Wind Buffeting - is there any solution?

[davepol]

Hi, I don't know if this topic fits this category, but i guess the solution would involve some mods to the body work.

I have my Katana for 4 years now and recently I borrowed my friends Bandit 1200. I couldn't belief how quiet my helmet became while riding the Bandit. There still a lot of wind noise but helmet buffeting which I experience on my Kat was nearly totally gone.



My question then is: Is there any chance to get rid or at least lower the buffeting noise?


I'm 6.2 feet tall and really like the riding position on my Kat however buffeting noise is something which really ruins the experience, especially now that I know how quiet it can be on different bikes. If anyone found a solution to the buffeting noise please share the solution Thanks!

[cintidude04]

Noise ruins your motorcycle experience? Sorry I can't help you.

[Wild-Bill]

Try installing a taller windscreen or a "laminar lip" to bump the airflow higher. The problem is that you're tall enough the airstream coming off the windscreen is hitting too low on your helmet.

[davepol]

Noise is fine, as I said, it's just that the buffeting noise on my Kat seems to be much more annoying then on other bikes.

Would you know if installing a shorter and flatter windshield could alleviate the problem? When I took the windshield off altogether it seemed to be better.

What about wind deflectors?

Cheers,
davepol

[Wild-Bill]

It's going to take a little experimenting. The windscreen is there to bump the airflow up, creating a dead-air pocket behind it. If you're sitting at the height the manufacturer expected you to then the airflow should be hitting right around your eyebrow level, just above the helmet visor. The top of your helmet is nice and smooth so the air flows across the top of it without much buffeting or noise. If you're taller than they expected you to be then the airflow hits around the bottom of your helmet, causing buffeting, lifting your helmet and making a whole lot of noise inside the helmet.

You can either raise the airflow towards the top of your helmet with a taller windscreen or lower it to your chest by reducing the height of the windscreen. Either one will reduce the noise level. A laminar lip is supposed to bump the airflow a little higher as well as smoothing the air out by causing a high pressure zone at the top of the windscreen to bump the rest of the air higher. Lowering the airflow to your chest is easier but will do less for the noise and will reduce your gas mileage since you've effectively increased the resistance to moving the bike/rider through the air mass.

[Kreylyn]

Look for "tall" double bubble or "sport" windscreens.

You want to change the height or shape of the windscreen. You can raise the lip basically to change the air flow over you. Another option is to get add on "deflectors" for the top of the windscreen that are adjustable.

Or finally you can custom make an adjustable height windscreen.

Krey

[davepol]

Thanks guys! That's just the info I needed. I'm not bothered that much by a little bit higher fuel consumption. I mostly ride in the city and when I hit the road, i can always swap my windscreen for one of those tall tourist one, but frankly in the city they get in the way. Right now i'm definitely getting most of the wind under/in my helmet, although it was better since i bought shoei helmet, but still comparing to my friends bike wind buffeting on my Kat is really bad.

I will be looking for a 'sport' type of winshield which will direct most of the wind on my chest. Since taking the winshield totally off helps I guess that might help as well.

If somone has any experience with 'sport' or shorter winshield please let me know if it helps with bufetting at all. I didn't know Katana's have particular problems with buffeting when a rider is semi tall..

Thanks again!!!!

[black&blue]

Silly question for Pre-kat models like mine - can I use the windscreen from a Kat 1100?

[steves]

No, but the stock 750 screen is taller than the 600 screen and the same fit.

[Kreylyn]

Silly question for Pre-kat models like mine - can I use the windscreen from a Kat 1100?

One day I'll have one or a similiar setup (electric and adjustable height) modded onto my pre 750...

but it's not a direct swap over... no.

Krey

[vonrapier]

I went to a taller smoked windscreen and it was a big difference. You should look into this.......it worked for me.....

[hardlydangerous]

I went with a lower screen...

you dont get wind buffeting on most ss bikes because the windscreen is a lot lower and more areo dynamic with the shape of the bike . The Kat screen its upright and small and works against the flow.

[davepol]

Did lower windscreen helped with the buffeting?

[hardlydangerous]

Did lower windscreen helped with the buffeting?

Yep wind now hits me on the chest when sitting upright instead of up under my helmet shaking and rattling the helmet on my head.
I can still tuck down behind it when I want to also with less buffeting.

for the cost of a used Kawasaki EX500 windscreen and the 20 minutes it takes to cut it to fit its worth a try, and looks 100X better then the big tall windcreens.

[davepol]

Thanks! I totally agree about the tall screens