You can try my 27" Cee Bailey if you want. Give me a call.
813-842-9218

 

Thanks Wayne I would love to give it a shot. I'll be in Mexico until Tuesday, shoot me a PM and let me know whens a good time to call!

This place rocks!

 

I have a Cee Bailey 21.5 inch and a Madstad bracket. I have never ridden the bike with the stock shield. Put this on right from the start.

I'm 5' 10" 190 lb. I never had a buffeting problem at any speed 0-110mph.

 

Strange. I find the stock screen in the lowest position admirably quiet and still as compared to my FJR. FWIW, I'm 6' even.

One thing that you might try is a RumbleStrip on your helmet. Worked for me on my GL1800.

http://www.rumble-strips.com/

 

Windshield idea

Phantomx, I sure hope you and your V-Strom can work things out. Divorces are so messy and EXPEN$IVE!

In 1993, I happened to buy a CB750 with a windshield. Well, I hadn't been behind a windshield since the sixties, so I felt as if I was plowing the sky with a bathtub. That shield is immense, and behind it is a sea of calm air. The shield has extensions that keep rain off my hands.

Perhaps what you need is a *really* large windshield. I don't think you will find one for sale specifically for the V-Strom, but you have tried so many things that it makes sense to keep trying. How about visiting Ye Olde Busted Bike Shoppe (or whatever they call it in Land of Lakes) and scavenging a large windshield, cracks&stains&bugs&decals and all, boring the four holes in it, and trying it out.

Next step: if you find a big shield is OK, you can try to find one, then pay $400 for it, or you can get a slab of plastic at Home Depot or Lowes, then warm it up in an oven, lay it on a garbage can to form a curve, and mount it. If it won't fit in your oven, visit your friendly local pizzeria and ask them to warm it up for you, for a modest fee.

I think there are some web sites that give more specific (& more accurate!!) advice. Give it a shot.

There is an extra that comes with the V-Strom, especially in Florida, and it's this: the riders you meet from this site are a cheerful and cordial bunch. The first time you show up for an event, you are among a bunch of strangers who happen to share your passion. For about five minutes. Then you find that you are surrounded by friends, well, kindred spirits at least.

Then it gets better.

Hang in there, pal, because it's worth a whole lot to ride a V-Strom!

Keith

 

Try a set of Tank Panniers. I have the Famsa Tank Bag Set. They help dramatically with the wind blasts comming from the tank to your thighs. Change Helmets as different designs work better than others and try the Screen tilted all the way back towards the rear of the bike with your madstads. That's the best you'll get. I ride at 100mph+ with clean airflow. The Tank bags help alot!!!

 

I'd also recommend some panniers or some sort of mod with the plexi-glass around the fairing. See if that, a big shield, your soon-to-arrive lip and sealing up that void near the handlebars does. Good luck.

 

I almost liked the stock shield, not bad but Iknew I could do better. Madstad bracket and Givi shield and I have it licked. If I want to look through the shield just like being in a cage, lower it down to see just over the top and very good little or no buffeting or turbulence. I am happy with the outcome of the ste up I got from the info on this site.

 

I'm thinking of 2 possible solutions for the buffeting. Either the MP Cycles 11.5" shorty screen or just cutting off 3-4" off the top of my stock screen & putting spacers on the bottom to lean it back some. Haven't decided yet. I grinned on the way home from the dealer last month. Did the famous Muhammed Ali "bob & weave" at 67 mph & thought, "So, THIS is what they meant!" Good times.

 

Hey for all you Madstad guys here is something me and my buddy tried (he did it first). If you take the top brackets off the Madstad and flip them from left to right it will lay the shield down even more (so you don't have to shim) and it brings it closer to you. This did better for me but I know I can get it perfect. See there are times when all of a sudden the wind will change and it's dead calm and super smooth and its just heaven, then the wind changes again and I get that annoying little smacking on my helmet like a 2 year old constantly smacking you in the head, not annoying at first but after the first hour it gets really friggin old.

I'm looking forward to meeting some of the FL guys (and gals) real soon!

I also have to say that Mark at Madstad is one top notch stand up guy, he's been so super helpful and even cut me a baffle for my exhaust so I could close up the holes I drilled.

 

Ok I'm getting closer to a solution. Did some "mad" scientific stuff tonight. I flipped the Madstad brackets over which changes the angle of the shield both lifting it higher and moving it closer to me. In some more experimenting this evening I've come to realize that the the windshield is just to far in front of me. If it were 4-6" closer to me it would be perfect. If I lean in so that the chin of my helmet is even with the gas cap it's perfectly smooth.

So here is how I got it a little bit smoother, I moved the Madstad to position 2, flipped the brackets over and moved them all the way up to the top and pushed it all the way forward which with the brackets flipped (from side to side) moves the shield HIGHER and CLOSER to my head which makes the air collapse about 3" above my helmet instead of on my helmet. The problem now is air coming around the sides. If I put my hand next to my helmet just behind my ears I can feel the turbulant air, it's mostly tolerable now but I stil have a headache even after a short hour ride on the interstate. Now around town it's great anything under 70mph (indictated) is wonderful it's just interstate speeds that aren't working out but they are getting better.

Now the MP screen I have is 21" tall and 19" at it's widest. I feel if this were a little taller (for leverage reasons I want to bring it down more on the bracket) and a good bit wider (say 23" or more) and pretty wide at the top as well then I would be a perfect little bubble behind the screen (which by the way is what I'm after). I get plenty of air coming up around my legs to keep me comfy and if I want the wind racing thru my helmet I'll go ride my CBR600RR for awhile. I want this thing to be smooth and quiet and just as comfy cruising the interstate as it is tearing up twisties or loafing along on a back road. Right now anything below 75mph is great but after a couple hours at 80mph I'm afraid my head just can't take it. I know there is a solution and I think I'm getting close...

Here are some pictures of the brackets flipped over and the screen up. You can see how high it is and it's closer to the bike (look at the angles) and that's only position 2!

Now if the screen were taller I could move the brackets lower to cover the big void in the bottom, so I'm guessing at least 3-4" taller would be good. Also if it were wider to throw the air out further from me that would be better as well. So who makes the biggest windshields for the Strom's and will they fit the brackets?

Thanks for all your help guys!

 

but I stil have a headache even after a short hour ride on the interstate.

Is the headache from the noise, or from your head getting bumped around by the wind?

 

You know I was noticing the older VStrom had it's windshield fixed to the bike, I was thinking about the amount the adjuster bracket is away from the shield which happens to be the amount of distance I would like to take away to move it closer, I kept thinking man if I could mount the screen right to the fairing and screw all this bracket crap it would be perfect, I wonder can I get the old top fairing to mount up to the rest of the bike? Probably not oh well...

 

This might be worth looking into: Suzuki's NEW windshield.

http://11109.rapidforum.com/topic=109973205122

 

BDragon about the Famsa tank set,does it interfere with the stearing at all?I have been looking at them and they seem just the job.

 

I'm about your size 5'8" 210 and the buffeting had me seriously considering selling the bike. I tried the stock screen in all positions, I cut down the stock screen by about 4 inches, I tried washers under the bottom to tilt it back. I tried plugging the bottom gaps with foam. I tried the Saeng edging. There were some minor improvements but the buffeting always came back. I did try no shield and that was nice but as you say, that is not the solution. (Especially in Wisconsin). After doing a lot of reading about people who were happy with the Cee Bailey I bought a the short Cee Bailey. Tried it all heights and tilts but didn't like it. I had to have it high enough to look through it to get relief from the buffeting and then the vacuum behind the shield created an annoying push on my back. I sold that and ordered an MRA vario touring screen. Its about the same size and shape as the stock screen but no flip at the top and it has an adjustable wing/lip type thing at the top. I mounted it in the lowest position with a slight backward tilt and went for test ride. It was heaven compared to everything else I tried. There is a slight bit of turbulence but nothing compared to before. I then ordered a madstad bracket. I have it mounted in the bottom position with about the same tilt. Its even better due to I think to the extra air coming under the bottom of the screen. If your looking for Gold Wing like still air pocket this isn't it, but I have the weather protection I want, my helmet runs cleaner air, and my head isn't vibrating so bad I can't see. I see you have the corbin seat. I run the stock seat. I did try the 1000 seat for a little more legroom but it seemed to put me up far enough to bring a slight bit of the turbulence back.

 

I'm about they same size 5'8" 170 lbs. I found that most of the air was coming in from the sides between the handle bars , mirrors and hand guards. The angle of the handlebars/hand guards will change some of the wind. I also installed Motech bar backs which figured into this. Some will come up the tank sides but, most this disappeared when I installed a Windstrom Manta Windshield which pushes a wider hole in the air and the manta wings flip it even further out. I have it set in the 2nd lowest position with the stock Suzuki mounts. I moved up from the lowest when I installed the Sargent World Tour Seat. I get very little turbulence now. In fact when I first got the bike, I couldn't wear my 3/4 length jacket without it blowing up past my waist no mattter how much I cinched in the waist tabs. That no longer happens. Another thing I did was add a wind blocking mesh insert in the bottom of my Shoei RF900. This killed any light turbulent fluttering coming up from under the helmet(noise only). The windshhield is first rate quality and Eric was extermely helpful.

P.S.: In the second lowest position I'm looking over the windshield by about 3-4 inches. I can see the road surface 35' out in front of the bike over the windshield.

 

Do a search for "vortex generators"

 

Phantomx and Lee Dodge I had the same problem as you guys I am 5'7" and with the screen on lowest over 80Km/ph if my visor was cracked open it would buzz so bad my vision went blurry on the middle spot it was worse.
I lowered my screen below stock , it did require drilling the screen to take the mounting screws and cutting some off the cover pieces but it has made a huge difference and has made it into the bike I was hoping for.
I have looked at probably all the aftermarket screens but I dont like the look of any of them as I never wanted a full on touring style bike and I think the standard screen still makes the bike look a little sporty.
Terry

 

enlarged the pics a little

 

Shields

I have tried almost all shields, I am 5'11''. Only one I have not tried is the Windstrom manta. I use madstad as well. The new givi works pretty good for me. Still get minimal buffeting but not too bad.

As an experiment today I took the spoiler off my MRA vario shield that I still have so I could have a shield the size of the stock shield without the curved lip. The main reason for this was to lower the profile of the bike because of crosswinds (today was very windy). I actually enjoyed the shield, tilted all the way back 1/2 way down on the lowest madstad mount position. I did get some buffeting at 70mph into the 30 mph headwind but otherwise it was as good as the givi, maybe a little better (with a little more airflow of course). And the MRA looks 10x better than givi.

Of course all this testing was during a lot of wind, calm days could tell a different story.

When I was testing all the shields it seemed the bigger and taller the shield the more air it blocked but the more air it pulls up from below and up your upper body.

My previous bike had no buffeting, I do miss that.

 

I have tried almost all shields, I am 5'11''. Only one I have not tried is the Windstrom manta. I use madstad as well. The new givi works pretty good for me. Still get minimal buffeting but not too bad.

As an experiment today I took the spoiler off my MRA vario shield that I still have so I could have a shield the size of the stock shield without the curved lip. The main reason for this was to lower the profile of the bike because of crosswinds (today was very windy). I actually enjoyed the shield, tilted all the way back 1/2 way down on the lowest madstad mount position. I did get some buffeting at 70mph into the 30 mph headwind but otherwise it was as good as the givi, maybe a little better (with a little more airflow of course). And the MRA looks 10x better than givi.

Of course all this testing was during a lot of wind, calm days could tell a different story.

When I was testing all the shields it seemed the bigger and taller the shield the more air it blocked but the more air it pulls up from below and up your upper body.

My previous bike had no buffeting, I do miss that.

I'm BACK from MEXICO! Thanks for all the wonderful replies.

I'm going to try the Cee Bailey that Wayne offered and see what happens. I do want it quiet and comfy behind a screen especially now because it's chilly out. I'm one of those I want my cake and eat it too kinda people I've owned a lot of bikes and never had a buffeting issue like I do on this one. I got my Laminar Lip in and the process is going to start all over again tomorrow with the lip on. Here we go again!