K100RS Replacement Windshields and Noise

[bprigge]

Hello Everybody

I have a '91 K100RS that I use as a 100 mile a day commuter bike plus occasional long trips. I am looking to reduce the wind noise. I wear earplugs now for anything more then a quick trip to the store and believe the wind noise to be above safe levels even with the earplugs. There is just no way to get in undisturbed air on the bike without standing up on the pegs.

I have been looking at both the Parabellum windshield system and the Aeroflow windshield system and can't seem to decide which one would do the job best.
The Aeroflow web site has glowing testimonials regarding what a quiet ride their
windshield has created for a few buyers. The Parabellum web site has no testimonials but looks better on the bike in my opinion. Can someone please offer a little feed back on either or both of these 'windshield systems'.
Any advice appreciated, thanks, Bruce

 

[aprarye]

I have an Aeroflow on a K1100RS and except for a whistle at speeds above ~60 which I fixed by stuffing a baseball cap between the OEM and the Aeroflow - I love the Aeroflow and bought a spair when I found a used one. BTW the cap went it visor first and was very handy in blocking the dash lights when the flashers were in use during a rain storm while driving I 70 in Colorado

Arye

 

[Ktoo]

Check out www.k100rs.com , I have one of these and it works great , it's also adjustable.

 

[sgborgstrom]

I had a parabellum for a number of years but am back to stock trim at the moment. The "mid height" parabellum made my helmet vibrate at an annoying frequency, I did try a "tall" screen, that worked better but looked stupid and I had a tendency to bump my head into it.

I wear earplugs almost all the time, the exception being when I am putzing around in the city. Putting them in a reflexive part of suiting up now, kind of like putting on my glasses.

Anyway

If you are using a decent set of earplugs (the foam plugs I use are rated at a 33db reduction) and still think it's too loud, make sure you have them inserted properly. I still see a lot of riders with half the plug hanging out of their ears. The outer end should be flush with the outside of your ear. Do a search, there are a few threads in the archives on wearing plugs the right way.

I've had a lot of fairings on different bikes over the last 20+ years, I'm down to the small or naked end of the spectrum now. It seems like no fairing gives you the smoothest airflow, so there is no extra noise created by turbulence or you go big (luftmiester/vetter/goldwing) and sit behind a big piece of plastic that gets blown around in the wind. Most of the mid-size fairings end up rattling my helmet around. I find the stock K100RS fairing pretty good...

 

[ted]

I will agree with the glowing testimonials for the Aeroflow. I found the plusses that it reduces wind noise significantly and provides unmatched weather protection. The only real downsides were that it worked so well that it resulted in more weight on my wrists from reduced air flow, and along that same line, made it a bit warmer to ride on really hot days. One more thing...

This photo from the top of Mt. Washington...

Was taken moments before a big wind gust blew the screen right off the bike - secure it when parked in heavy winds

PS - always, always, always wear hearing protection.

 

[bprigge]

K100RS windscreen,

Thanks for all the responses guys. I ordered a standard height (+7.5") Aeroflow Friday and am looking forward to a quieter ride.

APRARYE, good tip on the baseball hat! I'll have to try that if I get the whistle above 60 mph.

SGBORGSTROM, I agree with your take on the earplugs. I wear mine just about always but I don't think even properly installed earplugs are enough to snuff the K100RS turbulence noise. I did several cross countries on a bare front 1974 Suzuki 750 (water buffalo) and have to agree that a really low or no windscreen makes for a quiet ride. This year I rode a Buell and a GSXR 750, both with really low windscreens. They were both a lot quieter then my K100RS. The fork tube mounted bars are a little much however at speeds below about 80.

KTOO, My K100RS came with one of those except I don't think the vertical extension is quite as high as the one in your picture. Mine is real noisy. I also got the stock windscreen with the bike. I put the stock screen back on early last week and I can't tell the difference between the two except that the stock screen looks better.

TED, Yup, weight on my hands/wrists will be an issue. I hope it's not a deal breaker. I had a 78 Goldwing with a Vetter fairing and 'cafe racer' bars on it.
Even with the Vetter windshield cut way down wrist/hand weight was a problem.
The bike did look cool though and was OK for shorter rides.

Bruce

 

[sachiwilson]

The advice here is lacking because NO ONE said how tall he was.

A windscreen causes noise because of turbulence. The turbulence of a windscreen depends not only on the design of the screen but on how it fits the rider. There is a pool of still air behind a screen, and a tumbling riot of noisy broken air right above that. Obviously, a shorter rider might fit into the quiet air where a taller rider will stick up into the noisy tumbling air.

Another option is to get the broken air off a fairing to fall below the helmet. If you're really tall that can work well. That puts your head in the clean air flow above the screen, yet you get some protection for your body.

I'm short, and my preference is no screen at all. I don't like barn door screens and shorter screens always break the air somewhere at helmet level. Very noisy, very bumpy. With no screen I am in clean air and believe it or not, I have no trouble with wind blast either.

In any case, if you have trouble with a screen, try to figure out where the "turbulence line" is and start from there to work out what to do to get the clean air.

 

[bprigge]

Screen....

Sachiwilson..

I agree with your observation, rider height makes a difference. I am 6'1 and discussed this with the good folks at Aeroflow. They convinced me that the 'regular' height would be OK for my height. The regular height iteration is 7.5 inches taller then the stock screen while their 'tall' version is 10.5 inches taller.

I see that you are from San Diego, a place where a person can comfortably ride all year with a bare front bike. I am envious of your mild winters!! I live in Minnesota and am out on the interstate at 0500 making a 50 mile run. In the early spring and late fall the bigger the windscreen the better so I think the regular height Aeroflow will be a pretty good compromise.

I lived in Florida for 22 years and rode without a windscreen. My one attempt to equip my old Water Buffalo with a windscreen for a trip up north resulted in me giving the windscreen away before I left Florida. After a couple of weeks of experimenting with position and height I discovered that the best the windscreen
could do was not as good as a bare front bike. The noise and buffeting were just too aggravating.

The Aeroflow screen should be here any day. I'll give you all a product report on it! Bruce