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Buffeting at highway speeds (50+ MPH)

F

Felipearango

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There are many YouTube videos regarding buffeting. This is something I have struggled with with many bikes. I don’t use a windscreen anymore. There is a vacuum of some sort that is created between the screen and your body. For me, the wind hits me right on the chest and I don’t mind. The other issue is that many companies don’t allow you to return windscreens. If you try to use other sizes, see if you can buy used. I will try to find some links that help you with this if you need more help. Good luck!
 
Can you also let me know what kind of mileage you get on the highway. Haven’t seen much on the real world highway mileage. I haven’t bought one yet but I need to make sure my commute can make it. My job (Honda Auto Plant) does not have any charging stations, yet. SMH
 
Laurie said:
Can you also let me know what kind of mileage you get on the highway. Haven’t seen much on the real world highway mileage. I haven’t bought one yet but I need to make sure my commute can make it. My job (Honda Auto Plant) does not have any charging stations, yet. SMH
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Laurie, thanks for the reply. My commute is 11 miles each way, of which 7 are highway miles (65+ MPH). What I'm getting as a current mileage estimate with a full charge is 65 miles, given that BMW's algorithm corrects for driving conditions AFAIK.
 
Felipearango said:
I currently have the tall OEM windscreen on my CE04. Buffeting is quite significant at 50+ MPH. Ordered a less than ideal aftermarket wind deflector which didn't improve the situation (link below). I'm at the point where I might return altogether to the original low windscreen.

Any ideas on how to contain buffeting are welcome!

Thanks,

F


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There are a few companies that make windscreens for the CE-04, but I'm unaware of their return policies. I seem to recall that Clearview lets you return windshields if you try them out with the wrapping plastic kept in place, in order not to damage them, for instance.

I had Clearviews on a couple of 650 Burgman scooters, but unfortunately they don't seem to have a product for the CE-04.

On my C 400 GT, I have a Marathon screen from Wunderlich, and they do offer a screen and an extension for the CE-04:

wunderlichamerica.com: Airflow

Wunderlich is known for the highest quality German engineered Motorcycle Parts & Accessories.
www.wunderlichamerica.com

I had no real objection to the stock screen for the GT, but my wife -- an occasional passenger -- said that it had some buffeting back there, so I got the Wunderlich; it's wider and a little differently shaped, and did the trick, according to her.

Incidentally, on the Wunderlich I ordered I included the (optional, extra-cost) closable vent in it, just as I did with my two Clearviews; an open vent ameliorates back-pressure right behind the screen, and also affords some extra breeze in hot weather (I'm a look-over rider, not a look-through rider, in terms of windscreens). Alas, their CE-04 Marathon doesn't seem to offer this option (although some companies sell circular closable vents that you can put in any windscreen, if you're willing to drill a door-knob-sized hole in them).

Other companies that offer bespoke windscreens for the CE-04 include Ermax (which I've heard good things about on a Burgman forum, I think it was), Givi, and Puig (which I've also read good things about, I recall):

ermax: products-by-bike

www.ermax.com www.ermax.com

www.givi.it

Errore 404 - Pagina non trovata - Givi

Errore 404 - Pagina non trovata - Givi
www.givi.it www.givi.it

puig.tv

Windshield V-Tech Line Touring - Puig Hi-Tech Parts

Windshield V-Tech Line Touring - Puig Hi-Tech Parts
puig.tv puig.tv

So I suppose you can try one or more of these products, and if things don't work try selling them (say, at half price) on the forum, to someone else who wants to try one -- this sort of thing is a common practice on some forums I've been on, such as a Victory forum, that had a lot of members, with a lot wanting to try to find windshields that were right for their particular physiques and likes. Or you could just chalk it up to experience and eat the cost (which isn't all that much, IMO, compared to other things you can spend on bikes, as well as the cost of the bike itself). After all, if you find the right one for you, it's something that you'll use every ride.
 
I fitted the BMW CE 04 tall screen but was disappointed to find that turbulence was quite bad around the helmet region. Several years ago I had a much worse turbulence issue with the BMW touring screen on my R1200R which I fixed by fitting a Wunderlich wind deflector. So I tried the same deflector on my CE 04 screen and after a bit of experimentation with height and angle I managed to significantly reduce turbulence with only minor screen wobbling at speed. I found the best position was with the deflector set high at an angle that presented a nearly perpendicular deflector orientation to the direction of travel. The top edge of the deflector is 4.5" (115 mm) above the top edge of the BMW screen. I am slightly taller than 5' 7" with a 32" inseam. I'm not claiming to have fully optimised the position but this seemed to work so I stopped fiddling further.

I have attached some fairly bad photographs to give the general idea of the position. Note how I have deliberately kept the screen dirty to better show the deflector position :)
 

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Reviving an old windscreen thread.. I have the 'High Windscreen' , bike is 2025 model, and the buffeting is annoying at 50mph+. I have tested a few bikes recently both on the road and at the ABR festival last weekend at Ragley Hall (UK) which was a great event btw. Anyway most of the naked bikes I have ridden have had understandably a lot more airflow past the helmet but I've preferred this to the current buffeting I get. Does the std small windscreen give 'smooth' airflow like a naked bike (obv a lot more fairing going on for the legs/body)? Tbf maybe I'll just get one and give it a try, they're not too expensive.
 

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For summer use I take off my high windscreen + Wunderlich deflector and replace with the standard screen. I find that I get hardly any buffeting, just plenty of air flow and a sportier feel. If you're coming from the tall BMW screen to the standard screen I think you will be pleased provided you're OK with more wind noise. I usually wear earplugs which reduces the miscellaneous rattling noises coming from my CE 04 as well as the wind.
.
 
Bob66 said:
For summer use I take off my high windscreen + Wunderlich deflector and replace with the standard screen. I find that I get hardly any buffeting, just plenty of air flow and a sportier feel. If you're coming from the tall BMW screen to the standard screen I think you will be pleased provided you're OK with more wind noise. I usually wear earplugs which reduces the miscellaneous rattling noises coming from my CE 04 as well as the wind.
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Cheers Bob, have ordered one. :)
 
I'm mostly a fan of having the cut-off right at my neck, so the helmet is in laminar wind flow. The Puig screen I have on now does that pretty dead on. No buffeting at all.
My bike came with the tiny standard screen and that makes it behave pretty much like a naked bike would. Although you do get some air pressure on your upper body, which I find not as comfortable with the seating position. Or you'd have to lean forward. Plus, I think the standard screen would really eat into your kWh mileage as the c_w of a naked rider is pretty bad.
 
My bike came with the OEM tall screen, and the Puig is indeed a couple of inches taller. Works well for me. I bought it mainly because with these bikes streamlining apparently has a significant effect on range, but I also appreciate the reduced wind pressure on upper body. With the bars being essentially non-adjustable, I find myself sitting bolt upright, so difficult really to lean into the wind
 
Martin C said:
Looks like the Puig screen is a couple of inches taller.
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It is.
It does wobble a little bit at 75mph, though, which is not totally surprising and not an issue at all. Since I never had the tall OEM screen, I don't know how that is in this respect.
But the Puig uses the stock four mounting points with an orange brace in between and has no upper mounting points as the OEM screen does. But since the force is all directed to the four lower bolts anyway, I'm not sure how effective that is in the first place.
 
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