Blocking fairing air vents for winter

[garyS-NJ]

I took off my lower fairings for cool points. I want to block the air vents and perhaps add a leg shroud of sorts to protect my legs (Harley guys have leather ones between fairing and highway peg mounts). Ideas?

[Prairiehammer]

Ideas?

 

Don't be vain. Reinstall the lowers and close the vents.

[garyS-NJ]

Haha. Not vane.. I'm just trying to keep it kinda naked and not sure the lowers would go on that easy seeing as I wasn't keeping track of the stuff coming off.. but I'll look

[KIC]

Once the frost bite sets in your legs will feel warm and the cold just won't matter any more..

[videoarizona]

I leave top vents closed in winter, leg vents open...( not much comes through...) And engine vents open to keep legs warm on frosty mornings. Close them when weather warms up.

[garyS-NJ]

With the lower fairings off I see only one vent allowing cold air into the front of the top fairing on each side. These vents are not closable at the front. Looks like the outlet would go into the lower fairing. I'm just going to stuff some rags or something in there

[garyS-NJ]

I didn't see any engine vents but do feel the heat coming off motor onto my legs.

[videoarizona]

The top vents can be closed near the speakers...at least on my 89.

 

The leg vents can be closed as well. But I don't bother since very little air comes out them. The input duct is just under the fairing...2 big holes. Look like jet engine intakes to Hondas and Harleys as I zoom past them....

 

The engine "vents" you may not have. They are located between the cylinders on the later 1st gens....you may have a wide open hole.

[djh3]

Duct tape ?

[Larry1963]

I was reading this and thinking what vents my 07 does not have vents. Then I come to realize you are talking a first gen.

With that said, my problem is, I get wind and water, when riding in the rain, coming up front the tank area. I put on a tall windshield that blocks the wind well, but I believe I created a low pressure in the tank area, when riding in the rain, I get water coming from behind me and coming up. Is there anything for redirecting the wind for these bikes

[videoarizona]

((Is there anything for redirecting the wind for these bikes))

 

 

I've found the best solution is twofold:

 

1: Find some lowers that can re-direct some of the airflow past the steering/tank area. IE something more than the clear plastic whoopies we have on the 2nd gens that help push air away from us. I'm going to add some lowers on my 2nd gen...got them from Browards in Florida...best price on net. Around $160.00 They can help cool your feet and legs in summer as well.

 

2: Add a vent to the windshield (like Clearview's or Honda's vent) to help eliminate the low pressure area. This also adds cooling to your chest or face.

 

[camos]

((Is there anything for redirecting the wind for these bikes))

 

 

I've found the best solution is twofold:

 

1: Find some lowers that can re-direct some of the airflow past the steering/tank area. IE something more than the clear plastic whoopies we have on the 2nd gens that help push air away from us. I'm going to add some lowers on my 2nd gen...got them from Browards in Florida...best price on net. Around $160.00 They can help cool your feet and legs in summer as well.

 

2: Add a vent to the windshield (like Clearview's or Honda's vent) to help eliminate the low pressure area. This also adds cooling to your chest or face.

 

So rather than spending $100 +, just figure out how to reassemble the OEM lowers. I removed them on my 90 because they interfered with my legs when using the highway pegs. When riding my 89 home for the first time with the lowers attached I found the highway pegs could be adjusted so there was no real need to remove the lowers.

 

As for looks, I liked the 90 without the lowers on but I now like the 89 better with the lowers on and the side panel vent totally removed. The body work seems better balanced and there are glimpses of the engine without displaying the rather homely horizontal brace. Leaving the lower vent open does not seem to cause an issue with cold air on the legs. Not having the side panel vents in does allow a little extra heat for the legs but rather marginal so far. It's only been just at freezing around here so not that cold. During the summer, on days at 80 or above, while in traffic, some extra heat could felt on the legs but not enough to cause any discomfort. I never ride with bare legs so perhaps that has something to do with the perception.

 

In my opinion, the 1st gens do not need a windscreen vent of any kind. The dash vents and the open area around the steering head provide enough air flow to dissipate any vacuum forming behind the screen. Since most of my face is above the screen no extra cooling is needed either.

 

Of course, I'm not riding around in Hades either... oops, I mean Arizona.

[garyS-NJ]

guess I'll just stuff them. I painted the front fender flat black and swapped the rear with a base model black unpainted fender (and ditched the mudflap). My plan is to paint the fairing and tank cover black also so I'd hesitate to put the red lower fairings back on. think it's just a rag and duct tape for now. BTW, I just trimmed my oem fairing ('84 venture royale) about 5-6 inches and I love it as I can now se over it (or duck a little to see through it) and it gets a lot les drag on the highway and also of interest a lot less back pressure vacuum buffeting on the highway. If I had a spare windshield I'd probably experiment putting for 1.5" holes in the center bottom in an effort to further reduce the vacuum buffeting but certainly its better with the smaller fairing..

[dna9656]

On my bikes A LOT of wind comes through the area fwd of the battery and aft of the triple tree steering head. I have been thinking on a good way to block or reduce some of this; maybe even re-direct it to the engine for summer cooling. I think just blocking it even a little would increase that summer time cooling (by limiting the places the wind can go) so needed to save the hot calf situation. I have learned to open the fuel door to let out some heat....the wind will keep it open...at freeway speeds and every little bit helps. The lowers are there because (I believe) Yamaha realized it's pretty hot on the legs there, but the air flow through the intakes, down the lowers and out the louvered vent is disappointing. The foam seals Yamaha had in there are either flat or gone all together right? Go to any hardware or decent department store and get some generic house door/window seals, with peel and stick feature. Be sure to clean all the duct work FIRST or your new seals won't stick. Get them a little oversize so they will actually SEAL as best as possible. Now you might get some actual air flow and if you don't want the air flow just put a rag behind the louvers!