GS1100G, fairing project

[Buffalo Bill]

Ok, got this retro Ducati fairing from Air Tech last week, just did the 1st tape on fitting today.

Interesting, needs to be positioned better, higher and with an angle, looks like.

Such a large bubble I can tuck into.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

This GS1000 sold on ebay recently, similar fairing.

 

[Guest]

Have you considered moving it forward an inch or two and raising it an inch?

 

[nvr2old]

Getting the handlebars to full lock left to right will be a challenge I would think, too. It does look good, though.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Thanks, still playing with ideas.
I think this is close to final positioning, close enough to begin the brackets.
I'm gonna mount those lower sides outward, and cut them forward of my knees.
I'll cut the sides a bit to clear the levers at full lock.
Looks like the lobes on the windscreen will be in my face when I lean.

Side reach.

 

[Guest]

Such an intense look you have. Almost as if you're actually looking a quarter mile or so down the road! I got caught in the rain last Sunday, and the fairing does a pretty good job of deflecting the stinging rain off of my chest.

I had to pull the fairing off of mine to put in a new tach cable last week, and actually thought it looked cool without the fairing. Of course, I'd have to get bar mounted mirrors for it.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Thanks! I was acting for sure.
Have a look on ebay for some used GS mirrors. High quality Suzuki for cheap.
I think my G looks great with just the windshield, but over 60 MPH the wind drag compounds by the square.
I'm seriously considering taking this bike on the track. Hey it's a fun ride!

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Cleared the area of the headlight, ears, cover plate. The wiring will have to be wrapped and attached to the fairing brackets.

Anybody know where I can buy one of these; 9 pin connector?
I think it was melted by heat from the headlight bulb. I think it was resting on the base of the bulb.

 

[Charlie G]

I bought one here: http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com/connectors.html You'll need a really small crimper to make the connector work.

 

[dorkburger]

This is a cool project. Im looking forward to see how the bracket fabrication goes. You mention attaching the wiring to the brackets. Are you relocating the headlight?

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Hey Dork, I'll mount the headlight to the fairing brackets, somewhat like your bike.
Thanks Charlie.
When I bought this bike, it had a Windjammer fairing, with the wire harness stuffed into a vinyl bag. I'll do something like that.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Welded on the bracket attachment tabs today.
The T bracket is to hold the fairing upper rear corners in place, the aluminum rods will be bent to form, (copied from late 80s GSXR).

These tabs are for a 3 point bracket frame, same as many sport bikes.

 

[rudeman]

Welded on the bracket attachment tabs today.
The T bracket is to hold the fairing upper rear corners in place, the aluminum rods will be bent to form, (copied from late 80s GSXR).

That "T" bracket looks like it will interfere with the tank.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Positioned it carefully before welding. Tank slides in easy.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Been busy riding, but just today I worked out more details for the fairing brackets, bought some supplies and started epoxy gluing aluminum base plates to the fiberglass fairing.
The main front bracket will have 3 struts and be adjustable. 2 lower side struts and 2 upper side struts. That makes 7 points fastening it to the bike.
All the struts will be 5/16 aluminum rod, with steel tubing for the ends.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Short sidetrack project, long overdue

Short sidetrack project, long overdue

I been wantin' to do this for years!
Sloppy, but I can clean it up later, was eager to see what it would look like.

 

[dorkburger]

Along similar ideas.....
View attachment 46448
Did the same to the shifter too...

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Nice Dorkburger, I should try that for my brake lever.

Made some progress, have the fairing struts in place and the fairing test mounted. Project is going well.

Lookin' Hooligan!!!

 

[Nessism]

Anybody know where I can buy one of these; 9 pin connector?
I think it was melted by heat from the headlight bulb. I think it was resting on the base of the bulb.

That connector melted because of the stator wiring up to the headlamp switch. A very common problem that's listed in the Newbie Mistakes thread of items that should be fixed.

 

[Grimly]

Thanks! I was acting for sure.
Have a look on ebay for some used GS mirrors. High quality Suzuki for cheap.
I think my G looks great with just the windshield, but over 60 MPH the wind drag compounds by the square.
I'm seriously considering taking this bike on the track. Hey it's a fun ride!

I wasn't impressed by the weeny little sports fairing on the XJ9 - all it did was direct high-speed air, water and insects at my head.
That was during the past few months, when it wasn't really being used much because of the crappy weather protection it offered.
A couple of weeks ago I made an interesting discovery - the fairing really works much better at 90mph+. In fact, anything above a sustained 95, the wind being shoved around it, is like being behind something larger in effect - almost the same result as a half-touring setup. There's a nice bubble of calm air which doesn't require much tucking in to get down into it, and the sideways deflection around the bar ends is really effective.
It's still not good enough for all year round use though, so it will be coming off and a touring fairing going on, but it was nice to find it wasn't totally useless.