79 Special Fairing

[underdog57]

I've read some on fairings , but I'm interested in how many
of riders like your fairings ...
Will I want to keep it if I get one???
They have them on Mad Max so thats a plus !!
I'm looking at a Windjammer , not sure which version yet ....

Thanks
Bob

[lorenc]

GET ONE

When I was young, I wouldnt have anything that messed with the clean look of the XS. Now that I'm older, I really enjoy the fairing. It blocks the wind (BUGS and gravel) and gives me a handy spot to mount things like an Ipod, cig lighter, clock, thermometer, and a cup holder. It makes rides in the summer a little warm but 50 degree rides arent to bad either.

Down side: Mine is a Pacifico. I cant find replacement parts for it.

[COOL TOM]

Faring

I love my Windjammer, i would not have a bike without one. When you get one make sure you get one with the window vents in it. They block a lot of wind and rain. My XJ has the Windjammer 5 on it and my 80SG has the Yamaha faring with built in vents. Two of my boys that ride hate them, they like a small windshield but no faring. Lots of room to store extra gear. Make sure you get the mounting bracket and electric wiring that goes with it. You may have to redo the mounting bracket to fit your bike, these brackets were made to fit a specify bike when they were made. They are not marked so you do not know if it will fit until you get ready to mount it, unless you take it off the same bike as yours.

[webbcraft2150]

Years ago, I would not touch a bike with a fairing. I bought a KZ1100 Spectre that had a full Windjammer and lowers. I figured I would pull that off pretty quick but after a couple of weeks of riding it, i found I liked it. I could, in less than an hour, pull the fairing, install the stock headlight and front turn signals if I wanted to ride a "naked" bike. When the Spectre was closing in on 96k miles, I scored my full dress 80g. I figured on pulling the hard bags pretty quick, but once again, found them very handy and left them on. I pulled the Yamaha fairing and installed a spare Windjammer fairing. The yamaha fairing needed some work and I like the look of the Windjammer much better. I cut my own windshields so I have a "shorty", tinted windsheild on it now. Allows a little more breeze but I can duck down if need be for weather protection. I usta swap out the tall sheild during the cold NM winters but I found thats not needed here in balmy central Texas. I use the lowers as needed. I enjoy being able to blast down the highway with one hand on the bars and the fatigue factor is much lower. Having the cd player is nice also. In short, I like the full fairing and hard bags. Someday, I hope to score a "naked" 80g to park next to my full dresser.

[Dragon Tamer]

Had the fairing on when I got the bike and if I had been able to find an original headlight at the time I would have taken it off. Not being able to find a light right away I drove it with the fairing. Now I would not like to ride without one. Not only less wind and more comfort, I like to stash small things in the fairing "glove boxes" and have mounted a few things on the fairing itself (I never could travel light) Got on my son's Zook (naked bike) the other day to run uptown quick. I could not believe the wind blast and wind noise, kept thinking that something was wrong with the bike, then realized, "oh, no fairing. The crowning touch was on the way home I hit a sparrow, came right over the tach and hit me right in the chest, felt like a seventeen pound locust. I will never again complain about cleaning guts and feathers off the fairing!

[Wildkat]

I ride nekkid...

The 81 had a windshield when it first came home... but we took it off because I liked the look of the bike more without it... John was convinced that after a few long rides I would want to put it back on... nope...

Pros to riding without the windshield:
- no line to look above or below (the top of the windshield was right at eye level for me)
- get to feel the wind
- one less layer of bugs to have to see through
- cleaner lines on the bike; greater aesthetic value
- better gas mileage

Cons of riding without:
- that layer of bugs (birds) will get you (and those swarms of gnats? REALLY suck)

Of course, I live in Texas where the temps are much more accommodating for riding without a fairing... If I were in Vermont... I might change my mind about the whole thing...

[underdog57]

I thought Vetter made the stock yamaha fairings ??

Was a local 81 XS1100 that ran with hard bags and fairing 32,000 miles I could of bought for $800.00 . Duh thought about it too long ....
Did test drive this and it was high plus the handlebars were way forward for me . It felt odd steering and the fairing stays straight...

A buddy and I rode into work a few weeks ago , was still about 47 deg F in the morning. I see where they get the F from . LOL..
Its getting in the 90's a few times so far ....
Must have roasted armadilla in Texas !!

I can get this fairing , wires , brackets off a Suzuki and the leg pieces . For a deal . not sure how much , but am guessing around
$100.00 . want to try it .

Appreciate all the input ...!!

Bob

[mro]

Fairing, just how fair is it?

80G was first XS, got in late fall and rode thru winter "nekkid... "
Then came along a few more XSes, one a 79' H (macho maroon) with vetter/bags/trunk/floor boards/forward controls etc...
Was "different" ride and at the time was unimpressed
Helped a few XSives out and one came by the shop and handed me a brand new wind shield (gratis ) and I'm thinking WTF I'm gone to do with it...so stuck it on the G few weeks later which was right before winter the next year. Got to like it....

Few more XSes later and one follows me home with a NOS Vetter fairing on a special. Bike looks too cool and had thought to pull the fairing off, but after riding it for a while it kinda grows on ya so it's staying. and thinking about putting on some bags/trunk which will help make it look "complete".

Did take the wind shield off the G tho....
Going from one to the other is cool. The G sorta feels like a sport bike agin.


mro

[Crazcnuk]

Last Jammer I had was on a 1977 Honda 750-4K, back in the 70's. It was a bit odd, but I kind of liked it.

Since them I have not had another full fairing, but I have had several versions of the clear windshields, over the years, and really don't like to ride without one.

On the Shadow I had the full Direction2 smoked windshield. On my current Virago it has a smaller Slipstreamer, which is smaller than I like, but it does the job.

My 80G has a Windjammer IV that's in pretty rough shape, but I bought another one to put on it. I am looking forward to riding another bike with a full fairing, although I am still a little worried I may not like it.

If I ever get this XS running....

[Snow]

I've always preferred the look of nekkid bikes, but did notice how a simple windshield made my GS750T much more bearable to ride in the winter...

That being said, my '78 came with a Windjammer fairing and I though what the heck, I'll keep this one a full dresser and I'll have my '79 as the in-town nekkid bike. Boy, I'm glad I did! Even though it's a bit hotter to ride right now (can feel the engine heat come up on me rather than being blown past me), it has been a life-saver in the rain! Not to mention all the extra space to store stuff

[Crazcnuk]

Winter? in FLORIDA?

heh, you should try riding in Dec or Jan up here in the Great White North!

Getting the bike started at -10C can be fun.

[oseaghdha]

I have a Windjammer, but prefer to run nekkid in town right now. Just feels more maneuverable. The storage is nice, likewise with the side luggage.
When it gets cold, or if I decide to take a trip, I can put it back on.

[mitch]

Cold stard

Hey Cracy canuck
Put a 100 watt light bulb in under the carbs and it will make starting it eazier or go to Canadian tire and get a dipstick oil heater that works well i been there done that
Doug

[Crazcnuk]

When I was in university, I took the battery out of my Girlfriend's KZ, in October when she didn't want to ride anymore. . I made a set of booster cables about a foot long and used them to boost my bike with her battery..

I would boost my bike, in the morning, go to school, come home and take her battery in the house and charge it overnight.

Other bonus is that the bike parking is empty all winter. No fighting for parking spots.

[Snow]

Originally posted by Crazcnuk
Winter? in FLORIDA?

heh, you should try riding in Dec or Jan up here in the Great White North!

Getting the bike started at -10C can be fun.

Heh, being that real 'winter' clothing and equipment simply isn't available here, it's no fun riding in the low 20's F (around -6 C)