Wind buffeting

[mack]

I bought a small fairing a couple years ago and put it on the sf and rode for a day. I hated the buffeting my helmet and head recieved while riding.
My question is two fold. First , for the guys with full vetters/pacifico and windjammers; do you still get that buffeting?
Secondly, is it due to the shape of the helmet more than the fairing style. I ask this because with no fairing, my head isn't tossed around like that, it's just wear and tear on the shoulders and arms. Was wondering if swithing from a full face to half would make a difference?

[natemoen]

The buffeting was the fairing. It was causing turbulence, and directing it more at your head. The fairings block more air and direct it farther around you so that you don't get that turbulence hitting you.

[trbig]

With a small fairing, all that buffetting was from it pushing all the wind up into your face. You can still get buffetting from a larger fairing, but it mainly has to do with windshield type. With a full windshield or fairing, it reduces the wind well enough that many people smoke while they ride. Smaller fairings LOOK better in my opinion, but aren't really good for anything else unless you ride laying on your tank.

[MarkD]

Mack-- I bought a smallish Hellfire windshield this summer, and hoped for relief from wind. Pics on my photobucket
http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/FUNfan73/library/

There is no buffeting/turbulence without it, but there was with it installed. I ended up raising the shield about 5 inches to get the turbulence to go over my head, not in my face. The helmet was shaking and causing vibrated vision when it hit my face. My first XS had a larger plexifairing, and it looked a bit clunky, but boy, it was perfect as far as wind protection and turbulence. May ask for one for Christmas.

[JeffH]

First , for the guys with full vetters/pacifico and windjammers; do you still get that buffeting?

Was wondering if switching from a full face to half would make a difference?

I've got the Pacifico. Styling a bit ugly, but for all weather riding it is great. @50-60-70-80-90-100 (that's mph not km/h ) NO BUFFETING. As trbig states, the larger fairings greatly reduce the wind and any potential buffet behind the windscreen. Small fairings can work if they can be adjusted enough for your height at certain speeds.

As for the switch to half helmet. My experience is that if you are getting severe buffeting from the full face helmet then that same buffet will try and rip the half helmet off your head. Chin strap try to choke you. Gets ugly and very uncomfortable. I've tried many combo's and because I am an all weather rider that's why I just bite the bullet on the styling and ride with full fairings on my bikes.

Since you are tall, you may have trouble adjusting a small fairing to move the airflow slipstream turbulence enough at normal operating speeds as Nathan described.

Jeff

[sparkfly88]

I have a vetter IV and I barely get anything at my helmet...vents do nothing, gotta open my visor to get a breeze

[crazy steve]

This can really vary depending on the individual and highlights one of the major faults (IMO) of fairings; their lack of 'adjustability'. Most will only mount one way or within a very limited range and for some riders this will prevent you from getting a good 'air pocket' in the place you occupy on the bike.

Try moving around while riding; if you can find a 'sweet spot', this will tell you if it's low/high or too close/far away. I doubt very much if helmet type will make any difference. I found on my Sportster that if I 'slouched' while riding that almost completely eliminated buffeting, telling me that my windshield is about 1" low. Unfortunately, I can't find one taller and moving it up destroys the fit around the headlight/forks.

Obviously, larger shields will give a bigger 'sweet spot'....

[mack]

Thanx guys

I kept little shield only because I hate throwing things away. But I'll never use it again. I have a full Pacifico for the 78 E ( with lowers and hard bags) and I'm expecting to receive another Pacifico in the mail anyday now for the SF.
Just didn't want to be wasting time and money on them as I found the buffeting affected my vision as well so I wasn't a big fan.
I stuck with Pacifico's because they were the units original to the bike, and I try to restore my machines to original show room condition. They are a bit on the ugly side but a small price to pay for the comfort.
Found out recently that one of the reasons my shoulders bothered me so much was that my left shoulder has been broken for some time and now all the ligaments and tendons have been shreaded from overexersion trying to stabablize it. Waiting to see a surgon now to see if he can do anything for it.
Probably want to do the surgery same time as the North rally next year.

[Rasputin]

Mack do the pacifico's have the small vent opening in the windshield? I find that there is absolutely no turbulence behind my Vetter, but sometimes there is a bit of a vacuum effect behind it. Thus when riding in the rain it will sometimes simply roll over the shield and down on the rider side instead of deflecting completely. I have been told that those small vents in the lower windshield will prevent that vacuum from happening. I plan to install some on mine but have not as yet.

[mack]

Vents

No, the ones that I have do not have vents in the glass at all.

[Poprock]

I run a Pacifico on a SG. Cut the shield down about 9 inches. See over it real well. Bug line on the helmet is just above the face shield. Used to get buffeting until I blocked the 2 vents open all the time. They let enough air in behind to smooth out the airflow. Works for me.

[BA80]

I've put on quite a few miles with the Vetter V and the only problem I have is not enough airflow over the helmet to get a good airflow through the helmet vents. No buffeting but it sure gets hot in that helmet sometimes.