Voyager Buffeting

[glwilson]

I have ridden with Gibby many times... and his bike doesn't clunk much at all during shifts... certainly less than my Ultra.

Now back to Kris's question about buffeting with his new Voyager...

[Monkeyman]

That's because his bike has the helical cut gears.

[jestephens]

Originally Posted by glwilson

Now back to Kris's question about buffeting with his new Voyager...

So how would one determine where the buffeting is coming from? Tape short streamers of paper in various places? Lots of experimenting with cardboard and plexi? Strap the bike on a trailer and tow the rider down the interstate while he experiments?

[ringadingh]

Originally Posted by jestephens

So how would one determine where the buffeting is coming from? Tape short streamers of paper in various places? Lots of experimenting with cardboard and plexi? Strap the bike on a trailer and tow the rider down the interstate while he experiments?

You would have to try different things, such as changing the windshield height, ( you could use cardboard taped on to raise it) as you mentioned, and sometimes you can feel around with your hand to see were there is a lot of
wind coming in, and see if taping that area off helps.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by jestephens

So how would one determine where the buffeting is coming from? Tape short streamers of paper in various places? Lots of experimenting with cardboard and plexi? Strap the bike on a trailer and tow the rider down the interstate while he experiments?

The "poor man's wind tunnel"!

[gwbates3]

Got lots of buffetting w/o lower cowl on my voyager.

Thanks for the tip on the tunnel damm.

[hammer]

I have worked on the buffeting thing on the last 2 bikes and it seems to me to be different for every bike and rider. I find on the Nomad I have very little buffet at all with the larger lowers and a flip windshield on the fairing but when I add the Airlite bar chaps all is good. I also found the angle of the windshield is a great help. My helmets also are affected differently.

I thought Bdog's small deflector above the fender would be worth a try.

As for the other comments about the your new ride. Hmmmm? I don't see the point or purpose in those. There is no perfect ride so enjoy it and playing with it to suit you!! I look forward to seeing it.

[redjay]

I dont find buffeting to be a problem on my Voyager. Larger lowers helped on my Nomad.

[Netnorske]

Originally Posted by redjay

I dont buffeting to be a problem on my Voyager. Larger lowers helped on my Nomad.

I'm really only talking about the air that comes up through the forks/triple tree and over the tank. It doesn't toss my head around or anything...and is kinda nice when it's 85 degrees....but Bdog's Air Dam above the fender would cut that down quite a bit I think for those times when its 50 degrees.

[canuckrider]

Kris,
You live in Everett, right? I'm sure that Boeing has a wind tunnel that they're not using that you could "borrow" an hour or two.

Hopefully you get it sorted out.

[Bdog]

Wind is wind..your gonna get it, so redirect it and its pretty much gone where you don't want it. Read my thread on how to make your own..its under Damm. Cost was about 50cents....Bdog

[eagleman]

Originally Posted by Bdog

Wind is wind..your gonna get it, so redirect it and its pretty much gone where you don't want it. Read my thread on how to make your own..its under Damm. Cost was about 50cents....Bdog

I have to agree - wind is wind. I have a friend that is always complaining about the amount of "wind" he feels when he rides his Valkerie. We are riding motorcycles because we want the freedom of feeling that we are not riding in a car. I told him that if he didn't want to feel any wind then drive his car and stay off the bike. We are riding motorcycles not driving cars - aren't we doing this so we can feel the freedom of riding down the road instead of driving in a cage? When riding in the open you will feel wind. If you don't want wind then drive a car with the windows rolled up. I personally love the feel of riding my bike out in the open - I do appreciate the windshield but feeling the rest of the wind is what riding is all about IMHO. Just my two cents worth.......

Eagleman

[smokey]

Originally Posted by eagleman

I have to agree - wind is wind. I have a friend that is always complaining about the amount of "wind" he feels when he rides his Valkerie. We are riding motorcycles because we want the freedom of feeling that we are not riding in a car. I told him that if he didn't want to feel any wind then drive his car and stay off the bike. We are riding motorcycles not driving cars - aren't we doing this so we can feel the freedom of riding down the road instead of driving in a cage? When riding in the open you will feel wind. If you don't want wind then drive a car with the windows rolled up. I personally love the feel of riding my bike out in the open - I do appreciate the windshield but feeling the rest of the wind is what riding is all about IMHO. Just my two cents worth.......

Eagleman

IMO there is a big difference between wind and buffeting, in particular for those of us who ride with helmets, I have ridden a long time and found the buffeting to be a lot worse than just plain wind. the main problem with buffeting is that whether or not you know it, it is throwing the head around, you are constantly fighting the erratic movements and this often causes those knots in the muscles and joints, particularly at the back of the neck and top rear of the shoulder area. It is also conducive to the increase in fatigue as the upper body will tire from the constant corrections being made, even though you may not be aware of the constant corrections. Just liken buffeting to being behind another vehicle for the whole trip, we all know how that feels.

[Netnorske]

Originally Posted by canuckrider

Kris,
You live in Everett, right? I'm sure that Boeing has a wind tunnel that they're not using that you could "borrow" an hour or two.

Hopefully you get it sorted out.

Shoot Al...the Boeing factory is two minutes from my house here....should have thought of that one myself...!

[Monkeyman]

Kris --- If you try the Boeing thing, keep in mind that the air you feel at 60 mph is NOT the same air you'll feel at 600 mph.