Fairings! Where did they fall off?!
- Thread starter Gordon
- Start date
904cafe
Been Around the Block
78KZ has one on his bike... looks damn good if i do say so myself. its not exactly like the ones you have pictured above, its more of a windjammer but still very cool. i think most of the guys on the forum tend to daily ride these bikes or for the most part ride them on the road i should say. you tend to see those more on the vintage bikes that some people still race on road coarses and what not.
on a side not, i really like that second picture... nice color, very clean bike AND very cool side exit straight pipe!!!
on a side not, i really like that second picture... nice color, very clean bike AND very cool side exit straight pipe!!!
DrJ
Over 1,000 Posts
Those are racing motorcycles not to be confused with cafe racers. Back then there were no production repliracers like we have today. Cafes used some styling and performance cues from racers such as rearsets and clipons but rarely had full fairings due to cost. Later on, Dunstall and Rickman did produce fairings for production bikes but were never as elegant as those factory racers. I personally prefer no body fairings. Then engine is a wonderful piece of mechanical design that should be displayed in it's full glory.
904cafe
Been Around the Block
wow i have never seen one that dramatic! no front wheel movement, its all lean, no other alternative. very cool. fairings are def not my style. i love the look of them but i could never imagine riding around on a street bike with one. i like the open look of a cafe racer and a fairing (as stated) is something you just dont see on a "true" cafe bike. i do however enjoy seeing all the pictures of the different fairings, art in its own mind for sure.
78kz
Over 1,000 Posts
I found my Rickman fairing on Craigslist in Toronto and had to jump on it.
Don't see many around.
It sure is nice to be able to tuck in behind it when going 100 KPH+.
Big trucks going the opposite way give a hell of a wind blast as you pass them, but I just tuck down a bit and don't feel a thing.
I like the look of my bike naked as well, and did try it again for the beginning of a season, but soon got too tired and sore from the wind. If I lived in the city, it wounldn't be too bad, but I'm North of T.O. and the roads are 80+ KPH everywhere I go. Gotta have a fairing.
Naked:
Rickman as bought:
and painted:
Don't see many around.
It sure is nice to be able to tuck in behind it when going 100 KPH+.
Big trucks going the opposite way give a hell of a wind blast as you pass them, but I just tuck down a bit and don't feel a thing.
I like the look of my bike naked as well, and did try it again for the beginning of a season, but soon got too tired and sore from the wind. If I lived in the city, it wounldn't be too bad, but I'm North of T.O. and the roads are 80+ KPH everywhere I go. Gotta have a fairing.
Naked:
Rickman as bought:
and painted:
DrJ said:
I agree completely with DrJ too. But it doesn't hurt to have one and use it once in a while. It changes the whole perception of the bike.
And as Noel said, Air-cooled bikes would have a huge problem in traffic! Oh my poor Enfield.
That fairing looks very good on your bike. Did you consider painting it golden (the same as your wheels)?!
78kz
Over 1,000 Posts
Here's a link for fairings and other Cafe stuff etc:
http://www.clubmanracing.com/fairings.php
http://www.clubmanracing.com/fairings.php
Drewski said:...Making your own full fairing... now that would be a job!!
Good lord, tell me about it!
I just spent several weeks coccooning Loudbike in tape fiberglass and expanding foam, and then ripped it all off because of poor planning and needing the bike done. Next round will be straight onto 69s bare frame. I certianly won't call it a cafe after it's done though, I've come to refer to it as a repli-racer.
I'd love to do a dustbin bike too, but no plans as of yet.
