After seeing Rottenralphs bike with a full fairing, I decided to give it a try. Thanks Ralph.

First off. It is not made for a Sportster. It is in pretty rough shape. I needed to cut the bottom of the fairing with a dremel tool to get it to fit.

I also had to make up my own brackets.

This thing was originally black, but is now sunbleached to a dark brown:)

I have three things left that I want/need to do.

1) paint the fairing (silver with some royal blue stripes)
2) trim the windshield to 4-6 inches and get it tinted real dark.
3) raise my stock head light about 3 inches, so it is centered in the hole.

I don't want to change to a much larger headlight and I wanted this thing to come off in 5 minutes or less, leaving nothing behind, which it does. I plan to only use it real late and real early in the year. Usually, I go with no windshield at all.

I am getting there. I took it out for a spin and oh my, really makes a BIG difference despite the huge hole in the headlight area.

Total spent so far...$41.12

http://befree.homestead.com/files/fairing_front.jpg
http://befree.homestead.com/files/fairing_side.jpg
http://befree.homestead.com/files/fairing_bracket.jpg

that's a luxury we have over here...

it don't get cold.....and our wet season is in summer...so it's just like a warm shower....

I hate the cold........I think I'd have a fairing if I was stateside

I hate the cold........I think I'd have a fairing if I was stateside

Heh. Yep. I am not thrilled with the look, maybe a little "mad maxish" at the moment.

But, I ride until the Highway Dept. starts throwing down the salt.

just my .02 - I think it needs to be mounted lower. Right now its like bike, gastank, forks, WHABAM A FAIRING!! By the looks of it that would require cutting it up so it would clear the forks and still be up against the bike...

but yea, I'm imagining that lower line thats drawn on it being about at the level of the top of the tank. That'd make it look a little more at home IMO.

Great experiment, I'm interested to see what you come up with! :banana

ya may wanna look at making an extension type bracket for the headlight.

so it's just a matter of a few bolts to change between both

just my .02 - I think it needs to be mounted lower.

Yes. If I cut up the bottom some more and was able to lower it some, it would look much better. I wouldn't even have to dink around with the headlight height either.

I am pondering many ideas at the moment. I just got it in the mail yesterday and mounted it today for the first time. It took me a couple hours to get up the guts to cut off as much as I did already:laugh

You're on to something.. I'll bet it will look pretty good once you got it positioned correctly, the windshield cut down, and the fairing painted.
You said it made a huge difference. How was it for wind protection? Did you get any kind of buffeting from around or under the fairing?

You said it made a huge difference. How was it for wind protection? Did you get any kind of buffeting from around or under the fairing?

Compared to the Standard height windshield I have used it is awesome.

Nothing over the top or in my face, nothing on my hands or arms. A little bit comes up from near the turn signal area. But this area is horrible with the windshield.

Part of the difference might be due to how ridiculously large the windshield on this fairing is. It is over my head:frownone

(Man) Hey Whispanic!
(ME) Yeah?
(Man)What is that abomination?
(Me)Huh!?! WTF!?!

KIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLL IIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTT
OH MY GOD!!!!!! KILLLLLLLLL IIIITTTTTTT!!!!!!

Adios

Ehhh. what the heck..... here goes....and I'm only half serious...

Edited for my posterior's sake:
I certainly wouldn't have given it life.....if I lived in Texas.:doh

It was 25F this morning and I rode to work. :tour This fairing helps me do that. It beats having that shooting pain start in my fingers and go up through my elbow by the time I get to work (35 minutes)

Some things are more important than looks. When you get older you will realize that, you might even change your political leanings. :p

And yes, it is presently ugly.

Personally, I am almost afraid to say this, I think it looks sharp! To say nothing of creative and clever.

Yea, I like it too. Just needs some work and some paint. :shhhh

Ehhh. what the heck..... here goes....and I'm only half serious...


I certainly wouldn't have given it life.....if I lived in Texas.:doh

It was 25F this morning and I rode to work. :tour This fairing helps me do that. It beats having that shooting pain start in my fingers and go up through my elbow by the time I get to work (35 minutes)

Some things are more important than looks. When you get older you will realize that, you might even change your political leanings. :p

And yes, it is presently ugly. We don't abort babies when they are born even though they look like aliens.

I thought this was the "sport glide" section. Not the I'm a cool mofo section with my hopped up engine or chromey doo dads or my leather boots and patches blah blah ad infinitum section.

Last but not least, its George's fault for increasing the price of gas so all his buddies can get richer while keeping the rest of us down, this makes me a slave to my 45mpg bike when I should be caging it (not).

Hehe

Seriously though its not too bad...*deep breath*

It it twer mines, I would trim down the windshield a bit. Drop it in and down a few inches and then FLAT BLACK THE SH!T OUT OF IT! Then slam a bunch of stickers on it.

I used to run a Vetter on my Nighthawk. It was a full WindJammer II with radio and the doodads. I loved it during the cold seasons. Sucked on the hot days and weighed down the front a ton.

I wanted agressive looks and handling so I took it off.

On a new sporty though it tears at my soul to see that thing! But its not my ride. I'll be the one with frosty nipples and you'll be the one with roasy cheeks and devilsh grin!

BTW
I respect anyone who rides all year long...

Adios

Hehe

Seriously though its not too bad...*deep breath*

It it twer mines, I would trim down the windshield a bit. Drop it in and down a few inches and then FLAT BLACK THE SH!T OUT OF IT! Then slam a bunch of stickers on it.

I used to run a Vetter on my Nighthawk. It was a full WindJammer II with radio and the doodads. I loved it during the cold seasons. Sucked on the hot days and weighed down the front a ton.

I wanted agressive looks and handling so I took it off.

On a new sporty though it tears at my soul to see that thing! But its not my ride. I'll be the one with frosty nipples and you'll be the one with roasy cheeks and devilsh grin!

BTW
I respect anyone who rides all year long...

Adios

It's hard to look cool in the northern States and northern countries at this time of year, bundled up with layers, face masks, bulky gloves, windshields, and fairings.. but we are riding. Some dudes I know who ride to look cool only, have put there bikes away in mid September up here. I choose to keep riding, and if that means adding a fairing will give me a few more weeks then I'll add it.... you dudes down south have it made (well apart from the odd flood, hurricane, mudslide, and some poisonous critters).. up here we have 1/2 year of riding.. and even then 1/2 of that is in the rain.

>>>>>>>I thought this was the"sport glide" section. Not the I'am a cool mofo section with my hopped up engine or chromey doo dads or my leather boots and patches blah blah ad infinitum section.<<<<<<<<:laugh :laugh :laugh

It's hard to look cool in the northern States and northern countries at this time of year, bundled up with layers, face masks, bulky gloves, windshields, and fairings.. but we are riding. Some dudes I know who ride to look cool only, have put there bikes away in mid September up here. I choose to keep riding, and if that means adding a fairing will give me a few more weeks then I'll add it.... you dudes down south have it made (well apart from the odd flood, hurricane, mudslide, and some poisonous critters).. up here we have 1/2 year of riding.. and even then 1/2 of that is in the rain.

All the more reason to come down to Texas...

The only state in the union with the ability to fly our flag at the same level of the US flag! The state who added a clause to allow it to suceed from the Union if need be. The good 'ol country of Texas.
(***EDIT*** PLease note that Texas had previously suceeded from the "union" and was "captured" by the North after the civil war. Thereby kill our ability to suceed from the USA. So as we stand we are an ocuppied country ;) )

Please Note we are looking for some more people of the "blueish" faith. As of late we have been suffering from a "red" rash! ;)

Adios

Wagoneer, for an experiment the price seems more than reasonable. Beats the $1k needed for the factory fresh version.
http://www.hoppeindustries.com/spstr_fairing.html
This thing has the benefit of using the HD quick detach hardware: unplug power to radio, support fairing & unlock qd, then you have a naked front end for the hot months.

Hey Wagoneer, could you maybe get the qd hardware and use it. It'll make for a cleaner looking mount and, you know, qd and all :banana :banana

I'd like to see something like a minimalist version of the Vetter rigs of yesteryear. Wind buffeting went to the frame, not the bars/triple tree/forks. Frame mounted fairings were usually a lot more aerodynamic than bar/fork mount.

Maybe I'll go get an aeronautical engineering degree and design my own :roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

Hey Whisp, thanks for not going off on me. Heh. I'll take a deep breath too. Yep its ugly. Flat black is right up my alley.

Trimming it more would be good to do.

I have the QD hardware for my windshield and have been contemplating how to make it work. I am sure it will, I was just in a rush to get the thing on.


Even without the quick disconnect hardware, I can have ths the sporty back to stock in less than 5 minutes, right now.
thanks all

pretty is as pretty does


if it allows ya to ride longer then that's pretty good


and you can ride past all the pretty boys in their tin tops because it was too cold for them to ride their pretty bikes


that's pretty cool ;)

wow all you need now is the horror of a seat that someone found for sale on ebay a few months ago. nah just kidding I think is looks kinda cool. almost like the police escort bikes we have around here. yes they use sportys and in the winter they stick knobbies on them with a side car!!!!

Wagoneer,
Think your onto somethin. You said you just quickly attached it, What are you going to modify or do to strengthen it during cross winds and the like?
If you are getting a dremel after it, and then painting it anyway, you should just lay up some fiberglass to reduce the light hole diameter and not worry about having to re-center the light itself to fit the hole. Change the hole to fit the light. You know what I mean?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I was thinking of just buying an 8 inch tinted harley windscreen and drilling it to fit. My guess is that they will fit fine. Little nervous about the concave bend of the windshield but that is the route I am taking. I am not in a hurry. I woul use quick disconnect hardware from a bike seat to clamp it on and have quick disconnect wiring you can plug in and discon. when you change lights. Easy and solves the changing headlight problem. Just thought of the seat disconnect while thinking about yours. Now I have solved my own problem. The lights will now be easily interchanged. Thanks, I think. I am going to gut a groove and angle into a highway peg to get the larger headlight in the right position.

If you can center that headlight somehow.......maybe fiberglass the fairing down to a smaller diameter that centers around your stock headlight? And since you can take it on and off in 5 minutes, I think ya got a good way to break the wind without breaking the bank.

Hey Blue, I looked at mine and I decided it is easier to make a quick detach headlight with quick disconnect wiring. The fairing looks right with the large opening and it would be easier to make the light for the fairing and the stock light quick disconnect then it would be too do all the fibergalss, then bondo, then prime, then sand then, then, then, then. Too many extra tounches. Easier to find a beat up 7 inch light and make it work when the fairing is mounted.

Wait, I just had an epiphony. Hard mount a light in the fairing and just push the stock light backwards and out of the way. quick disconnect wiring and the deal is done. I will try it out in spring if Wagoneer has not perfected it by then. He seems a lot more motivated then me on thes one. I started painting mine and decided to change paint schemes on my bike so it will be a while. I am goinge to ebay noiw to find a cheap light. I am glad I had a chance to brainstorm while I was here.

....Beats the $1k needed for the factory fresh version.
http://www.hoppeindustries.com/spstr_fairing.html.....

Plus the hoppe is no longer made....

I like it, Wagoneer12! Then again, I may be a little biased nowadays of a fairing! :D I was wondering for simplicity's sake if some vinyl fabric or leather could fill the headlight hole? I've seen vinyl fabric covers over headlights and passing lights (functionally must be for looks), and they don't look too bad...I just got some vinyl fabric lower fairings for my engine guards last week, and what a difference in thirty degree riding! Whispanic will probably have a ball at that, too, but I'm with you...wait til he gets a few more years on him! :D Keep us posted on your project!

Ralph
I certainly don't want to still your thunder. You are the first person I ever heard talk about a full fairing and I was intrigued. I am not trying to beat you to the task. I thank you for the idea.

I have been thinking of doing a quick headlight change out setup also. I then leaned away from it. I thought if I could just get my present one centered that would be good enough. Now you got me thinking about the hard mounted in the fairing idea.

Planb
On my way home from work I stuffed my snowboard pants in the hole.:laugh This worked pretty good too.

I like to ride when it is a little cool also. Better than a snowmobile suite!
Are those National Mfg. mending plates I'm seeing? I was a toolmaker at National for many years and I bet they never thought their hardware could be used on a Harley! National would jack the price up big time.
Good luck with your project.
Denny

Not a fan of that look, but as it was said if it enables you to ride your season a little longer - Go for broke.

All the more reason to come down to Texas...

The only state in the union with the ability to fly our flag at the same level of the US flag! The state who added a clause to allow it to suceed from the Union if need be. The good 'ol country of Texas.
(***EDIT*** PLease note that Texas had previously suceeded from the "union" and was "captured" by the North after the civil war. Thereby kill our ability to suceed from the USA. So as we stand we are an ocuppied country ;) )

Please Note we are looking for some more people of the "blueish" faith. As of late we have been suffering from a "red" rash! ;)

Adios
he meant "secede", sorry about that Texas Public Education System...

Ehhh. what the heck..... here goes....and I'm only half serious...

Edited for my posterior's sake:
I certainly wouldn't have given it life.....if I lived in Texas.:doh

It was 25F this morning and I rode to work. :tour This fairing helps me do that. It beats having that shooting pain start in my fingers and go up through my elbow by the time I get to work (35 minutes)

Some things are more important than looks. When you get older you will realize that, you might even change your political leanings. :p

And yes, it is presently ugly.
:clap 1. There are Motor cycle Riders.
:clap 2. There are Bikers.
The choice is yours... If you are worried about what other people think... Choose#1. If you don't really give a F:censor k what they think because you're all about the ride not the look... Choose#2.:carrot

Wagoneer, I certainly not concerned about thunder. You are doing it right and as you work on it I am learning what I will have to do. I am enjoying this how to and it is always good to gather ideas. I am not going to ride for a while and I am glad you are going to get the hard part done this fall. I will keep on eye on this thread to see what you do next. Charge on and enjoy the project.

As long as you like it, it's good by me.

But I keep gettin' the damned theme song form the old Batman TV series going through my head.

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/7537/batmantv.rm

O.k., Nov. 2005 I got the fairing mounted but the headlight hole was 7" and the windshield was like 19"

I got a 7" inch headlight and a 8" windshield and mounted them up.

Cost so far:

~$40 fairing
~$75 headlight
~$38 windshield
~$10 brackets, bolts

Under $165...

Problem, mucho wind buffeting my head. I need to get a 12-13" windshield and it should be all set.

Still need to sand, prime, and paint. When it gets warmer! Planning on brilliant silver metallic with some flames in matching blue.

I connect the headlight via a trailer flat four connector. So, its plug and play with the 5 and 3/4" stock headlight. Takes about 5 minutes to take off.

Without further aideu....the pics...will update after new windshield and paint.

http://befree.homestead.com/files/2006_4_8_177.jpg
http://befree.homestead.com/files/2006_4_8_178.jpg
http://befree.homestead.com/files/2006_4_8_179.jpg

Definitely NOT my style at all but you have done a great job of getting it to fit.

Thanks Preach, NOT my style either!! Heh.

Toying with it for very early spring and very late fall. Maybe out to Sturgis too. Other than that it is OFF.

I took it off right after the pics.

Its hard having just one bike. A run of the mill sporty ain't my style either.

Some day I'm gonna get an Eglide or a RKclassic and the sporty is gettin chopped.

Right now it's my tour/sport/cruise/chopper bike. It does all o.k. and none great.

Someday...the engine is going in a Gooseneck rigid frame, peanut tank, no front fender, chopped rear fender, black springer front end, real oil tank, fat meat in front and rear, header wrap, black powdercoat everywhere, flat black paint. Hee hee hee. In the spirit of Chica, Killer Chopper, Zero Engineering, a little bit of Exile thrown in.

It will have all the requisite "crap" like turn signals and mirrors and be "plate-able" and most of all, ridden. Hopefully won't cost too much. I plan on doing most of everything except making the frame. Someday...

glad to see that fairing - I have been looking at old fairings I trying to figure out if I could fit one to my bike [via the quick release windshield mounts] for the cooler weather. my hands freeze at 40 and below. Dave

hey dave, I have the quick release hardware and thought about trying to get it to work, but it only takes about 5 minutes to get the thing mounted (just two screws holding it on)

I have completely gone away from the fairing deal, dave.

I might sell ya this one if ya want, with the head light and bracketry. Bolts right to a "custom", I'm not sure if it would work with a Roadster due to location of the speedo.

Just needs painted.

keep at man, you'll get it how you want it. i'm sure it will be sick!

looks like it'd keep the wind off ya...

But DAMN THATS FUGLY!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and the pics arent workin.

I admire the work, I just hope you get the look you're trying to achieve out of it. Ain't my thing in how it looks, but then again I respect the b@lls it takes to have your own ride, despite popular opinion. Keep working on it.

If you're after wind protection on your hands, you might think about the Slipstreamer Falcon SS32. I have this on my XL1200C (http://rufusk.myphotos.cc/2006%5F0205%5FFebBikeRide/target9.html) and I like it.

http://www.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/assets/product_images/05TR559074LG.gif