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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | Until yesterday, I've had the lowers opened up all the way. I could then easily control the wind/buffetting with the windscreen. Today was above 80 so I closed up the lowers. That introduced a whole new set of air currents to the bike that I don't like much. Is there a trick to keeping the buffetting down while still using the lowers? With them all the way out, my legs get warm (good for cool weather but bad for hot days). I'm looking for some sort of compromise. I've even considered removing them completely until it gets to be cool temps again.
What do ya'll think? |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 802
| I know exactly what you're talking about having experienced the same thing. Buffeting primarily comes from below so the lowers have a tremendous effect on the amount of buffeting that gets through. If you remove them completely you will pick up more buffeting. Having said that there will be folks chiming in that they've never noticed any buffeting at all but then there are Roadglide owners who say the same thing about a bike known for excessive buffeting. Some guys notice it and others are fortunate enough not to. Simple.
Anyway, in order to get some air flow via the lowers and still minimize the potential buffeting try adjusting the lowers so that the wind just hits the outer edge of your legs. This does a couple of things that I've noticed. First it cools your legs down and secondly it creates a kind of Venturi effect that sucks the hot engine heat out of the cockpit. Conversely, if you direct the lowers so you get a full blast of air it can actually blow engine heat right into your crotch and maximize buffeting. No fun when it's 100 degrees out.
Marc
Edited by marcparnes 2013-05-01 9:50 PM
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | Thanks, Marc. I'll try a litte in then more in, etc tomorrow and see if I can find a good balance. It's supposed to be in the high 70s so it should make a good day to compare. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | while I do enjoy the benefits of a full faring bike, it seems that the uppers, lowers, etc. sterilizes the ride too much. I've enjoyed the bike immensely without the uppers, it provides a wee bit more wind, but it still keeps the rain off. I just chimed in case you were teetering on removing them. Ride safe. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | Nah. I'm keeping all of them. I don't mind a bit more wind but with the lowers all the way in, I was starting to feel a bit of buffetting. THAT, I don't want. I like the look of the bike without the lowers but they increased my riding time last fall by a while so they're well worth it, IMO. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | leave the factory wings below the mirrors out while having the optional lowers in. This seemed to make a noticable favorable difference.  |
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Cruiser
Posts: 178
LaGrange, GA | jimtom - 2013-05-02 8:30 AM
leave the factory wings below the mirrors out while having the optional lowers in. This seemed to make a noticable favorable difference.
That's exactly what I was about to post -- lowers all the way in, uppers all the way out works well for me. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | That's how I had it the other day and got some buffetting. I'm not sure if I can't get them in far enough or what. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 612
| I just take them off in the summer. Unless I wear shorts (which I don't do), I have no heat issues.
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Tourer
Posts: 599
New Mexico | BrandonM7 - 2013-05-02 7:04 AM
jimtom - 2013-05-02 8:30 AM
leave the factory wings below the mirrors out while having the optional lowers in. This seemed to make a noticable favorable difference.
That's exactly what I was about to post -- lowers all the way in, uppers all the way out works well for me.
That's funny - I was about to recommend the opposite! With my uppers out and lowers in I seem to get a lot more buffeting, especially on my legs.
Edited by Boots 2013-05-02 9:49 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | I understood him to want more air on his legs (lowers in) in warm weather but it gave him too much air in the face/head. Both upper and lower deflectors in, delivers a sometimes undesirable amount of buffeting around the head/face area. I have found that leaving the uppers out doesn't noticably affect how much air I get but does decrease buffeting around my head/face . |
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Cruiser
Posts: 244
| With the under mirrors out it deflects more wind on the legs but less on the hands. With them in you get more wind on the hand and less on the legs. So that would work in conjustion with the lowers adjust just rite for the venturi effect. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 160
Camas Washington | Really!! come on, it makes your bike handle different? I have riden with the upper and lowers in different positions in all kinds of wind, that includes going through the Columbia gorge with 35-40 mph head, side and rear winds, I have never noticed once that the bike handled any different. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | I took the lowers off before my ride today. Less turbulence than with them folded in. Odd, but it seems to work. I get more heat on the back of the right leg with them off. Probably a good thing I removed them as I noticed the lower left attachment block is coming off. I guess I'll have to get some 3M double sided tape and reinstall it. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | don't be afraid, drill holes and hard mount those suckers. fool yourself by taping on wings that will have a 70+ mph resistance and buffeting and expect them to stay on forever. I don't buy the glue is strong enough for elements and movements.. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | varyder - 2013-05-02 5:08 PM
don't be afraid, drill holes and hard mount those suckers. fool yourself by taping on wings that will have a 70+ mph resistance and buffeting and expect them to stay on forever. I don't buy the glue is strong enough for elements and movements..
Are you serious about drilling holes and hard mounting the brackets or are you joking? Wouldn't be the first time I followed someones advice just for them to say later that they were kidding. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 802
| Here is a discussion including bolting them on:
http://www.vision-riders.com/bb/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=11072&po...
Marc |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Monkeyman - 2013-05-02 5:39 PM varyder - 2013-05-02 5:08 PM don't be afraid, drill holes and hard mount those suckers. fool yourself by taping on wings that will have a 70+ mph resistance and buffeting and expect them to stay on forever. I don't buy the glue is strong enough for elements and movements.. Are you serious about drilling holes and hard mounting the brackets or are you joking? Wouldn't be the first time I followed someones advice just for them to say later that they were kidding. Yeah, you're right, coming from a guy that will probably never put them on his bike. However, if I did, they would be bolted on. After hearing others who said they did everything perfect only to have them come off, it only makes sense to me. It's your bike, do as you will, but I wouldn't want to ride behind you only to have a blade come flying off and hit me. |
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Tourer
Posts: 416
Prairie City, IA United States | Are you serious about drilling holes and hard mounting the brackets or are you joking? Wouldn't be the first time I followed someones advice just for them to say later that they were kidding.
Nope he isn't kidding. It is a SOB of a job but after doing open highway surgery to hold one on, I needed to do something. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | I wasn't trying to insult anyone by asking that question. I honestly didn't know if it was a joke or not. I'll have to scope that out. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | i never took anything as an insult...that only happens when someone tries to tell me that a car tire on a motorcycle is better than a motorcycle tire on a motorcycle...and no, I've not done that either and I'm an expert at that too... |
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Lower (leg) shields and buffetting