[atractaspis]

Well.. I finally got to go for a ride on my R :clap: .. and of course it was AWESOME... I fell in love all over again! I did have a hard time leaving her all alone in my garage at my new place (I just moved this weekend)..but better than in a storage unit.

Of course, this weekend I want to take her for a trip, but the high will be 42 and we might get rain and some crazy weather forecast even stated that we might get snow... great!

Anyways, I only went for about a 50 mile ride yesterday.. but I loved every minute and mile of it! It was in the mid to upper 60s, the sun was out and it was very windy, but it seems that is the norm here in central to northern Indiana. I forgot how great this bike is!!

I would have gone for a longer ride, but there were two main issues that cut my ride a little shorter:

1. I have the OEM touring/tall windshield: The buffeting from the windshield was horrible! Now I know what you guys have been talking about when you talk about the buffeting being annoying. I never had that issue before, since I either rode my old bike (Honda Shadow with a huge windshield.. where I actually looked through the windshield) or friends bikes with no windshield.

I stood up on the foot pegs a few times to see what it would feel like to be in 'clean' air.. and it was much better than that horrible buffeting sound and my head was more relaxed. I also tucked under the windshield, which was nice and quiet and felt much better too.

2. My Schuberth C3 helmet (only wore it a few times until yesterday, but had some weights in it to wear it in and had replaced the liner with an S2 liner as suggested by Schuberth to create more room for my head) was fine for about 30 minutes, before a pressure point on my forehead AND the back of my head started appearing. The one on the back of my head was the one that bothered me the most. I will use my old helmet (a scorpion full face helmet) for the next few rides probably and put some more weights in the back and front of the helmet to wear those parts out.. if it doesn't work, I will have to sell that helmet. I got an amazing deal on it, so hopefully I won't lose too much money on that.

So, now my new priority is to get a windshield... since I just moved and am going on vacation in 2 weeks, I won't have any money for that, but I might just take the tall screen off ... prefer the bugs hitting my chest and instruments and clean air to the buffeting... it was pretty exhausting after about 30 minutes.

Else, the bike was awesome!!! I even found a few twisty and hilly roads not too far from my new place, which was a lot of fun (most of the surrounding area here is flat and the roads are all straight lines going through corn fields..) .. even if it only was for 5 miles or less. It's like the bike just did everything on its own.. I just had to think about turning and it turned... or at least it felt that way...

Can't wait to get home from work and hope to catch a few minutes without rain. Next 4 days we have thunderstorms predicted..and then the temperature drops into the upper 30s low 40s ...spring doesn't like me and ran off again...

 

[drDave]

Yeah! Dr. A! A lot of people have complained about the way that the C3 helmet digs in. You might try a rounder helmet when the money comes back in. The Lazer Monaco Carbon is very light and the Shoi Qwest is rounder as well. You also might try that gizmo sold by Wonderlich that screws on the top of the windshield and gives you a little extra protection from the wind. I wouldn't worry about the rain; the latex bodysuit will protect you just fine

 

[atractaspis]

Yeah! Dr. A! A lot of people have complained about the way that the C3 helmet digs in. You might try a rounder helmet when the money comes back in. The Lazer Monaco Carbon is very light and the Shoi Qwest is rounder as well.

I do like helmets with sun visors built in..but I did see a few already that do have the more oval shape.. yes I am one of the many with an egg head apparently. The new Schuberth C3 pro supposingly is better too..but I would have to put down about 750$ for that one... not happening soon...

You also might try that gizmo sold by Wonderlich that screws on the top of the windshield and gives you a little extra protection from the wind.

are you the one on here who has that? how well does that work... another 130$ I think?

I wouldn't worry about the rain; the latex bodysuit will protect you just fine

How did you know I was in my latex bodysuit? are you stalking me? :clown:

 

[drDave]

I do like helmets with sun visors built in..but I did see a few already that do have the more oval shape.. yes I am one of the many with an egg head apparently. The new Schuberth C3 pro supposingly is better too..but I would have to put down about 750$ for that one... not happening soon...

The Lazer Monaco has a photochromic shield that turns dark in the sun and clears quickly if you go into a tunnel, etc. Supposed to work well.


are you the one on here who has that? how well does that work... another 130$ I think?

Yes, I have it, and it does work much better than my Zteknik screen by itself. It's a little annoyingly geeky, but it does work.



How did you know I was in my latex bodysuit? are you stalking me? :clown:

No. I just diagnose them. I don't have time to do it personally. If you insist, however, I'm sure I could make time. . . .

 

[drDave]

Here's a review of the Lazer Monaco Carbon: Lazer Monaco Helmet Review - webBikeWorld

 

[las]

Also, a bit pricey but the Arai Signet Q was made for oval heads. The Shuberth did the same for me; the Arai is perfect. On buffeting, you have these choices: a barn door windscreen big enough to look through, the Wunderlich Trophy fairing, clearly the best looking and best performing- but you will have to wait until you get out of prison for the armed robbery you will need to pull off to pay for it) or naked, with the attendant tiring wind pressure and bugs at speeds over 70.

 

[yonderbob]

Also, a bit pricey but the Arai Signet Q was made for oval heads. The Shuberth did the same for me; the Arai is perfect. On buffeting, you have these choices: a barn door windscreen big enough to look through, the Wunderlich Trophy fairing, clearly the best looking and best performing- but you will have to wait until you get out of prison for the armed robbery you will need to pull off to pay for it) or naked, with the attendant tiring wind pressure and bugs at speeds over 70.

I don't know if I have an egg head or not, but I really like my NEXX XR1.R I googled "lightest motorcycle helmet in the world" and that's what came up. Since I was used to no helmet at all, I wanted as light as I could get. Very comfy and very light. I just got a new Arai for my son. He's been using Shoei and gets the dreaded red dot on the forehead. Will report how it works for him when he can test it. should be here tomorrow.

Generally, the problem with buffeting is not the air coming over the windshield. it's the air coming from UNDER the shield. That's why faring works. But my CalSci works great, too, and I don't look through it. It's a very subjective thing and variables like height, inseam, posture, etc., make it unlikely to get a workable recommendation on windscreens from another rider.

 

[Classic11]

Like you I didn't like the stock windscreen. In my humble opinion, it just looks better without a screen

 

[drDave]

It does look better without a screen, but Chicago being the Windy City, it's just not a working option out here. It's not just "clean air" hitting you, it's massive buffeting and gusting and blasting rain. All you people on Planet Arizona or where ever just have to take my word on this. I'm guessing Dr. Atractaspis has the same Midwest wind "issues". What I wish they'd come up with is a relatively narrow, tall and curved windshield large enough to keep the windblast off the front of your chest and head and quiet the airspace there. Something more modern and slick looking, not just a fat clear slab of lexan.

 

[Rsag]

Rode my 'Classic last week in the 40 deg weather........unbearably COLD wind blast
Soooooooo......just ordered a Ztech Z2444 over the weekend.
Will report on how it works as soon as I recieve and install it in the next few weeks.

 

[atractaspis]

No. I just diagnose them. I don't have time to do it personally. If you insist, however, I'm sure I could make time. . . .

it's been a while since I had a stalker.. hmm...:ninja: wasn't too much fun last time, but maybe you would be a more fun stalker..for sure on a nice bike :001_cool:

But it would be easy to identify that ONLY other R1200R on the road with me..or the only Audi TT (if I remember correctly that is your cage?) on the road with me..

 

[atractaspis]

Here's a review of the Lazer Monaco Carbon: Lazer Monaco Helmet Review - webBikeWorld

hm.. that helmet might have nearly everything I am looking for .. .the reason I got a Schuberth was that I wanted a light weight modular, a quiet helmet for once (have had trouble with ear plugs in the past), a build in sun visor (or what the monaco has) and one where I can install a blue tooth system that does not have a big ugly thing sticking out that only creates more wind noise and looks out of place. It seems the lazer-monaco has all of that, besides the noise factor.

am going to stick to my scorpion for now and see if I can get the Schuberth to turn into an egg shape in the meantime

 

[atractaspis]

Also, a bit pricey but the Arai Signet Q was made for oval heads. The Shuberth did the same for me; the Arai is perfect. On buffeting, you have these choices: a barn door windscreen big enough to look through, the Wunderlich Trophy fairing, clearly the best looking and best performing- but you will have to wait until you get out of prison for the armed robbery you will need to pull off to pay for it) or naked, with the attendant tiring wind pressure and bugs at speeds over 70.

I tried the Arai and liked it... but as I described above it just doesn't have all the features I would like.. and now that I spent the money on all the other stuff, I need to not buy something new for a little while..will revisit the helmet thing in a few months again.
About the windscreen..that's my problem.. I don't like to look through a windscreen (did that on my Shadow, hated it..especially in the rain) and yea..it looks ugly (IMHO) with the beautiful naked bike look.
I would love to be able to test drive the wunderlich trophy fairing before I decide on it and then go rob a bank so I can buy it :001_tongue: (although it 'only' costs about as much as some of the top end helmets do..like the new Schuberth C3 pro).

I don't know if I have an egg head or not, but I really like my NEXX XR1.R I googled "lightest motorcycle helmet in the world" and that's what came up. Since I was used to no helmet at all, I wanted as light as I could get. Very comfy and very light. I just got a new Arai for my son. He's been using Shoei and gets the dreaded red dot on the forehead. Will report how it works for him when he can test it. should be here tomorrow.

Generally, the problem with buffeting is not the air coming over the windshield. it's the air coming from UNDER the shield. That's why faring works. But my CalSci works great, too, and I don't look through it. It's a very subjective thing and variables like height, inseam, posture, etc., make it unlikely to get a workable recommendation on windscreens from another rider.

the NEXX XR1 looks really interesting too.. oh well.. so many options, so little money ... same for windshields..if I could I would just order every freaking windshield out there and test drive them to see which works best for me. Am not expecting any miracles.. just less buffeting on my head.. the noise was horrible and my neck muscles were not happy about it either.

Like you I didn't like the stock windscreen. In my humble opinion, it just looks better without a screen

I completely agree Classic11! But I don't like all the dead bugs on me (the other day I already had plenty on my pathetic tall OEM windshield) and for longer trips I really do like the wind protection.. mostly in the colder months though. When I did finally take of the windshield to test drive it that way, it felt good in terms of noise...but since it was still fairly cool here (but not enough to bring out my winter clothes) I ended up with a sore throat for a few hours.. next time I do that I have to make sure I protect my throat...
Beautiful pictures of you pretty bike by the way!

I am not sure yet what I will do. I would buy a windshield right now if it wasn't such a difficult choice ... they are too expensive to just try one out and hope it works.. that's why I wanted the tall OEM windshield originally.. I was hoping I was short enough that the windshield would work better for me. I never felt buffeting on my head before, so I wasn't even worried about that aspect until now...

Driving down to Kentucky this weekend.. will give the windshield a try again and maybe at the dealer in Louisville they are willing to let me try out another windshield just to see the difference..we will see...

 

[Classic11]

ahhh I like the bugs.

 

[atractaspis]

ahhh I like the bugs.

If you open your visor and scream "I love bugs" real loudly you might get some protein out of it... I suggest you chew them up real quickly before they crawl back out of your mouth though

I am a biologist... Trust me! :devil:

 

[Classic11]

You can be the female biologist Randy Marsh of the forum. When we have a scientist question, it will be directed to you!

 

[atractaspis]

You can be the female biologist Randy Marsh of the forum. When we have a scientist question, it will be directed to you!

Yup. That would be me... Glad I'm not Kenny!

Going on a trip this weekend... Getting ready right now and of course there is a freeze warning .. Will wait for it to warm up to roast 35 degrees and then head south...

 

[drDave]

it's been a while since I had a stalker.. hmm...:ninja: wasn't too much fun last time, but maybe you would be a more fun stalker..for sure on a nice bike :001_cool:

I would totally be a fun stalker. Although I'm not sure how stalkery you can be perched on an R12. Not really very subtle. :001_tongue:

But it would be easy to identify that ONLY other R1200R on the road with me..or the only Audi TT (if I remember correctly that is your cage?) on the road with me..

Yes, I've got the TT (see picture below) be careful what you wish for . . :devil2:

 

[atractaspis]

I have now had my first REAL ride.. 150 miles... Left at 8:30 am when it was only 34 degrees... Ouch! I had my summer gloves on with liners.. Useless.. Later switched to winter gloves (they are too big for my hands so they are not my favorite gloves to wear) with liners.. Still was pretty cold.. Was exited when it didn't hurt anymore.. Until I realized that I lost feeling in my hands.. I finally took a break and met up with a few other BMW riders for breakfast.. When my hands finally warmed up it was a little painful but manageable.

Else the cold (even without heated gear) was pretty manageable. I waited for it to get to close to 40 degrees before continuing. I just had to pull over a few times to warm up my hands ... Else it was a beautiful ride... I rode along a country road with trees in full bloom and even a few windy parts. The sun was out.. And this bike is sooo smooth!!! And fast!!! Speed limit was 55 so naturally I went 55 (yea right..) a few times I had to pass a Prius or old truck and it was sooo much fun how quickly the bike accelerated.. I caiught myself going 85 when I finished passing a Prius.. Didn't even notice I was going this fast.

At one of my stops a bunch I Harley's parked next to me (at this point the temperature was already 50) and I got a compliment from them on my bike.
I also had an Audi a6 driver give me the thumbs up (drDave?? Do you have another Audi? My favorite car make by the way!)

Interestingly I didn't get really cold until the last 30-50 miles of my trip.. When it was already in the low 50s.. Finally I started shaking uncontrollably and had to pull over and warm up ... Heading back this afternoon when it should be warmer. (Upper 50s).

I also rode around town here (Louisville) yesterday and it was a lot of fun.. Only problem is learning how to handle not reaching the ground with more than my toes.. Just annoying when I come to a stop on a hill.. I guess time to get the high platform boots

If my hands wouldn't have gotten so cold I would not have wanted to get off the bike all day yesterday! Can't wait to ride back today.. Will try and get pics of trip and post.

 

[drDave]

Heated gloves and jacket liner, babe. Hypothermia is what you had, and it's a good way to have a really bad day last day on a bike.