Here’s my first significant attempt at customization on my Thruxton. (I’m trying a MobileMe embed here, it should be a slide show, let me know if it isn’t). (Click to go to full-size photos) After a ton of research and a ton of over-thinking, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered a fairing for my […]
Here’s my first significant attempt at customization on my Thruxton.
(I’m trying a MobileMe embed here, it should be a slide show, let me know if it isn’t).
(Click to go to full-size photos)
After a ton of research and a ton of over-thinking, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered a fairing for my Thruxton.
Sold by Bella Corse as the “Cafe Racer 1/4 “Bikini” Fairing”, it’s an Emgo “Viper”; your basic, old-school ABS plastic, universal mount fairing.
It’s more or less exactly what I had in mind when I first started thinking about fairings; reasonably cheap, really easy to install, and looks as retro as hell.
I’m pretty damned happy with it.
Next on the list to do is new turn signals; I had to remove the stockers to fit this, but I hate the stock signals, so it’s a win both ways. I have these beautiful billet LED lights from Joker Machine to install; that’s my next project (I need some additional wiring to convert things to LED).
I’m having far to much fun with this project; every little thing I do makes this motorcycle feel like mine.
More pix of the project as it progresses.
Looks good! Can’t wait to see the rest of the evolution!
So far it looks wonderful. I think this is the best way to go. Your motorcycle would be the only one of its kind on the streets.
Hey K.
Assuming that is an ’09, I have the exact same bike and have also been considering that fairing. It looks like the fairing is pretty close to the handlebars/controls and it may fit better with the old clip ons. Did you experience any problems there or have to modify the fairing? What are you doing about turn signals? This guy got pretty innovative…
http://www.triumphrat.net/club-cafe/72984-fairing-5.html
El Cafe-
Yeah that’s on ’09 I have. The fairing fit fine, though of course you have to move the turns. I’m sure the fit isn’t as nice with the clip ons, but I hate the old clip ons (i din’t think they look retro enough, and they’re uncomfortable).
I did not have to mod the fairing at all. It’s just very close to the brake reservoirs.
The Emgo is a cheap fairing, so it does shake a bit; but for the price it’s great. I totally love it. The improvement in the ride at freeway speed is *huge*. Someday I’ll replace with a fiberglass fairing, either one of these:
http://www.omarsdtr.com/fairnew3.html
Which is *identical* to the emgo apart from being better made, or with one from Norman Hyde: http://www.normanhyde.co.uk/tsearch.php?q=fairing
BUt I’m pretty damn happy with both look and function with this fairing.
The guy you link on triumph rat did an awesome job with the mounts for those lights; he just used some cheapies, but fabbed these awesome angled washers. Too much work for me, but it looks great (I can send you a pic).
For me, what I did was this:
http://gallery.me.com/karlelvis#100048/IMG_8502&bgcolor=black
That’s a light from joker machine: http://www.jokermachine.com/
You can read more about my install experience here:
http://www.jokermachine.com/
Any small turns should work: I just bolted them through the last holes that attach the screen to the fairing, so I wouldn’t have to make new holes; I just drilled them slightly larger to fit the bigger bolts. I wanted to leave the fairing mostly stock.
The only limitation there is that really heavy turns might say wince they’re not attached to metal, but you could locate them differently and bolt them to the metal brackets that attach the fairing to the bike.
Another option is flush mount; there are DOZENS of those out there, any bike shop may have them. I’d have done that had I not already bought the cool Joker lights. Flush looks really clean.