What's the difference

[XJ Rob]

I bought a Windjammer and hardware for my 82 XJ. Being that I bought it by a picture installed on another XJ, I assumed that it would bolt right up. When I finally got everything back to Michigan (Long story) I noticed it had '80XS1100G written on the bracket. I didn't think much of it at the time assuming the frames were all the same. But after I tried to install it, Something just didn't fit right. The bracket does not sit level. The "rear" part of the bracket that the jammer sits on, is lower than the front causing the jammer tilt way back.

So my question is...What is the difference between the 2 frames?

I'm not sure if I can use this bracket at all without some kind of "Mod".

I have had other "windjammers" on other bikes and the headlight just needed to be removed but I had a cover that went over the bucket to keep everything in that belonged and keep everything out that didn't. With this one I would need to remove the headlight bucket and the "ears" that hold it.

If someone has the correct bracket that they would like to swap for this one, that would be great.

Thanks

[Cobia]

Bracket

Hey Rob,
Pictures would be helpful in trying to figure this one out.
Although the main difference that comes to mind is that the XJ has an extra brace in the frame that runs along horizontally right in front of the cam chain tensioner adjuster. Since the bracket attaches to the frame on the vertical frame members maybe this brace is causing the misalignment.
Good Luck

[XJ Rob]

I Have posted some pics of the fitment of the bracket on the link below. Although the top is bolted to the frame. Where the clamps would go on the bottom,It does not fit tight. I cant imagine the bracket sitting level enough even after getting the lower parts of the bracket tight to the frame.


http://s727.photobucket.com/albums/w...derXJ/Bracket/

[CatatonicBug]

Does the bracket sit flush against the front of the down-tubes on the frame? Are the bolts tightened into the holes in the front of the down-tubes? There should be 4 contact points, all on the front of the down-tubes. The top 2 (one on each side) bolt into holes that are pre-tapped in the frame, and the bottom 2 are just pressed against the tubes, held on by pipe clamps.

Nevermind... Just looked at your pictures. Looks like it's mounted correctly (minus the pipe clamps). Maybe you could install a spacer under the rear holes on the fairing where they attach to the bracket, to lift it up a bit.

[XJOK2PLAY]

There are frame differences between the XJ and other bikes, as the others have mentioned. If you're unable to modify yours and get it to sit right, you may have to scrounge up different brackets.

As far as the headlight cover goes... I'd like to have one of those myself. But mine doesn't. It all hides behind the fairing. True, when you look behind the fairing you can see the wiring and would look better w/ a cover. Do you know a source to get those?

The headlight bracket ears will fold in for clearance and don't need to be removed usually on a Vetter.l

[XJOK2PLAY]

Looking @ your bracket pics, yours looks like it's tilting upward to the front a lot more than mine does. Mine' more level.

[CatatonicBug]

I just folded in the headlight ears (had to disconnect the spedometer cable temporarily to do so) and zip-tied the wires into a nice, neat bundle just in front of the fork tube. I have the Cyclesounds on mine, so that may help in "covering" the otherwise visible spaghetti mess down in there.

[D. P. Larmee]

The angle of the bracket looks about right to me. The following link is to Craig Vetter's website where he gives tips to making fairing brackets. He states that the rear of the bracket mounting face should be 1 1/4" - 1 1/2" lower than the front mount. I can't tell exactly from your pictures, but it looks like that is pretty close to your setup. A good way to tell for sure is to see if you can get the headlight adjusted to hit the road.

http://craigvetter.com/pages/Vetter_...questions.html

The link below is to a post that discusses some shimming that had to be done to an xs11 fairing to be mounted to an xj11 to clear the gauges. I can't tell if there was clearance issues between the guages and the fairing itself or with the radio pod. But either way, it sure looks like they use very similar mounts.

http://xs11.com/forum/showthread.php...hlight=krauser

On all of the Vetters that I have ever installed on xs11s, the headlight had to be removed for clearance reasons. This left the headlight ears that folded in nicely.

[Jerry]

Hmmmm.....

I have a Vetter IV on my XJ:

Stock headlight shell is in place, no clearance issues.
I found a 'cap' at a boneyard for $5.00
No CycleSound (radio option) and no clearance problems with guages.

My bracket was from an unknown XS, it came from a boneyard already removed from the bike it was on. I doubt it was on an XJ. I've not heard that frame differences made any difference in mounting the bracket. The XJ has some extra plate welded around the Tripple-T, but the down tubes and top mounting holes are the same as on the XS. My bracket / fairing went on with no problems.

I looked at the photos, but it has been a whole since I had my Vetter off. Angle looks to sharp, but that is just an impression. Will have to check tonight.

[XJ Rob]

Thanks for all the replies and links. I was able to add a small spacer between the top of the bracket where it bolts to the frame. It didn't bring it level but I was able to fit the whole headlight in the bucket and still have clearance. I'm not sure if I really like the way it looks. It's black and the bike is Burg. It really knocks down the wind. But now the wind come around the back of me and pushes me forward instead of pulling me back. 60-70 mph. I'll post a few pics later tonight maybe get some opinions.

[rover]

what's the difference

It looks like someone welded some extra stiffener pieces to the front of your frame. That is what is holding the lower frame mounts farther forward than the bracket was made for. I don't recommend putting spacers behind the upper frame mount, with the fairing that much farther forward, the wind deflection will be much different than the design of the fairing calls for, and you will lose strength and stabilityat the upper mount. I have a 79F, and there is a small amount of backdraft, more noticeable by the passenger in the head area. Ladies riding with me with a bare head get their hair tangled. And, with the proper fitting of the fairing bracket, the headlight and signal MUST be removed, and the ears turned inward until they are together. I tied mine together with a cable tie. Vetter supplied a leather bag with new fairings to cover the wires that normally reside in the headlight bucket. Find or make a bag a little bigger than a plastic sandwich bag with a drawstring closure, and your wires and connecters will be protected from the elements. You will have to cut and modify the lower frame mounts so the back of the fairing is 1 to 1 1/2 inch lower than the front with the upper mount bolted to the frame with the two short bolts into the tapped holes in the bike frame. From what I saw in your pictures, there is NO ready made mount that will compensate for the extra metal that was put on your bike frame, you will have to modify your mount to compensate for this.

[Jerry]

And, with the proper fitting of the fairing bracket, the headlight and signal MUST be removed,

I beg to differ. On the XJs I've seen with Vetters the stock headlight shell can remain in place with no problems. This is with the Vetters that have the molded-in turn signals, not the early ones that used the stock turn signals. I have not seen one of those on an XJ to verify if the headlight needs to be removed. I put a couple bolts through the headlight ears (replace the stock turn signals which are normally mounted there) to hold the headlight shell in place and all the wiring is inside the shell. The cap covers the hole left when removing the sealed beam, but that is why Vetter made the cap in the first place, to use on bikes where the headlight shell can stay in place. Can take photos if you wish.

[CatatonicBug]

I dunno about the XJ's, but on mine, I can tell that someone had installed the fairing on a bike, and left the headlight bucket on. There are scuff marks on the inside of the fairing where it obviously rubbed every time the PO took a corner. Considering how easy it was to just remove it altogether, I'd suggest removing it and just zip-tie the wires into a nice, neat bundle.

[wmaddox3]

fairing

I have just installed a Yamaha branded fairing on an XJ, left the bucket and headlight in place with no clearance issues. Now I just want to find a way to keep the stock turn signals operational... I might want to quick-change back without having to remove and reconnect in the bucket...

biggest problem I had when installing the bracket was removing the brake line connection under the forks, and rerouting the harnesses. Is there some trick to installing the mount without opening the brake system somewhere, and is it really necessary ( per the factory manual) to have the harnesses cross under the brake line?

Thanks to SteveW(s) and DavidH for the wiring connections!

[CatatonicBug]

I know the brake lines on the XJ are almost identical to the setup on the '81 MNS, but I'm a little confused as to why you would need to remove a brake line to install a fairing bracket. The bracket just slides up from underneath, between the forks and the front down-tubes on the frame, then bolts to the down-tubes. The brake lines should stay above the bracket. Of course, my only experience is with a Vetter bracket, so YMMV. Maybe some pictures might help describe the problem you're having?

Generally, installing a fairing is not a "quick-change" thing. You pretty much decide to go one way or the other. It's not meant to be easilly removed/installed. It should take about 20-30 minutes to remove or install it if you know what you're doing.