Wind Noise

[Maggie]

I am curious if anyone else has noticed or experiences a hollow kind of howl when riding? I don't hear it all of the time, but more than half of the time it sounds like either the windshield (stock) or some how the front end creates a howl while riding.........it makes a noise that I can only describe as a howling sound.

 

I have a ZTechnik windshield and it happens when this shield is on as well.

 

Any ideas for this question?? Thanks!

[TEWKS]

Maggie its most likely your tires singing to you. At a certain wear point they all seem to make noise.

 

Pat

[maxfrankel]

I had no howl with the stock windshield, but when I switched to the Ztechnik, oh boy. The Ztechnik would put a flock of owls in heat to shame!

[Redbrick]

Maggie its most likely your tires singing to you. At a certain wear point they all seem to make noise.

 

Pat

 

Running Pilot Roads perhaps?...Per Pat's comment above; after tires get some wear on them they can really howl when leaned over.....Sounds like a truck is trying to pass you......

 

Phil..........Redbrick

[blkvelvt]

Maggie its most likely your tires singing to you. At a certain wear point they all seem to make noise.

 

Pat

 

Running Pilot Roads perhaps?...Per Pat's comment above; after tires get some wear on them they can really howl when leaned over.....Sounds like a truck is trying to pass you......

 

Phil..........Redbrick

 

I run Pilot Roads and experience the same howl. If the bike is next to a reflective surface, like a center divider, I notice it even more. Although my howl sounds like a growl.

[Maggie]

I have Pilot Roads which I was just told were at 80%. Does that fit with the at a certain time in their wear? Seems odd to me that it would be the tires. I could swear that it is coming from the windshield area, but I could also be just a little cray too. I don't seem to notice it more when riding next to a wall or something else, but will pay more attention next time out. It does come and go, but mostly it is present and is irritating to my peace when riding. Thank you for your help on this.

[blkvelvt]

I can't say for sure, but it seems a lot of noise issues like this seem to have Pilot Roads as one of the common denomenators in the equation.

[TomfromMD]

Bridgestone tires with stock windshield = no howl

Bridgestone tires with Z-technik windshield = some howl*

Pilot Road front with Z-technik windshield = noticeable howl

*The windshield noise can be virtually eliminated by raising the shield. IMHO, the tire noise is a tradeoff for the better handling (and, hopefully, treadwear).

Tom

[Redbrick]

Just changed Kathy's front Pilot Roads at 9,000 miles (1150RT)....Back will go at least 2,000 more....Same wear pattern on my 1200RT...Good mileage and good handling but noisy...If it's tire noise you're hearing it is primarily from the front tire (80%?) and they do get noisy particularly off a reflective surface and when leaned over.......

Might elevate front wheel and check for play..Spin it, etc.....Try to determine if front wheel bearings are OK.....My guess its the "Roads Rumble" you're hearing....

 

Phil.............Redbrick

[tom collins]

the quieter the windshield, the more noticable other noises will be.

 

Tom Collins

[bobbybob]

Ride an area where the type of road surface changes suddenly, from coarse to smooth--and see if the sound also changes when you cross from one to the other. If not, probably not the tires. Also does it change when leaning vs. vertical?

[TF1200RT]

Definitely the tires. I rode through New Mexico and Arizona where the roads are a different texture from that in Texas and it was very quiet. I have a Ztecnik shield and new Pilot Roads and the "howl" is very noticeable on Texas roads.

[Gordon K Phillips]

I had the same complaint particularly on rough pavement like rough chip seal. I have been most satisfied with Metzler Z6s on a 05 R1200RT. The howl was very bad when riding behind a Cee Bailey windsheild and when wearing an Aria Quantum 2. The Z6s are very quiet, though all tires howl some after a couple thousand miles and when leaned over in a turn.

[Bullett]

I had more of a wind roar with the stock windshield that is completely absent with my Cee Bailey Sumdome. Caveat: I'm short. I couldn't really see over the stock shield and found that I had to put it up in a high position and look through it to avoid the distortion from looking through part of it. Cee Bailey's is optically correct and I can see over it. Not as much protection, though.

 

I have the Metseler Z6's. Not too noisy, but they have worn kind of funny, developing a center ridge at about 6000 miles (I do too lean into turns). I should probably also admit that I have have some low frequency hearing loss, which likely plays a role in the sounds I hear on the bike--mostly engine now, actually). I 've not tried the Z Technic shield.

[Maggie]

I could swear that my bike howls on all types of road surfaces. I notice it most on the freeway. I have been trying to tie the noise to the different wind conditions over the type of road surface(to no avail).

 

As far as any difference on corners, quite honestly, I am too busy changing the ESA to sport, down shifting and concentrating on looking through the turn to notice if the howl is still there or not!!!!

 

All comments have helped me to figure this one out. Thank you.......

[LuckyLeif]

Does the howl change intensity or the pitch (frequency) when you change the angle of the screen? That should be an indicator and let you concentrate on the tires, which would be my guess for the moise source.

[motoguy128]

At lower speeds I can hear some tire noise. But it's not annoying, just remidning that I'm on a motorcycle with tires... duh. I do however hear a constant whistle that I think is from the windscreen. It's not really annoying to me, but it's always present. It seems ot go away if the windscreen is in lower postions and gets stronger at higher positions, but it might jsut be getting drowned out by wind noise at low positions.

[Maggie]

Took the bike to work today and paid particular attention to what was going on with the howl and from the comments that I have heard from many on this thread, I think that it is the tires and not the windshield!! Thank you guys!

[black99S]

Took the bike to work today and paid particular attention to what was going on with the howl and from the comments that I have heard from many on this thread, I think that it is the tires and not the windshield!! Thank you guys!

Same issue. Howl. If you move the windscreen it seems to reflect (direct) more or less of the noise at your head. Seems like the fairing amplifies the noise. Does not matter if tires are on edge or straight up. Drives me nuts so I always ride with ear plugs.

Just replaced my Pilot Road front (wanted to put on the road-2 but no stock) and the noise is dramatically reduced.