Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Accessories Windshields...the quest!

In the past I have written an assessment of the buffeting issues with out bikes and the screens. Been working hard trying to find options for the 07+ bikes. This "summer" I have had the opportunity to ride a bike with a smaller Triumph Screen not sure which model but it only came up to nose level on me (AmyLee's bike)

I got to Ride Ron's "Satxron" bike with an even lower National Cycle Screen. I didn't experience anything I would call buffeting, but then again, I am a sawed off little booger of 5'6" in vertical elevation.

The rides were similar, but not exact to my Alley Cat. I do have better protection with the AC and lowers attached which was manifest by the fact that on both Ron and AmyLee's bikes, but I could still wear my standard eyeglasses for 150 miles of riding. Not as good as on my bike with the AC, but still my eyes didn't make me stop riding!

Now as of tonight, I have my Fork Shrouds off testing options for the 07+ bikes, *BTW the front end really looks cool with the uppers off and the lower fork tube shrouds on*

Anyway, I just came back from a short and fast 10 mile night time screamer down the highway. Been putzing with the bike in the test and thought I need a ride. I was reminded of this.

No matter how much turbulence or buffeting I encounter with any screen, the absolute reduction of wind on the upper body and the full onslaught of every flying critter (and we have 167.2 billion mosquito's, gnats,moths, flies and June bugs)
I have come to this conclusion; though I loved my ride without a screen and lowers (any ride is a good ride) No matter how less than perfect any screen seems to perform on these lovelies, I can not come to a conclusion other than with the aforementioned exposures; a screen of any sort is better than no screen.

Now, another consideration that seems to be a major component for riders who report Buffeting vs turbulence (defined as follows Buffeting: unbearable senseless beating about the head and neck. VS turbulence; a sometimes annoying awareness of the movement of air about the head and neck.) Those who report the former seem to be of taller body proportions than those of the latter. For the sake of this consideration those in the 5'10"+ range of vertical elevation.

In speaking to those who have varying screens but have archived Windshield Nirvana, the common thread seems to be a combination of the tallest screen you can endure and the angle of attack of the specific screens and/or the use of Lowers.

I thought that at this juncture it would be beneficial to afford one and all my observations and compilation of information that has been gleaned and presented to me for your due consideration in the quest for the perfect air stream ride!

Let me now inform you that, "that ride" can only be found (at present) on the mount of a Honda Goldwing or like designed bike that some engineer in some computer aided wind tunnel had the resources and a boss that said, "Get er done Hoss!". We unfortunately have had no such a person on our side. Nor have we had a windshield industry chomping at the bit to come to our aid. What we find, we have done so on our own and often likely with less than perfect results, but...results none the less that are better than using your face to beat the wind into submission.
I will report the findings of my current test/quest as they are concluded. But for the time being we get what we get and that is by far better than nothing.

Killer of the mosquito hordes,

Fast eddy

Eddy, I agree with you 100%-we don't have nor are we likely to have the still air cockpit of a Gold Wing on our bikes. Evidently the market isn't large enough to attack a lot of wind shield manufacturers to our bikes. I've tried different brands and even when I got good air protection, I have had 'staring' or slight cracks around the upper mounts when using the stock Triumph mounts regardless of whose shield I used.

So, I came up with my own mounting solution using various washers and grommets that insulate the windshield from vibration-but you will still get buffeting which puts a lot of pressure on the windshield. A lot of my riding is 500 miles in a day or more and the difference in how tired I am has a lot to do with how much I get banged around. If I get tired of it, I'll drive my car.

I think 10 or 12 K miles is a reasonable amount of mileage out of a windshield (with hard use)and I fully expect to switch shields every season. On our cruisers we are not going to get perfection.

Fasteddy, I have a National Cycle Switch Blade, set up without lowers. I'm running the "Two Up" model, and I get more air coming up from my knees than any where. The wind screen is as tall as the top of my head. I ride solo so I made brackets for the rear foot pegs that moved them down and forward, so they are quite comfortable to ride switching my feet fore and aft. When my feet are on the rear pegs I have very little air hitting my upper body, but when my feet are forward, quite a bit of air is hitting me in the face. Not enough to cause any "Buffeting", but enough to move my facial hair in the breeze. Basically, feet back, I ride in more or less of an air bubble.
This fall I plan to get some lowers because I plan to ride any day that the low is above 30*f. Which lowers do you have? I may also get the hand shields that National Cycle sells. Last winter, the two coldest parts were knees and hands and that’s without the windshield, so this winter it should be a lot better.
Right now I could stand to find out how to turn the AC. on. Anyway just thought I add my two cents to your little experiment.
Chip

Uh, our bikes are cruisers, small ones at that. They are adaptable to many situations, but they never come up to the same level as a bike built for that particular purpose. Only a close second. Third, even.
There seems to be many who want to make them a Goldwing, a Huyabusa, a Roadking, etc, etc,

For a windshield to be effective on our bikes it needs to eliminate buffeting. Our bikes were meant for those who like the wind in their face.

I have a 16" Windvest. It eliminates buffeting but I still get wind in my face. If I ever get to the point where I want no wind in my face, I'll either buy a Roadwing or quit riding and take my truck...

My Triumph Flyscreen & full face helmet do just fine for me.

Having just returned from a 4000 mile road trip through the UK, France & Spain i've concluded that the buffeting issue isn't as straight forward as i'd originally thought.

I have a Vario screen (which i've championed for a while)that i can adjust mid-flight and can hit speeds of 90mph+ without buffeting however, if i changed my travel direction with the wind coming in from a different angle i'd find myself having to adjust the screen accordingly (even at 70mph)...otherwise i'd feel the buffeting effects..... so wind speed/direction does make a difference (which is no doubt obvious to many but it wasn't to me lol)... so maybe we'll never get the perfect solution...?

Just my personal observation...

Quote:

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I am a sawed off little booger

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best solution for me was a triumph Flyscreen and a full face. Did A LOT of playing around to find the sweet spot-the screen keeps the wind off my chest. A bit of turbulence around the head-most noticeable with a half helmet. All the taller screens beat me up too much and after almost 35 years of riding I went full face and small screen-which works out best for me. I will say i rode a RIII with the stock screen (an 05) and it was fine at any speed. Who knows?

i have to concur that the best results for me involved lowers and getting mymemphis fats as high as I could while sweeping it back as much as i could. not perfect but unless i want to look through the screen it's the best i can do.

I also agree that you should think about replacing your screen after a couple of seasons.

I found the answer. The key is to block the airflow going below the headlight and up over the gas tank. By making custom lowers (extending accross the bottom of the headlight) for the Memphis Shades lowers mount and joining them to the bottom of the windshield all airflow is stopped: all turbulance, all vibration, all wind-noise.
I had a couple of pictures posted in my earlier post (Custom Windshield Lowers), but they do not show up now.

from my earlier post:
earlier post

Also, Moe reposted one of my earlier posts into the the Tech Vault under Windshields; Custom Windshield Lowers. This has the dimensions of the plexiglass lowers.

I have the Memphis fats and the lowers on my speedy and do not get any Jimmy Buffeting with my full face on. I have not ridden at hwy speeds without the helmet. I am 5 11 and sometimes look thru it due to slouching but most of the time the top edge of that 17 incher is right in my sight line.


mike

Hey Eddy,

As long as you're on a quest...I'm still looking for a windshield I can mount to the shroudless forks on my Speedmaster. FYI, they're 41mm fork tubes in case you didn't know. Also, are you still looking into getting some of Dwight's homemeade windshield quick release brackets made up?

I think changing that airflow will also yield similar results. After over 20k on OEM Triumph Roadster screen and the typical buffeting, I switched to a Memphis Fats scree. I found nirvana by cutting out driving lamp holes, but with a little more gap over the tops of those lights than the Triumph screen. I pulled the Fats shield down very close to the top of the headlight. I think the air flowing under the lamps and alongside the tank versus up and over keeps the helmet zone free of turbulence. Additionally, my 17" Fats screen is just under my eyes, which is slightly taller than the Roadster screen.
After 24k, my Roadster screen was just starting to show some marks. But most of the scratches was from me constantly taking it on/off the last season.

Quote:

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I found the answer. The key is to block the airflow going below the headlight and up over the gas tank. By making custom lowers (extending accross the bottom of the headlight) for the Memphis Shades lowers mount and joining them to the bottom of the windshield all airflow is stopped: all turbulance, all vibration, all wind-noise.

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You have to look close, as I have not doctored up the pics.

Pic 1
Pic 2
Pic 3

Also, I am at work and access to that site is prohibited, so I hope this posting works. But this does create a total "quiet zone". Also, I am 5 ft 10 inches tall, and the windshield is the Memphis Shades Alleycat. The custom-made lowers extend up to slightly overlap and IN FRONT OF the winshield. The lowers also go across to touch each other, hugging the bottom of the windshield. The edges of the lowers have a "split rubber hose" over the edges to touch and seal off gaps between the headlight, windshield, and the other lower.
Hope this helps.

checked out memphis shades and saw nothing for TBA sooo kids what mounting parts # works on our ponies??? Only 5'7" myself so thinkin the slim at 15in. would work for me, price is right but which brackets work?????

I just completed a road test for an option for the 07+ bikes with a Slipstreamer Classic SS-30 screen. I also have Memphis Shades working with me on the correct mount for a quick release for the same application. BUT, you will have to part with your upper fork tubes!Linked to this thread:

07+ Windshield option