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I remember in an old article in perhaps Cycle World, New York had proposed motorcyclists have a revolving light on the top of their helmets.
OM
It won't stick to the tinfoil. Now what?
Wear RED! That's my take away.
Voni
sMiling
Strange to say that it is currently illegal in New York for motorcyclists to add stuff to the exterior of their helmets.
This includes items like Go-Pro's.
Maybe not a primary offence, but if you get pulled over for something else, such as a motorcycle check point, you can get cited.
I wonder if that would include 3m reflective tape being added for visibility? "To add stuff" should be well defined, not that general statement.
I doubt the law says you can't "add stuff." More likely the language is similar to can't "mount a device" or some such.
Wind buffeting and the associated noise contributes to fatigue on long trips (or short ones if you find it annoying).
And fatigue is an enemy of staying safe on the pavement.
If your bike "torments" you this way, maybe a different wind screen and/or wind screen mounting system would help.
The causes of buffeting include screen attitude and negative trailing pressure.
Ear plugs with a high NRR is a direct approach to limiting noise fatigue.
Quiet mufflers stop the noise at the source. I have had riders with loud exhaust join us while riding, or I have come up on such a rider. I simply will not follow or ride along with a loud bike and will either pass the bike or stop myself until the nuisance is gone. I wear ear plugs but certainly don't rely on them to suppress some rude jerk's bleating exhaust.
Paul, there's no way I will disagree with you on the loud mufflers. Boorish behavior is just that.
However, in this day of 80MPH highway speeds, it's critical we get all riders to wear hearing protection. At those speeds, the wind noise will exceed the worst straight pipe.
I find that ear plugs make wind buffeting seem less obnoxious. For bikes that handlebar fairings will fit on, I like National Cycle Deflector fairings. The are fairly small but the seem to be mostly effective at stopping wind and vehicle turbulence without introducing any on their own. They are also very reasonably priced, something like $130.
Good question!
Noise is heard and buffeting is felt.
Good question!
Noise is heard and buffeting is felt.
Back in the early 2,000's, I test road a Honda Gold Wing.
Then, and maybe still, the bikes were designed for the usual Gold Wing rider.
The latter usually don't wear helmets and, if so, not full face.
I have always worn full face and did so on the test ride.
At speed, the aerodynamics of the bike were such that it seemed as though someone was slapping the back of the helmet (wind-slap is another term for buffeting) with a rapid and regular rhythm.
While an unusual form of buffeting, it demonstrates the essence.
And is essentially absent if not wearing a full face helmet.
Another example...
Last year we test rode the latest Gold Wind, two-up.
With this iteration the "wind-slap" occurs along both the captain's and pillion's sides.
Wind flow around the helmets is smooth and without buffeting (wind-slap).
More to follow later on wind-noise, wind-buffeting, causes, and solutions.