Wind protection

[brianinpa]

Brian you need to stagger over here...https://craigvetter.com/pages/Vetter_Fairings/Vetter-Fairings-main.html and maybe even here... https://www.vetterowners.com

 

[canuckxxxx]

I am now Vettered. :Egyptian: Got my mounting bracket in the mail today. And since I spent the weekend taking to TS's and headlight off and connecting the Vetter wiring harness so it was just a case of mounting the mount and screwing the fairing on. All lights work and even the radio. :music2:

It is going to take some getting used to having that big thing in front of me. Anxious to see how wind protection is.

image

• canuckxxxx
• Sep 21, 2015

 

[canuckxxxx]

Here is the view from the cockpit.

image

• canuckxxxx
• Sep 21, 2015

 

[mcgovern61]

I like that view! (Been there!)

Now it is just this:

 

[canuckxxxx]

mcgovern61 » Mon Sep 21, 2015 8:10 pm[/url]":vbvjufmu]
I like that view! (Been there!)

Now it is just this:

That is an interesting radio setup with the Plexifairing. Do you wear ear plugs when you ride? If so can you still listen to the radio?

Why did you take the Windjammer off?

Brian

 

[canuckxxxx]

I was wondering how much extra weight the WJ is going to add to the bike. The WJ is 26 lb and the mount is, maybe 4 or 5 lbs so let's say total 30 lbs. But then I weighed the box with all the parts I took off, including the Plexifairing...14 lb. I don't think an extra 16 lbs will be noticeable.

 

[Ansimp]

canuckxxxx » Tue Sep 22, 2015 12:47 pm[/url]":19jci0or]
Here is the view from the cockpit.

image

• canuckxxxx
• Sep 21, 2015

I love your new Vetter Brian especially as you have the extras ( vents and stereo pod) :good: :salute:

 

[joedrum]

mines just the basic deal .....there no ? for me i have to have it to ride ....i use to like hondaline better ..but i find vetter better for me now i have mirrors on the vetter itself ...1100 mirrors at that and sort of cut down shield also ......going 800miles plus strait proves to me ...its very nice on the rider

 

[mcgovern61]

Why did you take the Windjammer off?

Two reasons; first, my Wife thought it made the bike look like the Bat Girl bike! :shock: :cheeky:

She really likes the open look of a naked bike. 2nd, on our trip to Joe's a while back, I loaded the bike pretty heavy and ran into an issue with a high speed wobble when taking long sweeping turns on the highway at 75-80 MPH. Bottom line was, the bike was overloaded and my springs were shot. I decided to invest in a HF Tag A Long trailer for all of the big stuff and take a load off the front end. My Vetter with the radio setup weighed in at 37 lbs. Add to that the fact that I stuffed the compartments with cargo for trips and I was throwing in another 10-12 lbs on the front fork springs.

The Vetter is fantastic wind protection and when you add the lowers, you cannot beat the wind protection in the colder months. It is a great faring. The Plexi extends below my turn signals, but I will miss the cold weather protection of the Vetter. (Now I will have to don cold weather gear just a bit earlier in the year.)

That is an interesting radio setup with the Plexifairing. Do you wear ear plugs when you ride? If so can you still listen to the radio?

Yes I do wear earplugs when riding on the highway and yes I can hear the speakers clear as a bell at highway speeds!

 

[joedrum]

yes i had spring problems ...with or without vetter ...i dont now at all springs were modified and bike is stout in front ....nope i like vetter to much to go naked or wind shield ....dont do radios vetter is nice hold things of importance to have ...

 

[brianinpa]

canuckxxxx » Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:47 pm[/url]":5dgflrm9]
Here is the view from the cockpit.

image

• canuckxxxx
• Sep 21, 2015

With a little effort and an extra windscreen, that view can change during the hot summer months...

I never really notice the weight as an issue, but a few things you will notice:

Since the fairing is mounted to the frame instead of the handlebars, you will not suffer as much fatigue in your arms on long rides or windy days.

Turning will be a bit dark at first because the bike turns before the headlight beam catches up to you.

If you feel like you are being buffeted by the wind, open the vents in the windscreen and see what happens - they aren't really there to let cool air in but rather to equalize the air pressure behind the fairing.

 

[canuckxxxx]

Well I only had time, today, for a short test ride at highway speeds. I really like that fairing. :good: It is not going to take much time to get used to at all. I'm just looking over the top of it. Didn't notice any buffeting at all in spite of riding against the wind, with the wind and with side winds. I can hear buffeting around my head but it must be just clearing the top of my helmet. Funny, it seems that it makes for a more relaxing ride, being tucked in behind the WJ in my own little cocoon.

All and all I am very happy with the Windjammer. Should be able to go on a longer ride tomorrow, maybe do the same loop as I did for my gas mileage check and see what difference it makes.

I like the tip about having a couple of different wind screen for different times of the year. Can you still get new wind screens?

 

[Denver]

Glad you like it :salute:

 

[brianinpa]

canuckxxxx » Tue Sep 22, 2015 2:25 pm[/url]":210qqa10]
Can you still get new wind screens?

Yes... https://bikescreen.com/collections/fairing-manufacturers/Vetter, however, finding another fairing is usually cheaper. Ebay will have a cheap one come along occasionally also.

 

[canuckxxxx]

OK, I put 141 miles on today. :moped: Really like the WJ. Makes it way more comfortable at highway speeds. :Egyptian: I can ride with my face shield up because there is so little wind on my face. Tried riding without ear plugs...it's pretty quiet but I might stick with the EPs to preserve whatever hearing I still have left.

Did a gas mileage check after all that riding and got 38 MPG. Whereas I got 40 before I put the WJ on using the Plexifairing.

One thing that could be an issue is that I am smelling exhaust when I'm cruising at highway speed. Must be something to do with the vacuum created behind the WJ. Remember I took the baffles out of my mufflers and shortened up the tail pipes. I wonder if longer tail pipes would help. Is that why some guys run extra long tail pipes that turn down at the end?

Brian

 

[brianinpa]

I've never had an issue with the exhaust. Not sure what you can do there.

 

[Ansimp]

canuckxxxx » Thu Sep 24, 2015 11:36 am[/url]":3h45bu7n]
OK, I put 141 miles on today. :moped: Really like the WJ. Makes it way more comfortable at highway speeds. :Egyptian: I can ride with my face shield up because there is so little wind on my face. Tried riding without ear plugs...it's pretty quiet but I might stick with the EPs to preserve whatever hearing I still have left.

Did a gas mileage check after all that riding and got 38 MPG. Whereas I got 40 before I put the WJ on using the Plexifairing.

One thing that could be an issue is that I am smelling exhaust when I'm cruising at highway speed. Must be something to do with the vacuum created behind the WJ. Remember I took the baffles out of my mufflers and shortened up the tail pipes. I wonder if longer tail pipes would help. Is that why some guys run extra long tail pipes that turn down at the end?


Brian

I have a crack in my header pipe around the foot peg area and that does present fume problems ( I need to pull it off and weld up the seam) and is visable when I start the bike with ATF in the fuel. :yes:

 

[canuckxxxx]

[/quote]

I have a crack in my header pipe around the foot peg area and that does present fume problems ( I need to pull it off and weld up the seam) and is visable when I start the bike with ATF in the fuel. :yes:[/quote]

Good point Ansimp. Should have taken a close look at my exhaust system before posting. I bet it is leaking.

The system that is on there now is for an 1100. I bought it off of Ebay 4 years ago when I was getting my '82 road-worthy. But it had rust holes then, which I patched up the pieces of tin and high temp silicone. Now that it is on a 1200 engine it sticks out that extra 1/4" or so the centre stand would not go up all the way. So at the muffler mount points in I have forced the mufflers together by tightening the bolts, pulling the mufflers together. This has put a big strain on the muffler-to-header joints which has probably caused a leak to open up.

I have been looking for a good 1200 exhaust system. One thing I notice is that '84 & '85 headers are one piece with separate flow paths formed by sheet metal. The '86 on have separate header pipes for each cylinder and come together just before the muffler joint. Question: is the later 2- pience system way better than the earlier. To me the later system looks to be better but what say you guys?

Thanks
Brian

 

[mcgovern61]

Must be something to do with the vacuum created behind the WJ.

Yeah, that can happen. Long before I had my carbs rebuilt and they were leaking a bit, I could really smell gas when at higher speeds. If I dropped the throttle real fast I could smell a gassy exhaust. That vacuum can work like a back draft for sure!

 

[Offcenter]

canuckxxxx » Tue Sep 22, 2015 3:25 pm[/url]":2xpmuvy9]
I like the tip about having a couple of different wind screen for different times of the year. Can you still get new wind screens?

I've always made my own windshields for my Vetters. I buy a piece of one eighth inch thick Lexan at Home Depot and cut it with a fine tooth blade in my saber saw. The thin Lexan is lighter than the thick plexiglas that came on fairing, and it's stronger too. Plexi will shatter if hit hard enough. Lexan is actually bulletproof. I've never been able to break a piece of that thin Lexan. It just bends. And I tried shooting one of my home made Lexan windshields with my Crossman .22 air rifle. The shot just bounced off. Almost hit me in the head! (You'll shoot yer eye out kid!)