Urban Guerrilla (On a mission...)

Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:01 am

Wind noise steps begun on a Ninjette, currently applied to a DL650

Silent Ear earplugs:
32 dB, some of the more effective plugs out there. They come in 3 sizes, so you have a better opportunity to get a proper fit.

Windjammer helmet skirt:
This helps with noise, though there is some tradeoff (not insurmountable) in terms of increased visor fogging in the cold.

Windscreen and mods:
A little taller does a lot to reduce buffeting to the torso, but may actually cause more wind roar if it aims more and dirtier air at bottom of your helmet. The stock V-Strom has wind noise and buffeting so bad that it can actually cause a mild concussion for some riders after a couple of hours on the highway. I have taken a number of steps in windshield department:

California Scientific extra tall (27") windscreen. Laminar Lip on top. Madstad bracket to push the base out and lean back the top a bit. I still have it set up very tall, to the point that I am looking thru the windshield. It is OK most of the time, though I am not crazy about visibility when I combine wet, dark and traffic. OTOH, this setup has knocked down wind noise at highway speeds by a huge amount.

The Cal Sci windscreen has a (an?) NACA duct at the base to reduce excessive negative pressure behind the windscreen that would otherwise pull the air stream further down. The whole idea is to have the wind go up and over your helmet. To aim the air from this intake up the back of the windscreen, I have a little 'mini windscreen' deflector behind my main windscreen. I have traded off the ability to easily adjust the Madstad bracket angle, but since I have the screen set where I want it already, the benefit seems to outweigh the tradeoff.

Before all this, the wind roar would be so bad at highway speeds that it would completely drown out engine noise as I cruised (only hearing the engine if I downshifted or gave it more throttle). Now I can hear equal parts wind noise and engine noise. I would estimate that wind noise at highway speed is down well over 95%.

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• Whats your wind noise tips — Dragon7507, Mon Jan 19, 2009 10:49 am

  • Re: Whats your wind noise tips — shredderhd, Fri Jan 30, 2009 8:02 pm

  • — Bokonon, Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:03 pm

  • Re: Whats your wind noise tips — babe, Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:19 am

    • Any audiologist can make these... — BrianM, Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:24 am

  • Proper fitting earplugs should NOT affect helmet fit — rmi03, Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:03 am

  • Earplugs. You *WILL* lose your hearing without them.... — BrianM, Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:03 am

    • Re: Earplugs. You *WILL* lose your hearing without them.... — scootertrog, Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:59 pm

  • Wind noise steps begun on a Ninjette, currently applied to a DL650 — Urban Guerrilla, Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:01 am

  • Ear plugs are your single best option — M, Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:01 am

    • Re: Ear plugs are your single best option — barrypz, Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:34 pm

      • Skull Screws don't have the highest NRR rating (30) — Urban Guerrilla, Mon Jan 19, 2009 2:46 pm

        • Re: Skull Screws don't have the highest NRR rating (30) — barrypz, Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:49 pm