Highway buffeting

[Nelis04]

What helmet do you use?

My Arai Tour X3 used to vibrate because of the flexible sunscreen.
I glued a small strip of aluminium on the inside.
All the vibrations are gone!

[jdbalt]

I am thinking about getting these.

[tallguy-09]

I once had a helmet a bit too large and it made matters so much worse.
Now I'm using a dual sports helmet for short distances (loud) and Shoei Neotec (quiet) for longer trips, helmet needs to be a snug fit.

Originally Posted by Nelis04

What helmet do you use?

My Arai Tour X3 used to vibrate because of the flexible sunscreen.
I glued a small strip of aluminium on the inside.
All the vibrations are gone!

[Bonwit]

Originally Posted by Nelis04

What helmet do you use?

My Arai Tour X3 used to vibrate because of the flexible sunscreen.
I glued a small strip of aluminium on the inside.
All the vibrations are gone!

Can you please describe this mod in greater detail? Did you close off the airflow under the peak?

[ikonoklass]

Originally Posted by Plane Dr

I have added the GSA wings and the factory GSA windscreen to mine and have the tourtech add on. I commute on mine and thought it was horrible I was trying to figure out what to do with it. I did a recent road trip and noticed the buffeting is from mainly from cars. It was amazing how much distance at which they still had an effect.

I'm not sure it will never be as good as something like my buddies Concours.

I'm 6'0" with a 34-inch inseam. I run a Cee Bailey's +4 tall, +2 wide screen, Winglets, and a Laminar Lip. I could not be happier.

The fact that you're feeling wind from the side suggests to me that you could benefit from a wider screen and Winglets. it's a pain in the ass, but if you're willing to experiment, you can achieve excellent results.

[FlatDarkGS]

Originally Posted by SkiFly01

Get out from behind trucks and traffic, with the GS if you are on the highway in heavy traffic you are going to get beat up. My advice get out into the clean air as much as possible

the winglets. A lot of posts are discussing other windshields...Not sure that's really the issue here (you specifically stated your issue is with buffeting from the sides). But for the record, I love my GIVI Airflow and have it angled all the way back (i.e. the least vertical position), and adjust the lip up about 1/3 of the way to ensure any turbulence is directed over my helmet, but not so high that I'm looking through the windshield (I'm 6' 00").

That being said, I would definitely agree with the quoted advice and make sure you aren't riding behind or around other vehicles- this doesn't just include large 18-wheelers. I've noticed that even small to mid-sized automobiles, depending on their individual aerodynamic characteristics, can produce a lot of buffeting, even fifty yards ahead of you... and the faster traffic is, the more energy those vehicles are imparting to the air around them, and consequently, the greater the chance you'll experience buffeting. Since getting my GS last year, my highway riding strategies have undergone continuous changes to improve comfort and safety. Originally it was, hang out in the right lane and go 70 or below (I had the stock windshield and found buffeting to be pretty bad above 60) which meant being passed by cars, trucks, etc and experiencing a destabilizing shock when each one passed. Now, with the GIVI + Winglets, I find myself going much faster, which enables me to keep up and pass groups of cars to get into open clean air, or sometimes drop back further behind the vehicle in front/beside me if it's particularly turbulent.

Here's the most relevant part: When there are crosswinds that aren't caused by other vehicles and the only thing causing them is the weather, one strategy I've found that actually works is to drop my head well below my windshield, tuck in my arms, put my ESA on Sport, and many times while I can hear the gusts, they just don't affect me. There have been at least a few posts about the effect suspension settings and wind gusts hitting your shoulders and transmitting down to your handle bars have on stability.. I wonder if winglets might actually help in that regard.

If none of that is working and I'm *still* getting blown all over the road and I'm riding white-knuckled not knowing if I'm going to get pushed out of my lane, I get off the highway. There is nothing more nerve wracking and unenjoyable than fighting extreme crosswind gusts that greatly compromise your balance. Maybe when I'm a more experienced/bold/skilled rider I will find a better option. But I know my limits, and strong gusting crosswinds can be one of them.

Good Luck!