Pros and cons of Wind Jammer lowers?

[WSL91]

The XJ that I bought this spring came with lowers although they were off when I received the bike. Now that the bike is back to fully functional and no work required I've considered installing the lowers. 1 thing I noticed about these bikes (XS/XJ) is if I slide my feet up against the motor they are much better at keeping my feet warm in cold weather than my Honda (primary distance bike). There is enough warm air coming off the motor to keep the feet and shins toasty. The XJ with the fairing will be my cold weather bike as I ride here until it snows.

So I was thinking of installing the lowers to help direct more cold air off my lower portions. But I have to ask if they create a cooling problem when it's warm? To me they appear to reduce the amount of air that's able to blow past the motor and as they are will the direct all the motor air at my feet and roast them in the Summer? One thought I had was to cut off the textured pieces that come back over the sides of the motor and carbs. Or is there a different problem, will the side shields prevent that nice warm air from hitting my shins and feet? My logical side says that Craig Vetter already thought about this but I have to ask. Don't know if Craig was a cold weather rider or not.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

[Jerry]

I have a Vetter IV with lowers on my XJ. Have not had problems with overheating even if I leave them on in warm weather, but generally take them off during the hottest months of the year.

Pros: They do extend the riding season and will keep your feet and lower legs warmer than just tucking your feet up by the engine. Besides, tucking is not comfortable for long. Lowers help keep feet and lower legs dry in moderately wet weather.

Cons: Makes using highway pegs difficult. On long trips you may find yourself using the rear set as an alternate.

I put the lowers on every fall and take them off in late spring. I think they are a good addition and make riding more comfortable. They certainly extend the riding season.

[madmax-im]

1st off thats one beautiful XJ...they dont get much nicer than that! As your cold weather rider i would leave the lowers on.,,but if you use it during the summer you might wanna do like Jerry suggests.

[Codger]

A Big Thumbs Up for Lowers

I have a Windjammer V complete with lowers. Last year I rode every month of the year, due to a great extent to the lowers ability to deflect cold (4 degree f) air away from my legs and inner thighs. I leave my lowers on in the summer also and have not had a "overheating" problem. On another and interesting note: the lowers have decreased the amount of side wind pressure that impacts into me as I ride. Don't know why, but I do know it to be a fact. I live in Iowa and windy to very windy days are the norm here.
In addition they protect my pants and lower extremities from gravel strikes- insects- birds- etc. I am sold on my lowers and can state with assurance that they are the best addition I have made to the old girl- with the possible exception of the Windjammer V itself or the 750 final drive conversion.
Lowers are a "lifesaver" in very rainy conditions also.

[WSL91]

I went ahead and attached the lowers and rode 100 miles Sunday in all kinds of riding. Couple of thoughts. The lowers reduce the area that the air coming off the motor can exit. Those areas where it exits towards the rider is particularly hot, much more so that without lowers. Overall there is way more heat contained in the engine area which will be invaluble for winter. I'm still evaluating but will likely cut off the majority of the textured part which covers the side of the motor and carbs. I see no real benefit to it other than asthetics and once removed the exiting engine air will be a little better dispursed about the engine still helping the rider stay warmer but without the hot spots while still offering protection from Wind and rain.. I am going to ride it for a while before I do that but yesterday was around 90 and some of the air exit points (towards the bottom of the textured areas) was quite hot. I was out house hunting doing everything from Highway driving to stop and go in residential. And thanks for the compiment on the XJ, she was a little neglected and I've done a lot of cosmetic and minor mechanical work. Bike runs like its new and just rolled 12,000 miles.
John

[natemoen]

Hmmmmmm...I would suggest looking for some other lowers to hack up if you choose that route.

The WJ V lowers are bike specific because of that part you want to cut off. Find some non rare XS/XJ lowers that you can cut that off of.

[jetmechmarty]

I would leave them alone. If I had to deal with a lot of stop and go traffic in hot weather, I'd probably remove them until the weather cooled off.

[trdriver71]

If you cut off that textured area you will find your legs will get hotter in the heat and colder in the cold that is why that area is there for.

[WSL91]

So here's where I am. These came with the bike, the fact that I even got them is a bonus but I didn't hunt them down and buy them. At one point I almost trash canned them until I rode one chilly day and learned the XS heats my feet better than my Water cooled Honda. Basically I have nothing in them. That said here are my original questions made prior to installing. Observations in red are after installing and riding.

Do they create a cooling problem when it's warm? Apparently not

To me they appear to reduce the amount of air that's able to blow past the motor and as they are will the direct all the motor air at my feet and roast them in the Summer? Yes and other places

will the side shields prevent that nice warm air from hitting my shins and feet? Shins yes


I don't know if Craig was a cold weather rider or not. I have read everything on his sight and he was concerned about aerodynamics and prior to the Windjammer series each fairing included lowers and was built for the bike. The WJ was universal fit and the lowers tailored but they were installed for aerodynamics. In fact most of Craigs work is concerned with aerodynamics.

All that said the fact is the lowers will divert unheated air around the rider. The lowers also reduce the opening for air to enter the motor thus providing warmer air near the operator than without. With or without modification the rider gets warmer air than without lowers. With that in mind I am planning on modifying the lowers. No matter what, they offer more protection than without and I will have a much warmer ride than any year prior. I hope to gain access to my motor and a more even heat source. Even without a heat source the fact that divert cold air around the rider is a plus to me. This picture shows approx where they will be cut. I do everything clean and this will be no different, in fact most won't even know they were cut. The cut line is a nice transition on the sides and is similar on the right side. Seeing how we all ride non-tupperware bikes I really thought more would like to see these cut back a little. And if anyone has a set to donate I'll gladly take them.

OK fire away, I have big shoulders When I get them trimmed back I'll post, I think they are going to look great.

[cywelchjr]

I think you will find they will rattle and flap without those pieces, as those pieces are clearly not about anything else, but are part of the bracing for the lowers to tie the back of them together (there is supposed to be a bungee cord type thing between the ends of those holding them together, and I don't think cutting those off will have any effect on engine cooling, at least not so one would notice, and putting them back on in such a manner as to be as good as new could well be impossible to do, and those lowers can be hard to find, I'm not sure I'd take the chance of ruining a set to avoid taking them off in the summer, I'd just take them off, especially since you can't use highway pegs with them on in most cases anyways.

[cywelchjr]

Oh, to add, given that he's a cold weather rider now, and from what I've read, he is and was an all weather rider, which would lead me to believe it was intended to not overly bother the cooling of the bike. But you can go onto his website and ask, he DOES answer questions when asked, and generally pretty quickly, I know, I have asked more than one question and generally gotten an answer within less than 24 hours. Sometimes it's "I don't know" but he'll tell you what he does remember, and he has pretty good records and memory.

[natemoen]

Oh, to add, given that he's a cold weather rider now, and from what I've read, he is and was an all weather rider, which would lead me to believe it was intended to not overly bother the cooling of the bike. But you can go onto his website and ask, he DOES answer questions when asked, and generally pretty quickly, I know, I have asked more than one question and generally gotten an answer within less than 24 hours. Sometimes it's "I don't know" but he'll tell you what he does remember, and he has pretty good records and memory.

Craig Vetter that is....

[WSL91]

I think you will find they will rattle and flap without those pieces, as those pieces are clearly not about anything else, but are part of the bracing for the lowers to tie the back of them together (there is supposed to be a bungee cord type thing between the ends of those holding them together, and I don't think cutting those off will have any effect on engine cooling, at least not so one would notice, and putting them back on in such a manner as to be as good as new could well be impossible to do, and those lowers can be hard to find, I'm not sure I'd take the chance of ruining a set to avoid taking them off in the summer, I'd just take them off, especially since you can't use highway pegs with them on in most cases anyways.

I read about the bungee cord on the site too, mine don't have anything to attach one to, no holes etc. The way they are attached to the fairing they are trying to go inward and are stopped by where the bottoms rest right at where the cylinder casting ends and the bottom end casting begins. I might drop Craig a note though thats a good idea.

[WSL91]

I just emailed Craig Vetter. Whatever response I get I'll post here.

[cywelchjr]

I read about the bungee cord on the site too, mine don't have anything to attach one to, no holes etc. The way they are attached to the fairing they are trying to go inward and are stopped by where the bottoms rest right at where the cylinder casting ends and the bottom end casting begins. I might drop Craig a note though thats a good idea.

The bungee is supposed to attach to the pieces that you want to cut off, all the way at the end of them, and should run under the carbs to hold those in together. There should be a small hole in those back there, unless someone has already cut on them. If the hole is there, any bungee cord that holds them together should do the job.