V7 - Plexifaring vs. Head Temps

[MGPilot]

I wanted a somewhat more full-cover windshield for colder/longer rides.

Thanks to a previous thread
http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=59698.0

I ordered a National Cycle N8613-01.  Fits reasonably well. Although the directions say it should rest on the headlight, it doesn't. Doesn't seem to matter. Mounts seem to hold it firmly. Thanks to jas67 who uses a similar one. Not quite a barn door, but it ain't no café racer. On the other hand, it may end up having less drag (despite its frontal area) than an open rider.  Doesn't matter. It achieves what I wanted.

Comments:
OK....it's not svelte, but I like it.  Technically, I like riding with no windshield the best. But I was able to take a ride this morning in 55 degrees on the highway with minimal warm clothing and I didn't have to fight the wind or feel my hands go numb without thick gloves. 

Two bikes I've owned had full farings which were attached to the frame. This is a little unnerving to have the handle bars twitch in turbulence. But it works....and, just like the bags, it can be removed and reattached in a few minutes.

I like the flexibility of having it or not -- without it requiring a lot of fiddling to mount/dismount.

(Looking for those cans of Plexus from my glider canopies...)

Minor question/challenge:
I want to make sure that the "Plexifaring" is not diverting too much air away from the fins on the cylinders.  So, seems I need to make a couple of rides -- one with and one without the windshield and use my infrared thermometer to make sure that the cylinders aren't significantly hotter with the windshield in place.  I doubt it. But it's worth checking sometime.

[Kev m]

No, you don't need to test it. Just from looks it's barely diverting anything from the heads/motor.

[acogoff]

    If it bothers you, you could get a plexi II fairing and use until it gets really frigid. The upper mounts should be the same but you would have to have different lower mounts attached. Once set up the change over would be a five minute job.

[Tom]

You won't have any problems.

[JeffOlson]

I don't think you will have any trouble.

Also, I quite like it! Except for the lowers, it is actually smaller than the tall OEM windscreen on my Vespa. In any event, I find windscreens to be very incredibly helpful in cold, wet weather.

[rocker59]

The Plexistar 2 has much more diminutive lowers.

[MGPilot]

Especially since this is polycarbonate, if I want to shorten or reshape the lowers, I can. But will leave it alone for a bit.

[M0T0Geezer]

PlexiFairings both loo good.

- But looks like the grips would hit the fairing before full lock left or right.

Any problems?

[JeffOlson]

^ I believe these windscreens attach to the handlebars, so they turn with the handlebars, unlike a fairing that is attached instead to the frame (like the fairing on my Norge).

[jas67]

The Plexistar 2 has much more diminutive lowers.

That's the one I have, although, I no longer have the V7C, it'll be going on my R100R for cold weather this year.   I kind of wish I had the longer lowers.   If you think you're ever going to cut yours off, I'll trade you.

Yes, the Plexifairing has lower lowers, which should be even better in cold weather.

I'd say that it won't affect cylinder head temps adversely at all.   If anything, in the temps you'll want to use the Plexifairing, air cooled motors don't run at optimum temperature anyway, but, a little cool.    If anything, it might help.

[ken farr]

PlexiFairings both loo good.

- But looks like the grips would hit the fairing before full lock left or right.

Any problems?

Mounted to the forks/handle bars and turn with them.

kjf

[canuguzzi]

You like it and that is pretty much all that matters. Take a look at the Norge, somehow they managed to get enough airflow to the engine to cool it.

At low speeds, fairing or not, things can get toasty. Then, convection is going to move air around but as is the case with air cooked engines, moving it through air is essential. If I'm not mistaken, 35 mph is the speed at which optimum cooling begins to take place.

In one of those pics you can barely tell it has a fairing. Good looking setup.