I've looked at everything i can find online and I think this is what I am going to go with: http://aviciouscycle.ca/mainpages/productpage.aspx?productid=635 First I'll have to see if I can come up with a good luggage rack system I can weld together myself. There's no way I'm paying what they want for a few tubes bent and welded to fit on the bike. should be a good off season in the shop with a new type of motorcycle to customize.
i have a taller windshield on mine, but after seeing a post where a guy caught one to the throat i'm not so sure.
I thought I'd cut down the plastic from windshield experiment #1 and see what the stock shield would be like if it was just a little taller. I guess it is a little better in some ways, but again the soft plastic does not make a good test because a side wind will still bend the plastic and dump wind onto me. So have I learned anything? I'm not sure, um... 1) While I don't yet know what, I know something will make the wind management better. 2) the stock shield is not so bad around home but I'm thinking the wind noise would get tiring on a longer multi day. 3) I'm afraid of introducing buffeting 4) I wish I had several fairings so I could try different modifications. I know some have cut the lip off to good effect and others swear by the wheatwhacker mod. I'm leaning towards the wheatwhacker but I will do more temporary experiments first.
MC thanks for sharing your KLR experience with us....I love watching guys make a machine their own And I usually learn a thing or 2 along the way
I wear a 3/4 helmet with full flip down face shield. I am well aware that the wind blast hits right at the bottom of the face shield and makes a lot of noise. I expect a change in helmets could make a big difference. I have custom fit ear plugs that I wear if I'm going a little farther on the highway. The frequency of the wind noise does not seem to get stopped as much as I like with these plugs. Other noises (like the pipes in my cruiser) are eliminated. I'll have to try some different plugs. But I haven't told the whole story yet. I am quite concerned that in the rain I would get wet. My gear is water proof but with the main wind blast hitting me right in the most water vulnerable area (neck) I'm thinking water would run down no matter what I do. We haven't had any rain since I got Betty, but I do ride in the rain when it's around.
I use HEAROS . They are excellant and super soft,and all day comfortable.I buy them at the corner walgreens drug store. I first heard about them from long distance riders.
I finally got around to figuring out how thirsty Betty really is. I ran two tanks from full to reserve. Almost identical 200miles per tank giving 42m/g. I must say I was hoping for a little better. I've read reports of KLRs getting a wide range so I'm not surprised but it would have been nice to see 52. This was in a wide range of riding conditions. I suppose around 70mph indicated on pavement would be the most miles with gravel roads being second followed by some 80mph indicated and some slow two track and off road equal in time but obviously not miles. Maybe I'm just a little heavy on the throttle? Maybe I miss a more powerful bike more then I think? Maybe it's just one of those things and Betty is a little thirstier then others? Anyway, I'm having fun getting there.
In between snow falls I've been at it again. I will not have very many chances left this year before the cold really settles in for good. Following the suggestion of a youtube video I went out and bought a $3 safety shield and mounted it over the stock shield. Looks :huh works not bad. This modification removes almost all of the wind blast of off my shoulders and moves it from my neck to about 2 inches up on my face shield. Not bad. Betty will wear it until my next experiment. It provides just a little more of a relaxed ride without any more interference. The noise level is not really much better but the pitch is a little lower which my ear plugs seem better at canceling out. I'm not sure yet (it's cold for test driving) but I think is some situations it may introduce a little buffeting. Time will tell or I'll move on to other things. What I'm thinking from my experiments so far: - a little better wind protection would make this into a realistic ride for longer trips up north. - better protection would not be worth added buffeting. Nothing is fun with a head ache. - The best for noise and 0 buffeting would likely be to cut the lip off of the stock shield. I would do this if I was not hoping to be able to do some longer trips north that will involve a lot of highway. - I'm really thinking about trying the wheatwhacker mod. If I had a spare fairing I would have tried it already. I'd like the dash space and I think it just might do it for me. - Madstad seems like the ultimate, but I'm too cheep for that. Might try to make one?
I just happen to have a red fairing in great condition if you want to buy it and hack yours up for the wheatwhacker mod.
Some folks have had good results (in smoothing the airflow/reducing buffeting) by spacing the new windshield extension away from the existing faring/windshield.
Notice the extra long bolts holding the face shield screen on? But for the snow I was planning that next. Good to know you think this may help too though. We will see if Alberta gets another warm spell or if winter is really upon us.
Could the riding season really be over already? Betty looks cold. I wonder if she likes spinning doughnuts in the snow?
I feel like it is Christmas early. My Pelican cases arrived from aviciouscycle yesterday Taking them out of the box... Checking them out... I must say I am very happy with my purchase. It has been my intention for this to be a DIY bike. As much as possible I want to take the less expensive route and build things myself. I know I could build side cases out of aluminum or wood and that is what I was planning to do. The problem is the materials for these DIY projects would come pretty close to the same cost as these Pelican Storm cases. Add to this the fact that boxes I build would never be as good as these and I had to go this way. The Pelicans are bigger then I imagined. They will have room for all of my weekend camping kit. The quality is way above what I could do. Looks to be a good winter building mounts for these and other stuff for Betty and searching maps for routes I've never looked at before. It's amazing how much fun it is imagining all those trips that never actually happen.
I haven't ridden a motorcycle in the snow since high school. I either didn't have one or had the wrong kind for such things. I've taken Betty out for a few little spins. Now I'm drooling over studded snow tires. Sorry Betty, such things are not in my budget this winter. Maybe next year.
So with no snow tires coming Betty has been moved to the shop for winter custom work. First order of business will be to mount the pelicans. After an evening of head scratching I think a plan is ready. Now to look for materials for construction Question: What size, wall width, diameter, shape (round/square) tubing is best for building hard bag mounts on the KLR? I can't weld aluminum so that's out. I want them strong enough to never worry about them but not any heavier then they need to be. This will be fun. I am working on a design I've not found on the net yet. I will try to remember to document everything and post the build details up here.
