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Craig Vetter response
Craig,
Hello from Moline, IL. My first Windjammer was a WJ3 I bought used in ‘81 and hung on my new Yamaha Virago. I had to make the bracket but I cut one up from something else and rode that bike many miles with the WJ3. Anyway I have a question that I’d like to ask and if you find time to answer I would appreciate it. A while back I picked up a low mileage 82 Yamaha 1100 that came with the WJ5 and lowers which were not on the bike.. After riding one cool IL morning I found I had a bike that heated my feet much better than the new modern water cooled Honda I also ride. After getting the bugs worked out of the bike I installed the lowers. My observation after a week is that I’ve found my cold weather bike as I prefer to ride until the snow flies. The question I have about the lowers is as follows:
It seems to me with the lowers on the air escaping the motor is really only getting out at the bottom and top of the piece covering the carbs\resting on the airbox. While riding my feet get quite hot as does the back half of my fuel tank. I’ve looked at them for some time and have thought about cutting the side covers back towards the fairing approximately where the white line is drawn in the picture. I’m quite mechanically inclined so cutting them is no problem and it would be very sanitary looking. My expectation is that will open up the area that the air exiting the motor can escape some thus providing probably a little less concentrated warm air but over a larger area. The other plus to me is mostly cosmetic as I would prefer to see the carbs and back end of the motor. The lowers as mounted want to turn towards the center or the bike and are stopped at the lowest point where they rest against the lowest portion of the cylinder casting where it meets the bottom end casting. I’ve found no places on these where there might be a bungee cord tying the 2 ends together, no holes, no hooks etc. The lowers also don’t really flap or anything while riding as installed. I realize they might not be as warm trimmed back but the lowers already deflect some of the unheated air out and around the rider which in my book is already a big plus. Would you expect that trimming these back would have any negative results? I realize these were designed many years ago and peoples taste/ideas change over time but I’d really like to have access to the motor with the lowers on.
After I bought my new Honda last year I started asking if anyone had mounted a Vetter on one and received a lot of “huhs?” I ended up mounting a HD Batwing on my Honda VTX1800 but I’d still rather have a Vetter. The tank is too wide for a Windjammer!
Thanks for your time.
John Korschot
Moline, IL
Think about where the rain will be directed, too.
Why don't you trim on a vertical line, about 4" rearward from your proposed line?
See what it does. You can always keep trimming.
Thing rain drops and wet ankles.
Craig
Craig,
Hello from Moline, IL. My first Windjammer was a WJ3 I bought used in ‘81 and hung on my new Yamaha Virago. I had to make the bracket but I cut one up from something else and rode that bike many miles with the WJ3. Anyway I have a question that I’d like to ask and if you find time to answer I would appreciate it. A while back I picked up a low mileage 82 Yamaha 1100 that came with the WJ5 and lowers which were not on the bike.. After riding one cool IL morning I found I had a bike that heated my feet much better than the new modern water cooled Honda I also ride. After getting the bugs worked out of the bike I installed the lowers. My observation after a week is that I’ve found my cold weather bike as I prefer to ride until the snow flies. The question I have about the lowers is as follows:
It seems to me with the lowers on the air escaping the motor is really only getting out at the bottom and top of the piece covering the carbs\resting on the airbox. While riding my feet get quite hot as does the back half of my fuel tank. I’ve looked at them for some time and have thought about cutting the side covers back towards the fairing approximately where the white line is drawn in the picture. I’m quite mechanically inclined so cutting them is no problem and it would be very sanitary looking. My expectation is that will open up the area that the air exiting the motor can escape some thus providing probably a little less concentrated warm air but over a larger area. The other plus to me is mostly cosmetic as I would prefer to see the carbs and back end of the motor. The lowers as mounted want to turn towards the center or the bike and are stopped at the lowest point where they rest against the lowest portion of the cylinder casting where it meets the bottom end casting. I’ve found no places on these where there might be a bungee cord tying the 2 ends together, no holes, no hooks etc. The lowers also don’t really flap or anything while riding as installed. I realize they might not be as warm trimmed back but the lowers already deflect some of the unheated air out and around the rider which in my book is already a big plus. Would you expect that trimming these back would have any negative results? I realize these were designed many years ago and peoples taste/ideas change over time but I’d really like to have access to the motor with the lowers on.
After I bought my new Honda last year I started asking if anyone had mounted a Vetter on one and received a lot of “huhs?” I ended up mounting a HD Batwing on my Honda VTX1800 but I’d still rather have a Vetter. The tank is too wide for a Windjammer!
Thanks for your time.
John Korschot
Moline, IL
Think about where the rain will be directed, too.
Why don't you trim on a vertical line, about 4" rearward from your proposed line?
See what it does. You can always keep trimming.
Thing rain drops and wet ankles.
Craig
. i know what he's talking about with the heat.but they really help in the colder months. they definately help in rainy weather keeping legs dry. and yes they vibrate against the air box. and there in no holes or brackets for any bungee or anything else in my lowers
. my lowers came with my bike when purchasd over 12yrs ago. i have learned over the years not to mess with someone elses design. it was built that way for a purpose
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