screen on my 700GS. I cruise at 70-80 and I don't notice any more drag or achey arms and neck than when I ride my K1600 with a much bigger screen. And there's certainly less buffeting on the 700...
Click to expand...

£100 head buy a £100 helmet Robin ... our friend puts up with a cheap uncomfortable helmet :blast

A good fitting proprietary helmet will prevent all kinds of buffeting, but a cheapie not so I'm afraid ... he has a lot to learn :rob

:beerjug:
 
Uncomfortable anything, in any situation, distracts you, demands attention from where it should be concentrated.

Be comfy and think on.
 
Micky said:
£100 head buy a £100 helmet Robin ... our friend puts up with a cheap uncomfortable helmet :blast

A good fitting proprietary helmet will prevent all kinds of buffeting, but a cheapie not so I'm afraid ... he has a lot to learn :rob

:beerjug:
Click to expand...

Hmmmm.... slightly mixed views on that one, Micky. For me the most critical thing in a helmet is comfort. They all pass the same certification tests, though in my experience the more expensive helmets are better built, will last longer, and the fittings are nicer to use. But if it's the wrong shape for your head it's going to be uncomfortable.

The quietest helmet I've ever had was a BMW System 4 (or maybe 5?) flip front and that also had the least buffeting. But to be comfortable I had to go up a size and it was just a bit too big round my bonce. And it's impossible to make exact comparisons because I've had different bikes with different helmets. Short of back-to-back rides on the same bike, making comparisons is always going to be a bit vague.

I currently use a couple of helmets - a Schuberth C3 that I paid £350 for, and a Caberg Duke that was £150. Both suit my head shape and price wasn't an issue when I bought them. I also have a 'spare' Lidl special that I sometimes use when popping into town, or if the Caberg is still waterlogged from the previous day's commute in the rain. I've never noticed any difference in noise of buffeting.

So while I agree that having an uncomfortable helmet isn't very clever, I don't necessarily agree on the price front. I'd rather wear a really comfortable £100 helmet than a less comfortable £500 one.

Also, not everyone has unlimited money to spend on bike kit, including helmets. I'm lucky enough at this point in my life to be able to afford whichever helmet I want, within reason. It wasn't that long ago that I was absolutely skint and the choice I had was between a Lidl helmet (and Lidl riding kit) or no helmet at all.
 
Quinten said:
Hmmmm.... slightly mixed views on that one, Micky. For me the most critical thing in a helmet is comfort. They all pass the same certification tests, though in my experience the more expensive helmets are better built, will last longer, and the fittings are nicer to use. But if it's the wrong shape for your head it's going to be uncomfortable.

The quietest helmet I've ever had was a BMW System 4 (or maybe 5?) flip front and that also had the least buffeting. But to be comfortable I had to go up a size and it was just a bit too big round my bonce. And it's impossible to make exact comparisons because I've had different bikes with different helmets. Short of back-to-back rides on the same bike, making comparisons is always going to be a bit vague.

I currently use a couple of helmets - a Schuberth C3 that I paid £350 for, and a Caberg Duke that was £150. Both suit my head shape and price wasn't an issue when I bought them. I also have a 'spare' Lidl special that I sometimes use when popping into town, or if the Caberg is still waterlogged from the previous day's commute in the rain. I've never noticed any difference in noise of buffeting.

So while I agree that having an uncomfortable helmet isn't very clever, I don't necessarily agree on the price front. I'd rather wear a really comfortable £100 helmet than a less comfortable £500 one.

Also, not everyone has unlimited money to spend on bike kit, including helmets. I'm lucky enough at this point in my life to be able to afford whichever helmet I want, within reason. It wasn't that long ago that I was absolutely skint and the choice I had was between a Lidl helmet (and Lidl riding kit) or no helmet at all.
Click to expand...

I can agree with that Robin

Fit is the most important factor :thumb2

:beerjug:
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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