Fairing vs. No fairing.

[BA80]

Im 53 but act 21

Me too but 21 hurts more than it used to.

[cywelchjr]

I put a clear glass one on Hermes last summer and tried it out. I found that there was too much head buffeting. I took it off after a couple days. I liked not fighting the wind but the helmet shake just drove me crazy. I'm wondering though if part of it isnt my helmet shape. It's kind of two tiered at the back.May try it again this summer with a different helmet.

Height and angle of the windshield will affect the buffeting. Either going higher or lower will make a lot of difference in the amount of buffeting you will get. Also with mine I have the vents in it, and with them open, I get a lot less buffeting than with the closed.

[madmax-im]

Hi Elevener,
my riding style is to comfortably hide behind the fairing neither leaning on nor hanging on for dear life to the handlebars.
Without a windshield/fairing the wind pressure on my broad chest would overcome my weak arms in a hurry. 8+ hours at 70+mph would just not be possible.
Phil

Exactly my points Phil...

[Wildkat]

I've ridden with and without and always prefer without. I always feel like it's just one more thing to collect bugs (granted, if it's collecting them, I'm not.. but they bounce off of me... usually) and impair my vision. Not to mention, I don't feel like I'm pushing a brick in a head wind when I ride without.

I've done lots of long distance riding without one with no problems.

What's been said already... strictly a matter of personal preference.

[62trvler]

Not to steal the post but it has me thinking. I have a Vetter fairing on my KZ1000 and was wondering if it would fit on my 79 special? I think it is just a matter of finding a vetter bracket for the XS but not sure. Its just sitting in my barn like new collecting dust.

[skids]

I have a nakid model E and it is nice and nimble. I don't like taking it on long trips however.

I have two other standards (another E and a modified model H). The farings make long rides much easier. I tried plexifarings but they turn with the handlebars and you need to really watch the hardware so it does not contact the tank(!) Also, the flexifarings look a bit odd on the standard because of the need to have a tall one (I think).

All in all, I prefer farings and the one that came standard with the H model is the best looking. There you go...another opinion from an opinionated person.

[cywelchjr]

Not to steal the post but it has me thinking. I have a Vetter fairing on my KZ1000 and was wondering if it would fit on my 79 special? I think it is just a matter of finding a vetter bracket for the XS but not sure. Its just sitting in my barn like new collecting dust.

Yes, it's just a matter of finding the vetter bracket for it. Which vetter fairing is it? That would determine how rare the bracket is. It's also possible to build your own bracket bracket for it if you can't find one. There are instructions on how to do so on craigvetter.com, but if it's a windjammer, there is at least one of them on ebay right now, although I think the guy wants far more than it's worth.

[Pat Kelly]

Fairing pros:
Protection from weather,
protection from wind (be it a hot or a cold wind)
place to mount a stereo
more storage
keep warm in winter (with lowers)
no bugs

Fairing cons:
Legs get hot (with lowers)
no wind to blow through helmet vents
- can get hot in summer
- no faceshield defog in winter (I wear full-face helmet)
bike's heavier and wider

No fairing pros:
headwind holds-up upper body if leaning forward (clubman or clip-on bars)
bike handles better on twisty roads
Easier to clean and work on the bike

No fairing cons:
constant wind (rain, dust, bugs, leaking septic truck)
Stuck with earbuds for music (illegal some places)

These lists can go on and on. I used to remove my fairing in the summer. Then got a 2nd XS. Problem solved.

[imcgyver]

Hello, was wondering if they made or make a removable wind shield for the XS1100 Special or a universal fit? I see them for Harleys.
Thank you for your time and response.
Ron

[BA80]

Hello, was wondering if they made or make a removable wind shield for the XS1100 Special or a universal fit? I see them for Harleys.
Thank you for your time and response.
Ron

You mean kinda like this?...........

[imcgyver]

Yes the one in the picture will work and looks good, it looks like it can be removed easy, any brand and/or model number? specific fit or universal fit?
thank you for your time and response.
Ron

[BA80]

Look HERE

[Rasputin]

I spent 40 yrs riding with no windshield or fairing of any kind except for a brief stint behing a fork mounted Wixom type. A buddy of mine borrowed the bike and crashed it so the Wixom went away. Never missed it as I hated the way it affected the handling of my ride. Anything fork or bar mounted will be the same!
Now after the said 40 yrs, I have a windjammer on a bike as I rode it home from purchase. I could not believe how smoothly the ride home went. I did some repaint etc on the Jammer and now it is my favorite ride for rides longer than an hour.
I also have lowers which do make it very hot in the nicer temps.
Each to his own but I do not wear eye protection, ear protection etc when I ride the jammer bike. I get no buffeting as I have it adjusted so it fits me. As many of you know I have several bikes so when it is time to ride I choose which bike suits the day and go from there.
Point is that while I always enjoyed the wind in my face I am older now and I love the almost "Lazyboy" feeling I get behind the Jammer and lowers.
I would never ever ride behind a fork mounted screen again. If it is not attached to the frame I would toss it in a second. The difference is so incredible that one has to ride behind it to see the difference.
I set my riding position on my non-shielded bikes to reflect my riding style which works for me. I have done away with all rotor tiller bars except for the 81LH I am currently working on. Once it is actually rideable I will decide what I want on it.
Everyone has issues with heat and rain etc but the simple fact is that for our climate a jammer is so very very nice. It makes for a much longer riding season here as well as it makes sense when you opt to ride to work and then the weather changes and you have to ride home in the rain or worse snow.
Bought my first bike at age 12 and am 54 now. You could not have told me until the day I rode behind one how wonderful the Jammer is. If I had not taken that one single ride I would have junked or smashed every Jammer that ever seen.
I hate the look but DAMN it is no nice to ride behind!!!!

[Poprock]

+1 on the fairing. I cut about 8" off the shield on my Pacifico to get more wind for summer. Helmet is in clean air. It still flips most of the air about 1" above my face shield. Lowers on in winter, off in summer. Cut it off first in OK because it was a cooker in the summer. Don't like looking through the shield with rain on it either. Now I see over it easily, still blocks wind off the chest, comfy all the time. Tastes vary. Had a naked XJ 650. Got real tired trying to hang on. Fairings are worth the trouble, IMO.

[ViperRon]

In Rain and cold the fairring or sheild reduces stress on the body the less stressed the better focused you are. For safty you can not beat a farring with lowers. not only does it protect you from rain little bugs but rocks and other debris from the highway. A friend of mine was on the interstate riding behind a dump truck when a rock about the size of a golf ball flew out of the tread of a tire hitting him in the chest. I do not ride interstates without some type of sheild there are just to many opportunities.

As for the sheilds that connect to the handlebars I have heard of people loosing control in wind with them.

The fairring does create drag even more I feel when the lowers are removed.

When sitting still I do feel more heat with the fairring on but air flows threw when moving and is not directed at me so its not noticed.http://s1184.photobucket.com/albums/...t=PIC_0676.jpg