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Help with buffeting

8K views 33 replies 14 participants last post by  EL Pistoffo 
#1 ·
New rider here. Rode my '06 C50 on the highway this past weekend for a few miles, not pleasant. Was riding at around 70 MPH (actual) and found my head to be vibrating quite a bit from the wind effect, buffetting. Felt like I was one of those little toy football players on those old electric vibrating football board game thingys. The vibration naturally affects my vision (blurring it) making it harder to clearly read text on street signs and generally annoying. I have perfect vision BTW.

My bike is equipped with Suzuki windshield and I wear a FF helmet. I'm 5"7". When I tucked my head a little lower and forward towards the windshield, all become good. Makes me wonder if the buffeting is coming from over the windshield or under or both. The windshield appears to be adjusted to its lowest setting giving me a nice view over it of the street. The rider I bought the bike from was much taller than me.

So not sure as to whether I should raise the windshield or install lowers. This head vibrating, buffeting effect seems to start after 50 MPH or so.

The bike also vibrates at those speeds but that is another story.
 
#2 ·
Install lowers, works for everyone else.
 
#3 ·
The highest point of the Windshield should be at the bridge of your nose. You may try raising it to the highest mounting point. You should be looking over it not through it.

Also, the type of helmet makes a difference on buffeting. Your may not be as aerodynamic as others. Is it new technology or old?
 
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#5 ·
It's a pretty good helmet, Shoei Neotec. I Need to verify that height adjustment in relation to my nose but I definitely don't look through the windshield to sight my forward point ahead when riding.

Install lowers, works for everyone else.

Counter Steer is correct, you need lowers. It seems weird, but the buffeting wind is coming from under the shield.
I figured as much. I tried to feel with my hands where the wind was traveling from bottom to top when I was on the slab but couldn't really get a good sense of it with gloves on. Gonna order lowers later this week. Damn bike is a money pit. LOL

Thx Y'all
 
#6 ·
I had the same issue, built my own lowers with plans from someone on this forum - they work great and make all the difference. Cost me less than $25 to build, but if you don't want to do that you can purchase some - there are plenty out there. Mine are made with plexiglass and some aluminum angle iron and fasten to the windshield brackets. Easy-peasy, Japaneesy!
 
#7 ·
I think I saw that DIY lowers thread here somewhere recently. I still have some thin plexiglass left from my saggy saddlebag lift operation but I'd need thicker stuff for lowers. I think I'll bite the bullet on this one and just buy a set.
 
#9 ·
Lowers will help, but they will not eliminate the buffeting. The issue is the area of low pressure created as air accelerates over the top (think about an airplane wing.) By reducing the air pressure, the instability it creates is reduced. Your helmet is still going to Bob and vibrate even with lowers if you go fast enough.
 
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#10 ·
And that makes sense to me. If I raised my head as high as possible, getting more of the air to envelope my helmet, the vibration seemed to lessen-up. If I tucked up right behind the windshield, all good.

It's a combination of the air flow patterns in relation to the helmet position. It sounds like not having a windshield may eliminate the issue though the torso will have to deal with added drag.

All I can do is try to improve it best I can. I like the windshield so I'm going to try the lowers and take it from there.
 
#12 ·
For me, I found an interesting experience. Windshield on at the proper height and no lowers gave some head buffeting at higher speeds over the speed limit. Add lowers and much less head buffeting. No windshield and no lowers gave no head buffeting. But, at 80mph, I was hanging on. At 60mph, it was a nice relaxing ride. If you are all alone on the road, you can use your hand to feel around for air movement and where it hits your helmet. The lowers will block the air coming from your gas tank and hitting your head. I have a set of chrome lowers I can sell to you for $95 shipped to your door.
 
#14 ·
PM sent.

I had the complete opposite experience on both the C50 and the Vulcan. Up to 55 mph, the ride was dead calm and very comfortable. Above 55 mph, the vibration on my helmet began and it got progressively worse as the speed increased. It was even worse when riding two up as the additional body created a second low pressure area and it often felt like someone was deliberately pushing my helmet forward as we rode. That was one of the principle reasons I moved away from cruisers and went to a touring bike with a fixed fairing. It was designed from the start to provide maximum rider comfort and it does that in spades. So much so, that Ron often has to ask me to slow down on our rides. It is not even maybe...
Sounds a lot like what I'm experiencing. I haven't rode 2-up yet.

I'm gonna give the lowers a try and maybe some slight adjustments of the windshield and see what happens.
 
#15 ·
I just bought a 2013 C50T with the stock windshield and coming from an 1800 Goldwing I found the buffeting absolutely horrendous. I found plans on this forum for lowers and picking and choosing among the different home made models made myself a set. First the flat angled and overlapping the windshield designed lowers that I made corrected 95% of the buffeting while at the same it forces the air straight up behind the windshield eliminating the low pressure zone created just behind it. This eliminates the buffeting created from behind the rider that hits the helmet in the back. I'm fairly tall and even with the windshield at the highest setting I still got some buffeting at the top my helmet. I installed a Laminar Lip and that buffeting is now eliminated. The buffeting I now experience on my head is no worse than what I had on my Goldwing with its full fairing and its extra tall windshield with vent that I looked through and not over. Look for the threads on this forum for making your own as I feel they are superior designs to what is available commercially.
 
#16 ·
Could you provide a little more info on the design you based your lowers on, maybe some pics of them.

I have the option of going with a chrome lower or Memphis Shield lowers. If going DIY is vastly superior then I have to consider it.

I really want to get this right and eliminate as much of the buffeting as possible.

So how did align your windshield hight in relation to your head or sight?
 
#18 ·
Agree with Skrapiron that lowers will help but not solve the issue. The prevailing wind speed and direction also make a big difference. I dealt with a very windy day on the way home the other day for a 3.5 hour drive and it wore my neck and back muscles down.
 
#19 · (Edited)
I got Memphis Lowers ordered and on the way. Should have them sometime next week so I'll be giving them a try next weekend. Hoping they do the job.

On the subject of 2-up riding. The wife rode with me for the first times last night and this morning. She really enjoyed it. We didn't ride any faster than 55 mph so no buffeting issues for either of us.
Handling the added 150 lbs and it's higher center of gravity was a bit challenging. Low speed maneuvering is more difficult but I'm getting the hang of it. The C50 doesn't exactly fly but it gets the job done just fine IMO.
 
#20 ·
Got the Memphis lowers installed today. WOW, what a difference. I did a short 2 mile ride on the freeway traveling 70-73 MPH actual. The crazy head vibration and blurred vision gone. I'll try a longer ride on the freeway this weekend to be sure of results but this preliminary run was a success. Far more enjoyable ride. I'm still not accustomed to riding at these speeds, 70 mph feels like 100+, lol.

I'm having a slight problem with one of the lowers. The right side fork tube cover free spins round and round. It has a little resistance but not enough to resisting moving in the wind. The left side does not free-spin. This free spin will allow the lower assembly, under high wind speed force, to spin the fork tube toward the bike and basically fold the lower inward towards the bike. I had to use zip-tie rig to hold the lower in position to prevent spinning. I'm not a fan of rigs so maybe someone knows if these fork tubes can be tightened.





So it's apparent that highway riding is not the C50's strong point. Kind of a bummer but not the end of the world. I knew this going into this bike but as a new rider, and my style/needs as a rider, this limitation is acceptable for the time being. I know myself and I know that probably within a couple of years I'll upgrade my bike.
 
#22 ·
...
I'm having a slight problem with one of the lowers. The right side fork tube cover free spins round and round. It has a little resistance but not enough to resisting moving in the wind. The left side does not free-spin. This free spin will allow the lower assembly, under high wind speed force, to spin the fork tube toward the bike and basically fold the lower inward towards the bike. I had to use zip-tie rig to hold the lower in position to prevent spinning. I'm not a fan of rigs so maybe someone knows if these fork tubes can be tightened.
...
The fork tube cover should not spin. Sounds like it's not properly seated at the triple tree and something is loose. The covers have notches and indentations and should not be rotating. Here is an exploaded view of the assembly.



If you ever need to see how something is put together, this site can be very helpful:

Suzuki Motorcycle OEM Parts, Babbitts Suzuki Partshouse

BTW, if you are using the stock windshield mounts, you can easily make a mount for your lowers that attaches to the windshield mount. Thats what I did when I made my own. Needed something to help keep the raindrops off my knuckles. At 55+mph, raindrops are like rocks. Check out my album for some picks of the lowers I've made.

 
#21 ·
No, the c50 isn't made for Freeway speeds of 75+mph but the DJ drive helps in this area. The c50 definitely isn't made for 90mph but that is well above the speed limit in most places. The c50 does great at highway speeds of 60mph and less. It really just depends on the kind of riding you do and want to do. If you want to ride the backroads of America, the c50 is great for that.

If you want to hit the freeway to travel 80mph for 6-8 hours to get to the mountains for some relaxing backroad riding, the c50 probably isn't the bike for you. Although, if you will take the backroads to get to the mountains in 8-10 hours, the c50 is good for that.

The c50 is a cruiser. It is not a racer or a sport bike. It is nothing like the famed Suzuki Hyabusa - which shows Suzuki knows how to make a totally bada-- sport bike.
 
#25 ·
El Pistaffo, ... found a better pic and assy instructions.
PM me your email address and I'll send it to you.

May be able to figure out how to tighen them up.

------------
In case you may want to try making your own bracket, here are some pics of how I mounted my home-made lowers to the windshield bracket. (Excuse the dirt, didn't get a chance to clean her this weekend).

This shows the angle aluminum mount, front and back.


This pic shows the mounting. You could extend the bracket down to reach your lowers and mount them to it in a similar manner.
 
#26 ·
PM sent.

I don't think it will come to me needing to re-bracket to the shield but you never know. The lowers have been working phenomenal so far with the limited rides I've taken. They work almost too good, eliminating a lot of the air that used to help keep me cool in this warm weather.

Though the tube spins it has some resistance. I'm just not too sure it's enough to resist high speed wind. With the zip-tie, it hold plenty good. The right side is to stiff to get pushed by the wind.
 
#28 ·
Ah yes, the money pit............... Since getting the Versys I have done the following: modded the seat (removed some foam and added a gel pad), installed 3.5 inch Rox risers, installed foam grip sleeves, installed a Cramp Buster, made a custom throttle lock, and fabbed up some mounts to attach highway pegs (which I haven't purchased yet). Still will need a touring windshield to replace the OEM one for those long rides and maybe a Seat Concepts kit to re-do the seat better.

That might be all I'll need to do but you never know what other shortcoming will raise their ugly head on a long ride. :)
 
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#29 ·
Had a nice long ride with the wife this morning. Only ran above 55 mph for a brief part of the ride but I did notice minor buffeting of my helmet. It's occurring on the top of the helmet from the wind coming over the windshield. It's a minor amount and quite tolerable. Windshield is adjusted at max height. No biggie for me I'm still quite happy with the difference the lowers made.
 
#30 ·
pcdoctorcom, i sent you a PM. Would you be willing to make and sell a set of lowers and brackets for me? I've been looking for chrome ones for years. I missed the window with VA was selling them. I can't even use my shield because the buffeting is so bad.
 
#31 ·
When I first got my c50 I was having a hard time with buffeting. I read somewhere about adjusting the windshield and it really helped. I took out the top bolts on the windshield and loosened the bottom ones just a little. Tilted the windshield forward and put the top bolts back in. Lowered the windshield back to rest against the top bolts then tightened everything down.
 

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#32 ·
Interesting idea. Is that safe with those upper bolts outside of the slot?

This is what I have with a laminar lip that was donated to me. It help a little but not enough. Still get wind buffeting on top of helmet, not a bad as before but the improvement is marginal. I may try your method.



 
#34 ·
Just an update. I still find myself experiencing top helmet buffeting, especially when riding into a head wind. Wasn't as bad as originally but still enough to drive me batshit crazy. Running the windshield forward and all the way up leaves me looking through it and I don't like that much. More drag on the bike too.

While reading through some sport tourer forums (possibly next type of bike I switch to) I found many riders switch to shorter than standard windshields for better comfort. Apparently, if you cant achieve that complete air bubble that clears the top of your helmet then you need to expose more of the helmet to the wind for even wind drag/contact. So that had me thinking I should try the same. I pulled my windshield all the way back then down to it's lowest position. I took a short test drive on the highway at 75-80 mph actual. I found no buffeting, zero. Just lots of wind to the face area. I'm good with that, very good. I was experiencing buffeting at speeds as low as 55 mph sometimes. Not having my head buzz at ultrasonic frequencies is much more pleasant. I'll have to do some more extensive riding to be sure this works, I've been fooled before.
 
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