Wind Noise (how quiet can it be?)

[R65_Steve]

After returning from START, I'm (again) considering a bike with better wind protection.   I added a fairing to my Rockster (2004 R1150R) and it helped A LOT in keeping the wind off my chest and making the long interstate drones a little more tolerable.   Added bonus, I could easily ride into the reckless category (80+ here in VA) and it was much more stable (or less annoying).

 

But, the noise is still there.  The wind seems to hit around the top of my helmet, I still get a lot of bugs on the face shield as well. 

 

Rather than build the bike into something it's never going to be (I could have gotten a slightly taller windscreen, but thought it'd look goofy) I wanted to know what it's like on an RT or a GS.   I own a 99 GS, but it's not nearby and I don't  what the protection was like as I mostly road it on the MABDR and the backroads until I parked it out of state.    I like the 13+ GS with the moveable windsceeen (and then could get the GPS in my line of sight, and some other features).  I know this board is big on RTs and they can also do that. 

 

I have heard that you can make a GS somewhat equivalent in protection, but RT is king in this regard.  And hot in the summer?   Anyhow HOW Quiet can these be?   I was thinking of going to the dealer and test riding, but that's often too short a period to figure it all out. 

[Michaelr11]

3 hours ago, R65_Steve said:

And hot in the summer?   Anyhow HOW Quiet can these be?

  

With the electrically adjustable windshield, the RT (my 1100RT) can be very quiet - if you choose.  At highest position, or getting close to that, the bubble of quiet air rises above you and it gets pretty quiet and still.  Except for rain conditions, I almost never ride like that.  When I get the screen down close to the bottom (OEM hight screen) it is very easy with the motorized adjustments to find a sweet spot a little above fully down, where it is noisy, to some air and some wind noise but not very noisy. It's maybe 1/2 or 3/4 inch above fully down. I wear ear plugs all the time.  Yes, the RT get hot in the summer. When it's over 90, I'm wetting down my shirt, and usually at that temperature riding my Airhead with a small flyscreen.

 

[wbw6cos]

Some folks seem to find these as a viable option.  Worth a shot.  LINKY

[Rougarou]

11 hours ago, wbw6cos said:

Some folks seem to find these as a viable option.  Worth a shot.  LINKY

 

I can say just the Puig windscreen made a world of difference on my GSA.  Feel like the air goes right over my head and I'm in a bubble.  Actually have to turn down the ear buds.  I don't have that top piece thingy.

[Tron]

I may be something of an oddball here, but for me it's quietest when my head is full in the wind, with the windshield protection about at shoulder height. I couldn't achieve this with the stock GS windshield, so I now have the short puig one turned all the way down. I'd say it ends about 6 inches above the instrument cluster.

Everything else creates a turbulent environment around the helmet, and that's usually a lot louder than a (more or less) laminar stream.

[Twisties]

I'm just going to say that it's very individual.  What I mean is that perceptions of wind noise are subjective, and also in terms of an objective measurable amount, the noise level will vary depending on:  how you sit in the cockpit (your height, your position forward or back, seat position and construction (high, low standard) etc.), what windshield you have installed and how it's positioned, what helmet you are wearing, whether your visor is locked, partially open or open, other accessories installed, your speed, and on ambient conditions.  

I ride with noise reducing earphones, and have had an RT and now a GS, as well as other bikes.  I would say the RT and current GS, both with adjustable windscreen heights are equivalent, although I ride with an aftermarket shield on the GS.  The idea that the RT is more protective and hotter is true, but this is mostly about lower body protection and less about upper body and head airflow in my opinion.  On every bike I've ever had  crosswinds have been problematic.  On the GS currently, and on the former RT, in smooth air with a good helmet you should be able to adjust the windshield to produce a nearly noiseless ride.  Sadly, we rarely have such smooth air.   

 

[R65_Steve]

18 hours ago, wbw6cos said:

Some folks seem to find these as a viable option.  Worth a shot.  LINKY

 

 

Thanks.  I actually added one of those on the little flysceen that came with the bike (see avatar from before).  I worry that adding it to the new windscreen (see below), would make the whole contraption too tall and be in my field of vision. 

It'd cost me zero dollars to try it of course. 

Upon investigating the bike while I was looking into the misfire issue that plagued me all trip, I realized I could pivot the screen I just added to be a little more upright.  Since the bike is half apart awaiting some supplies, I did move it (the screen), but have yet to test it.  I wish I had looked into this a little more fully when I was still in TN before riding home.  

 

 

@Twisties mentioned noise canceling earphones.   My helmet has speakers and I use some of those fitted $70 earplugs from a former really.  I know they sell bluetooth versions, but I'll have to see if there's just NC earplugs.  I know they have them for other applications, but that's not for putting under a helmet and taking it on and off.   Hmm.

 

 

[Twisties]

1 hour ago, R65_Steve said:

 

@Twisties mentioned noise canceling earphones.   My helmet has speakers and I use some of those fitted $70 earplugs from a former really.  I know they sell bluetooth versions, but I'll have to see if there's just NC earplugs.  I know they have them for other applications, but that's not for putting under a helmet and taking it on and off.   Hmm.

 

 

 

I just mean noise reducing, not active noise cancelling.  Specifically, at present I'm using S-Plugs, but I think they are on their last legs and I'll likely switch to the Shure SE-215s

[DakarTimm]

I've always worn earplugs . My 2016 R1200RS has a taller aftermarket widsheild . If I were an inch or two shorter the setup would be ideal. At 6'2" My head is just enough in the airstream to get a fair amount of windnoise. 

 Just ,on a whim I ordered the Ear Peace earplugs. They have made all the differance . I can still hear the intercomm very clear . The ambient wind is now gone . At $28.00 they were well worth . 

[JCtx]

I went the other way, and couldn't be happier. I literally owned dozens of bikes with fairings/windscreens, including an RT, and the only bike which could match the relative silence on my current stock R (basically like yours), was my ex GL1800 Goldwing, with the barn door windscreen all the way up... but I was baking inside that bubble. To be clear, it's impossible to ride without earplugs, at least if you have any hearing. Ha ha. But it's awesome being able to ride with zero buffeting and/or turbulence with a naked bike, so no noise fatigue. And contrary to what I thought, I confirmed I can do 80-90 for an hour with zero fatigue, as I followed a group of cars on my last ride. I honestly have no intention of cruising at a higher speeds than that, since it feels faster, which is the other advantage of naked bikes (feeling speed, without having to ride fast). I personally use the green Howard Leight 'Max Lite' NRR30 ear plugs, and can ride all day. The other factor is your HELMET. I wear a Shoei GT Air, which also has a sun screen. It's quiet enough that I can ride all day, and at the same time provides enough ventilation that I don't feel fatigued. It's all a compromise. I used to own the 'racier' Shoei X-xx helmets, which have better ventilation for hot TX... BUT make too much noise. So found the perfect compromise with the GT Air. Bottom line is I'd give your R bike a try without any wind protection, and see if you can adapt to that. I'm not going back to faired bikes, so this R is probably my last bike, as it finally has everything I ever wanted on a bike. The RT feels like a dump truck by comparison, so that's the other aspect of larger bikes. Best of luck.

[R65_Steve]

1 hour ago, JCtx said:

I went the other way, and couldn't be happier. I literally owned dozens of bikes with fairings/windscreens, including an RT, and the only bike which could match the relative silence on my current stock R (basically like yours), was my ex GL1800 Goldwing, with the barn door windscreen all the way up... but I was baking inside that bubble. To be clear, it's impossible to ride without earplugs, at least if you have any hearing. Ha ha. But it's awesome being able to ride with zero buffeting and/or turbulence with a naked bike, so no noise fatigue. And contrary to what I thought, I confirmed I can do 80-90 for an hour with zero fatigue, as I followed a group of cars on my last ride. I honestly have no intention of cruising at a higher speeds than that, since it feels faster, which is the other advantage of naked bikes (feeling speed, without having to ride fast). I personally use the green Howard Leight 'Max Lite' NRR30 ear plugs, and can ride all day. The other factor is your HELMET. I wear a Shoei GT Air, which also has a sun screen. It's quiet enough that I can ride all day, and at the same time provides enough ventilation that I don't feel fatigued. It's all a compromise. I used to own the 'racier' Shoei X-xx helmets, which have better ventilation for hot TX... BUT make too much noise. So found the perfect compromise with the GT Air. Bottom line is I'd give your R bike a try without any wind protection, and see if you can adapt to that. I'm not going back to faired bikes, so this R is probably my last bike, as it finally has everything I ever wanted on a bike. The RT feels like a dump truck by comparison, so that's the other aspect of larger bikes. Best of luck.

 

 

I have an Arai shaped head so I'm limited on helmet choice.  It's a nice helmet though.

 

I have tried it truly naked and it's not for me .

 

 

I did check with big ear and will try my "filtered" earplugs and see if that makes a difference and maybe then order a second set.  Along with the new windshield postion, but the bike is now waiting on supplied and partially apart. 

[R65_Steve]

I have a loaner R1200GS this week with the stock windshield (I guess).  At interstate speeds its way quieter than my bike.  There's wind, sure, but it's way quieter.  I'm quite impressed!

[roadscholar]

This has little bearing on the conversation because I doubt either are still available but the best windshield I've ever had on a bike (there have been many) all things considered is the Aeroflow W/S for the 1150GS. The one for the 1100GS and 1200GS were good but not as good as the 1150. Stock GS's, RT's, GT's, R's, Wings, none compared.