Turbulance Stopper?
 

Here's the panel I've fitted to see if it stops some of the turbulant air coming up through the hole around the forks. I tried ther bike with a cardboard panel before and it seemed to make a difference, haven't tried the new version yet.......


http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...9/WindStop.jpg



Nick.

Now that's a very neat and professional looking job Nick! :023:

Let us know results as soon as you've road tested it.

Just one thing ...... if it IS as simple a cure as that, why haven't Yamaha done it? :017:
Just mind it doesn't affect (or is it effect?)the handling when you are road testing.

Barry.

It certainly isn't THE answer to the turbulance, but the cardboard one I tried did appear to make a difference.

Don't think Yamaha have done it because for 90% of the time theres not a problem (for me anyway), the only time I felt it was +60mph.

Don't think you do +60mph much arcoss the Atlas mountains????? bigwink




Nick.

yer but you've got to get there within your 2 week holiday:rofl[1]:

Wanna see some test results. =)

Wonder what happens if you place a similar construction behind the fork and really plug it..

Absolutely gorgeous Nick !!!

I think you'd make a few bobs if you'd decide to sell a few ;)

That looks very nicely done indeed. As someone who has been fighting the turbulence from day one I would certainly be interested in one should they come on sale.

I'm not sure if I should call the company TouraNick or NickaTech....what do you think? bigwink


Serioulsy, I haven't fully tested it yet, but I'm quite sure it makes a difference and they are very easy to make.

I got a piece of 3mm Polycorbonate from ebay and make some aluminium brackets.

The plastic pieces that hold the indicators have an inside and an outside, I separated these and drilled the holes for the brackest in the inside sections, so that if I take the brackets off then there wont be any visibility from the ouside that anything was done.

I then shaped the polycorbonate to fit into the gap making sure it didn't foul the forks.



Nick.

Lite front end ??
 

Nick,
Have you tried this with any luggage on the back of the bike ? Just looking at the angle of the front, and the fair sized air damm you've made (very well I might add) I was wondering if this has made the bike lite at the front when travelling at speed, with luggage. The bike is already ar$e heavy when loaded, I could be wrong - but though I'd ask anyway.

I considered a similar device, only mounted on the forks, but mine was to stop the jet of water that comes up there when traversing deep crossings. I had the concerns mentioned above so never progressed it.

PS - Touratech already make these for some other bikes, they call them Yolk Protectors

I haven't tried it with luggage, but I don't see it making any noticable difference. The area of the panel is not that big to provide any 'lift' at the front, maybe if you were doing 150mph you might see a problem, but 150mph on the Z would only be achieved over the edge of a cliff and then the 'lift' might be just what you need......... ;-)



Nick.

Ah you say it's easy to make, but my previous experiences with polycarb have generally resulted in it cracking and being fubar. How did you shape it? Super fine hacksaw blade? Chain drilling?

I used a scroll saw, but you should be able to do it with a fret saw.


Nick.

That looks a neat job. Hopefully it will reduce the turbulance.

How about TechaNick?:idea1:

....... or does that sound too much like a type of plastic building brick!?

Barry.

really looking forward to your road test Nick and if you say its a good idea i think the forum should get them made and start selling them....!!!!

Excellent job Nick. :clap:
Any chance to post here a rough drawing with measurements-distances, in order to copy your idea….?

Andy,

The best i can do at the moment is a scanned image:

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...9/Turbstop.jpg


I have an A4 scanner, so there's a bit missing, however it's supposed to be symetrical, (mine isn't) so the missing bit should be the same as the other side. The largest dimention on mine from side to side is 303 mm.

I'm not sure if that image will print out to perfect scale, but it will give you a good idea of what I have.

I cut mine oversize and then cut and sanded it to fit........not the best solution, but it's ok.

If I ever get the time.....doubt it !! I was going to draw it properly and output it to my CNC router and cut it properly, although I need a proper cutter for plastic, the last time I tried it wasn't a pretty sight.......

If anyone starts selling them, I want 25%........ bigwink




Nick.

Thank you very much.I 'll try to make one my self and post a CAD drawing later....

...CNC router .....woowhh :hello2:

i was wondering this morning if reducing air input from there could have other consequences.

It may cause turbulences for some people, but in other case, blocking this entrance can create a "vaccuum" drawing the rider forward.

It looks very cheap to built...One can try it and if it creates problems can through it away at once....

Anybody working in the aerodynamics field in here....?:Itching_KFKKYE:

Made this 3D model from the pic and measurments, gonna test print it and see if it fits. If so maybe someone wants it for their CNC stuff or draftings. Got it in curve data, surface and solid.

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/o...bstop_wire.jpg

Top job there Molgan :hello2:


Do you have a 2D version in a .dxf by any chance?


Thanks,


Nick.

Not at the moment, but if I get some time over tomorrow at work I cook one up for you. ;)

Count me in too, please....:Worship_9TRHEA:

Test Report:

Had a blat down the motorway today, I started without the guard, then put it on ,then took it aff and then put it on again !!

Without the guard there is a pulsing flow of air that comes up from around the forks, with the guard on then this is gone. However, I don't know if this is actually helping with anything.

I didn't feel any difference in handling or stability, but the jury is still out as to whether it's a usefull addition or not. I'm keeping it on for now and will report any further findings.


Nick.



P.S. I found the main problem I have is the vibration caused by the peak on my Tour-X, I changed the angle of the peak and it's made the problem better.

Nice bit of kit, looks really neat - I'd like to make one just to deflect the rain and surface water that creeps up the inside of your tank! (I only see it cus I have a white one!)

I have the TT screen fitted and it does make a noticeable difference but only sometimes...one day on the motorway its fine, next its severe turbulence. Its a bit random.

It seems to be more around air pressure or something, the shape of the Tenere means there's so much going on aerodynamically - at a guess I'd say two or three airflows are colliding at different speeds creating this issue. If that's the case then the fix will probably have to be two or three different parts. It would be really cool if someone had contacts at Southampton Uni so they could study the bike in one of their wind tunnels and test different concepts...

The more miles I do though, the more it becomes less of an issue - I guess you just get used to it and accept it as one if those quirks.

i agree - for me the prob was sorted same as Nick - lowered the peak on my tour-x and now the turbulence is nowt worth worrying about (with MM tall screen).

Pete.

Sen't the .dxf to nick and he haven't complained about it yet, so if someone else want it PM me with a place to mail it. My computer at home comitted suicide so I'm not online much (only at work) but I'll send it asap.

eeerrr, thats because I haven't opened it yet.....sorry. The CAD package I use is installed in an XP partition as I use some older progs for my CNC, so haven't had a chance to look at it yet, will do later...honest ! :poke1:


Nick.

Molgan,

I couldn't open that .dxf, said it was incomplete.

Don't spend any time on it for me, not sure if anyone else is still interested?



Nick.

Yeap....that's me:downtown:

The Greek version of the Turbulance stopper can be found at: http://www.moto.gr/forums/showthread...&pagenumber=23 (On pages 23 and 24)

First impressions are: Less wind from the down side of the bike and
less noise from the engine

Looking good. :045:

Let me know what you think after doing 70mph+ with it.

I couldnt decide if the front end felt lighter or not. I don't think it is having an effect, probably just psychological.

I was going to modify mine with some 'flaps' that allow some air flow through and down, I put it in the oven to soften it a little to be able to bend it.......think I left it a little too long as it started to bubble !! ooopps!!.

Let me know how it goes at higher speed.


Nick.

can someone put some pressure on Yamaha as we're all complaining about this annoying turbulence and a large company like this could really help customers by sorting it............if youre listening Mr Yam!!!!! ?????

I have had problems since day one, it did give me headaches initially as my head is occalating (can't spell) and even with a shuberth and ear plugs its noisy but as someone said some days it ain't so bad which is odd.
BMW GS's suffer with this aswell and i think it came down to the wind coming up through the forks. A guy made some adjusters for the screen giving it infinite variations which made things better, another guy cut some aerofoil slots in the screen which apparently reduced it.
I am still debating getting another taller screen, i have the TT extender but am not convinced it is doing much.

Molgan,

would you be so kind to send the autocad file to my mailadres? Helen.erik@hotmail.com I'd like to try the " turbulance stopper" to reduce the turbulance probs I'm having

Kind regards

I'll be listening in here with interest. My test ride on the Tenere was really hampered by the turbulence I felt at 60-70, which is the bracket in which I do most of my on-road riding. It felt pretty unpleasant while it was happening and I have a bit of a headache now as a result. Not something I would look forward to on a day-to-day basis.

The effect for me was a rapid side-to-side wobble of just a cm or two, so I was wondering if it was the air coming around the sides of the screen. THe air from the right side pushing my head left out of the flow, into the opposite stream and then the air from the left pushing it back, ad nauseam. Literally. Years ago on an old GPZ500 I discovered that if I removed the soft rubbery edging fixed to the edge of the screen, it changed whether the airflow hit me in the face or the chest. I had thought it was just there to soften the blow when you bashed into it, but realised quickly that it wasn't when I took it away. Perhaps adding a small edging strip around the Tenere screen might do something useful... It doesn't sound like much but it might be enough. Just a thought!

Regarding someone's suggestion of wind tunnel testing. It would be possible to submit this sort of thing as an undergraduate final year project suggestion. Anyone who did would probably have to offer the use of their bike for a few days of testing, but its basically research done for free. I did my final year project for a company that made bomb disposal robots and wanted to know whether their controller could be improved.

What a top idea!

Not sure I'd be too keen on giving my bike to a load of undergraduates though.

This is the sort of problem I had and found it was the flow of air over the top of the screen hitting the underside of my helmet, a screen extender or higher screen should fix this.

The 'drumming' noise you mention in your other post is not air turbulance I dont think. After talking to Scott (Scottnet) who suggested pulling the clutch when on the motorway to see if whatever problem you have goes away. I get a bit of drumming noise, not much since I stiffened the peak of my Tour X and cut away some of the foam where my ear is inside the helmet. However, pulling the clutch at motorway speeds stops any drumming noise I have, so it's the vibe of the engine more than the turbulance of the screen that you experianced.



Nick.

I think the drumming noise was someone else - it wasn't me guv'. Honest.

As for the top of the screen, when I put my hand there to artificially add a few inches to the top and there didn't seem to be any noticeable difference in the buffetting effect. Though having my arm there at all probably messed up the normal aerodynamics anyway. I did notice the airflow was much weaker at the peak of the screen than I was expecting though.

I did wonder what all the drivers going the other way thought of the motorcyclist with the wobbly head whizzing along waving his arm about in front of him...