Is Your Vstrom Windscreen a Noise Concentrator?
 

I recently acquired a slightly used 650 Vstrom with (apparently) the OEM touring windscreen (the one that has the adjustable air foil) set to its highest position. I noticed a huge racket while underway which sounded as though it was due to the screen and/or the fairing being loose.

In fact, the noise was actually due to a bit of rattling by the metal topbox. This sound was being amplified and reflected back at me by the windscreen as though it was a parabolic microphone.

With the topbox off the loud rattling disappeared completely but I then noticed that this phenomenon was occurring with all sounds which originate behind the bike. If a truck begins to pass me on the highway the sound of it is monumental.

Anyone else experience this odd effect? I presume it has to do with particular curvature of the windscreen. I was thinking of adding some kind of foam liner to the inside of it to reduce sound reflection.

I have a givi screen with madstad bracket thing. Works well for me. One thing I have noticed after fitting Aluminium panniers is the exhaust note sounds deeper and louder than usual. I am pretty sure its coming direct to ear rather than reflected back. The screen is very adjustable and in the right (wrong) position the wind noise can be terrible, as is the buffeting and I can't hear anything else ! In the right "good" position it's fab and I can hear all around me.

Are you sure its reflected back? It might be you now "hear more" due to lower wind noise perhaps?? Just a thought.

Also I have been aware that different helmets make changes too. I have 2 helmets, one is quieter than the other on bike"A" but the other way around on bike "B" :confused1:

There is obviously some science to explain all this and rest assured, someone will know :thumbup1:

I have a DL650 and have not had that problem. But the bike has some vibes at around 5,000rpm to 6,000 or so.

I don't know what you mean by "the one that has the adjustable air foil," but I've got an OEM windscreen which never had that problem, with or without the Madstad adjustable bracket.

Mark

Sorry, I don´t know the answer to your question, as just like all questions related to wind management/turbulence, there are many variables to take into account (including your helmet, and precise height measured from your behind as you sit on the bike, to the top of your helmet). Sounds from behind reflected from windscreen – that does sound odd to me, but I´m not saying it´s impossible.

The exact DL650 model, that you own, might be helpful for someone else, though. Older 2004-2011 model created a lot of threads on this subject, newer 2012-> not nearly as much. They have different fairings and windscreens.

Thanks for the comments.

I should have mentioned that I have a 2012 model. What I referred to as an adjustable air foil seems to be described by the term vario elsewhere. It's like the after market, stick on "laminar lip" but moveable.

In any event, when I moved this lippy, foilish device downwards so that it no longer protrudes over the top of the windscreen, the odd noise concentration seemed to abate. Don't understand it in terms of physics. Maybe it's a placebo effect.

I have the same bike but a 2013 model. What I've found that works the best is to move the base windscreen to its highest setting and put the longest spacers in the top position and the shorter spacers in the lower position, then adjust the laminar lip so that it ( looking from the seat ) sticks up about 1" above the base screen. This works well for me. No matter what position I put the screen/laminar lip in, I never get buffeting. I will get less/more wind on me depending on the location of base screen & laminar lip, but no buffeting. So this set up is much better than on my stock BMW R1100r screen. That one would shake your head like a paint shaker, and the laminar lip made that bike ride able.

I have a DR650 that I installed windshield and I know that Cee Baileys Windshield's have a gap built in to cut noise and turbulance. I get no noise. Not the same bike, but it should have same charactoristics.

I have the 21 inch madstat with their mount. It is almost like riding behind my old k1200lt now.

I've got a 2012 DL650, with the basic standard screen and find the best option is the lowest of the three settings. Many of the older DL650's find that changing the mirrors for ones like those on the Aprilla Tuono helps greatly. Also, I've read that the Givi Airflow 330 works when all other options have been tried on the 2012 DL650.