Wind Roar

[Bounce]

Earplugs certainly help and are the only thing that makes it tolerable but I would very much like to deal with the problem directly, if at all possible.

use a car?

the nature of bikes is such that you'll never have perfection and always need ear plugs to protect your hearing.

 

[RossKean]

Earplugs certainly help and are the only thing that makes it tolerable but I would very much like to deal with the problem directly, if at all possible.

use a car?

Yeah, but only from December to March.

 

[RaYzerman19]

I had a CalSci Large, which was 4" taller than stock. This was better than the stock, but it is too narrow at the top to prevent turbulence around your shoulders/ears. I now have the Rifle +5 +4, and I can actually run without ear plugs except for the high pitched gear whine of the counterbalancers. The angled spacers, more curve and more width at the top fixes everything. The extra air flow underneath is great. However, it is a great foul weather shield, and when it gets hot, you might wish you had more air flow (raise it 2" and air flows under the sides). So, I also have the Baker Air Wings to bring in more air. See you in a couple of weeks or so.

 

[RossKean]

... I now have the Rifle +5 +4, and I can actually run without ear plugs except for the high pitched gear whine of the counterbalancers. The angled spacers, more curve and more width at the top fixes everything. The extra air flow underneath is great. However, it is a great foul weather shield, and when it gets hot, you might wish you had more air flow (raise it 2" and air flows under the sides). So, I also have the Baker Air Wings to bring in more air. See you in a couple of weeks or so.

I would like to have a look at your setup when you are here. Not quite ready to make the considerable investment on a new Rifle. Money back guarantee yes; but with shipping to and from Canada, the cost to "try" would be $75 or so. To buy is over $250, depending upon tint etc.

 

[Don2334]

When I bought my bike it came with a laminar lip on the stock windshield. I'm 5'10 and I don't get much buffeting but it is noisy. I'm going to put some spacers in to increase the lean angle a little. Do you have to get longer windshield screws to do this and do you have to put spacers on all the screws or just the bottom ones?

Don

 

[Fred W]

Yes longer screws. and just in the bottom ones. That's what creates the increased angle.

 

[Don2334]

What size are the windshield screws?

Don

 

[Harald]

What size are the windshield screws?

Don

One of you 08 and newer owners will need to chime in on this one because I think the windshield arms were changed. On 06 and 07 bikes, the 2 spacers are installed on the arm mechanism to tip the shield back. The 7 plastic screws that attach the windshield are not modified in any way. It may be that installing longer plastic screws with spacers are the only way to tip back the shield on the newer FJR's?

 

[Deacon06]

I had a CalSci Large, which was 4" taller than stock. This was better than the stock, but it is too narrow at the top to prevent turbulence around your shoulders/ears. I now have the Rifle +5 +4, and I can actually run without ear plugs except for the high pitched gear whine of the counterbalancers. The angled spacers, more curve and more width at the top fixes everything. The extra air flow underneath is great. However, it is a great foul weather shield, and when it gets hot, you might wish you had more air flow (raise it 2" and air flows under the sides). So, I also have the Baker Air Wings to bring in more air. See you in a couple of weeks or so.

Ditto...I just switched from Cal-Sci Large to Rifle +5 +4 yesterday. Very happy, think I finally found what works for me. I'm 6'4", 200 lbs, 34" inseam. It is a bit pricey but well worth it to me since it does the job.

 

[Denver_FJR]

Unfortunately this is a bit of a "me too" response, but maybe it will help pinpoint your problem.

I wear custom-fit ear plugs but find I'm still getting considerable low frequency noise which becomes irritating during long rides. I've noticed this problem across a couple bikes and have no interest in putting a barn door size shield on bike. For me, most of the noise is coming up from a gap between helmet and neck just below my ears. While riding, try placing a hand at this spot and see if it resolves your wind roar.

Now the bad news... Unfortunately I've never found a workable method to seal this gap. I've seen companies selling a foam roll that attaches around base of helmet, but seemed too gimmicky.

I'll admit it could be my helmet fit, but I'm wearing an Arai Profile which is the narrowest helmet made (I'm aware of).

Good luck in your quest!

 

[Aasland]

I wonder if these may help?

https://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/noj-quiet-rider/index.htm

https://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/windjammer/helmet-wind-blocker.htm

I tried the wind jammer years ago but it kept sliding off the helmet.

Nowadays I just use good earplugs ... dunno what it is about the FJR, but there is a hell of a lot more windnoise on this bike than any other I've ridden.

 

[Bounce]

I wear custom-fit ear plugs but find I'm still getting considerable low frequency noise which becomes irritating during long rides. I've noticed this problem across a couple bikes and have no interest in putting a barn door size shield on bike.

Perhaps that low frequency is there all the time (when riding) but the ear plugs attenuate enough of the other abuse that the remaining low frequencies now stand out? If so, then you're definitely helping your hearing even if not completely isolating it all noise.

 

[Tom Vance]

No windshield, earplugs and a quiet helmet make a big difference to me.

I cut an old windshield off with a jig saw to match the lines of the fairing. I love riding with no windshield. I don't ride freeways or tour long distance but put about 7,000 miles a year on my bike.

 

[carlson_mn]

^ that's awesome.

 

[Scottej]

I am 5'9" and run a rifle +3 +4. There are a couple of sweet spots for me. The first is with the top of the shield up so I can just comfortably see over it. Cuts the noise enormously. As I raise the shield, I can hear the noise just fading away, and then I can actually hear all the interesting noises that an FJR motor and shaft drive make. A bit disconcerting actually. I don't need earplugs with this shield. I wear a Shark Evoline helmet, which is also a fairly quiet helmet. If I raise it further, I can get it up high enough so that everything in my riding vision is seen through the shield. It is very quiet in that position too, but there is a strange sensation of being sucked forward. Nothing extreme, but as I raise the shield I can feel the change as I become completely encased in the vacuum behind the shield. I have read some posts where really tall guys order custom sizes from Rifle - really tall shields so they get the same range possibilities as I describe above. I worried when purchasing the shield that it would flap about at high speeds, or cause big problems on windy days. It has not been a problem at all. I have had the speedo vertical with the shield in all positions, and riden in 30 mph cross winds without the shield adding noticable instability. The only downside I can see to the big shield is the lack of good airflow on really hot days. Some people change back to the stock shield for the hottest months. Had to shed my jacket a few days ago riding in 90 degree weather with moderate humidity. Oh, one more thing. When it rains, lifting the shield leads to a dry helmet visor - the water just rushed off the shield right over my head. I have read some good things about other larger shields too - but I have only tried the Rifle (which I bought after an extensive search for comments on this and other forums).

 

[gorbash]

I installed the Laminar Lip from Laminar LLC 2000 miles ago. It improved on the stock 07 windshield from halfway raised to full up.

Much less noise and totally eliminated helmet buffeting under 80. Now I can hear the engine. I'm 5-10 and have the seat in the lower position. I wear a 3/4 HJC helmet with full face shield and foam 3M ear plugs.

On hot days I leave the windshield down a ways. It was very interesting to watch the cottonwood tree fluff come into the windshield and then accelerate up through the gap and over my head.

 

[raitchison]

I have this same problem I'm going to need to tackle:

I'm pretty tall, 6'5"+ with a 34" inseam (I have a long torso).

I have a Cal Sci windshield but I'm not sure the size (it came with the bike), there is also some black trim on the shield which I'm not sure if it's supposed to be decorative or functional:

With me the wind roar is terrible with the windshield up, with it down there is less roar but then you are getting beat up by the wind. I've tried various intermediate positions and it seems to be the worst of both worlds.

I figure I'm going to need a new windshield but I don't want to go too big. I was looking at the Cee Baileys an advantage there is that I could ride in and have them help me get the right size.

 

[maddad]

5'9 I use both a short stock shield and v-stream, both wiht rifle block. Short stock has what I would expect for noise because my head is always in the air. V-Stream has some very specific variations depending on it's set. Full down with the rifle block I still get full wind. 1/3 up is a sweet spot with less noise, but what I've been most surprised with is at full up on the v-stream is get a huge amount of buffeting. Until that is I crack or raise my helmet shield some. With the vstream full up and my helmet shield crack open or evne full open I get almost zero noise and can easily hear the engine running at highway speeds.

My 2 cents, your helmet and shield position on your helmet have as much affect on noise as your bike shield does. You need to adjust both to find out where it best works for you.

I'd like to add an extra sun visor like you see on dirt bike helmets to see what kind of effect that has.

 

[Fred W]

I'd like to add an extra sun visor like you see on dirt bike helmets to see what kind of effect that has.

You could try a Super-Visor.

I haven't tried one, so can't really vouch for them. I've been tempted to give one a try myself for spring and fall (low sun) riding.

I do have a dual sport helmet with a similar beak on top and that has less of an effect of being tugged around at speed by the wind than you'd expect, even with the bike's windshield all the way down.

 

[ionbeam]

...I have a Cal Sci windshield but I'm not sure the size (it came with the bike), there is also some black trim on the shield which I'm not sure if it's supposed to be decorative or functional:

I believe that you have a Saeng windshield edging. From the site: "Saeng's patented Micro-Swirls™ technology."