Lowers for Nomads

[dogdoc]

Anybody taken off the stock lowers to see if there is less head buffeting instead of trying to find new larger ones?? Also anybody who has added a Cobra lightbar will find it about impossible so far to find larger lowers to fit. One guy I contacted (Sid Finley) said he was working on a prototype. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

Doc, Ride Easy :)

[blowndodge]

Yep. Take off the bottom lowers and you might as well be break dancing on your bike. It's awful!

[Top Cat]

I bought huge lowers on ebay. They worked great at stopping the buffeting. I didn't like the way they looked. Way to big. I cut them down to what I thought looked ok and they worked just as good. Then I put on a Cobra lightbar and had to cut them down some more. They are still larger than stock and work fine. I think the lightbar blocks the wind to make up for the top of the lower I had to cut down. if I knew how to post a pic I would show you what they look like. :-[

[blowndodge]

I got mine from Edmond Enterprises. There is a link on Gadgets page. I've seen larger but these are big enough to need a slight cutout around the crash guards. Best 60 bucks I've spent on the bike so far. No buffeting whatsoever.

[dogdoc]

I know Edmonds and Moxy make larger lowers but both do NOT make them to fit 2005/2006 Nomad with Cobra light bar, I have checked. They have them to fit the stock light bar but I have changed to the Cobra bar so Im screwed for now unless I want to custom make my own. if anybody else knows of a soucre to fit '05 with Cobra bar please let me know ASAP.

Thanks, for all the feedback

Doc

[dogdoc]

My brother made me a set for my '05 w/Cobra light bar since nobody makes them yet for this setup. It helped with head buffeting driving straight down the road about 80-90%. But if your behind a car/truck I still felt quite a bit of buffeting. the lowers are big about 12 inches by 5 inches and contoured like the stock ones. I didn't realize as much an improvemnet as others have stated. My 2cw.

Doc

[Idaho]

Doc, My previous bike was a Suzuki Volusia with an OEM windshield. No body makes lowers that mount to the windshield frame so I made my own. My 07 Nomad has the same type of frame but as you know the deflectors are anemic. I fashioned a pattern with cardboard, cut out 1/4 inch plywood panels and bolted em on. Worked great. Refined the pattern and had lexan panels cut out accordingly. Worlds of difference. At 80 the wind is defelcted around the bike and it feels like someone is pushing on my back. No buffetting.
IDaho

[blowndodge]

I've informed lots of nomad riders that big lowers make a world of difference in the buffeting of the helmet syndrome. I really could lite up a puro at 80 and puff it down the highway if I wanted to.

[Todd]

Night and day is the difference....there is really only one thing I would say should been done to these bikes when you roll them off the showroom floor..and that's bigger lowers. Other than that, just add a rider.

[dogdoc]

I'm not sure Im understand that lowers reduce wind(head) buffeting. In riding down the road without much wind and no cars around i would say yes the bigger lowers seem to reduce alot of the head buffeting, BUT under all other riding condtions I'm not seeing much improvement?? Any info plz. Thx

Doc

[Todd]

Just my own personal experience...my head/helmet was exactly where the wind coming over the windshield met the wind coming around and under and created a terrible turbulence. Couldnt adjust it away with the windshield only.

H*ll, I couldnt even read the roadsigns good at highway speed with a half helmet on due to the shaking (and different helmets made a little difference too).

The larger lowers reduce the wind around and under and put the turbulent spot further back and away.

Maybe your riding position does not put you in that spot and you are OK...dunno. I just know now the my ride is as smooth a Nico's backside!!! (Sorry Bro..had to do it!)

Here's a better pic of mine that I made.

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb50/toddf1_2007/IMG_3652.jpg

[dogdoc]

Todd: Since you have a stock light bar you can run the new lowers all the way up close to the windshield. Yours are very large. Since I have a Cobra light bar you cannot run the new lower up to the windshield, you do good to get it up close to the bottom of the lightbar. This still leaves a good 3-4 inch gap between windshield and top of new lower. I believe that that space is too large and I am still getting alot of turbulence flowing thur that gap. There is no way to get the new lower up high enough that I know of.??? Anybody know of a good fix for the '05 and newer Nomad with Cobra light bar, yell.

Doc

[blowndodge]

Doc, the helmet buffeting that plagues some of us is when the wind comes under your shield and hits your thighs at 60 plus mph and then runs up your chest to your head providing "lift" of your helmet! The larger lowers eliminate the running up your thighs to your head syndrome. To test this, ride down the highway at 60 plus the take your left hand off the handlebar and holding your palm with your finger upwards start dropping your hand down to about even with the side of your fuel tank and you will feel an amazing amount of turbulance! You can actuall move your hand and different angles and get a huge blast of wind at your helmet. Lowers stop this wind and send it towards your shins where is passes harmlessly around you.

[vulcanvixen]

Thanks BD.....that was a great explanation.....I always thought I got that "helmet lift" from air coming over the top of the windshield!!!

Like BD said, I noticed the air was blasting up over and around the gas tank before putting on the large lowers. I plan to get engine guard chaps to use mostly during colder weather. I know they are good for rainy weather as well. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/suzukigal/100_1329.jpg

When it comes to hot air..... BD is the man! http://s2.images.proboards.com/tongue.gif


LOL......Oh man that hurt... :'(

[blowndodge]

HURT HURT HURT HURT HURT HURT HURT HURT

[jeffm]

To test this, ride down the highway at 60 plus the take your left hand off the handlebar and holding your palm with your finger upwards start dropping your hand down to about even with the side of your fuel tank and you will feel an amazing amount of turbulance!

Another thing you can do is take youre left arm place it across youre chest & you will see some of the buffeting go away. It seems to come around the tank.

[dogdoc]

Still looking for somebody with a '05 or newer Nomad with a Cobra lightbar. Have you replaced small lowers for the bigger ones? if so WHERE did you get them or make them. i want to pick your brain.

Doc

[Todd]

Hey Doc,

I see where the 2005 in Wanted /For Sale thread that someone mentioned from the DFW area on the vroc site has listed as options, a Cobra lightbar and custom lowers....may be worth a phone call to that guy to see where he got his design from.

Todd


http://kawanow.proboards77.com/index.cgi?board=forsalewanted&action=display&thread=1187713600

[lw]

Thanks BD.....that was a great explanation.....I always thought I got that "helmet lift" from air coming over the top of the windshield!!!

BD does break things down into easy to digest thought bites. I propose that when he achieves Kawa "God" status that he be made the god of technical stuff, that in light of the fact that SWB already claimed the post of God of Mischief.

[dogdoc]

Thx Todd

Doc

<marquee>NICO THE ULTRA GOD!!!!</marquee><marquee>The god of all that is good and evil!</marquee>

[dogdoc]

HOW MANY GOD'S CAN WE REALLY USE/NEED???????

dOC

[blowndodge]

#3: you shall have no other gods before me.

[socwkbiker]

Wow BD, I'm impressed with that explanation about how lowers affect wind. You almost sounded like you knew what you were talking about. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

Do you have a better pic of the front of your bike to see your lowers?

[blowndodge]

Yes I do

[Todd]

ROFLMAO......ya killin' me Smalls

[trip]

In reading all of your posts concerning lowers, my interest is peaked once again. I too, have suffered from buffeting, but have put up with it thinking larger lowers would hurt my gas mileage. BD, Todd, Kawgirl...have you guys noticed any change in your gas mileage since installing larger lowers?

Trip

[blowndodge]

No, no noticeable difference.

[Todd]

No, not a change I could notice...I go 170 to 200 miles per tank depending on the speed I am running with 2 up

I haven't noticed a drop either. I got 40 miles to the gallon on the last tank when I checked this evening. I got better than that on my trip through Vermont.

[socwkbiker]

Ok smartass, show us a pic of yours so we can see what they look like. ::)


Yes I do