Windjammer or Cafe racer windshiled?

[metalistik]

In the past few days, I've been looking for a windshield to put on my 79 XS11 Special. I'm a pretty tall person, so I get a lot of wind resistance when I ride on the highway. I had bikes with a full Windjammer-style fairings before, but on the XS11, I prefer the cleaner, sportier look. The one I like the most is the cafe racer style fairings which seem to be popular for this bike. I was wondering if someone who had prior experience with one or both of those windshields, can tell me what is the best choice for me. I gather that the larger fairing will provide more shielding from the wind but I'd prefer to keep the bike "cleaner" and sportier looking. I was wondering if the cafe race style ones help the wind resistance at all or are they purely cosmetic.

[psycoreefer]

I've got a national cycle F-series windshield on my bike. Its a 79 special as well. I think it look sporty and it helps a lot with the wind on the freeway. Doesn't block all of it but makes it so you don't have to fight the wind to stay on the bike. You can see pictures if you follow the link in my sig...

[Silent]

I really like the Cafe look, but only because I have af fully faired bike as well. If I could only have 1 bike, I'd have to go with the Windjammer over the Cafe. The wind protection on the Windjammer is far superior to the Cafe.





Same bike.

[Dan Hodges]

XS Cafe Style

[QUOTE=Silent;227539]I really like the Cafe look, but only because I have af fully faired bike as well. If I could only have 1 bike, I'd have to go with the Windjammer over the Cafe. The wind protection on the Windjammer is far superior to the Cafe.



Very sweet naked XS and the MAC turn outs look great. I have a set of these I bought new that I just had coated by Jet Hot (head pipes only) that I've put in my stash for possible future use when I get tired of listening to my Super Trapp 4-1 with the ear shattering 2.5 inch core muffler.
From the standpoint of noise, how does the MAC turn outs compare to the stock pipes? A friend of mine has an old 1100 Kawasaki with shaft drive and he claims he picked up about 5% more power on the dyno over his stock pipes with a set of these style pipes. I need to find a trashed out muffler for a set of these pipes that I can cut apart to see what the silencer looks like because the way the muffler is made you can't get the silencer out to replace it with something less restrictive should it need it.

I never dynoed my bike when it was stock with the stock pipes and I don't know of anyone else who has did a test on an XS with the MAC turn outs and all of my test have been done with the 4-1 header however Cody (Maximan) and a couple others tested the stock ones and even though they didn't do as well as the 4-1 header the stock pipes did a lot better than some of the after market stuff Cody got from Europe.
I guess the only way I will ever know is stick them on and do a test myself.

Your Cafe style XS is the cat's meow, much cooler than the Gold Wing version IMO but opinions may vary.

[Dan Hodges]

[QUOTE=Dan Hodges;227579]

I really like the Cafe look, but only because I have af fully faired bike as well. If I could only have 1 bike, I'd have to go with the Windjammer over the Cafe. The wind protection on the Windjammer is far superior to the Cafe.



Very sweet naked XS and the MAC turn outs look great. I have a set of these I bought new that I just had coated by Jet Hot (head pipes only) that I've put in my stash for possible future use when I get tired of listening to my Super Trapp 4-1 with the ear shattering 2.5 inch core muffler.
From the standpoint of noise, how does the MAC turn outs compare to the stock pipes? A friend of mine has an old 1100 Kawasaki with shaft drive and he claims he picked up about 5% more power on the dyno over his stock pipes with a set of these style pipes. I need to find a trashed out muffler for a set of these pipes that I can cut apart to see what the silencer looks like because the way the muffler is made you can't get the silencer out to replace it with something less restrictive should it need it.

I never dynoed my bike when it was stock with the stock pipes and I don't know of anyone else who has did a test on an XS with the MAC turn outs and all of my test have been done with the 4-1 header however Cody (Maximan) and a couple others tested the stock ones and even though they didn't do as well as the 4-1 header the stock pipes did a lot better than some of the after market stuff Cody got from Europe.
I guess the only way I will ever know is stick them on and do a test myself.

Your Cafe style XS is the cat's meow, much cooler than the Gold Wing version IMO but opinions may vary.

After looking at the picture of your bike again, it appears you used the stock headpipes with a set of turnout slip on's, still very nice though.

[madmax-im]

Ray...no doubt about which one looks best...that EMGO Viper cafe' fairing...its dabomb...the bike looks HAWT! Sure Windjammer will give you better weather protection ,but its too big and takes away from the classic lines that are meant to be seen

[metalistik]

I really like the Cafe look, but only because I have af fully faired bike as well. If I could only have 1 bike, I'd have to go with the Windjammer over the Cafe. The wind protection on the Windjammer is far superior to the Cafe.

Same bike.

You've got some good looking bikes there, I must say. Does the cafe racer windshield do anything at all about the wind shear and aerodynamics in general or is it just for looks?

[MaximPhil]

Hi metallistic,
How about a windshield? It gives plenty of wind protection without the huge "look' of a fairing. In the picture the front bike appears to have a Pacifico fairing the rear is a Windjammer. I have a Pacifico on my (non running) XS which i like the look of and a mid sized clear windshield on my 650 Maxim which works well. Read the article in Tech Tips on winshields before buying one.
Maxim Phil

[Silent]

Thanks for the good words about my scoot, I appreciate it

The slip on's that are on my bike are from a Suzuki BLVD ($30 off FleaBay), and they are way loud. They are mounted to the stock head pipes. Even with baffles in the pipes, there still way loud. My co-workers can hear me coming from a couple blocks away I'm working on getting another set of slip ons from a friend that should be very nice sounding indeed. I haven't noticed any performance gains with these turnout pipes. I think I'm actually loosing some of my mid range.

The Viper fairing does lend some wind protection. It cuts down on the wind to the chest at freeway speeds, and if I feel like tucking in a bit, it's actually has a decent pocket. I haven't ridden it in the weather yet, and probably won't.

I went the Café route since I have a fully faired '07 FJR. The pics are of the same bike btw. The Goldwing style is the before, and the Café is the current. The entire story on the bike is in the link in my sig line

[Silent]

In the picture the front bike appears to have a Pacifico fairing the rear is a Windjammer.

The front bike is my XS11 with a Vetter fairing and lowers. The rear bike is a Goldwing.

[MaximPhil]

The front bike is my XS11 with a Vetter fairing and lowers. The rear bike is a Goldwing.

Hi Silent,
Nearly made it through the day without being wrong oh well try again to morrow
Phil

[Silent]

Sorry, didn't mean t ruin your day. I have intimate knowledge of that pic

[Mad Dog Doug]

Windscreens

Hi metallistic,
How about a windshield? It gives plenty of wind protection without the huge "look' of a fairing...

I have a totally stock 1978 SR500E with factory windscreen as well as an XS11MNS with a Memphis Shades TC Duece with about the same coverage. They both work great without being too obtrusive.

[Dan Hodges]

Two Black Beauties

I have a totally stock 1978 SR500E with factory windscreen as well as an XS11MNS with a Memphis Shades TC Duece with about the same coverage. They both work great without being too obtrusive.

Both of these bikes are dynomite looking and the 500 single is just too cool and in a way reminds me of my first Yamaha, a 650 Special, I just loved that bike and if I had the room in my garage I would get myself another one.
I have a PlexiStar "Street Shield" on mine and it looks about the same width as your's but is noticeably shorter but it knocks off most of the wind blast and with a full face helment it's not a problem. I had a PlexiStar II shield on mine for years and it was the one I used on all the trips I made on my XS and it did a good job on keeping away the wind and I rode it many miles in the rain on some of my trips out west but it was a billboard at high speed.

I didn't use my XS for years and when I started messing with it again I removed the large windscreen and replaced it with the small one and could not believe how much quicker the bike was on the top end.
I've tried riding it without a windshield but on the Interstate the wind simply beats me to death and the ride becomes most unpleasant.
You get a lot of wind noise at high speed with the small shield but my header is kinda noisy also and so they both tend to cancell each other out.
Years ago when I had my old 650 Special I didn't use a windshield but it was kinda rough and rattley and the traffic wasn't going as fast as it does now.
Now days you have to do at least 80 on the Interstate just to keep from getting run over by a pick up truck and in Missouri when you go south on I-55 it's unreal.
These days I only ride my XS on special days with some of my old friends who have restored muscle bikes from the disco era and mine is presently the fastest of the group with the exception of one stoked Honda CB 1100-F that I'm slowly gaining on........he is out of tricks and cubic inches and I've got some more coming.

Take care of that 500, it's very rare and cannot be replaced.

Dan

[trbig]

Mine is kind of in between the two. It's an old Shoei fairing. They are still out there, though they are getting a bit tough to find. It blocks the wind well, but cuts it to where I have a higher top speed than when the bike was naked.





Tod