After Information/feedback on the Freedom Windshield for 2020+ Spyder RT's - will it reduce pillion wind buffetting?

[gmccabejr]

I’m looking for information from people who have the Freedom Shield on their Spyder.

I have a 2023 RTL and when riding with my Wife on the back, she experiences a lot of helmet buffeting, giving her a sore neck above 55 mph. We usually try to stay slower when we can, but this isn't always practical when we're riding with a group of people or need to take the Expressway. She says the wind seems to be coming from around my helmet causing her the issue. I have found that if I sit very erect with the windshield all the way up, it reduces the buffeting some, but it is still present.

I see the Freedom Shield can be ordered wider and has the reverse curve at the top.

Does anyone have a Freedom Shield on their Spyder and what's your opinion of it? Has anyone else had this issue? Will the Freedom Shield eliminate this? I don't have any wind issues myself, it's for my Wife and I'm trying to make her as comfortable as possible so she can enjoy riding as much as I do.

 

[mikecronis]

Do you have the stock shield raised fully?
There is a touring Spyder shield you might want to look into that should solve this.

 

[Elqueso2]

I’m looking for information from people who have the Freedom Shield on their Spyder.

I have a 2023 RTL and when riding with my Wife on the back, she experiences a lot of helmet buffeting, giving her a sore neck above 55 mph. We usually try to stay slower when we can, but this isn't always practical when we're riding with a group of people or need to take the Expressway. She says the wind seems to be coming from around my helmet causing her the issue. I have found that if I sit very erect with the windshield all the way up, it reduces the buffeting some, but it is still present.

I see the Freedom Shield can be ordered wider and has the reverse curve at the top.

Does anyone have a Freedom Shield on their Spyder and what's your opinion of it? Has anyone else had this issue? Will the Freedom Shield eliminate this? I don't have any wind issues myself, it's for my Wife and I'm trying to make her as comfortable as possible so she can enjoy riding as much as I do.

I was getting ready to post a question and saw this post first. I've been looking to replace my windshield also. I generally ride just looking over the top edge of the windshield. Looking through it doesn't work for me especially when it's filthy from riding all day into the evening. Also, you get some distortion looking through it at night. I don't like the wind buffeting from my curent windshield and it’s pretty bad. I'm looking for a windshield that's 25" tall and is at least 3" wider on each side. My friend has a Show Chrome Wide Clear Touring Windshield for the Can-Am Spyder RT on his bike. I rode it and really liked the fact that it had reduced wind buffeting. I was going to pull the trigger on it, but Show Chrome stopped production on them for now.

I looked at the F4 which is really pricey and found GP Cycleworks which makes a really nice windshield that won't break the bank. They are custom made and have a few different sizes and colors to choose from. It's made from high grade Acrylic G and not like conventional windshield; you can remove scratches and swirl marks on these. The prices for windshields are all over the place from $250 (on sale) up to $500 US. If Slingmods gets the show chrome windshield in (which I doubt in talking to them) I'll probably roll with the GP Cycleworks. I also like the fact that is comes in different shades/colors. Is a taller/wider windshield going to totally get rid of the wind buffeting and the answer is no. Throughout the years trying different types/heights of windshields on Harleys, I found that taller/wider windshields do deduce it a lot. Hope this helped. Regarding the passenger, my wife said the wind is pretty bad where she sits. I'm hoping the 25" and wider windshield will make it more tollerable for her. A 28" windshield doesn't buy me anything since I'm looking over the windshield and the extra 3"at the bottom buys me nothing since the buffeting comes from the top and sides. The wider windshield is going to give you a more comfort.

 

[kbirdsong]

I have the tallest version of the Freedom Shield and I really like it. My helmet is open faced as I took off the pull down clear shield and just left the sunshield pull down if I need it for some reason. I wear glasses full time and they are transition lenses so I doubt I ever would but it's hidden. I like the helmet because it has my Cardo Edge mounted to it and 45mm JBL speakers inside so good tunes for the road. That combo gives me a little more open air feeling for the ride. I can't tell you about buffeting for passenger because for me that's rare. My wife rides her Ryker 99% of the time, but for the rider it's great.

 

[Lew L]

A well VENTED, fully raised windshield should have little to no passenger buffeting. My 2014 with vented ( the one with an extra ,central,adjustable vent)has NO passenger buffeting.

 

[Lew L]

A rack with a bag ( for cover and 2 rainwear) will also help. I found this out before I learned about the aerodynamics of a big,UNVENTED) windshield.

 

[Elqueso2]

A well VENTED, fully raised windshield should have little to no passenger buffeting. My 2014 with vented ( the one with an extra ,central,adjustable vent)has NO passenger buffeting.

Not being a jerk, but.......
Even with a well-vented, fully raised windshield, completely elimating passenger buffeting entirely is rare; and raising a windshield to its maximum height can sometimes make the problem worse for the person in the back. While venting a windshield is highly effective at reducing the low-pressure pocket directly behind the screen (which minimizes rider head-buffeting), passenger dynamics are much more complex. Remember, the passenger sits up higher than the rider.

As air travels up and over a fully raised windshield, it breaks clean from the top edge and begins to tumble. This creates a collapsing pocket of turbulent air (vortices) behind the rider. Because the passenger sits higher up and further back than the rider, their helmet is often positioned exactly where this tumbling air collapses and rolls back down, resulting in severe buffeting. A fully raised windshield creates a larger aerodynamic obstacle. This pushes a larger volume of air out and around the bike. When this massive pocket of air crashes back together behind the motorcycle, it creates a highly turbulent zone right where the passenger sits.

Windshield vents (like a stock Can Am vent) are designed to introduce a laminar flow of air to equalize the pressure directly behind the windshield. This stops the air from snapping violently over the top edge. However, this pressure equalization benefits the rider's pocket of air almost exclusively. By the time that vented air travels past the rider's body, it has lost its velocity and structure, doing very little to smooth out the airflow hitting the passenger. Maybe it's the dynamics of your 2014 body style and windshield, but with mine and other friends (2020+ RT) which have different windshields its not the case.