Helmet Slap at highway speeds
- Thread starter OpenRoad
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I definitely have had the problem. I had an ancient X9 Air Shoei which was stone quiet and great. My windshield is actually homemade, but is much like the Cee Bailey without flip, 4 " over stock. I also have a new HJC 11 which is slightly noisy, but acceptable. I recently made the cardinal sin of buying an Arai RX7RR Colin Edwards replica without trying it out on the bike. Fit was/is great. But the slapping and attending percussive impacting on the helmet is very objectionable. I personally think the ultra light helmet contributes to the problem. I'm 6'1" and must run my 4" over shield at least two inches higher to get the Arai to shut up. I have gone back to the much less expensive HJC AC 11's.
Never buy a helmet without riding it first. I also have a standard SV Suzuki, and the Arai is great on it with no windscreen. So chek them out first on the bike.
Never buy a helmet without riding it first. I also have a standard SV Suzuki, and the Arai is great on it with no windscreen. So chek them out first on the bike.
madmike2
Shtirrenuppenmeister
The "flip" could be part of the problem. I'm 6'2" x32" inseam. The flip on any FJR windshield has made the problem worse for me. Actually, a Cee Bailey's +4 ht., +3 width works pretty well for me but still no undefined still pocket of air. If I put my hand sideways on top of the windshield, about 90% of the wind buffet disappears. I may have to go to a +5" or +6" in height as my Russell seat raises me 1" over stock.
I should add that I have Skyway's spacers to tilt my windshield back in the summer so I have more wind on my Shoei.
This is the "issue from hell" for a lot of owners.
mdisher
formerly Renegade, get used to it.
I've been dealing with this (slap/buffeting too) now that I put a CalSci tall on my Fej.
I suspected my X11 because it has the tail/wing on the back. But today I wore my Nolan.
Pretty much the same result, so it's not the helmet.
On my previous bike I tried 4 or 5 different shields, and pretty much swore off of shields that had a flip because of that bike and was thinking I might try something like that on the Fej. That was until today.
The issue as I see it is the whole rocking motion of the screen vs something like the BMW RT, they don't rock the screen as much as simply slide it up and down, keeping the angle about the same.
The angle is right or just about right I think in the down position, but in the up position, well, it's like a billboard almost. A flip on my current screen would be no good.
This flat billboard effect, makes it like you're riding behind a semi when you're not.
A wedge to fix the up postion is only going to make the down position bad or worse and/or look stupid.
I looked at the photos that were posted in another thread of a rifle and I think a vstream in the down position with a wedge. It looked bad to me.
Sure function over fashion is one thing, but whole screen rotation while raising mechanism is just wrong.
I suspected my X11 because it has the tail/wing on the back. But today I wore my Nolan.
Pretty much the same result, so it's not the helmet.
On my previous bike I tried 4 or 5 different shields, and pretty much swore off of shields that had a flip because of that bike and was thinking I might try something like that on the Fej. That was until today.
The issue as I see it is the whole rocking motion of the screen vs something like the BMW RT, they don't rock the screen as much as simply slide it up and down, keeping the angle about the same.
The angle is right or just about right I think in the down position, but in the up position, well, it's like a billboard almost. A flip on my current screen would be no good.
This flat billboard effect, makes it like you're riding behind a semi when you're not.
A wedge to fix the up postion is only going to make the down position bad or worse and/or look stupid.
I looked at the photos that were posted in another thread of a rifle and I think a vstream in the down position with a wedge. It looked bad to me.
Sure function over fashion is one thing, but whole screen rotation while raising mechanism is just wrong.
Gcopter
Active member
Stick with the full face helmet... I had a problem more with noise on mine but has a slapping type sound.. So I pooped in some ear plugs and that helped but also put a laminar lip on to help with wind flow over the helmet not only at high speed but slow speed as well.. I use a dainese full face and it has a horizontal fin on which is helpful.. Hope this helps...
I am in the process of experimenting with my rifle shield (3t 4w) i think the only way you can costum
tailor a shield to fit individual riders is by playing with the height and the angle of the shield.
I removed the angle optimaser on my rifle shield and mount the shield on the stock bracket made couple
of holes to the shield to fit the stock bracket no big deal. i used washer to get that tilt that would work for
my height without moving the shield all the way up which would create more bufetting.
Now i have to test ride and udjust till i get that bubble.
I think there are no shield fits all you just have to try diferent shield and then udjust it to your taste.
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radman
R.I.P. Our Motorcycling Friend
This problem is one of the reasons the spacer, ala Rifle, also known as Rads Nuts, works. By tipping the windshield back, it moves the buffet back also. The buffeting is also dependent on bar placement-those with spacers will find the problem more prevalent in that it raises the head into the area of buffeting coming off the top of the shield. The angle tuner moves the top edge of the shield back, shifting the buffet rearward. Combined with the CB +4+4 I use, I have a beautifully dead air pocket behind the shield, and around me, with no buffeting whatsoever, unless I stick my head well up above the windshield line, I mean WAY up. As it is, the w/s size combined with the nuts allows easy vision over the top of the shield with no air.
This setup resulted in no turbulence just this last Sat night, flat out down 35W at aprox 145mph with the shield fully raised.
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twowheelnut
R.I.P. Our Motorcycling Friend
Uh, rad? You get Lazik and go on a diet or sumpin'?
Mike-H
Independent
mdisher
formerly Renegade, get used to it.
Shield (large) with angle tuner
Radman... How's this look in the down position? Like a clear coffee table? or is it not as bad? :blink:
I know they changed the 06 angle somewhat, but dont know if they changed just the screen or the mechanism...
radman
R.I.P. Our Motorcycling Friend
It's been a rough week........
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