Fairing Question

[kennypatterson]

I'm wanting to put a batwing on my 99 Nomad and originally ordered one from Wide Open Custom. Didn't particularly care for the fit and it also seemed to be a little too big and obstructed my view. Does anyone know if any of the batwings tend to be any smaller than others? With the seat I run I tend to sit down in the bike a little more and don't want my view obstructed.

Thanks for any info you guys can provide.

[ringadingh]

From the ones Ive seen they are all very similar in size. Unless you really look at them they are hard to tell one from another in most cases. You could probably try different windsheild heights, but other than that I think the fairings will all fit pretty well close to the same fit.

[kennypatterson]

Thanks for the info. I was considering the one from The Trike Shop as it seems to appear a little smaller, that's why I asked.

[cactusjack]

Just curious, Kenny - but how tall are you?

[kennypatterson]

5'7", but I also run a Saddleman Profiler seat which drops me down another couple inches as opposed to the factory seat.

[trosco]

http://www.fastaire.com

Kenny, the link above get's you any height shield you want at very good prices.
Put your fairning on. Sit on your bike (include the slouch if that's what you do when you ride). Then focus your eyes on the ground about 25 feet in front of your motorcycle and note about where you line of sight goes through the shield and stick a piece of masking tape on the shield so that it just touches the bottom edge of that line of sight. (you are pretending that is the top edge of your shield) Do that several times until you are happy that in your normal riding position your line of sight (when you are looking at the brake lights of a car a couple car lenghts ahead of you) would go just over the tapes top edge. Now measure from the top edge of your tape to the center of your schield's center mounting bolt and that is how tall you want your shield to be.
Too short and your head gets wacked around by the wind, too tall and your vision is distorted by the lip of the shield. But just right and you get to enjoy your new fairing.

[kennypatterson]

Thanks for the info. I think I tend to have more issues with the fairing (plastic or fiberglass) obstructing my view and not so much the windshield if I udnerstand what you are saying correctly. For those of you who ride with a fairing (batwing) was it awkward at first having so much material in front of you?

[rewindgy]

Don't think so! Had fairings both fixed and batwind style for 30 years. Also have bikes with just windshield ( Drifter 800 - same windshield as Nomad), Pocket fairing on Suzuki GS650, taller windshield / fairing on KLR 650 and some with none. Don't seem to bother in any way going from one to another! I know some people who have a problem with a frame mounted fairing & lowers as they cannot see the ground directly in front of them? However, you should be looking about 25 - 30 ft in front of you not at the front wheel so it shouldn't be an issue.

[ringadingh]

The fairing has never been an issue for me, Ive felt comfortable with it from day one. Perhaps you don't like the view when your on the bike, since the fairing does take away a bit of that pavement around the front wheel, and you don't see it like you would with just a windsheild. Its just a matter of getting used to thats all.

[nomad561]

I got the chance to look at a friends Nomad with the Tsukayu fairing on it and I like the fit and finish on their product.

[kudzufarmer]

i put a tsukayu fairing on my 1600 with a 10" windshield....works well for me.....the first time i rode the fairing was different but not obstructing.....I now am at the point that I really like it.....I rode in some very heavy rain this weekend and it did an excellent job of keeping me dry.....in fact the only part that was wet was the outside edges of my boots since I was resting my feet on the highway pegs with my heels on the floorboards