Do you get rumbling/buffeting with your topcase on?

[E Double]

Ok, so I picked up a Givi E52 topcase from a member of another forum I belong to (Sport Touring.Net) a few weeks ago for a super price.  It had a broken lock and was missing the release button.  So, $20 in parts later (re keyed my side cases to match the top case) I have a $300 topcase I paid $135 for all in.  Here's what it looks like on the bike, both with the side cases on and without;




So yesterday was the first time out.  It was all locals so I didn't get a feel for how it would affect the bike at speed.  I'm used to the side cases being on the bike so having stuff in the topcase didn't create any noticeable differences in handling.

Today I did about a 100 mile loop, that included about 50 miles of slab and 50 of locals and backroads.  I had a chance to run Rt 613, heading south from Lake Mohawk/Sparta, a sick 6 mile run that has plenty of rolling, twisting top shape road, with the odd 120 degree decreasing radius corner tossed in to keep you on your toes.  That big ol topcase didn't even feel like it was back there.

Then I headed back, Rt 15 South, to 80 East to 280.  Traffic in Northern NJ on the slab is bipolar;  You're either sitting still or you're rolling like you're trying to out run a nuclear blast.  I was running anywhere between 80-100 mph just to keep pace with traffic.

Around 90 mph I started to get a powerful low frequency rumble with a bit of wicked buffeting tossed in for good measure. It seemed most noticeable between 90-95mph. I could feel it from the bottom of my helmet through mid back.  At sometimes it felt like someone was tugging at my back, the buffeting was so pronounced. It never felt like the handling of the bike was being compromised, and the cases themselves didn't budge. I've never encountered anything but smooth riding with only the side cases on, at any speed from slow to deep in the numbers, so this is a new thing, and I'm not appreciating it.

Has anyone else experienced this at speed with their top box on?

Cheers for any info.

[E Double]

No joy on this one, yeah?

[rktmanfj]

No joy on this one, yeah?

I've heard of it happening, not just on the FJ, but never experienced it myself.

Is that a ZG screen?  Is it higher than stock?

[E Double]

Its their "Drag" screen, so its about 2 inches shorter than stock.  Its great for me, because since it sends the air off the top of the screen about mid chest (I'm 5'11") it gives me absolutely clean air around any of my helmets.  I had tried a gustaffsson touring screen last winter but the additional noise and buffering drove me insane( it placed the wind right at the top of my visor), and I only kept it on for a day.  Even if it didn't add a ton of noise the height made me lose all of my helmet venting, so even my damn near fog proof Scorpion EXO-700 was fogging up.

Its a little chilly on a cold day, but I'd rather put on a windstopper layer and have quiet, clean air around my head than the opposite.  I'm contemplating putting on one of the new MRA clamp on vario screen extensions this fall, just to get that cold air off my chest, but we'll see.

[Len Redmond]

No joy on this one, yeah?

Sorry that I do not have any information on your question; however, I would be interested in knowing the make of the side bags.. Thanks

[E Double]

The side cases are Givi E41s.  I got them two years ago from Sport Tour.com.

[FJSpringy]

sorry to bring up an oldish post.

I don't get rumbling but with the top box on (all givi stuff, with the FJ mounting kit)  with riding solo I get a bit of buffeting at highway speeds (110kph) but nothing I actually think about, if a large truck goes past and it has bad aerodynamics I get a bit of buffeting once again nothing that bothers me, with the wife on the back filling in the gap between me and the top box, then no buffeting at all.

I suspect like me nobody really notices it enough to bother, I have read on some of the FJR forums that they do mention it a bit more, but then they are riding a less manly bike  

[Horse]

LESS manly bike  I like that... I have old style GIVI monokey E-45 topbox & panniers & Have had no noticeable bufferting in OZ, But they recon the water swirls a different way in the dunny down ere!! Maybe the air dose too(well it dose in Canberra,Bloody pollies stirin the shit up i xpect)