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Passenger Complaints About the Wind

Dr. Dolittle

Dr. Dolittle

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I've got a 2008 Street Glide with the stock fairing/windshield. My wife has only ridden on the back for about 10 minutes at a time until today and only up to around 45MPH.

Today we took a nice 45 minute ride out to lunch and then same amount coming home - all back roads up to around 60MPH. When I asked her how it was going over lunch, she complained about how windy it was behind me. Now, it was a perfectly calm day so I explained to her that on a motorcycle, whatever speed you ride at, you're creating a wind of that speed. Then I asked if she felt like it was coming from the windshield, up over my head, and then hitting her. She said no, actually it was her shoulders and arms.

So, my questions. Will a taller windshield help much? I was going to get one for longer, interstate trips but it doesn't sound like it's the wind buffeting her head that's the problem. Is it simply that this was her first time at those speeds and she just needs to learn to relax a bit more? She ended up pressing right up against my back to get out of the wind, which was fine by me, but then she's not enjoying the ride and the scenery like I'd like her to.

Any input at all is appreciated! Thanks
 
Dr Doo, I’d be curious if she had a helmet on. Generally if it’s the windscreen, the turbulence created tucks under the helmet and give you the bobble head syndrome, and can become exhausting after a while, a full faced helmet could take care of that as well as perhaps a higher windscreen, but you should be catching some of the action there too if that’s the case, and she should not be getting it in the shoulder area. Think she may have her coat open and she is ballooning from that ? I love my short windscreen, but it gives off helmet turbulence bad, so only use it locally and use tall one for interstate.
 
Remember too that the passenger is sitting taller than the driver of the bike, this may be where she is getting the wind from and possibly a taller shield will help here. As mentioned above with the helmet, If it's that possibly a peaked visor on the helmet will help too.
 
I went with an 8" Kuryakyn windscreen on my Streetglide. It helped with some of the air turbulance I had with the stock screen, but still keeps the same basic look opposed to the taller ones. I also took the visor off my helmet, which helped with turbulance as well, but agree with bikermonkey that the fullface is the best bet for helmet turbulance.
 
bikermonkey said:
Dr Doo, I’d be curious if she had a helmet on. Generally if it’s the windscreen, the turbulence created tucks under the helmet and give you the bobble head syndrome, and can become exhausting after a while, a full faced helmet could take care of that as well as perhaps a higher windscreen, but you should be catching some of the action there too if that’s the case, and she should not be getting it in the shoulder area. Think she may have her coat open and she is ballooning from that ? I love my short windscreen, but it gives off helmet turbulence bad, so only use it locally and use tall one for interstate.
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She was wearing a 3/4 helmet with face shield down and leather jacket zipped all the way up. She's about 8 inches shorter than me so I doubt she sits above me, even on the bike. I get quite a bit of helmet buffetting above 50MPH or so but I'm used to it so on rides under 2 hours or so it's no big deal to me. How does your tall/interstate one work for you? How tall are you and the shield?
 
Dr. Doolittle said:
She was wearing a 3/4 helmet with face shield down and leather jacket zipped all the way up. She's about 8 inches shorter than me so I doubt she sits above me, even on the bike. I get quite a bit of helmet buffetting above 50MPH or so but I'm used to it so on rides under 2 hours or so it's no big deal to me. How does your tall/interstate one work for you? How tall are you and the shield?
Click to expand...

I was on the interstate today at 110 for a breif fly by, rock solid. The tall windscreen tosses the wind over me complete, but does pick up some road noise which is normal. The tall windscreen is about head high to me, I can see over the short one. Also with the short windscreen, a helmet visor is terrible on my ride. I'd say bite the bullet and get a taller windscreen.
 
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