fairing or windshield

[kilog55]

man i hope you get paid well if you commute from OH to DC i assume you stay out for the week and come home on weekends??

[Buffalo Bill]

Rifle Fairings

On an E type you want a cool design. You're a "Form follows function" guy, have a look at Rifle Sport Fairings at www.rifle.com
They don't list your year, but under 1986 they list the GS1150E. That's close enough, because they also show a variety of headlight bezels that must include your dimensions.

[Grandpa]

Who peed in your cornflakes? All I did was express an opinion (one that was asked for by the way). No bragging, no expression of machismo, simply a preference. I think maybe your meds have worn off. Check the bottle and see when your due for your next dose. Maybe think about doubling it or whatever it is you need to do to calm the hell down because your response was a little over the top.

Baloney, drhach. My response was adequate and quite appropriate for your silly comments. Your "windshields are for cars" is certainly "over the top," totally inappropriate, and just plain ignorant.

My meds are fine, thank you. Now go fly a kite.

[Gimpdiggity]

This is THE relavent factor in your decision. Commuting means there is limited control over when the rides are taken. You need to be able to get from point A to point B regardless of weather conditions. In your case point A and point B are 375 miles apart. You will be able to complete your commute with less stress and over a wider range of weather conditions if you have a fairing or at the least a large windshield. It is a professional consideration as much or more than it is a personal one.

I agree with the sentiments expressed above that if you want the best possible setup for long haul go with the Winjammer. It was designed over thirty years ago, but Craig Vetter just flat got it right. The least protection I would attempt in your situation is the Plexifairing. I would advise against small windscreens. I have found them in many cases to be worse than no windscreens at all as far as wind buffeting. Do it right or don't bother. Don't worry about what it looks like. You can't see yourself while you are riding anyway.

Good advice here. I think that if you're seriously planning on using the bike for regular rides of that distance, the bigger the fairing is the more the bike will come in handy.

I have two bikes...my GS-1000G which I just got and my Ninja 250. The Ninja is fine for the highway for me...but it's small...not only in displacement but in physical size. As such, it's only a bike that is nice to ride when the weather is just right. The GS, on the other hand with it's big Vetter fairing serves a better purpose for all weather type riding. I've taken the GS out a few times and I can instantly tell you that it makes riding in cold weather more pleasant.

[argonsagas]

Argonsagas, we get it already.

No need to keep repeating yourself.

Apologies for that.
I have no recollection of the duplication...perhaps it was my evil twin, argonsaradish.


Unnecessary dupes eliminated...

[Giblet]

While I do enjoy being "in the wind" from time to time, there's no sense being worn out from hanging on if you are a daily commuter. I have a National Cycle Plexifairing III on Bathsheba which can be removed in less than 5 minutes.

[brower]

Thanks

I appreciate the thoughtfull, resoursefull and some times passionate answers to my question. I respect and take them into consideration. I have a Vetter full fairing from a gs 850 which (and I appologize to the vetter advocate) I cannot make myself put on, I'm 27 and still young and stuborn enough to bite the bullet on this one. On the other hand, I would like a little something. I apprecite the vetter style and function but I'm not looking for that much function. I admit this is based on vanity but as I mentioned I think these bikes are some of the best looking on the road.

From reading all of the thought provoking responses I am leaning toward a bar mounted windshield, perhaps something from NC. This is due mostly to function, cost, style (in that order). I will also be looking toward a frame mounted fairing as I've seen on some of the gs1150's, I'm sure I can rig something up.

I forget the gentlemen who offered to send me some pics of his bike with the maier fairing. Although I have decided to go against this idea, I would love to see the bike. It looks great from the small photo I saw.

Again, thanks to all who have taken the time to respond.

All the best and safe travels

[Mysuzyq]

I'm 27 and still young and stuborn enough to bite the bullet on this one. On the other hand, I would like a little something.
......I am leaning toward a bar mounted windshield, perhaps something from NC. This is due mostly to function, cost, style (in that order).

Sounds like the small NC Deflector might be ideal for you too....it's the one I went with, for some of the same reasons you mentioned....I don't do much serious touring, though the shield made a huge positive difference on the few 500 km/ day rides. (I'm no 'candyass', to borrow Grandpa's term, but fighting the wind at high speeds on the highway gets old after a couple hours)

Thanks for the kind words, Ron. We will have to trade bikes next time we meet for a ride....I suspect you might find the GS a bit sluggish though, after the modded B12!
Tony.

[RobGS850L]

Even a small shield makes a big difference. Just go about 60 or so and hold your hand in front of you and feel the difference. Move it up and down and you can notice it does something. I ride fairinged sp? bikes and ones without.Even sportbike types are very noticeable in the improvement.

[kilog55]

Even a small shield makes a big difference. Just go about 60 or so and hold your hand in front of you and feel the difference. Move it up and down and you can notice it does something. I ride fairinged sp? bikes and ones without.Even sportbike types are very noticeable in the improvement.

do you have one on the 850? looks like a swept back one if you do.

[Steve]

Although I have not yet ridden behind a Vetter (we have one here, ready to go on my son's 850), I have ridden behind several other frame-mounted fairings. I have also ridden behind a few handlebar-mounted windshields, and have even ridden one bike with both, for a good comparison.

That bike was a '79 KZ1300. We ordered the big fairing when we picked up the bike, but they were not available for a while. I offered to put the Plexifairing on, but my wife said "no, we'll wait until the big one gets here". Nine miles home, mostly city streets. Half-way there, she asked me how long it would take to put the Plexifairing on, she was getting blown off the back of the bike.

It took a while because I had to enlarge the opening for the rectangular headlight, but it was on before I went to bed. We did a 500-mile trip less than a month later, so got a bit of road time on it, too. When the big fairing came in, I installed it. It took much longer to install than the Plexifairing, but it was worth it. Wind protection was surprisingly about the same. The big difference was storage capacity. The pockets on that fairing were bigger than some saddlebags I have seen on bikes today.

Comments about wind buffeting and handlebar-mounted windshields tend to be subjective. I have ridden my wife's 850L with its Plexifairing 3 out on the freeway, and have been able to take my hands off the grips, even when passing trucks. Not sure if there might be something wrong with her bike, making it less sensitive to gusts, but I'm not complaining.

.

[kilog55]

i wish i still had pics of my 850 with the vetter on it just so you could see how it ruined the lines of the bike (to me anyways)

this is the same as the one i took off cept mine is black and has the windscreen

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOS-Vetter-Windjammer-Windstar-fairing_W0QQitemZ330307997330QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item330307997330&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A543|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

[rustybronco]

I can't believe no one coughed up this answer...
buy another bike, then you will have one with a full fairing and one without!

[BigLou]

i wish i still had pics of my 850 with the vetter on it just so you could see how it ruined the lines of the bike (to me anyways)

this is the same as the one i took off cept mine is black and has the windscreen

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOS-V...3A1|240%3A1318

I tend to agree that those Vetters and even early factory fairings "ruin the lines" but as I got older, form took a backseat to function. Especially when my wife in on back.

[kilog55]

yeah i thought it took too much from the bike i only rode it a few miles on a dirt road with it on so i couldnt say as if i noticed a difference or not on the hiway