UPDATE 9/6/2013 - Realized I never posted pic of it mounted and how I mounted it. SORRY! Once I got the bike out of the shop, I'd rather spend time on it over the computer. Page 2 starts my thoughts and plans for it.

This write-up will be in several parts, so I can upload the 10+ pictures.

Things you will need;

1. Slipstreamer Stealth SS-20 fairing, comes in Smoke or Clear ~ $140
2. Slipstreamer 1-1/4inch handlebar clamps if you are using the stock Fat Bob handlebar as the kit comes with 1 inch handlebar clamps ~ $25
3. Painters tape
4. T-square
5. Thin, flexible cardboard or heavy paper stock
6. Fine point Sharpie or felt tip marker
7. Allen wrench set
8. Jigsaw with fine toothed blade
9. Drill press with various bits up to 1/2 inch and lube oil - you could try this with a hand held drill, but I wouldn't recommend it
10. Heat gun, especially if you are inexperienced with working with plexiglass
11. Extra set of hands when you drill the plexi, mostly to feed the lube oil while you drill
12. Gloves and eye protection
13. Lots and lots and lots of patience. If you crack or split the plexiglass, you are pretty much screwed.

FYI - I did not use a ruler at any time. I am dyslexic and transpose numbers like crazy when using them. I use string and tick marks on paper/cardboard for measurements. Please don't ask for measurements or lengths on lines or such as I do not have them.

Picture 1 - how the fairing looks out of the box from Slipstreamer

I started off by removing the packing plastic and vinyl letters/striping from the fairing. I also removed the rubber grommets from the lower mounting holes and the rubber tubing from the top of the headlight hole, as they will be needed later. You could leave the vinyl on if you want, personally I didn't care for it. Next I covered the area of the plexi that I would be marking up and cutting with a layer of painters tape, as seen in Picture 2. Next I used the cardboard and drew a horizontal line across the tops of the lower mounting holes, I used it because it flexes across the curves of the plexi. Then using the T-square I started a vertical line from the center of the mounting holes and then used the cardboard to extend that line up the fairing past the top of the center light hole. Using the T-square I drew a horizontal line spanning across the top of the single light hole between the two vertical lines. These lines can be seen in Picture 3. I used a piece of cardboard and placed it along the horizontal line spanning the top of the single light hole. I made tick marks where the two vertical lines come up and then folded the cardboard in half. I then laid it back onto the horizontal line and marked the tape where the middle fold was. This is how I found the center of the fairing. You can use a tape measure if it works for you. But I always measure once, measure again, step away for a minute or two and then measure again just to make sure. Because once you cut or drill, it is PERMANENT!

Next I used the allen wrenches to remove the headlight bezel so I could lay it flat on the cardboard and trace its outline. I cut out the headlight template and traced it's outline onto the tape on the fairing. I put the lowest part of the "cleavage" area of the cutout onto the highest part of the single light hole. You can see in Picture 3 the template I made and transferred to the fairing. This is how I laid out the hole for the dual headlight on my first fairing. It worked well, but I did get some buffeting on my head at highway speed and the unit was so low it rubbed on the brake reservoir. I am 6'3", so if you are shorter you may not get the buffeting and the reservoir rubbing can be alleviated by putting a piece of foam tape between the two. You can keep the alignment here, but I ended up lowering where the light go to give move clearance from the handlebar and effectively raising the top of the fairing to alleviate the buffeting. To do this I lined up the top of the the headlight template with the line I drew across the top of the single headlight hole. You can see it in the following pictures when I did the cut.

I used the jigsaw to cut along the lines I drew on the top of the mounting holes, which removed the lower part of the "ears" that wrapped around the single headlight. I put a dual layer of painters tape on the bottom of the shoe on the jigsaw to help it slide and keep the metal shoe from scratching the Plexi. When using the jigsaw, move the saw slowly and be patient. Do not rush the saw and let the blade do it's work. The smoother the cut, the less sanding you have to do later. Plus if you force the saw, you run the risk of cracking the Plexi. If you have a heat gun available, use it to heat up the Plexi before you cut it. You want to heat it up enough where it just starts to be a little soft, but not soft enough that it bends! You just want to heat it up enough to make it less brittle and reduce that chance of cracking. Wear you glasses to protect you eyes, and wear glove when working with hot Plexi. Plus the gloves lessen the chance of rings and such scratching the Plexi. In Picture 4, you can see the result after I made the cut and also see the two different outlines I made for the alignment of the dual headlight template.

 

In pictures 5 and 6, you can see where I used the curve on the lower part of the "ears" I cut off to transfer that curve onto the squared off area of the fairing. Picture 7 shows how it looks after I cut the curve. It also shows the two different alignments that I made for the dual headlight holes. Picture 8 shows how it looks after I made the cut out for the lower alignment of the dual headlights and you can still the the where the lines are for the original alignment.

 

Now is the most difficult part, drilling the holes for the lower mounts. Drilling Plexiglass is very tricky. Again heat it up to make it less brittle. Always use lube when drilling to help the bit cut and decrease the chance of cracking. When I drilled the holes I started with a small pilot hole and used slightly larger bits to make the hole bigger. This reduces the risk of cracking the Plexi by working the hole out rather than just jumping from a small bit to the 1/2 inch bit. The largest you need to make the hole is 1/2 inch. When drilling, use SLOOOOOOOW pressure rather than forcing the bit to avoid cracking.

When I started writing this and uploading pictures, I realized that I somehow lost the pictures of how I placed and drilled the lower mounting holes. Don't know how I lost the pictures, but I will try to describe it the process the best I can.

If you look closely at the fairing, you can see where there is a three way apex of bends on both sides of the fairing. There is a bend coming down from the middle hump, a diagonal bend coming in from the sides that cover the handlebar controls, and the last vertical bend where the plexi bends back from the original headlight hole. If you follow the horizontal line that was made at the top of the single headlight hole from the center out to the edges, you will find a point that nice and flat, centered between the apex of the three bends and the outside edge of the Plexi. This spot is where I drilled the holes for the lower mounts. They are almost directly straight down from the upper mounting holes, but moved towards the center a bit. You can put the lower mounts wherever you want, but this is how I placed mine. The most important part is that the are on a flat area of the Plexi and are of equal spacing from the center.

I then used 320 grit sandpaper to smooth out all of the cuts I made in the Plexi. I reinstalled the rubber grommets into the lower mounting holes. I cut the rubber tubing in half and put the two halves where the dual headlight housing would hit the hole I cut. In Picture 9 you can see the final result of the cuts, mounting hole, and tubing placement. Picture 10 is a close view of the lower mounting hole to try to give an idea of where I placed it.

To mount it, the upper mounts attach to the handlebars and the lower mounts attach to the handlebar risers. Picture 11 shows the back side of the fairing with the mounts attached to it. Right now my bike is in the shop, but once I get it back I will edit this post and add more pictures of how the mounts attach to the bike.

Getting the fairing aligned takes some trial and error by sliding it around until you get it where you want it. You also have to ride with the fairing on at highway speed to see where the air flows around and into your body. You can then adjust the fairing's adjustment up, down, forward, back, and tilting angle to best suit you and minimize head buffeting and chest pressure.

 

Nice write up. But where are the pics of it on your bike

 

Bike is still at the shop being repaired after the accident that destroyed the first fairing. Once I get the bike back and mount the fairing, I will add more pictures.

Also if you look at my sig pic or the pics of my bike in my garage, you can see the original fairing mounted.

 

Great write up , thanks, That fairing looks really good.

 

GREAT write up!!!! Thanks for the info!

 

Definalty a good detailed right up but looking forward to seeing pics of it on the bike becides the small avitar pic.

 

Here is a pic of the fairing mocked up on the bike at the shop. It is still awaiting repairs, so I haven't mounted it yet. Just an update so you can sort of see what it looks like. Will post more pictures when I get the bike back and mount the fairing, hopefully next week. You can still see the mangled pegs, highway bar, and shifter on the left side.

 

This is AMBITIOUS! But great writeup!