Calling all of you MS BW fairing guys
#1
10-08-2011, 10:04 AM
Calling all of you MS BW fairing guys
Now that they have been out for a while. What are your opinions of them since you've installed them. Any do's or don'ts? Or woulda or shoulda's?
I sent my payoff in for my FXDC. I was considering selling or trading it in on a Road King. But I have the bike pretty much the way I want it. I do like the idea of the fairing on a dyna. Especially cold weather riding. Looks like $450 to 500 for the fairing, brackets and windshield.
Who did you buy from? H-D quick release vs MS brackets? I'm 5'11 what height windshield?
Any general comments on things to do or perhaps more importantly what not to do?
Pics?
I sent my payoff in for my FXDC. I was considering selling or trading it in on a Road King. But I have the bike pretty much the way I want it. I do like the idea of the fairing on a dyna. Especially cold weather riding. Looks like $450 to 500 for the fairing, brackets and windshield.
Who did you buy from? H-D quick release vs MS brackets? I'm 5'11 what height windshield?
Any general comments on things to do or perhaps more importantly what not to do?
Pics?
#4
10-09-2011, 11:31 AM
Road Master
I'm one of the people that converted about a year ago.
I used the "normal" batwing for touring Harleys which has a larger headlight opening and does not
completely surround the light as some of the newer ones do. I think the open "bottom" is an
advantage as it allows the fairing to be installed / removed easier.
I fitted a 9" headlight to fill the opening as well as to give better illumination. That was @ $100
and I'd consider it to be part of the conversion costs.
I had custom brackets made and used the HD quick release clamps off of my windshield. The
brackets were @ $100 but I'm not sure what the clamps would cost since I already had them.
At the time I did this, it was largely up in the air as to whether the MS brackets would be
adaptable to the HD clamps and since it was going to be about the same cost either way, I
decided to just have brackets made by my local Indy.
Initially I used the MS 7" clear windscreen, but I was still getting too much turbulence so I ordered
a Clearview 14" recurve which has eliminated the turbulence and drasticaly reduced wind noise.
I can now ride at 80-90mph with the face shield flipped up with no buffeting AT ALL. I got some
criticism from one guy because it's basically impossible to look over the shield in rain, but I've had
no problem in several heavy rains; you just need to learn to look through the shield instead of at it.
A NOTE ABOUT WINDNOISE
After a lot of experimenting, I've confirmed that most wind noise after the Batwing is installed actually
comes from below, not around the Batwing. If I pull my knees in close, almost all remaining noise goes
away; if I spread my knees out a bit or put my feet up on the crash bars, the noise increases instantly.
This goes a long way to explain why different people report different levels of noise; it probably
depends on your seating position as well as mid vs. forward controls, etc., etc. Just FYI..
I have 4.5" curved risers on standard bars and, while the "wings" look a bit low in the pics, they really
keep the wind off my hands allowing them to stay much warmer in cold weather.
I'd say that duplicating my conversion would run about $500.
HTH
Photo album showing details of conversion
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23622558
I used the "normal" batwing for touring Harleys which has a larger headlight opening and does not
completely surround the light as some of the newer ones do. I think the open "bottom" is an
advantage as it allows the fairing to be installed / removed easier.
I fitted a 9" headlight to fill the opening as well as to give better illumination. That was @ $100
and I'd consider it to be part of the conversion costs.
I had custom brackets made and used the HD quick release clamps off of my windshield. The
brackets were @ $100 but I'm not sure what the clamps would cost since I already had them.
At the time I did this, it was largely up in the air as to whether the MS brackets would be
adaptable to the HD clamps and since it was going to be about the same cost either way, I
decided to just have brackets made by my local Indy.
Initially I used the MS 7" clear windscreen, but I was still getting too much turbulence so I ordered
a Clearview 14" recurve which has eliminated the turbulence and drasticaly reduced wind noise.
I can now ride at 80-90mph with the face shield flipped up with no buffeting AT ALL. I got some
criticism from one guy because it's basically impossible to look over the shield in rain, but I've had
no problem in several heavy rains; you just need to learn to look through the shield instead of at it.
A NOTE ABOUT WINDNOISE
After a lot of experimenting, I've confirmed that most wind noise after the Batwing is installed actually
comes from below, not around the Batwing. If I pull my knees in close, almost all remaining noise goes
away; if I spread my knees out a bit or put my feet up on the crash bars, the noise increases instantly.
This goes a long way to explain why different people report different levels of noise; it probably
depends on your seating position as well as mid vs. forward controls, etc., etc. Just FYI..
I have 4.5" curved risers on standard bars and, while the "wings" look a bit low in the pics, they really
keep the wind off my hands allowing them to stay much warmer in cold weather.
I'd say that duplicating my conversion would run about $500.
HTH
Photo album showing details of conversion
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23622558
#5
10-09-2011, 11:39 AM
Grand HDF Member
I'm one of the people that converted about a year ago.
I used the "normal" batwing for touring Harleys which has a larger headlight opening and does not
completely surround the light as some of the newer ones do. I think the open "bottom" is an
advantage as it allows the fairing to be installed / removed easier.
I fitted a 9" headlight to fill the opening as well as to give better illumination. That was @ $100
and I'd consider it to be part of the conversion costs.
I had custom brackets made and used the HD quick release clamps off of my windshield. The
brackets were @ $100 but I'm not sure what the clamps would cost since I already had them.
At the time I did this, it was largely up in the air as to whether the MS brackets would be
adaptable to the HD clamps and since it was going to be about the same cost either way, I
decided to just have brackets made by my local Indy.
Initially I used the MS 7" clear windscreen, but I was still getting too much turbulence so I ordered
a Clearview 14" recurve which has eliminated the turbulence and drasticaly reduced wind noise.
I can now ride at 80-90mph with the face shield flipped up with no buffeting AT ALL. I got some
criticism from one guy because it's basically impossible to look over the shield in rain, but I've had
no problem in several heavy rains; you just need to learn to look through the shield instead of at it.
A NOTE ABOUT WINDNOISE
After a lot of experimenting, I've confirmed that most wind noise after the Batwing is installed actually
comes from below, not around the Batwing. If I pull my knees in close, almost all remaining noise goes
away; if I spread my knees out a bit or put my feet up on the crash bars, the noise increases instantly.
This goes a long way to explain why different people report different levels of noise; it probably
depends on your seating position as well as mid vs. forward controls, etc., etc. Just FYI..
I have 4.5" curved risers on standard bars and, while the "wings" look a bit low in the pics, they really
keep the wind off my hands allowing them to stay much warmer in cold weather.
I'd say that duplicating my conversion would run about $500.
HTH
Photo album showing details of conversion
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23622558
I used the "normal" batwing for touring Harleys which has a larger headlight opening and does not
completely surround the light as some of the newer ones do. I think the open "bottom" is an
advantage as it allows the fairing to be installed / removed easier.
I fitted a 9" headlight to fill the opening as well as to give better illumination. That was @ $100
and I'd consider it to be part of the conversion costs.
I had custom brackets made and used the HD quick release clamps off of my windshield. The
brackets were @ $100 but I'm not sure what the clamps would cost since I already had them.
At the time I did this, it was largely up in the air as to whether the MS brackets would be
adaptable to the HD clamps and since it was going to be about the same cost either way, I
decided to just have brackets made by my local Indy.
Initially I used the MS 7" clear windscreen, but I was still getting too much turbulence so I ordered
a Clearview 14" recurve which has eliminated the turbulence and drasticaly reduced wind noise.
I can now ride at 80-90mph with the face shield flipped up with no buffeting AT ALL. I got some
criticism from one guy because it's basically impossible to look over the shield in rain, but I've had
no problem in several heavy rains; you just need to learn to look through the shield instead of at it.
A NOTE ABOUT WINDNOISE
After a lot of experimenting, I've confirmed that most wind noise after the Batwing is installed actually
comes from below, not around the Batwing. If I pull my knees in close, almost all remaining noise goes
away; if I spread my knees out a bit or put my feet up on the crash bars, the noise increases instantly.
This goes a long way to explain why different people report different levels of noise; it probably
depends on your seating position as well as mid vs. forward controls, etc., etc. Just FYI..
I have 4.5" curved risers on standard bars and, while the "wings" look a bit low in the pics, they really
keep the wind off my hands allowing them to stay much warmer in cold weather.
I'd say that duplicating my conversion would run about $500.
HTH
Photo album showing details of conversion
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23622558
Hey Mike, any chance that you're going out for a ride today? I'd still like to check out your bike.
#6
10-09-2011, 02:52 PM
Mike did a great job with his info. I'm just here to show the stock Dyna setup from MS.
I made the mistake of going with the 5" and will be going to a 9" or 12" soon. Like most shields there is a lot to tweak to get it it just right for each individual rider.
Things like lowers, shields and angles play a role in your comfort level. I did a quick ride of about 40 miles the other day without my Batwing on and missed having it.
I made the mistake of going with the 5" and will be going to a 9" or 12" soon. Like most shields there is a lot to tweak to get it it just right for each individual rider.
Things like lowers, shields and angles play a role in your comfort level. I did a quick ride of about 40 miles the other day without my Batwing on and missed having it.
Last edited by expy; 10-09-2011 at 03:59 PM.
#7
10-09-2011, 02:54 PM
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#9
10-10-2011, 01:28 PM
your going to be well into a grand by the time you are done... i had to custom make... well a ton of stuff, the brackets, the mount, the cage for the amp and head unit, all the wiring... but was worth it! came out sick and works great. i have a complete write up in the LINKS that are stickied at the top of the dyna page
#10
10-10-2011, 02:02 PM
Outstanding HDF Member