All you full fairing guys

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Dec 21, 2010 | 06:20 PM

bberck

Thread Starter

Elite HDF Member

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 4,579

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From: S.E. MO

All you full fairing guys

I am assuming most of you had tried a regular type shield at first so how does the fairing compare. Mainly concerned with buffeting as it has been pretty bad with every shield I have tried, so I always end up back to just running no shield.

I plan to add a touring bike in a couple years so just looking for something to use on trips and when I have to run interstate. Backroad 200 mile days plan to still go without a shield so only useful to me if good at 75mph+

If you know how it compares to coverage on a street glide that would be useful also.

Dec 21, 2010 | 07:57 PM

trip20

Grand HDF Member

Joined: May 2007

Posts: 3,553

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All I can say is it compares to the feeling of a street glide. Its by no means a calm breeze, but I definitely prefer it to my old windshield for both looks and function. But I was never one to absolutely hate the windshield buffeting to the point where it was too bad to ride. So... Kinda just have to try it out and if you don't like it I'm sure you'll be able to get most of your cash back out of it. Not to mention if you don't like it you probably won't like a street glide.

Dec 21, 2010 | 08:07 PM

stewbeezer

Tourer

Joined: Sep 2007

Posts: 363

Likes: 5

From: Lockport, NY

This is a thread in the Softail forum discussing the Memphis Shades Batwing on Softails and Road Kings.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/softa...g-fairing.html
I've put one on my Dyna, but it's going to be awhile till to weather cooperates.

Dec 21, 2010 | 08:13 PM

j1mmy

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Joined: Dec 2009

Posts: 4,598

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From: navarre ohio

a windsheild feels like there is a giant sheild in front, a fairing is part of the bike and you dont even notice its there

Dec 21, 2010 | 10:04 PM

Mike Horrell

Road Master

Joined: Mar 2009

Posts: 1,232

Likes: 4

From: Albuquerque, New Mexico

I used the HD quick release windshield on both my 2009 XL1200C and the 2009 FXDC
and I did not like riding WITHOUT a windshield at highway speeds. Every bug that hits
the windshield is one less that I have to eat.

I didn't have a lot of turbulence on the Sporty, but I did on the Dyna until I added some
deflectors on the lower fork legs. They didn't completely cure it, but they got it down so
that I barely noticed it except in gusty wind conditions. There was still plenty of air
movement so it wasn't like riding in a sedan, but the worst aspects were gone.

I haven't had the fairing long enough to say much about it yet but so far I agree with
the comment that it seems more a part of the bike and less intrusive.. .

Dec 22, 2010 | 01:05 AM

SURFOR Chop

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Apr 2007

Posts: 4,919

Likes: 23

From: Seattle, WA

I didn't really compare the windshield to a fairing before I got my fairing ... but, having run with a windshield first and then a fairing, I do prefer the latter pretty much all around ....

I rode in the rain a lot in the PacNW and it keeps the weather and wind chill off your hands (but not the ambient temperature chill ...

) ....

* * *

On the subject of 'buffeting' ... I remember seeing a thread or two quite a while back where some guys were cutting up the Touring 'deflector' that goes behind the lower triple tree ... I have actually thought of that from time to time ....

The deflector is shaped like half of a frisbee (only a little smaller) with a 90-degree bend upward ... with two or three holes for mounting to the back of the Touring triple tree ....

The mod entails cutting off the lip on the front and drilling a single hole with which to bolt to the bottom of the Dyna triple tree where the brake line guide is bolted ... then the sides have to be radiused/cut back, as well, so as to clear the fork tubes on either side ....

I seem to recall that those who had tried it reported favorably with regards to eliminating (or, at least, effectively mitigating) the buffeting effect commonly experienced with windshields ....

* * *

Another concept I am toying with is getting the 'dragon wings' that affix to the lower edge of the fairing ... there are a couple of styles--fixed and adjustable ....

Since I usually ditch my fairing in the summer, I might just get the fixed ones since I wouldn't need use them to direct the air toward me in the summer ....

A couple of thoughts ... FWIW

R/
'Chop

p.s. BTW ... biggest drawback to ditching the fairing in the summer is that I love riding with tunes ...!

Last edited by SURFOR Chop; Dec 22, 2010 at 01:07 AM.

Dec 22, 2010 | 09:56 AM

bigdaddy33

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Apr 2009

Posts: 4,082

Likes: 11

From: Long Island, NY

This is a good thread with some interesting comments. I typically ride without a shield, but on longer interstate rides and during the winter months, I ride with a HD quick detach windshield. For whatever reason, unlike bbreck, fortunately buffeting has never been a problem for me. (I recall from earlier threads that bbreck has been through a lot of shields).

When I take bike trips out to the west coast I typically rent touring bikes from HD. Last year it was a RG, and agree with what j1mmy posted about the fairing feeling like it is part of the bike. Also noted that in my crew of 14 riders, (only me and one other guy had RG's, the rest were on Ultras and SG's) he and I experienced no buffeting or wobble at speeds averaging 80- 90 MPH and up to and even a little past 120MPH. The guys on the other bikes didn't experience much but some said they did and a couple of the guys on the Ultras had some high speed wobbles.

I think the fork mounted, shark nose fairing, was probably the reason for the smooth ride vs the bat wing mounted to the bars. Assuming this may be true, has anyone tried mounting a fairing to the forks on a dyna instead of the handlebars?