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Fairing recommendations-beyond MS

2325 Views 13 Replies 2 Participants Last post by  pittdave, 
chanoc1077
Friends and fellow members have been gearing me towards installing a fairing and I have been looking at the Memphis shade, it seems to be the most moderate priced one out there but I find some faults with it. It does not have an inner part to it so it does not have a place to install a stereo, speakers or any accesories so it is a very VERY basic fairing and it still puts me back 600-700 bucks. I does have a big advantage in that it has a quick on and off system that is a BIG PLUS for me. I will be installing in a '05 1600 classic so any comments on hardware and the way it install in the bike are also very welcome, if someone out there has pix on how these and/or others install would be great.
Tanx in advance for any help you can give.:skeleton::skeleton:
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pittdave
I have the MS with a radio from http://www.ronsmotorcycleradiosystems.com/index.php
If a radio is your main sticking point, this might be a solution for you

Here's a pic of my install

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chanoc1077
@Pittdave: Thank for the input, looks like the thing I was looking for, how the sound with highway speeds? Is the 50 w enough for music enjoyment?
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pittdave
i dont have any problem with volume at all.. the only time its ever been close was in heavy highway traffic near big trucks.. Otherwise its been great. Ot was a real easy install using one of the pre-existing holes of the MS. You drill through the case of the radio box and ot clamps right on. Wiring was a snap and all of it is weatherproof. The only real problem I have is the anle of the faceplate after install. Its kinda hard to see..but i'm a little short.
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chanoc1077
@PD: As long as it does have a way to plug an music player I won't b looking at the faceplate much, BTW can you post pix of how the fairing attaches to the fork, a friend is recommending the ring type clamps but as I understood it, in the 1600 the attachment is easier and you just replace the screws on the sides of the fork for the ones provided by MS and is about the cleanest look you can hope for.
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pittdave
I'll have to get some pics but the MS has a bracket that attaches to the fork. I bought the quick attach brackets, fairing and lower wings all on ebay for about $400. The radio also has a usb input for a flash drive as well as AUX input
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chanoc1077
Do I have it right?? I see on the site that the hardware pack has what they call the blade that mounts on the fairing, this is the part that has the quick attach brackets but the part that gets fixed on the fork is my question, I only want to make sure is fairly discrete when the fairing is not on, I am putting the fairing to manage air flow on longer trips but for every day riding I prefer to strip down the bike (solo seat, no saddlebbags, no windshield, no dials on the handle bars, no speaker, etc, etc) so I don't want to have a bulky or noticeable bracket on the fork when I'm just cruising.
Just trying to get best of both worlds, if I can get away with it.
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pittdave
Here's a pic of the quick-connect bracket. If you want to be bare, then you would have to take these off as well. I have driven around a little bit without the fairing and you don't really notice the brackets

PD

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chanoc1077
Thanx , that pic helps lot. Thanx also for the help, now just to look for a good deal $$.
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pittdave
4
YW.. here's a few pics of how mine looks... I added the decals. The last pic was when I had it as a voyager clone..now i'm more the vaquero look

ride on
PD

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chanoc1077
Those could be pix of mine in the future, minus the yellow truck. What hardbags did you install?? Those look like they fit good with the stock pipes. Mine is also black but a little less dressed up, no chrome on the fenders, working on a home made air intake, no lever covers yet and just got the mustang seat just like yours. Once I put the fairing and that bags on they will be almost clones.
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pittdave
I got the bags off ebay. They are pretty cheap and small. They were marked down for some reason so I was only out about $50. To me they seem a little small, but I went with them because they were so cheap. I had to fab up a bracket to make them fit right. I may get some larger ones this summer, but the same style with lights in a better brand are a good $500-600 and I'm nit sure if I want to spend that much
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chanoc1077
I went looking for bags and found the ones you have, even tried to find an aprox type but in better brand and found some MUTAZU but about the same size are bout $140 and the bigger ones in the same style are $350, What is your impression of the ones you have? Are they flimsy, are they secure enough? Are they only good enough to complete the look or are they functional enough to be worth the trouble?

I'll keep to the fairing issue for now, guess my current semi-crappy soft bags should buy me time to wait for some kind of deal or sale to get the bigger ones for a little less. If you think the cheap ones are worth the trouble, I might just go 4 it, $60-$70 with brackets is not much to at least have some lockable storage space.

Thanx again for the help.
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pittdave
i think mine are OK. They are the Mutazu, I just got them as a return so they were marked down. I also have the Mutazu trunk. I think its a little better than the bags. I think if you can get a good deal, say under $100, then go for it. I would like to get the better ones, because these do rattle a bit, esp at lower speed. The locks are the greatest thing either. So if its just a look you are going for, they are OK.. If you really want to use them, you might want to hold out.
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