Windjammer SS Fairng

[Charlie1717]

I'm picking up a Windjammer SS Fairing that I found on ebay for 35$
I've never really owned a fairing. Are they easy to adapt? This on has the brackets for a goldwing. Do most find the mounting hardware or make their own? I want it to be an easy on off kind of thing.
Here is the listing
http://www.ebay.com/itm/260914941691?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648

Here is my bike that it will go on.
[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285/charlie171717/2011-10-15_14-27-56_252.jpg[/IMG]

[Charlie1717]

[cityslicker]

Nice bike, don't ruin it with a faring,

[cityslicker]

Nice bike, don't ruin it with a faring,

[sgtslag]

The brackets were custom made for each bike model, and year -- no real records were kept by Craig Vetter and Company, so no P/N's anywhere.  Troll e-Bay for brackets for your specific year and model, or make your own from steel bar stock.  You could try your local bike junkyards, but you need to know that a particular specimen came off of your make , model, and year...

The fairings, themselves, were universal:  they would work on any bike's, Vetter made, mounting bracket (there were clones made, by competitors -- caveat emptor).  Lowers are the same:  they are a universal fit for all but the earlier, full-sized fairings (around pre-1972?), but they were custom cut for each bike's engine; however, Lowers for the Windjammer V, were completely different, as were the fairings, and their mounting brackets -- the V's were unique from all earlier models.  I bought Lowers from a different year of CB750, but I had to cut them to fit (tedious, but achievable).  As Craig recommends, stay away from Windjammer V's...  Too few, too far between.

Let me know if you need to make repairs to the black plastic of the fairing -- there is a very inexpensive alternative to the Hotcha Kits Craid sells.  By the way, Craig sells a lot of parts for his former company's fairings.  For a great deal more information, visit Craig's web site.  You can also e-mail him -- very friendly, decent fellow.

http://www.craigvetter.com/

Cheers!

[sgtslag]

By the way, Vetter fairings are secured by around six bolts, inside the fairing pockets, to hold them to the mounting bracket.  They are not easy to remove, as the headlight bucket typically has to be emptied, in order for the fairing to be installed.

The advantage to a Windjammer, over a handlebar mounted fairing, is that the wind has to move the entire, heavy bike.  Handlebar mounted fairings, act as levers, being pushed by the wind, steering your bike for you...  I've had chassis mounted fairings in 50 MPH crosswinds:  moved me around, but I was able to control the bike, and remain safe.  Handlebar fairings have been a nightmare, as the bike can be extremely difficult to control, as the wind likes to twist the kite-like fairing, attached to your triple-tree.


If you ride with the Windjammer for a month, then try without it, you will see which you prefer.  At highway speeds, you will notice that with the Windjammer, you do not have the 60 MPH wind pushing on your upper body (far less fatigue while riding, allows for much longer rides before fatigue sets in); far fewer bug/rain/rock impacts on your person (a large, chassis mounted fairing is recommended for touring -- higher comfort levels, and higher mileage per day); less air flow over you/through your vented helmet, so drink more fluids, more often, and invest in a good, comfortable (mesh?) armored riding jacket.

The price is great, so even if you don't like it, you can always re-sell it for what you have into it (make a good bracket, and that, too, can be sold).  Good luck.  Cheers!

[Charlie1717]

Thanks for the quick info!

The main reason I want it is because I have a few longer trip planned come spring time. I took a few this summer and the wind was causing me to fatigue much sooner than my riding buddies with fairings.

So it's primary use will be for longer interstate trips. For the most part it will be off. I will probably make my own adapters then to make it work. Maybe incorporating the goldwing hardware. I work at a Fastenal so I will have a lot at my disposal.

It seems to be a nice fairing and for 35$ I couldn't pass it up!

[sgtslag]

Visit Craig's site, and download the installation instructions:  it will have a wiring diagram in it.  [http://www.craigvetter.com/pages/Vetter_Fairings/All_Vetter_instructions.html]  There should be an "Accessory" wire in the fairing's harness.  This can be connected to a cigarette/power port, that fits into a pre-drilled hole on the left side, just below the pocket cover.  This will allow you to plug in your GPS/Cell Phone/etc., for charging off of the bike's alternator.  Make sure you connect it to a fused, switched circuit (this will only deliver power while the bike is running, so you won't be able to accidentally discharge your battery...  If you don't need it, don't bother.  The cigarette lighter/accessory power port, can be bought at Wal-Mart for around $4-$6.  Cheers!

[Charlie1717]

Never even thought of that!^^
I just installed one in my car in the hatch area. Never thought about one on my bike. That would be pretty useful for the long trips I have planned.

Thanks for the link as well. I will take pictures of the progress on it once I receive it.


Anyone have experience upgrading the sound system? Speakers/Stereo. I'm not to worried about the speakers I've done a lot with that. But I've never dealt with an 8 track haha

[Re-run]

I still have my vetter. I think I have the 5 but it could be the ss. They look very similar. I took mine off a few years ago as I did not go long distances then. I remember having to remove my forks to get the bracket off.
My vetter also only has 4 bolts to hold it on. Best way to get at those suckers is with a long extension and a deep well socket.

There 2 things I dislike about it is the weight of it, even though is it abs and not fiberglass, and how the bracket mounts to the frame.
The weight pushes on the suspension a lot and makes steering heavy but that is mainly an in town gripe.
The mounts are curved to fit the downtubes of the frame. Then hose clamps hold it on. As you can imagine, this scratches the paint pretty good. To stop this, I wrap the tubes in thick rubber all the way around. The rubber prevents scratching but also makes a much better grip so there is much less chance of the bracket slipping under the weight of the fairing.

For the forks, I would get pvc pipe that fits the tube and cut sections about an inch long and put it in the tubes at the top of course. This will help with some of the sag.

Nothing blocks wind like a vetter though, or rain for the matter!

[Charlie1717]

Anybody have the mounting bracket for a 72ish 750 for my vetter ss fairing? Let me know!

[sgtslag]

The SS fairing will mount up the same as the Windjammer II/III/IV/Vindicator fairings.  They all had the same mounting setup, so the only thing that was custom for the bike, was the bracket, itself.

Try e-Bay, and Craigslist, for brackets.  Try posting in the "Wanted" sections.  Check out your local motorcycle junkyards for brackets.  Even if you have to drive an hour, or two, to get to a M/C junkyard, it will likely be worth your while considering rarity, and shipping costs.  You can also visit Craig Vetter's site for information on building your own bracket, if necessary (http://www.craigvetter.com/pages/Vetter_Fairings/Home-made-mounts.html).  Craig is very good about answering e-mails, as well.  Cheers!

[Kube]

As for the stereo, go to ebay and type in motorcycle amplifier. They can be had for pretty cheap and most of them have a jack for an mp3 player. Thats the route I plan on going if I can ever get mine running.