Fairing or windshield help

[Mpenner]

i wanna put a fairing or windshield on gs650 for longer highway rides. i don't want a full vetter fairing because i wanna pop it off when i'm only cruising around town.

any suggestions on a good 1/4 or 1/2 fairing? anyone here personally have a "cafe", bikini, or 1/4 or 1/2 fairing? i would leave this on full time most likely.

now i have never liked the look of the huge windshields, anyone use or can suggest a windshield thats not like a billboard? i would wanna take this off when not highway riding

 

[Charlie G]

This is a small windsheild which many of the riders here use. I'm considering getting one for my 650g. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzu...0184324QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

cg

 

[wacky941]

any suggestions on a good 1/4 or 1/2 fairing? anyone here personally have a "cafe", bikini, or 1/4 or 1/2 fairing? i would leave this on full time most likely.

Here is a link to my photo album on this site to give you a little information of what I went through to mount a caf? fairing onto my bike, I know that you are talking about a 650 and I am showing an 1100 but the principle is the same, hopefully it will give you some ideas.
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=144528&highlight=cafe+fairing+installation

Also, here is a link to a posting I made a year ago explaining how I made the mount brackets and how I aligned the fairing, anyway, hope this helps make your decision.
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/album.php?albumid=519
One more thing, the caf? fairing is fairly easily removed and reinstalled if you wanted to.

 

[Guest]

i wanna put a fairing or windshield on gs650 for longer highway rides. i don't want a full vetter fairing because i wanna pop it off when i'm only cruising around town.
now i have never liked the look of the huge windshields, anyone use or can suggest a windshield thats not like a billboard? i would wanna take this off when not highway riding

Sounds like the National Cycle Deflector windshield should be just the thing....decent wind protection for the highway, but comes off in seconds, without any tools for naked cruising. Not bad looking either, on the GS bikes. Look in my profile album for a few pics of it on my 1100 (don't want to bore everyone with the same old pics.)
The DX version is the quick-detach one, available in clear or smoke tint.
Tony.

 

[81ZUKI75]

Fairings

Fairings

I'm using the National Cycle Deflector on my '82 T model. I also added Barkbusters for winter hand protection. See link for pics... can see the fairing on the "red" picture.
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/album.php?u=12651

I'm also running a Shoei FM 5 on my '81 E model. It's also available for a round headlight. Again, check my albums.

Neither of these provide the protection that a "billboard" does. I ran one of those in the early eighties when I had a longer highway commute. But I'm not keen on the plexifairing appearance either.

 

[Mpenner]

Thanks guys! can Anyone using 1/4 fairings or cafe fairings tell me how the wind protection it?

Where did you guys buy your windshields too?

 

[wacky941]

Thanks guys! can Anyone using 1/4 fairings or cafe fairings tell me how the wind protection it?

Where did you guys buy your windshields too?

Mine was purchased on ebay from a "nationals fiberglass" by a guy who calls himself "Dude", unfortunately the fairing does not come with the windshield so I had to locate that out of Florida and on and on and on.

I suggest you buy one from someone like Maier (spelling?) because it will come as complete as possible. As for the first part of your question, I love it, of course my riding stance is much lower than your normal rider because of my gunfighter seat and my bars having been flipped so the wind hits probably just about nose level but if I want to get totally out of the wind I just tuck in a little, there is a noticable difference in riding with the fairing installed and with it removed. I removed it for a short period of time to fabricate some new upper mounts and realized how much I really like having it.

I had another bike that had a plexi-fairing which was really nice BUT when it rained it was kinda hard to see, you know how your helmet seems to hold water on the shield, well, it's the same thing but worse!

I guess what I'm saying is, the 1/4 fairing to me is a much better deal!

One more thing, don't forget the bigger the windshield is the more you are pushing your way through the wind, the quarter fairing is a lot more aerodynamic.

 

[Steve]

One more thing, don't forget the bigger the windshield is the more you are pushing your way through the wind, the quarter fairing is a lot more aerodynamic.

You might be surprised, there.

It has been about 30 years since I saw the tests, but it seems that a bare motorcycle is about as aerodynamic as a brick. Using just about any windshield can smooth the airflow enough to help the aerodynamics. Strangely enough, in some cases, a larger fairing smoothed the airflow over more of the bike, actually returning better fuel mileage.

We have a National Cycle Plexifairing 3 on my wife's 850L. We have no idea how much, if any, it has affected gas mileage. Her primary concern is COMFORT. If it costs a couple (or more) mpg, so be it.

Remember the primary rule when venturing out as a family: If Momma ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy.

.

 

[wacky941]

You might be surprised, there.

It has been about 30 years since I saw the tests, but it seems that a bare motorcycle is about as aerodynamic as a brick. Using just about any windshield can smooth the airflow enough to help the aerodynamics. Strangely enough, in some cases, a larger fairing smoothed the airflow over more of the bike, actually returning better fuel mileage.

We have a National Cycle Plexifairing 3 on my wife's 850L. We have no idea how much, if any, it has affected gas mileage. Her primary concern is COMFORT. If it costs a couple (or more) mpg, so be it.

Remember the primary rule when venturing out as a family: If Momma ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy.

.

I'm sure you're right but I was just referring to the way that the plexifairing was so flat against the wind compared to the cafe I have mounted on my GS.
I'm the same way, I really don't care about the gas mileage as long as I have fun riding.

The last thing is, you ain't kiddin, if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!!!!!!

 

[mjg15]

This is a small windsheild which many of the riders here use. I'm considering getting one for my 650g. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzu...0184324QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

cg

I have one similar to this that I am interested in selling. PM me if interested. It's made by Tracy and is very similar. Cant remember what the model name is off hand.