New guy says Hi.

[snappster]

I have always liked the Windjammer look but have had little need for one until recently when I did my first long ride in decades. In the 1990s I made a number of 1200 miles rides from Norfolk, VA to Morgan City, LA for work on my then new 1995 Honda Magna Deluxe which beat me up due to wind pressure and turbulence. Switch to 2022 and I rode from Virginia Beach to the Black Hills on a 2019 Triumph Speed Twin, 4600 miles in 2 weeks, mostly camping. The Speed Twin is a naked bike but I fit a smallish universal Puig windscreen which made the ride possible but painful at times. Alot of times in fact, so I am thinking of better wind protection of course as I want to keep doing long rides but not buy more bikes. I am getting ideas on how to fit a windjammer to my bike but would like some questions answered by you guys. 1) Is any particular model of Windjammer preferred for newer bikes? 2) Do I have to use the smaller 7" headlight or can I modify to fit my larger 8" headlight? 3) What is a reliable source for good condition Windjammer fairings? I expect that as I peruse this group and craigvetter.com the answers will come to me but like hints and shortcuts to the good info. Attach photo is the bike I rode to Rushmore this summer. Power was sufficient but the wind slayed me. Rode the 1800 miles home in three days and my longest day was 750 miles, painful miles, hence the need of better wind protection. My smallish Puig will stay for short rides but I want a Windjammer for the long rides.

 

[Dave Ireland]

I doubt the Triumph has a wider tank than the GS Suzuki, so that's not likely a problem. The obvious one to me is the radiator - will it allow clearance to the the downtubes for fastening a Windjammer bracket.

 

[snappster]

I doubt the Triumph has a wider tank than the GS Suzuki, so that's not likely a problem. The obvious one to me is the radiator - will it allow clearance to the the downtubes for fastening a Windjammer bracket.

My current idea is to fabricate something like the Triumph engine guards that attach at the engine mounts then modify the Vetter bracket to meet them. I have a good welding person to help make this work, I just need to imagine it and fit it for him to weld. Here are the guards I mentioned. They stick out perpendicular to the bike and loop around the exhaust headers. I could just buy these, but they want $200. I might just do something that simply bolts together to get the fitment right before trying to weld something together. Should probably also fit other Triumph models such as the T120. As for tank width mine measures 13-14 inches wide. I guess I am more worried about handlebar interference. Might need pullback risers.

 

[snappster]

So, am I right in my thinking that I will need to remove my OEM headlight and bracket and wire the Vetter headlight into my OEM wiring harness? Same for the turn signals? I guess the worst case is that they are incompatible for some reason, and I sell off the Vetter parts. My bike has LED lighting, and I am electron averse in general. Although there is an electronics expert in my office who could likely figure out any problems.

 

[AntelopeSam]

I made my fairing mount hold the fairing out far enough that the original light could remain in place, I then wired the vetter loom with matching connectors to my existing indicators/lights etc. It takes maybe 15 minutes to put on or remove the fairing.

When I use the fairing I put the vetter loom into the back of the headlight and connect it up.

I imagine you could quite easily replace the vetter headlamp with an LED unit.

 

[KGBnut]

I don't think that you will need to make too many modifications to the bike, other than removing the headlight nacelle. Get a factory mounting bracket for any bike and use that as a starting point. Modify the bracket to fit the bike.

Did you see Craig's page on making custom brackets for modern bikes?
https://www.craigvetter.com/pages/Vetter_Fairings/Home-made-mounts.html

Ken