Helmet Slap at highway speeds

[CCook82]

Need some help please?? I bought an '05 non abs and have tried 3 new windshields: Big Rifle, and 2 Cee Bailys and can't get rid of this annoying popping to the head noise. Literally feels like somebody is slapping the top of my helmet HARD with a leather glove on and repeatedly. I'm to the point that I can't ride with a full face Shoei x-1100 with the windscreen down over 50. Depressing. With a 3/4 helmet it doesn't happen but I like to wear a full face cause I like to eat solid food and I like my face.

Has anyone else had this trouble. God I hope so and also have a solution for me. Other wise will have to sell this bike that I love in every other respect.

BTW I'm 5'11" and weigh 175 if it matters. Thank you so much for any help you fellas can share with me...

I previously had an HJC helmet and noticed a lot of buffeting. I now have an Arai and it is way smoother aerodynamically - I tend to ride with the windshield all the way down. Haven't had any buffeting problems even at 100+ mph.

Need some help please?? I bought an '05 non abs and have tried 3 new windshields: Big Rifle, and 2 Cee Bailys and can't get rid of this annoying popping to the head noise. Literally feels like somebody is slapping the top of my helmet HARD with a leather glove on and repeatedly. I'm to the point that I can't ride with a full face Shoei x-1100 with the windscreen down over 50. Depressing. With a 3/4 helmet it doesn't happen but I like to wear a full face cause I like to eat solid food and I like my face.

Has anyone else had this trouble. God I hope so and also have a solution for me. Other wise will have to sell this bike that I love in every other respect.

BTW I'm 5'11" and weigh 175 if it matters. Thank you so much for any help you fellas can share with me...

I previously had an HJC helmet and noticed a lot of buffeting. I now have an Arai and it is way smoother aerodynamically - I tend to ride with the windshield all the way down. Haven't had any buffeting problems even at 100+ mph.

 

[CCook82]

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.

 

[yamahlr]

Sounds like a bumble strip rather than a Rumble strip might be in order here.

 

[madmike2]

Thanks for taking the time to write in your replies, guys. I never have anything loose on me and have no pillion, thankfully. And the helmet and strap is always snug. Thought the Cee Bailly with flip would do it to no avail.

Thx again guys. Got some sperimentin to do. Will let you know what works. Any more ideas would be welcome from someone that has dealt with this issue.

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]

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.

 

[Gcopter]

Need some help please?? I bought an '05 non abs and have tried 3 new windshields: Big Rifle, and 2 Cee Bailys and can't get rid of this annoying popping to the head noise. Literally feels like somebody is slapping the top of my helmet HARD with a leather glove on and repeatedly. I'm to the point that I can't ride with a full face Shoei x-1100 with the windscreen down over 50. Depressing. With a 3/4 helmet it doesn't happen but I like to wear a full face cause I like to eat solid food and I like my face.
Has anyone else had this trouble. God I hope so and also have a solution for me. Other wise will have to sell this bike that I love in every other respect.

BTW I'm 5'11" and weigh 175 if it matters. Thank you so much for any help you fellas can share with me...

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...

 

[SQUIDO]

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 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.

 

[radman]

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.

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.

Shield (large) with angle tuner

Shield 9large) without tuner (stock)

Stock shield, no tuner, fully raised (2003)

This setup resulted in no turbulence just this last Sat night, flat out down 35W at aprox 145mph with the shield fully raised.

 

[twowheelnut]

Uh, rad? You get Lazik and go on a diet or sumpin'?

 

[Mike-H]

Uh, rad? You get Lazik and go on a diet or sumpin'?

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[mdisher]

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]

Lowest position, large shield

Lowest position, stock (03) shield

Uh, rad? You get Lazik and go on a diet or sumpin'?

It's been a rough week........