Fairings and bugs

[shinyribs]

I found this today. Vintage sells 'em for $75. Not too expensive. Do you reckon it'd do any good for keeping the bugs off of ya? Or are the little fairings just for looks? I'm not sure I'm crazy about the looks of it ,to be honest,but every time I go to town(30 miles for me) I pull over as soon as I get inside the city limits and have to clean my visor.It gets so plastered with bugs that the street lights glare and make it dangerous to ride without cleaning it off. Its becoming a pain.I swear,I dont know how guys stand to ride without a full face helmet.

[Piute]

   WELL
  with out A full face you can swap glasses / sunglasses easy ,and clean them later I hang a extra pair on my cable ,cause my prescription sun glasses are to dark at night,or as you catch a nice,juicey sateva / bug.I jusdt switch ,full face fog up for me ,but havn't had or tryed with CAt Crap

[TOOLS1]

Unless, you duck down behind it it will not do, you much good. Guess it's time, for a Gold Wing old man.

[sgtslag]

Tools is correct:  small fairings are worthless unless you are in a crouched position.  There are many types of fairings, but most (95%+) are handlebar mounted -- they act like a kite, catching all of the wind, applying it against the handlebars, attempting to turn them...  Chassis mounted fairings (Vetter Windjammers) transfer all wind forces to the frame of the bike, attempting to move the entire bike (dramatically less effect on steering/handling, even with 40+ MPH crosswinds -- you will still feel it, but you won't be ditch-riding at full road speed!).


For fogging problems, crack the helmet's visor to the first notched setting, yielding around 1/4" gap at the bottom.  This will allow enough air flow, under most conditions, to alleviate the fogging up effect.  To clean, w/o scratching, use Lemon Pledge, with a microfiber towel:  will remove everything, including wax, without scratching, and it will smell good, too.  Cheers!

[shinyribs]

Thats kinda what I thought about the small fairings,too. So scrap that idea.

I havent had any problems with my visor fogging up ever since the weather went above 40 degrees. My new helmet has a breath deflector too which works great.

Tools-goldwing=yes,naked   no rolling couch!  I am almost ashamed I even looked at fairingsruined my rputation

OK,just another one of my fleeting posts that any mod/admin can feel free to nuke!

[LukeM]

Don't tempt me.

I bought a windscreen for my Shadow this winter for $100 US.  I put it on, set it up like they say (so you can see over the top), and took it for a ride.  Works well under 45-50, but at freeway speeds, it would buffet my helmet like crazy.  So I tried to move it up, so the wind would go over my helmet.  Ran out of adjustment room, as it was almost 5 inches above the headlight at the front.

Now, granted, I'm kind of a long waisted guy (5'11" with a 32" inseam), and this is on a Shadow with fairly low riding height. But I'm thinking I wasn't buffeted this bad when I rode with no windscreen.  So, this weekend, if there's time, I'll take it off and see how that goes.

Just more data for the differential diagnosis (House MD reference).
Luke M

[shinyribs]

Thanks a bunch Luke. Thats exactly the kind of experience i was wanting to hear about. My bike definitely does not have a low seat height,so sounds like a no-go for me as of now.

[free2ride]

LukeM wrote

Don't tempt me.

I bought a windscreen for my Shadow this winter for $100 US.  I put it on, set it up like they say (so you can see over the top), and took it for a ride.  Works well under 45-50, but at freeway speeds, it would buffet my helmet like crazy.  So I tried to move it up, so the wind would go over my helmet.  Ran out of adjustment room, as it was almost 5 inches above the headlight at the front.

Now, granted, I'm kind of a long waisted guy (5'11" with a 32" inseam), and this is on a Shadow with fairly low riding height. But I'm thinking I wasn't buffeted this bad when I rode with no windscreen.  So, this weekend, if there's time, I'll take it off and see how that goes.

ya, bought a windscreen for the CBK, still haven't decided if it works well or not. nice that the wind doesn't hit full-force on the chest, but it seems to catch the top of my helmet. what's best? donno.

[sgtslag]

Shiny, have you ever ridden behind a Vetter Windjammer?  It is not as dark on this side, as you may think...    Try it.  You just might like it.  

[LukeM]

I spoke with a few more experienced MC guys (one's an MSC instructor).  Told him about my situation with the fairing.  Conventional wisdom is the top of the windscreen should be even with the middle of the helmet. Depending on the design of the windscreen, the wind will either flip over the top of the helmet, or just below it.  I agree: the wind does not hit me in the chest at all, but the vibration of the wind hitting my helmet is not fun.

You shouldn't be looking THROUGH the windscreen.  
Luke M

[shinyribs]

sgtslag wrote

Shiny, have you ever ridden behind a Vetter Windjammer?  It is not as dark on this side, as you may think...    Try it.  You just might like it.  

LOL.Sorry Sarge,I just gave mine to Piute so I guess I'll never know the joys of a Vetter!

That fairing I was looking would barely extend above the handle bars. I suppose it just for looks then.

[Piute]

   I've used a few diff.full size shields and fairings ,(low rider h.d.,kz 750,Rebal,heratage classic )
    1st off you wont the shield low enough that if you were to sit up straight and stretch your neck a bit to see over,Reason is the shield will fog up bad at time's,plus in heavy rain hard to see out of (I tuck behind and look out the side by mirror),I good shield will defect wind about 2-3 inch's higher "by design".
    2nd off ...I've only road a frame mount fairing 1s test road a road glide,Passing a bigg rigg at 80+ you don't get the lift in the front end as you do tube mount type.
   Looking forward to trying that Vetter,my small 1 is just to tuck behind in the rain or just to look diff.

         We play a bug game,poker runs,you pay 5 bucks get so many dot sticker ,(about the size of a quarter)
          Pay outs very usually
          center hit 5$
          edge hit .50 cents
        Alwayts depends on # and who's playing. ,