How much difference does a fairing make on a bike?

[Cobalt]

Ok Folks time for another dumb ass question How much difference dose a fairing make on a bike I have never ridden a bike with a fairing and I Find I get a lot of wind battering at anything above 100 to 110 kph I’m not a speed freak just don’t like having to fight the wind on the open road

[marty]

1..does a gn go faster than that?
2..why does it matter? surely you're on a 6L anyway.
3..if it's really important, gety a givi screen for the gn - yes it will make a difference. or buy a bike with a fairing

[Cobalt]

1..does a gn go faster than that?
2..why does it matter? surely you're on a 6L anyway.
3..if it's really important, gety a givi screen for the gn - yes it will make a difference. or buy a bike with a fairing
Its not for a GN I’m asking because I want a better bike and the bikes I have ridden have not had a fairing and if you don’t ask you’ll never know and I thought the forum was for inexperienced riders to be able to ask more experienced riders

[Steam]

Ok Folks time for another dumb ass question How much difference dose a fairing make on a bike I have never ridden a bike with a fairing and I Find I get a lot of wind battering at anything above 100 to 110 kph I’m not a speed freak just don’t like having to fight the wind on the open road

It makes heaps of difference to comfort, but you may find you're going a bit slower if you get a windscreen.
Yesterday my brother fitted a windscreen to his GN, same year as yours, and it was $50 for a second hand screen and $20 for some clamps to fit it, and it makes riding smooth and wind-battering-free. I highly recommend it.

[jtzzr]

Fairings do make a considerable difference ,Used to ride an old cb750 and got hammered by the wind , probably wouldn`t go back to a naked , I guess I`m too soft.

[Cobalt]

Thanks but as I said Its not for a GN ... I was thinking of a Hyosung GT 250 or The Hyosung GT 250R The 250R has a fairing and screen but I like the look of the naked 250 just wanted to know how much difference it would make to me from the wind

[Cobalt]

Thanks you jtzzr thats my problem too

[98tls]

lots........

[Disco Dan]

If you often go over 80kph ie, commuting to work everyday on the motorway then my advice is go full fairing.

used to own naked FZX250, anything over about 80kph became a little uncomfortable.

hope this helps :Punk:

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

I have certainly found a fairing cuts out alot of wind (and kept my knees warmer). Also if you have a major off (um like me) the fairing was totally munted but not a scratch or any damage to anything underneath it. My bike was written on basically because of the expensive fairing. I bought it back and you would hardly know it had been in an accident. Motor in pristine condition.

I rode a naked xj750 from Auckland to Wgtn - and the constant battering of the wind was unpleasant and very tiring. Since ridden bikes with fairings - makes a huge difference.

[Bonez]

Yes it does make a difference. Not as much neck strain in high winds. After long rides one is not as fatiqued either. Still like riding non-faired bikes though. Did around 600kms of back road riding on the CX today. Guess I've just become accustomed to it over the years.

[Ixion]

Fairing, or windscreen? Big difference.

Fairing, +20kph over 160kph, maybe more.
Windscreen , -20kph over 16kph.

Naked bikes is fine up to 140kph odd, over that gets tedious unless you have clipons.

Fairings not a good idea for a learner, cost heaps to fix.

[cowboyz]

I have never owned a non faired bike. However recent painting expedition meant that I had all my fairings off for a day or so. Bloody uncomfortable. Like chalk and cheese. But dont know if it was because the bike is missing something it was designed to have or if all naked bikes are like that.

[Bonez]

I have never owned a non faired bike. However recent painting expedition meant that I had all my fairings off for a day or so. Bloody uncomfortable. Like chalk and cheese. But dont know if it was because the bike is missing something it was designed to have or if all naked bikes are like that.You're just a big softy. Your secrets safe with me :yes:

[sAsLEX]

Fairings not a good idea for a learner, cost heaps to fix.

I have this unique to KB learning technique that involves not crashing, its fuckin ingenious I should write a book on it or something!

[Bonez]

Fairings not a good idea for a learner, cost heaps to fix.Now are you talking about full fairings, half fairings, 3/4 or bikini fairings?

[jaybee]

yeah i would luv a lil givi screen to block the wind, my father n law is the opsosite has a Goldwing GL1800, and put vents in his screen to let wind in as the wings fairings block any air at all

[Ixion]

Now are you talking about full fairings, half fairings, 3/4 or bikini fairings?

The more the fairing the more the cost.

[Edbear]

lots........



Wot he said!:yes:

[imdying]

I have this unique to KB learning technique that involves not crashing, its fuckin ingenious I should write a book on it or something!*cough* Proverbs 16:18 *cough*

[Dak]

Depends on your build and height a lot also, I'm a 6' 2" fat bastard and it doesn't matter if it has a fairing or no fairing. To me most of the bikes I rode with fairings were more annoying as I got buffeted around more than a bike with no fairing, dats why I bought the CB1300.

[Gremlin]

I have found a fairing to be very useful for cutting through the wind... and it can protect you from the rain a little, if you tuck your legs in tight.

I had a cruiser for a week, while my bike was in service, and doing anything over 110 ish was bloody hard work. Felt like you were hanging on with the bars.

[Edbear]

*cough* Proverbs 16:18 *cough*




LOL!!!! Ride humble, folks!:yes:

[dnos]

i think i will definitely get a faired bike when i upgrade. Anything over 120 and i am trying to lie on the tank to get out of the wind. I find around 100 is fine on the little bandit which is good for my learning stages - stops me going too fast.
I have ridden a couple of faired bikes and there is a big difference - just got too find one that suits you/ feels good to sit on.

[scumdog]

I have found a fairing to be very useful for cutting through the wind... and it can protect you from the rain a little, if you tuck your legs in tight.

I had a cruiser for a week, while my bike was in service, and doing anything over 110 ish was bloody hard work. Felt like you were hanging on with the bars.

That's one aspect of a naked bike that is good - you tend to notice the speed you're travelling at, lessens the chance of a ticket when you didn't realise you were speeding.

[McJim]

I wish Honda had made the VTR with Full Fairing, Clip ons and 6 gears...OR that Hyosung had seen fit to add a few HP to their GT250R.

I do a lot of open road stuff on the VTR and I do sometimes wish I had got a GT250R because of the fairing. The missus' bike is fully faired and is much nicer at speed than the VTR with a Givi Screen. The Givi Screen adds about 10kph to the top speed compared to the naked bike and is just big enough to get my head behind (with my arse on the pillion seat and my chin on the speedo!)

[terbang]

Warmer, quieter, drier and less fatiguing on a trip when you have a faired bike.

[Dai]

I seem to remember discussion as to this topic from the mid 70's (when faired bikes were relatively uncommon on road bikes), through the 80's and now into the next millenium.

From what I remeber from the early days it was discovered that a fairing was of little practical use for most road bikes under the speed of 60mph (95-100 KPH).

As bikes became more and more powerful and technology improved in the field of aerodynamics bikes appeared with fairings.

This also came about from those of us who wished to emulate the look of the current racing motorcycles of the time. It looked "cool" to have a bike that "looked" fast.

My 2 cents worth anyway.

[XP@]

It depends a lot on you and the bike...

Some rider + bike setups have the airflow coming over the screen and hitting you in the face, this is NOT good.

A naked bike and you will be taking the brunt on your chest.
With a big screen and it should go over your head.
Inbetween can get a bit tiring.

If you are going to ride in all weather then think about test riding a few km's in the rain.

[Pwalo]

FWIW the Givi fairing makes a difference on my bike. It's not too high so my helmet doesn't get too much buffeting. It's quite suprising how much rain and wind such a small piece of plastic can deflect.

[McJim]

I'd be interested to know how much it would cost to make a full fairing for a 2003 VTR250 - all the traders seem to make fairings for already faired bikes (presumably to replace the ones that get broken).

I might go and buy some black perspex and try cutting it then bending it with a heat gun...a few little metal clips clamped round parts of the frame and a fixed headlight bought from a bike wreckers....how hard can it really be?

Alternatively I could sell the 2003 VTR and for the same money buy a 300 year old CBR250 with about 5,000,000km on the clock.....

(edit) Can anyone tell me why no-one makes aftermarket full fairings?

[pritch]

That's one aspect of a naked bike that is good - you tend to notice the speed you're travelling at,

My last bike was a K100RS (faired) and I regularly surprised myself at the velocities attained inadvertantly (It's true officer I swear...).
Which is the main reason I went for a fly screen this time around, I don't really like surprises.

One thing I don't think has been mentioned is that biggish handlebar mounted screens are effected by the wind and can cause problems with steering. This was given as the reason the Police changed from Yamahas to fully faired BMWs following a series of accidents to Police bikes way back whenever. In a recent road test of a Harley (?) I have seen mention that the bike is limited to 70mph simply because of the screen.

[Dai]

...Can anyone tell me why no-one makes aftermarket full fairings?

If it can be proven that there was a viable market for such an item then I feel sure that someone would.

Like any item being produced, the manufacturer would like to recover their costs plus make a respectable profit. Otherwise they would soon go out of business.

Hence the high cost of "one offs" of any sort.

[XP@]

(edit) Can anyone tell me why no-one makes aftermarket full fairings?
Where would you attach the fairing to?

Also have you ever noticed how silly a faired bike without a fairing looks?

[Dazza]

Fairings smearings, phfft. Yes they do make a difference, don't buy into this "I bought a naked bike to keep my speed down " bullshit, I kidded myself with that one when I went to a naked bike, your just alittle more aware of your speed & get a little fatigued @ prolonged periods of above losing your licence speed, so I'm lead to believe:sunny:

[McJim]

Where would you attach the fairing to?

Also have you ever noticed how silly a faired bike without a fairing looks?

Was going to attach it to the frame.

Yep - the GT250 Comet does look a bit daft now you mention it...

[ManDownUnder]

lots........

Bloody hell mate - no need to go overboard. They only wanted an answer, not a dissertation or your life story...

It's hard to shut him up sometimes...

[MSTRS]

The downside of fairings is the cost to repair after a bin. And they are not too much fun esp. on the smaller bikes in a heavy crosswind (think sail)

[ceebie13]

For what it's worth the only bikes I've owned with a fairing have been a trio of ZX9s which I fell in love with after years of nakedness! These sportsbikes account for pretty much 13 years of my riding life. Initially I was nervous about riding a faired bike because of not being able to see where the front wheel was going!!! I soon rid myself of that phobia though. When I mentioned to a fellow riding mate that I wanted something more suitable for an old fart
and his Mrs to tour on (but with scope for personalising) he tried his damnest to convince me that a Blackbird was the way to go. Instead I stood by my convictions that I wanted to return to a torquey naked musclebike (albeit with a ponsey...in his view...fly screen to deflect a little of the blowy stuff that New Zealand seems to have a lot of). BloodyMadWoman is right about engine damage protection and I'd also have to say that cleaning (yes, yes I know Im reknowned on here for this) is a darn sight easier on a sportsbike. But I am delighted with my decision to return to zero aerodynamic coefficients with the CB13. It's just as much fun. I miss the ZX9...but then again, I don't.