Stelvio wind buffet question

[drbone641]

Little help please,
I have spent my last 3 weeks going all over the research and planning to part ways from my 09 air-cooled Multistrada and get a 13 Stelvio NTX. I found a great price on an orange one and today, got the opportunity to ride one. Incredibly nice bike, love the engine and suspension. She was like the fat girl in the chair at prom, once you got her fat butt out of the chair, she could really dance. Here is my dilemma, The only reason I am considering getting rid of the Duc, is the wind and noise management in the saddle. The Stelvio was really quiet and smooth until passing 65 mph. Then I started getting a buffet on my helmet. Moved the windscreen all the way up and it was worse, all the way down was best but 70+mph still had my head getting a pretty good buffet. Using my hand on the top of the screen, I was able to get a smooth flow, so I'm thinking that their is a pretty easy fix (unlike the Multi, where 3 screens later still lots of wind on the shoulders and head). So how easy and expensive is the fix? Right now, I have stopped my quest, because of the buffet. I know there's a lot of farkle/ gadget knowledge on the board, so, input please and THANKS!
Don

[pauldaytona]

well, orange means the gig tank modell I suppose. I have that too, they come in two versions with small and big screen. I have the big screen, and ended mounting a spoiler on top, from Wunderlich:
http://www.wunderlich.de/shop/en/wunderlich-varioergo-screen-deflector.html

[ChuckH]

I've got a Laminar Touring Lip in combination with the OEM windshield on my '12 NTX.  I normally ride with my helmet visor open and don't experience the buffeting you are describing.  I'm 5'10" with my seat in the Low position.

In addition, Givi has a combination windshield with a mounted secondary shield that I've seen on various NTX bikes in the past.  The riders are satisfied with the performance of that combination also.

[Gliderjohn]

It is interesting with my Norge that ether with the stock screen or the medium Cal/Sci I use now it is quite quiet going with or into against the wind but riding at highway speeds in a crosswind is extremely noisy and downright painful without earplugs.
GliderJohn

[menzies]

Mine has the Cal Sci screen and it is the first bike I have owned that I have no buffeting, such a relief. The screen was on the bike when purchased so cannot tell you about my experience with the stock but it sure is smooth and like you said the suspension is great, so great I got so I could not ride my Bonneville anymore and sold it, hard to go back, sigh.

Good luck with the purchase.

[Lannis]

Little help please,
I have spent my last 3 weeks going all over the research and planning to part ways from my 09 air-cooled Multistrada and get a 13 Stelvio NTX. I found a great price on an orange one and today, got the opportunity to ride one. Incredibly nice bike, love the engine and suspension. She was like the fat girl in the chair at prom, once you got her fat butt out of the chair, she could really dance. Here is my dilemma, The only reason I am considering getting rid of the Duc, is the wind and noise management in the saddle. The Stelvio was really quiet and smooth until passing 65 mph. Then I started getting a buffet on my helmet. Moved the windscreen all the way up and it was worse, all the way down was best but 70+mph still had my head getting a pretty good buffet. Using my hand on the top of the screen, I was able to get a smooth flow, so I'm thinking that their is a pretty easy fix (unlike the Multi, where 3 screens later still lots of wind on the shoulders and head). So how easy and expensive is the fix? Right now, I have stopped my quest, because of the buffet. I know there's a lot of farkle/ gadget knowledge on the board, so, input please and THANKS!
Don

On my Stelvio I use a 2"-taller "Givi" windshield, topped by "Saeng" edging, the stuff that looks like weatherstripping but actually has an air-management profile.   No more buffeting.

Lannis

[brlawson]

The best solution that I have found so far was developed by Givi and a Gentleman named Jack Parks at Matthews Fun Machines in Charlotte, NC worked with them to provide a kit that he fits to Stelvios when he sells them. He will sell separately and ship to your location

Info as he sent it to me:

Here are the part numbers and prices for the Givi AirFlow kit I have put together.
 
Z1997R    AIRFLOW BLADE                        $69.00
Z1963R    AIRFLOW BLADE LATCH KIT        $27.00
 
If purchased from us we also provide a template developed to help align the six holes that need to be drilled in the stock windshield.  To install we remove the stock windshield, tape the stock windshield to protect it during the drilling operation and then reinstall with the AirFlow.  It takes about 1.5 hours to do it right and we charge $100 for installation.
 
I did mine myself and while I do still get some wind noise from around the mirrors, there is absolutely no buffeting. There is nothing in my  field of vision either like the more expensive wing-let type solutions.

Link to Givi:
http://www.giviusa.com/givi-products/windshields/airflow-windshields

[leafman60]

You have several options, some of which have been presented already.

The degree of buffeting you are experiencing is related to your ride height in the saddle. One man's fix may not work for another.

1. You can go to a larger aftermarket windscreen.

A. Someone has mentioned Calsci. These shields are a simple version with most curvature in the same plane.

http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Stelvioprod.html


B. The best, in my opinion, is from Mr. Gustafsson in St. Augustine FL.  This is perhaps the cleanest option that you can choose. He can reproduce a screen for you that looks virtually identical to your stock shield with all the little depressions and curves but he can make it as tall and wide as you desire. A couple of years ago, he made one for my friend, PYoung, while we were at Bike Week. The Gustafsson looks like stock and works great for PYoung.

Note that if you increase the width, you must retain the side "cutouts" for the handlebars when going lock to lock.

http://www.bikescreen.com/


2. There are several options for add-on wings or spoilers that will enhance the performance of your stock windshield.

A. Another aftermarket supplier is Givi.  They do not show a replacement screen for the NTX. They do have a different (smaller) screen for the older Stelvio.

What Givi does offer is an adjustable "airflow" windshield for several bikes.

http://www.giviusa.com/givi-products/windshields/airflow-windshields

** edit** I see my friend, Bruce, beat me to the punch while I was typing and provided good info about the Givi screen and adjustable spoiler installed on his pre-NTX.  See preceding post.**


You can purchase just the adjustable add-on spoiler part direct from Givi or through any retailer handling their products and adapt it to your stock shield.  This will require drilling some holes through your stock screen but it will give you the option to loosen a pair of knobs and raise or lower the airflow wing.


B. A well-known supplier of add-on spoilers is Laminar Lip.  They offer add-on wings spoilers for both the Stelvio NTX and the older Stelvio models.

http://laminarlip.com/stelvio.php

If you want even greater wind deflection that is provided by the Stelvio Laminar Lip, you can adapt one from a non-water-cooled BMW 1200GS.  This is the option I took. You will need to heat the GS Laminar Lip with a heat gun and relax its curvature to make it flatter.  After that, it will fit the Stelvio NTX windshield and offer a wider coverage than the item made specifically for the NTX.

One further note.  Most Laminar Lips come with industrial hook-and-loop fasteners. I used these for a while but eventually converted to nylon screws and spacers attaching the lip to holes I drilled through my stock windshield. All works great.  I'm 6-2.

NTX with GS Lam Lip-



If you add a lot of height and width to the stock shield you may find it a little floppy (not bad) on rough off-road situations. Should that occur, you can add some fabricated struts to give more rigidity to the windshield.  These are made from aluminum flat bar stock.




.

[Cage Free]

Something that hasn't been mentioned is seat height, you need to find out what it was at when you test rode it and switch to other position assuming you are comfortable in both positions. Im 6'2", I have my seat in the high position and have my windshield in the lowest spot and have no complaints at any speed. My bike is a 2013.

[leafman60]

Something that hasn't been mentioned is seat height, you need to find out what it was at when you test rode it and switch to other position assuming you are comfortable in both positions. Im 6'2", I have my seat in the high position and have my windshield in the lowest spot and have no complaints at any speed. My bike is a 2013.

Yes, I agree.  That's why I mentioned ride height. The taller you are vis-a-vis the windshield, the more help you need.

[drbone641]

I wasn't sure about the saddle height from the ride yesterday so I called riders hill and Dave checked and told me that the saddle was up as far as it goes so now I have more to think about and probably another test drive.  ???

[leafman60]

The Stelvio NTX is a fine machine... for any purpose.

[kirb]

The wunderlich in action: http://stelviontx.blogspot.com/2013/05/other-items-that-i-use-not-really-mods.html

It solved all my wind issues on the Stelvio. Very adjustable, does not ruin the lines of the bike, nice quality, 2nd one I've owned.

[tassiejames]

Hello all, I have just found this thread and have read with great interest - I have a major issue with buffeting and wind noise on my 2012 NTX and will look at some of these suggestions - the first being to fiddle with the seat height and then windscreen setting in combo to see if that solves it.  Other than the buffeting issue, the Stelvio is a fine bike and I have done around 20,000 kilometres in the last year on mine.   Cheers from Tasmania

[Spuddy]

I'm 6' and with the seat in low position and wind screen high I have no buffeting issues.  However, since I collect plenty of wildlife on my face shield I ordered a Gustafsson windscreen which is +2" higher than stock.  We'll see...