Fairing vs windshield
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 17
From: Mid West
Fellow rider at work decided to clean his shed out, he had eight old Harley basic batwings from his earlier days of riding. As the weather on a ride would get bad he would find a dealer with one(Not always color matched!) buy it then take it off at home. He has since sold all but two that he considers 'special' memories.
I think I can help with this one.
with a fairing you will find a few more options that will enhance your ride and comfort. a fairing will give you a lot more protection around the sides and arms as well as create a very comfortable pocket of wind to ride in. The down side to riding with a bat wing fairing is the potential for buffeting at higher speeds.
The buffeting can be combated by using an adjustable fairing that can be moved forward and backwards, you can also use a windshield that has a flip or flare at the top, the purpose of this is to direct the maximum amount of wind strait up and over you without causing a vacuum behind the fairing that will cause buffeting at higher speeds.
by using a flip up windshield and an adjustable faring you can fine tune the angle at which the wind is deflected up and over you.
as a final step in creating the maximum comfort area behind the fairing you can install wings that are adjustable.
The catch here is that no two riders are exactly the same, some are short and others tall, some have long torsos and short legs and other have short torsos and look like a spider. the challenge is to find the set up that is going to work for you.
With a fairing you have alot more options to control the area behind the windscreen.
If you decide to go with a full windshield with no fairing then you still have to make a decision, do I want to see over the windshield or through it. Take some measurements or sit on another bike and see where you stand now. if you are looking right through the top of the windshield you will not be happy in the long run.
When measuring to see over the top of a windshield you want the top edge of the windshield to be right about at the top of your upper lip.
if it is any higher you will be looking through the edge of the shield 20 minutes into your ride because after a little while on the back we all slouch down like a wilting flower. For most people I consider the top of the lips to be the proverbial G-spot when it comes to windshields.
If you are trying to see over the windshield and want to have the wind go over you as well check out our new road king windshields - which will be availiable in variable heights sometime next month. They have a flip up on them that goes all the way to the vertical position giving you the maximum amount of protection.
If you do decide to go with a fairing, Get a dragon fly fairing, they work great and are compatible with HD windshields and most accessory windshields. They are sturdy during a ride and have great reviews. There are some others out there that are similar and sturdy but I haven't had a chance to play with them yet. I have played with the Memphis shades faring and was not really that impressed.
Heres a few pictures of my road king with the Fairing and without.
with a fairing you will find a few more options that will enhance your ride and comfort. a fairing will give you a lot more protection around the sides and arms as well as create a very comfortable pocket of wind to ride in. The down side to riding with a bat wing fairing is the potential for buffeting at higher speeds.
The buffeting can be combated by using an adjustable fairing that can be moved forward and backwards, you can also use a windshield that has a flip or flare at the top, the purpose of this is to direct the maximum amount of wind strait up and over you without causing a vacuum behind the fairing that will cause buffeting at higher speeds.
by using a flip up windshield and an adjustable faring you can fine tune the angle at which the wind is deflected up and over you.
as a final step in creating the maximum comfort area behind the fairing you can install wings that are adjustable.
The catch here is that no two riders are exactly the same, some are short and others tall, some have long torsos and short legs and other have short torsos and look like a spider. the challenge is to find the set up that is going to work for you.
With a fairing you have alot more options to control the area behind the windscreen.
If you decide to go with a full windshield with no fairing then you still have to make a decision, do I want to see over the windshield or through it. Take some measurements or sit on another bike and see where you stand now. if you are looking right through the top of the windshield you will not be happy in the long run.
When measuring to see over the top of a windshield you want the top edge of the windshield to be right about at the top of your upper lip.
if it is any higher you will be looking through the edge of the shield 20 minutes into your ride because after a little while on the back we all slouch down like a wilting flower. For most people I consider the top of the lips to be the proverbial G-spot when it comes to windshields.
If you are trying to see over the windshield and want to have the wind go over you as well check out our new road king windshields - which will be availiable in variable heights sometime next month. They have a flip up on them that goes all the way to the vertical position giving you the maximum amount of protection.
If you do decide to go with a fairing, Get a dragon fly fairing, they work great and are compatible with HD windshields and most accessory windshields. They are sturdy during a ride and have great reviews. There are some others out there that are similar and sturdy but I haven't had a chance to play with them yet. I have played with the Memphis shades faring and was not really that impressed.
Heres a few pictures of my road king with the Fairing and without.
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General Inquiries:
Info@LongRideShields.com
Sales and Marketing:
Sales@LongRideShields.com
Phone:
775.331.3789
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 767
Likes: 1
From: Longview,TX
+ 1 on the Memphis Shades Batwing.Mine is painted to match,and the quality of these thing are great.I am 6 ft tall and have the 12 inch shield and have no buffeting at all.I also have Road Rumble Ultra 100 amp speakers mounted on the handlebars on both sides of the steering lock with xm radio.I have tunes with the batwing,with the factory windshield or without any shield on it at all!!!!!It is a great setup.
so you don't have stability issues with your Memphis shades? When we put that thing on and got up to 90 it was just dangerous. Did you have to do something special to keep it stable. Not that people use it to race with, but I just didn't get that good of a vibe with it.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,112
Likes: 40
From: Boise Idaho
You won't notice much difference when it's raining but for every other riding experience you will, it stops way more bugs and wind and makes a multy hour ride much more comfortable. I have both a windshield with a recurve windshield and a fairing and I never use the windshield at all anymore.
As far as everyone saying you'll never take it off after installing it, that is personal taste, I find that my Woody's fairing is so easy to get on and off that I leave it off always in town and only put it on if I'm going to be on the interstate or a long ride.
As far as everyone saying you'll never take it off after installing it, that is personal taste, I find that my Woody's fairing is so easy to get on and off that I leave it off always in town and only put it on if I'm going to be on the interstate or a long ride.
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,259
Likes: 5
From: NW NC
Great feedback here but this is very helpful and thank you. Yes, buffeting is always an issue but I try to get around those trucks ASAP. Yeah, looking to get a Memphis Shades and hoping I will be happy with that. After test riding a UC that will be the next scoot in my garage but I guess I will have to find a used one unless I go with a CVO as sleeking up a second bike to the tune of 5 to 7 k is not what I want to do....
I think I can help with this one.
with a fairing you will find a few more options that will enhance your ride and comfort. a fairing will give you a lot more protection around the sides and arms as well as create a very comfortable pocket of wind to ride in. The down side to riding with a bat wing fairing is the potential for buffeting at higher speeds.
The buffeting can be combated by using an adjustable fairing that can be moved forward and backwards, you can also use a windshield that has a flip or flare at the top, the purpose of this is to direct the maximum amount of wind strait up and over you without causing a vacuum behind the fairing that will cause buffeting at higher speeds.
by using a flip up windshield and an adjustable faring you can fine tune the angle at which the wind is deflected up and over you.
as a final step in creating the maximum comfort area behind the fairing you can install wings that are adjustable.
The catch here is that no two riders are exactly the same, some are short and others tall, some have long torsos and short legs and other have short torsos and look like a spider. the challenge is to find the set up that is going to work for you.
With a fairing you have alot more options to control the area behind the windscreen.
If you decide to go with a full windshield with no fairing then you still have to make a decision, do I want to see over the windshield or through it. Take some measurements or sit on another bike and see where you stand now. if you are looking right through the top of the windshield you will not be happy in the long run.
When measuring to see over the top of a windshield you want the top edge of the windshield to be right about at the top of your upper lip.
if it is any higher you will be looking through the edge of the shield 20 minutes into your ride because after a little while on the back we all slouch down like a wilting flower. For most people I consider the top of the lips to be the proverbial G-spot when it comes to windshields.
If you are trying to see over the windshield and want to have the wind go over you as well check out our new road king windshields - which will be availiable in variable heights sometime next month. They have a flip up on them that goes all the way to the vertical position giving you the maximum amount of protection.
If you do decide to go with a fairing, Get a dragon fly fairing, they work great and are compatible with HD windshields and most accessory windshields. They are sturdy during a ride and have great reviews. There are some others out there that are similar and sturdy but I haven't had a chance to play with them yet. I have played with the Memphis shades faring and was not really that impressed.
Heres a few pictures of my road king with the Fairing and without.
with a fairing you will find a few more options that will enhance your ride and comfort. a fairing will give you a lot more protection around the sides and arms as well as create a very comfortable pocket of wind to ride in. The down side to riding with a bat wing fairing is the potential for buffeting at higher speeds.
The buffeting can be combated by using an adjustable fairing that can be moved forward and backwards, you can also use a windshield that has a flip or flare at the top, the purpose of this is to direct the maximum amount of wind strait up and over you without causing a vacuum behind the fairing that will cause buffeting at higher speeds.
by using a flip up windshield and an adjustable faring you can fine tune the angle at which the wind is deflected up and over you.
as a final step in creating the maximum comfort area behind the fairing you can install wings that are adjustable.
The catch here is that no two riders are exactly the same, some are short and others tall, some have long torsos and short legs and other have short torsos and look like a spider. the challenge is to find the set up that is going to work for you.
With a fairing you have alot more options to control the area behind the windscreen.
If you decide to go with a full windshield with no fairing then you still have to make a decision, do I want to see over the windshield or through it. Take some measurements or sit on another bike and see where you stand now. if you are looking right through the top of the windshield you will not be happy in the long run.
When measuring to see over the top of a windshield you want the top edge of the windshield to be right about at the top of your upper lip.
if it is any higher you will be looking through the edge of the shield 20 minutes into your ride because after a little while on the back we all slouch down like a wilting flower. For most people I consider the top of the lips to be the proverbial G-spot when it comes to windshields.
If you are trying to see over the windshield and want to have the wind go over you as well check out our new road king windshields - which will be availiable in variable heights sometime next month. They have a flip up on them that goes all the way to the vertical position giving you the maximum amount of protection.
If you do decide to go with a fairing, Get a dragon fly fairing, they work great and are compatible with HD windshields and most accessory windshields. They are sturdy during a ride and have great reviews. There are some others out there that are similar and sturdy but I haven't had a chance to play with them yet. I have played with the Memphis shades faring and was not really that impressed.
Heres a few pictures of my road king with the Fairing and without.
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How long does it take to remove your windshield and put the fairing on it?
+1 on the little better hand protection in the batwing, and getting something good from the start.
Another plus is that you can use a radio with a USB port in the front and put all your tunes in a USB drive, this makes CD players or CD changers obsolete, IMHO.
And if you use a Bluetooth radio like this one http://www.crutchfield.com/p_158BT38...ony+car+stereo you can stream music to your helmet speakers, if you don't have helmet speakers it still sounds great on the fairing speakers without needing an amplifier.
Also, on the batwing, Freedom Wings make a big difference in protection. You can adjust them to block air to your body or channel air to your body. Go here: http://www.fastaire.com/Freedom-Wings.html Freedom Wings really work.
On windshield height, I am 5'8" and I have a 9" winshield that I can crouch and see through it for protection or I can look over it when I want to. If you really want protection from the cold and rain, go here:
http://www.customflhtwindshields.net...windshield.htm
I also tried a windshield with a lip on it, it doesn't do it for me.
The windshield is not always the higher the better. Ideally, it should be about nose height, so you can look over it, but at the same time rain water goes over your head, or look through it, like in bug season.
My Dead Center fairing
If you look at the width, it does have better protection for your hands. The USB drive is normally in the radio, with a cord tying it to the handlebar.
Polk Audio MM651, 6 1/2 marine speakers with a Sony MEX BT 3800u stereo, sounds really good without an amplifier.
I made wall brackets out of a 2X6 piece of wood so I could keep my fairing or winshield out of the way and protected
I think it is a very good addition to a Road King, and its removable when its too hot. I enjoy mine.
Regards,
Another plus is that you can use a radio with a USB port in the front and put all your tunes in a USB drive, this makes CD players or CD changers obsolete, IMHO.
And if you use a Bluetooth radio like this one http://www.crutchfield.com/p_158BT38...ony+car+stereo you can stream music to your helmet speakers, if you don't have helmet speakers it still sounds great on the fairing speakers without needing an amplifier.
Also, on the batwing, Freedom Wings make a big difference in protection. You can adjust them to block air to your body or channel air to your body. Go here: http://www.fastaire.com/Freedom-Wings.html Freedom Wings really work.
On windshield height, I am 5'8" and I have a 9" winshield that I can crouch and see through it for protection or I can look over it when I want to. If you really want protection from the cold and rain, go here:
http://www.customflhtwindshields.net...windshield.htm
I also tried a windshield with a lip on it, it doesn't do it for me.
The windshield is not always the higher the better. Ideally, it should be about nose height, so you can look over it, but at the same time rain water goes over your head, or look through it, like in bug season.
My Dead Center fairing
If you look at the width, it does have better protection for your hands. The USB drive is normally in the radio, with a cord tying it to the handlebar.
Polk Audio MM651, 6 1/2 marine speakers with a Sony MEX BT 3800u stereo, sounds really good without an amplifier.
I made wall brackets out of a 2X6 piece of wood so I could keep my fairing or winshield out of the way and protected
I think it is a very good addition to a Road King, and its removable when its too hot. I enjoy mine.
Regards,
The reason that Dragonfly fairings are as stable as they are is the bracket that runs all the way up though the inner fairing. It attaches to the inner fairing in several places both at the top and bottom, and adds a ton of rigidity. No shaking at idle whatsoever, and rock solid at speed.
