Curt_from_Kansas

I suspect it's that way from a little left of Chicago to a little right of LA. 😀

Well, my bike is light..me....not as skinny as I used to be! I agree with what you say wholeheartedly. That is what I am trying to figure out. How much of of my discomfort arising in these conditions is naiveté and how much is warranted. I, however, slow down to a speed I felt better at -- which ws 55 MPH at some parts. Luckily, on these back KS roads, they are somewhat empty and other drivers are pretty mellow. Curt M

Thanks for the replies! I really enjoy these road trips I have been taking -- except the wind. I would like to take more! I posted, somewhat wondering, if I should pick up a goldwing or Yamaha Star Venture etc. to get me through the winds of the plains. Sounds like I probably should just continue to ride more and get used to it. It sounds like all bikes will have their issues? It is like living in a blast furnace here in the summer. I'm from Northern Ohio originally. Oh -- how nice and calm it is there....hardwood trees, little wind.....I never appreciated it until I moved here. (I am not ragging on Kansas. I actually like living here, wind aside. Wasn't really such an issue until I bought a motorcycle.) And WhisperQuiet -- driving through Hays -- wow! Now that can be WIND! Crazy wind. Driving through there one frequently has the car steering wheel turned 45 degrees towards the wind...and tumbleweeds WHACK the car. I once got hit with a gust of wind in my large stable car -- I thought I had hit something. Came out of nowhere. BAM! I think it would have blown any motorcycle off course. I see motorcycles on i70 and I I'm in sometimes in awe that they can ride it. I am trying my Shorty windshield today in the wind to see which screen length feels better for me. One thing I find -- I will take strong laminar wind rather than less strong turbulent flow any day. Thank you and best regards from Kansas -- It Blows. Haha.

Greetings, I have been motorcycling for about a years now, I'mm and in relatively good shape. I am indeed a cautious middle aged man -- think "dad". I purchased the Tracer 900 GT about 6 months ago and ride it in town frequently. Recently, I had the pleasure of riding from Wichita, Kansas (home) to Eureka Springs, Arkansas for a weekend of riding the twisties in the mountains. Kansas is rather windy, and rather flat. Actually, it is extremely windy and not a flat as many might think. Riding there and back there, we frequently had a strong, gusty side wind. I found it to be most disconcerting. On two lane 65 MPH roads, I was at times very scared. Interestingly, however, when I looked at some GoPro footage that I took, my position in the lane was rather stable. I FELT, however, that I was being blown all over the place. My friend (much more experienced) on his FJR seemed unaffected by the wind -- other than having to slow down every now and then to let me catch up. Winds were 15-20 with moderate gusts. (Wind can be 30 MPH with MAJOR gusts here -- I would not ride in those conditions -- I know of tragic outcomes when riders were hit by major gusts and blown off the road) I wonder -- does a large screen make the side wind effect worse? Is this something that one needs to just learn to deal with and manage? Is a light sport/cruiser like the Tracer 900 GT prone to be affected more? Do the big HD and Honda GW drivers get the same sensation? I am thinking of getting a tank pad so I can lower/rest my thorax on it to lower my front profile the next time we venture across the unprotected, windy plain. Here is a link to a GoPro video of the conditions. I was just wondering. Any input appreciated! Best regards, Curt M

I got the CalSci shorty. And I must say, I like it! No surprise gusts....just a little torso protection. I get clean air on the neck and face. (I'm 6 foot, 32' inseam, big head.) I think it looks very nice too. I put a Yamaha emblem on it for fun.

Hello. I have a 2020 Tracer 900 GT and I opted for the Yamaha Touring screen. The stick screen does not work for me. The touring screen is rather large. It does offer some protection, but the turbulence hits me at about the top 1/3 of my helmet. I added a Givi wind deflector that helps minimally. I then decided to move my handlebars to the forward position, and the seat to the higher position, which gives me just enough forward lean to avoid most of the turbulence -- until gust slam me. I am 6' and have a long torso (and a big head!). Nothing helps in Kansas wind; truth be told -- I find it better to deal with the wind without a windscreen on such a light bike. The current setup blocks the wind -- until it doesn't -- and then the buffeting becomes rather surprising and disconcerting. I think I feel safer just knowing what is hitting me. I have a CalSci screen for my other motorcycle (Royal Enfield Himalayan) and it is the biggest size available. I can look over it or slouch and look through it. Now that offers protection, especially in inclement weather. On the Himalayan it looks somewhat "at home". And the Himalayan is a slow (albeit really fun) motorcycle. I understand that many would not want such a huge screen on a sleek Tracer, and that on a fast bike, a huge screen would act like a sail. It is such an expensive endeavor trying to find the correct windscreen! I appreciate the input from this thread -- and I think I may get the sport Puig or MRA next. Will continue trying....

You would not believe the difference my modifications achieved with the windshield! Absolutely NOTHING. Haha...

Thank you. I will look at the GIVI with 2 point attachment. Since my attention was turned to the windscreen today, I tried modifying my touring screen a little by putting a 1.5 cm spacer on the upper 2 attachment points of the plexiglass. Maybe that gives me the little extra laminar flow space I need. When the thunderstorms move over, I will give it a spin to see! I agree. The perfect windshield search is a never ending journey.

I just hit 350 miles yesterday. I took a nice long ride of about 100 miles with the new windshield -- and rare for Kansas -- there was very little wind. So I got to test it out. I bought the Yamaha touring windshield. I thought Yamaha probably knows a thing or two about aerodynamics. But, I do not notice any real positive benefit. In fact, I think it directs more turbulent air at my head than the stock. HOWEVER -- if I duck down a bit I can find a quiet zone. I am tall-ish (6 foot) with short-ish legs (32 inches) and a big head. (It's amazing I can balance when I walk, Haha). I had a lot of turbulence at 55 plus. Very noisy. Winds were less than 8 MPH. On my first motorcycle (the Royal Enfield Himalayan -- which I still greatly enjoy!) I ordered a windscreen from CalSci. The stock windshield was rather small. According to CalSci's website charts, I should have gotten a Large. But, I got the X-Large. It is very large indeed. In fact, I almost returned it for a smaller one after installing it. But then I thought I would jut use it and have it cut down if I needed it. Interestingly, if I sit up straight I can look over it -- if I slouch I can look through it. It has a look that younger riders would not be caught dead on -- but I am 55 and could care less. (That, and with my big head, long torso and short legs, how good could I look away?). But the larger CalSci Himalayan is really great at cutting through the Kansas wind! I find it perfect -- despite reading those that say NEVER look through a windshield. It does act like a sail on very windy days. But then again, when it gets really windy here, nothing but a mega-cruiser or mega-transcontinental tourer is going to feel comfortable -- and not that comfortable either. The Yamaha touring windshield for the Yamaha Tracer GT is 23 inches (I just went out and measured). The CalSci XL windshield for the Tracer 900 GT is 24.5 inches (from their website). The CalSci windshield also is vented to prevent back pressure. I do not know the significance of that. I think windshields are like shoes. It is really hard to know what is going to be comfortable until you try them on. Different sizes work for different people. It has been my experience, at my height, that the Yamaha touring windshield is not optimal - for ME. It is of course, beautifully made -- it is a Yamaha product. I plan on buying one of those GIVI or other windscreen directional visors that attaches to the top of the windscreen to see if that will help give me the extra couple of inches of laminar air that I am seeking. Best of luck. If you get a windshield, please let me know how it works. (I attached a pic of the RE Himalayan with the huge windshield. It still had the plastic wrap on it, when I took the picture. It is very well made.) Best regards, Curt

Ah, Thank you.

What is the "seat tilt mod" you and others mention? Thanks.

Greetings, Just picked up a 2020 Tracer 900 GT from Cycle Zone Motorsports in Topeka - nearest Yamaha dealer. I bought it sight unseen when it was discounted online. It is quite the machine. I am moving up from a 25 HP Royal Enfield Himalayan and it will take a while to get used to so much power. I have already installed engine guards from T-Rex ( just in case) -- and a touring windshield (it is essentially always very windy in Kansas). I look forward to years of fun with this motorcycle. Japanese manufacturing is really crazy. It is really a gorgeous machine. Best regards, Curt