My fairing saga; the answers I had to buy a fairing to get

First, I have an '03 RK in the black paint scheme. My first HD and I got it this spring in great shape with about 36k miles. I've added about 3k miles to the ticker this summer.

Like all the rest I love the Street Glide look; big fairing but sleek back end. She rides well but still looks mean. I wanted that. I looked online at every manufacturer, watched every youtube video, searched this forum for answers, then did it all again a couple days later. I felt reasonably sure that I wanted to go with the fairing but I didn't want to spend tons of cash (really I didn't want to have to ask the wife for the tons of cash). I like the Kuryakyn, the Dragonfly, the Woody's and the Reckless but the best I could find finished without a radio was over $350. Ebay, here I come.

I watched several auctions come and go. Researched some more on the models that I saw sell there. I decided what I wanted to spend, MAX. Essentially, I chose the amount that I knew I could get back selling the fairing if I didn't like it. I watched a seller called "theusatrailerstore" put up auction after auction of basically identical fairings they call the "Stealth". I started bidding. Several passed me by going over my limit until this weekend. I picked an auction ending very early in the morning local time for me, set in my bid, had to up it once, and watched it go. Tuesday morning it ended and I was the winner. $145.57 + $39 for shipping. Total, $184.57 (now that everyone knows what I've got in it I guess I limit what I can sell it for, huh?). Paid via paypal within minutes of the auction ending and waited. TWO DAYS. I received the fairing on my doorstep Thursday afternoon.

Of course I couldn't just let it sit, I had to install that mother right away!!! Sadly, I'm not a video guy, to me that just impedes my doing something. A recap will have to suffice.

Opened the box and everything was packed well, in good shape. Parts were wrapped and taped to make sure nothing jostled in shipping. Box was undropped and it was a gel coat black beauty. Initial impressions were very good, the glossy black matched well the HD vivid black. Things like the brackets were much bigger than I'd anticipated. The windshields, two of them, tinted and clear, were wrapped and included the adhesive film protection. Assembly of the fairing was pretty straight forward though the instructions were a touch lacking in a few parts like which specifically indicating which bracket was L and R, but that was super simple to figure out.

Now we get to the down side, though it's not all that DOWN. Installation was not as simple as I had been led to believe. The brackets were very tight on the stock mounts. Taking off and putting back on much will certainly eat away at the rubber bushings. I might look into replacing them with a metal collar like some fairing manufacturers provide. Basically, it is NOT going to be considered a quick detach fairing.

Keep in mind that I have no radio yet as that project is coming this winter. I'm researching boat radios and speakers now. Also, know that I still left all the finger prints on everything as well as the dust on my bike. I was in a hurry and hurting from the wisdom tooth I had pulled that morning, I just wanted to get it on, give it a quick ride and grab some pics.

*pics will follow in the next response. I find it easier to type on the computer but simpler to add pics from the iPhone. Mods if you want to merge these into one post I'm fine with that.

 

 

 

 

The last three pics show what I'm going to label as "the bad". The edges need some finish work to dress them up. This is going to take some research as to what exactly I'm going to do about it, maybe some sanding and eventually paint, perhaps some edge trim from the auto parts place. I'll decide as this is still an ongoing work.

All together I'm guessing it took me about an hour from cutting the box open to my test ride and I'm pleased!!!

Anything I missed, ask questions. I feel like I wanted so much more from the research before I bought that I just couldn't find!

 

Put the dark shield on it... being that low, won't be an issue, and IMHO, will look better!

Doesn't look bad for under 200 bones!

 

The shape looks like it might accept the factory trim.

 

What I would do for that edge, and sometimes I'm a bit unconventional...

Painter tape the front past the edge, get a razor blade and trim by laying the blade flat along the edge and cutting the tape, be sure to keep the sharp off the paint. then use your finger to smooth the tape down. Get your Mouse sander out, and start with 400, and work up to 2000 grit.

If it's real rough, you can start with a file, but be careful, use a light touch...

That should do a pretty good job, but be sure to keep the sander off the paint, the tape will help with this.

I've done this numerous times on windshields, and after the 2000, I switch to an old washcloth with NOVUS 3 plastic polish, then 2, then 1.

Cheap, easy, and you might be surprised.

 

Looks good ! I have the quadzilla on mine