401 replies to this topic

[thefirstimmortal]

Color is very important; I personally would stay away from clear. I think that smoke or dark smoke would look good. I’ve seen regular clear red, nice concept but the clear red just didn’t flow. Let's face it, blue, green and purple are going to clash. I recommend staying with Zero Gravity unless you find a specialty Double Bubble screen that they don’t make.

http://www.1tail.com...07_DK_SMOKE.htm

http://www.1tail.com..._2007_SMOKE.htm

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[thefirstimmortal]

This is what I mean by a specialty screen. I have seen this style in mirror red and mirror gold. Both were on red sport bikes, Suzuki Hayabusa GSXR’s I think, and both the mirrored ones looked wild. If you happen across those, they will make your bike stand out like it’s a custom job. Gold on red works, big time.

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[rwac]

I had fun doing a few hours of research for you on this. They make this for your bike, so instead of messing with the fairing, which is already nicely designed, all you really need to do is spend about a hundred bucks and turn about 6 to 8 screws and your problem is solved. Below is a low profile bubble. My favorite pick.

Do you think the low profile one will be enough, or do I need the regular ?
I got the feeling that the low profile one might not be enough to stop the windblast ...

You're pretty hardcore to drive around in the 30s.
Actually I've done it too, but by accident.
I was at work late, and the temp dropped unexpectedly.
That was a fun ride home.

[rwac]

I had fun doing a few hours of research for you on this. They make this for your bike, so instead of messing with the fairing, which is already nicely designed, all you really need to do is spend about a hundred bucks and turn about 6 to 8 screws and your problem is solved. Below is a low profile bubble. My favorite pick.

Do you think the low profile one will be enough, or do I need the regular ?
I got the feeling that the low profile one might not be enough to stop the windblast ...

You're pretty hardcore to drive around in the 30s.
Actually I've done it too, but by accident.
I was at work late, and the temp dropped unexpectedly.
That was a fun ride home.

Oh yeah, I'm not that tall 5' 9'' or so.

Regular vs short

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[rwac]

Then there's the puig, which I've heard is thicker than Zero Gravity.
Apparently that makes it quieter. Hmmm.

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[rwac]

Ok,

Here's a picture of the puig on a bike.
Seems like its too big.
ZG better, I think.

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[thefirstimmortal]

Do you think the low profile one will be enough, or do I need the regular ?
I got the feeling that the low profile one might not be enough to stop the windblast ...

That small 1 inch angled lift on my screen made a big difference. What you have to remember is that the Double Bubble was designed to both cut wind resistance and push air over your head. Even the low profile one will way out perform my wind cheater, and the push upward gets more aggressive with speed because the faster you go the higher it pushes the air up. At 120 miles per hour it will cut through the air and push air over your head. I’m thinking that you will be fine with the low profile but if there is any doubt in your mind get the high profile. The high profile will give you the maximum lift you can get, but I’m not thinking you probably hit the real high speeds often enough, and if you are following traffic a lot, the high profile one might be the way to go. Extra protection against rock kick up, I’m thinking you probably have more problems with rocks getting kicked up from the vehicle in front of you than other issues. I know I hate that when it happens. Although I usually wear full face helmet, it’s still annoying.

You're pretty hardcore to drive around in the 30s.

That’s what everyone out here thinks too, but I gave up snowmobiling many years ago, and the way I look at it is I used to go riding in much colder weather. When I go out in the cold, I wear layers just like I used to when I would go out in the winter in the 20’s to ride snowmobiles. I wear Polaris snowmobile gloves and I have cold weather gear, so it’s not really toasty warm, but it’s doable. When I was well I rode right up to the first snow, and I was always the first in town to get my bike out in the spring. I had a long-standing tradition before it got interrupted in 2005; Every February I got my bike out for at least a one-mile ride.

Edited by thefirstimmortal, 22 January 2009 - 06:23 PM.

[thefirstimmortal]

Oh yeah, I'm not that tall 5' 9'' or so.

Regular vs short

You got 2 inches on me. That makes your pick of this bike all the more wiser, it is the lowest to the ground of all the sport bikes. Your seat hieght is 31 inches I think.

[thefirstimmortal]

Then there's the puig, which I've heard is thicker than Zero Gravity.
Apparently that makes it quieter. Hmmm.

Puig is another good brand, there are a few other manufacturers that I would buy from too, but overall Zero Gravity is always a good bet. I don't think sound will be much of an issue with any of them. Like I said, if you can get that baby in reflective gold or reflective red, jump on it. You’ve seen the helmets with the mirrored gold facesheilds, that what they look like. I’m telling you, that would really look incredible.

[thefirstimmortal]

Ok,

Here's a picture of the puig on a bike.
Seems like its too big.
ZG better, I think.

Yeah, that's a perfect example of what I'm talking about. No doubt that blocks more wind, but it does so at the slower speeds when maybe you want to feel a little breeze in the heat of summer, but at higher speeds the low profile ones kick in and force the air up. And as you can see, that much windscreen just doesn't look right, it really takes away from the appearance.

[thefirstimmortal]

I like how your front turn signals are designed into the fairing instead of hanging out on stalks like on my bike. Your turn signals are refreshingly redesigned after years of Kawasaki’s using the same style across the model line.

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[thefirstimmortal]

Yeah, much cleaner look.

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[thefirstimmortal]

The old style in comparison.

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[thefirstimmortal]

That’s one of the few tell tale signs that dates my bike.

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[rwac]

Question: did you ever drop your bike ?
(Apart from the accident, of course.)

I'm thinking of putting frame sliders on, but they look kinda lame.
But it might save the fairing if I drop it.
How noticeable do they look, you think ?

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[rwac]

Looks like the pics of your bike were taken after a long ride.
(look at that dust!)

Where were the pics taken ?

Edited by rwac, 23 January 2009 - 02:22 AM.

[thefirstimmortal]

Question: did you ever drop your bike ?

Not this one, I did drop my first bike. Twice, it was too tall for me. I'll get your other questions tomorrow or this weekend if the chemo puts me down.

[thefirstimmortal]

Question: did you ever drop your bike ?
(Apart from the accident, of course.)

I just remembered, while sitting on my bike one day I got hit by a car, a lady backed up and hit the back of my bike and my bike went down. Damaged my license plate with her car and broke both blinkers when my bike went down. I remembered that because if you look at the blinker in the pic above you will see the black electrical tape holding my blinker lens together.

[thefirstimmortal]

Question: did you ever drop your bike ?
(Apart from the accident, of course.)

I'm thinking of putting frame sliders on, but they look kinda lame.
But it might save the fairing if I drop it.
How noticeable do they look, you think ?

The theory behind frame sliders is that they are a relatively inexpensive and easy way to protect yourmotorcycle from sustaining severe damage in the event of a crash. The reality however is that it's only going to save you if you lay it down perfect and slide on the frams sliders. Crashes seldom go down that smoothly. Trust me, if you go down, the last thing you will be worried about is replacing plastic. As for just droping the bike at no speed, you might break a mirror, get a scratch or 2, but you won't break a fairing. I would rather deal with a scratch or 2 rather than have frame sliders sticking out the side.

Yeah, they do look lame, and they are noticable. It's like putting training wheels on your bike.

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[thefirstimmortal]

I was playing around with the enlarging picture option on your pic, trying to do some visualization with swing arm spools. I think a swing arm spool might not look bad, but overall they don't really protect much.

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[thefirstimmortal]

Long Live Freedom of Speech

I was playing around with the enlarging picture option on your pic, trying to do some visualization...

While I had the pic totally enlarged I was checking out your back tire, is that a Bridgestone Battlax?


All of my threads will be moved to the Freedom of Speech Forum Soon.

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[rwac]

Long Live Freedom of Speech

I was playing around with the enlarging picture option on your pic, trying to do some visualization...

While I had the pic totally enlarged I was checking out your back tire, is that a Bridgestone Battlax?

All of my threads will be moved to the Freedom of Speech Forum Soon.

I don't know, it's whatever came with the bike.
I can give you close-ups.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing ?

[thefirstimmortal]

Looks like the pics of your bike were taken after a long ride.
(look at that dust!)

Where were the pics taken ?

LOL, that's not dust, that is mirrorflake. When there is no sun on my bike the bike looks like a carbon piece. Here is a pic that will help you understand. Take a look at the very rear tail section, with the sun hitting that piece you can see the mirror flake. You will want to enlarge the pic to the max.

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[thefirstimmortal]

Long Live Freedom of Speech



In this pic, note the sun on the tank and top part of the fairing, the sparkles are starting to fire off in the sun. Definiately enlarge it twice. Now note the upper side fairing, no sun on it but it looks sort of silvery, carbon effect, now look at the lower most fairing that looks black because of the absence of sun. It's all the same surface but light effects the look. You just walk around my bike when it's parked in the sun and, well to quote a young kid who saw my bike a few years ago, "Hey mister is that your bike, it looks fast just sitting there."

All of my threads will be moved to the Freedom of Speech Forum Soon.

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Edited by thefirstimmortal, 24 January 2009 - 02:14 AM.

[rwac]

I see what you mean.
It's really funny that I've not seen this effect before, nor heard of the term.

I've had 2 cars and a bike (not this one) with mirrorflake.

Maybe I just haven't taken too many pics in direct sunlight.

[thefirstimmortal]

Long Live Freedom of Speech

Enlarge this and check out the sun filled top of the tank and upper top fairing. Once again, see how the shaded part looks like a composite carbon fiber piece. It looks so state of the art that a lot of people think it’s something that just rolled off the showroom floor.


All of my threads will be moved to the Freedom of Speech Forum Soon.

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Edited by thefirstimmortal, 24 January 2009 - 02:29 AM.

[thefirstimmortal]

ooops, edit, posed in wrog thread

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Edited by thefirstimmortal, 24 January 2009 - 03:18 AM.

[rwac]

I was playing around with the enlarging picture option on your pic, trying to do some visualization with swing arm spools. I think a swing arm spool might not look bad, but overall they don't really protect much.

Yea, there's always a tradeoff there between functionality and looks.

I might get a swing arm spool just so I can lift the rear tire off the ground.

Oh well, everything is a risk. I'll just leave the sliders in the box.

[thefirstimmortal]

Yea, there's always a tradeoff there between functionality and looks.

I might get a swing arm spool just so I can lift the rear tire off the ground.

Unlike the sliders, swing arm spools sends a different message. It says, I take real good care of my bike. Sliders on your bike sends the message that your not confident in your riding ability. But here is the kicker and slap in the face, those same sliders on a bike like a Suzuki Hayabusa will strike fear in the heart of a rider, because the message that sends is I got a 200 mile per hour bike and I know how to take it to the edge of it's performance. Hey, I don't make these rules mind you, I just know they exist.

Oh well, everything is a risk. I'll just leave the sliders in the box.

Good call.

[thefirstimmortal]

I don't know, it's whatever came with the bike.
I can give you close-ups.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing ?

Those are the perfect tires for your bike, your bike was designed to corner with those tires so it's a good thing. Let me put it to you this way, when I went to change my tires the first time, I wanted the wider more expensive cool looking tires, so I bought the top of the line I could for the bike. I picked my bike up drove home, all of 3 or 4 miles. Those new tires felt like ballons, my bike lost it's cornering edge. I drove straight back to the shop and said, order me the original Bridgestones (mine were not the Battleax, the Battleax are upgrades to what I have). They started to worry about me wanting to return those tires and protested that I already rode the bike and put wear on the tires. "Yeah, I ain't asking you to take the tires back, I just want you to order me the new original tires, I'll eat the loss." They got me the originals and I've always ordered those ever since.

Your best bet is to stay with those tires for the life of your bike. They seat in the corners perfect for your bike. Check the side of the tire, let me know if it says Bridgestone Battleax.