...or a Beemsuz, not sure which.
Years ago, before I owned either of my GSs, I ran an R80RT (later 100) for a couple of years and that BMW fairing was the bees' knees. I barely needed to wear waterproofs in downpours, as long as could keep forward momentum going, the only water that reached me was some idle spray droplets. In snow, the same applied, and the bloody great jugs out at the front of my feet really played a part too. Fast forward a couple of years and I fitted a BMW-inspired fairing to my older GS. It was ok, but it was like the makers took the design cues from the RT, scribbled them on a bit of toilet paper and flushed it.
It kept the direct rain off, but it made sure the indirect streams soaked me; it kept the main windblast away, but the cunning design of the fairing lowers meant a knife-edged blast of freezing air was directed at my knees (for which I still pay, to this day) and it was as heavy as lead.
For years, I've been toying with the notion of fitting an RT fairing to a GS and looking around at prices on ebay, it seems the RT fairing that's in the cheapo sweet spot is the later K series. I've just been offered a top half for virtually zero money, and now I have to find lowers (to be modified), headlight and make various bracketry as necessary to hold the sides in and on. Just scored a main front bracket for peanuts, too.
I intend to make a start fitting this when I re-assemble the '80 bike after a front end teardown, during which I'll be replacing forks, exhaust studs and head bearings while I'm there, so it would be nice to have all the bits lined up to go on just to complete the job.
Inner pieces of the fairing - like liners and pockets, etc, can wait until later. I don't need them yet.
Years ago, before I owned either of my GSs, I ran an R80RT (later 100) for a couple of years and that BMW fairing was the bees' knees. I barely needed to wear waterproofs in downpours, as long as could keep forward momentum going, the only water that reached me was some idle spray droplets. In snow, the same applied, and the bloody great jugs out at the front of my feet really played a part too. Fast forward a couple of years and I fitted a BMW-inspired fairing to my older GS. It was ok, but it was like the makers took the design cues from the RT, scribbled them on a bit of toilet paper and flushed it.
It kept the direct rain off, but it made sure the indirect streams soaked me; it kept the main windblast away, but the cunning design of the fairing lowers meant a knife-edged blast of freezing air was directed at my knees (for which I still pay, to this day) and it was as heavy as lead.
For years, I've been toying with the notion of fitting an RT fairing to a GS and looking around at prices on ebay, it seems the RT fairing that's in the cheapo sweet spot is the later K series. I've just been offered a top half for virtually zero money, and now I have to find lowers (to be modified), headlight and make various bracketry as necessary to hold the sides in and on. Just scored a main front bracket for peanuts, too.
I intend to make a start fitting this when I re-assemble the '80 bike after a front end teardown, during which I'll be replacing forks, exhaust studs and head bearings while I'm there, so it would be nice to have all the bits lined up to go on just to complete the job.
Inner pieces of the fairing - like liners and pockets, etc, can wait until later. I don't need them yet.
