I have read and read everything I can find on how to relieve my wife's misery from buffeting wind on the interstate running in high speed car and truck traffic. It seems everyone has tried something but no one has really settled on what actually works in this regard. Having come off an FJR1300 Yamaha I am not accustomed to the severe buffeting we experience on the 2012 GL1800. I cannot for the life of me imagine Honda not curing this problem from the factory on a bike of this quality. It has everything I wanted except aerodynamics. Numerous windshield and wings have been mentioned but no one has offered what combination really gives relief. My bike is a blank pallet waiting to be fixed. Would someone please give me the formula? The GL is an awesome bike in every other area and I really want to keep riding one. I am in no way trying to discredit Honda or the GL but something has to give.
Thank you all for any help!
Welcome to GWOF from Down Under. Now you may not like this.:frown2: But as far as I am concerned there is only one fix for this. Slow down, take the scenic roads because the buffing on the back seat is real. The rider up front get protected by that big front screen.
This is V, Nightwind, the one who usually rides two up with Eric. We have ridden a lot around the USA. We try to avoid your interstates as much as possible because of the speeds one needs to do and because your big trucks and their wind drag.
I am not sure how Honda could fix the issue of 'buffeting'. Partly is is inevitable because you are in the open and that is the attraction for riding a bike. There is no way to really predict buffeting because it depends on the wind speed and direction, on any given day and the direction you are riding. If you need to be riding on a windy day Eric's advice is good but he didn't explain why.
It is difficult to go slower on the interstates and feel safe so if it is possible to use secondary roads and for us Aussies your secondary roads are still great rides. We do understand that we come to the USA with time to do more sightseeing and are not in a great hurry to get to the destination.
The interstates we have been on are also very open, with few trees, hills etc to help break the wind. Slowing down seems to be able to reduce some of the buffeting. If I can see we need to overtake a big/long vehicles I snuggle very closely into Eric's back so the wind cannot get in between us, staying like that until after we have passed the front wheels of the vehicle we are overtaking and then sitting up again. On our US bike we have helmet communications so it is quickly obvious when the buffetting is bad and my helmet has almost been ripped off my head and Eric slows down. On our OZ bike if he gets a tap on the right shoulder he also slows down. He is considerate that way as he wants me to ride with him. This is just my opinion, of course. Maybe you could both try these things and see if they help.
hope you both continue to enjoy your rides. V
The thing I have said most often on this subject is "open the vent if you have one." It changes the air pressure and lets the high pressure zone move farther rearward, lessening the buffeting for the passenger. Its not a complete cure. It makes a huge difference for most riders. Of course this can vary with the height of the windshield, the height of the pilot and passenger, wind speed and direction, and such. But it does help.
I have a tulsa tall shield and wind wings under the mirrors. My wife has said that the two combined has helped tremendously. I am a happy man because momma is happy !!! :wink2:
I raise the stock windscreen to its highest position, open the vent and close the hand wings when riding two up, unless she wants more airflow due to high temperatures and then I adjust the hand wings accordingly.
There are aftermarket screens that do a better job than the stocker, but it's a case of searching for the handsome prince, you could end up kissing a lot of frogs in the process. F$ is popular, as wells as the Tulsa, I prefer my Windbender.
F4+4 vented(tinted or clear)
Baker Air Wings(Uppers and lowers)
Baker Mirror Wings
That's as good as it gets.
It is a motorcycle!
Following in the "wake" of big trucks is going to buffet you!
I don't know the answer but these chippy comments about it being a motorcycle are ridiculous. My Goldwing is my 4th bike. I have ridden all of them on the interstate from time to time. They were all "motorcycles". It is the only one my wife has complained about related to the buffeting.
It is a Goldwing issue in design. They are great bikes and this doesn't totally change that, but to act like its a non issue does no one any good.
I got a F4+4 and I have no problems but my wife still at times has some issues. When I got her a modular helmet that helped a lot also. Don't know if there is a perfect solution.
I don't think there is anything that will eliminate the buffeting completely. The best you can hope for is to make it tolerable. And there are a lot of products to work with.
I've never met Joe, but in posts he made in the past, he's always been respectful. I doubt he meant to be disrespectful this time.
Truth be told, the wife pointed out a scratch in her front quarter panel that matched the elevation and color of that cup holder. It's a tight squeeze getting by her car, sometimes. I buffed it out and decided it had to go. It needed a new home .
The best ride for the rider and co rider is the F4 Customs Plus 4 and the baker air wings on the side and under the mirror. This will provide a great ride for both the rider and co rider.
Last edited by Fossil92; 01-17-2016 at 05:44 AM. Hehehehe
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