wind deflectors

[MJC]

I will try and explain what I did and why. 1st I have the ctx700 with fairing, air was getting behind the fairing and coming from the front of the fake gas tank. I installed a radio (in a box) on the handlebars and that cut the wind down but it still was getting over the tank and under the radio box. If I had my cigs and lighter in my tee pocket, they would blow out the air would hit my (big) belly and ran up to under my neck, it was crazy. So next I installed a bag under the radio box, that helped but only a little. So I closed the openings by the headlight, and under the headlight I made a air deflector. This is right under the headlight down to the fender and runs from fork leg to fork leg. I would stay it is about 2 1/2" from the bottom of the headlight going to the top of the fender. This did stop the air from coming in. Next I had air coming from the sides of the faring, and sides of the windshield, buffering my head around. So I made air deflectors for the sides of my windshield. They go from the fairing up to the side of my windshield. I also made brackets to hold them in place and hold the windshield more away from me. The windshield is a 24" (I think) CB (?) something with vent. It was never solid, and too much on a angle (towards me), so making the brackets fixed that and also hold the air deflectors in place. Which all worked very nice to stop the head buffering. At high speeds (over 50) air would come around the bottom/sides of the fairing and blow by the sides of my body and helmet. So I made air deflectors that follow the frame of the bike, from the front along the bottom of the faring/fake gas tank and stop about 3/4 of the way back. When I am seating on the bike with my legs on the floorboards, I can use my legs against them to just about stop all the air from hitting me, if I leave a little room between the air deflector I can let some air go by for hotter days or at low speeds. My last thing was funny, air would come around the plastic at the sides of the radiator and hit the lower part of the leg making my paint legs flap so much it would start hurting me. The fix was to add air deflectors at the side outer edges of the radiator plastic parts, going out past about 2 1/2" angled towards the radiator. And that fixed that! Below are some pixs, hard to see they are all black to blend in (maybe to much for taking photos), hope you get what I did and if you have any questions please ask.

More photos next post............

 

[MJC]

more photos....

 

[Merlin III]

Very nice! Wish I had the skills and shop necessary to do stuff like that.

 

[randy1149]

It's a "Baby Goldwing"! mjc your a master in the fabricating department. My hat is off

 

[Steven]

Many thanks for that and the pictures. The side wind deflectors on the windshield and the lowers is similar to what I came up with, except mine were made of cardboard (prototype). They do make a difference. It's been really humid here lately (not normal) so I haven't been in the garage to work on this. I'm really glad to see we came up with similar solutions. That makes me think I'm on the right track.

 

[MJC]

Thanks for the thumbs up guys. I should tell you that I made many cardboard mark ups and tried many designs to get things right. The set up you see is the end of all of those. I have over 1000 miles on this set up, it does work well but, if you are a smaller size rider, it may not work for you. I find in testing out designs that where you sit on the bike (2014 sits you back more then 15), how big you are and even where your handlebars are, change what air deflectors you will need. I re-made my stock seat, and just a few days ago re-made the re-made seat, (lol) and that changed how the A D's worked, in my case even better. My point is A D's have to be made for each bike and each rider of that bike. I do not have a shop or big tools, I used my garage, jig saw, plumbing torch, belt sander, and black flat heat paint (had leftover from pipes) to make every thing. I had windshields from old bikes and got some plastic glass from home depot. O, The plumbing torch is used to heat the plastic to bend it to the shape I need. If you do try this, just remember a little heat goes a long way and the plastic stays hot for a long time and can burn your hands real good. I was hoping over the winter to make those air deflectors and offer them to members. Members could them try them out and make adjustments to fit there bikes and rider size. At this time I am not sure if I will be able to do that but if anyone wants help making them just PM me.

 

[MJC]

Many thanks for that and the pictures. The side wind deflectors on the windshield and the lowers is similar to what I came up with, except mine were made of cardboard (prototype). They do make a difference. It's been really humid here lately (not normal) so I haven't been in the garage to work on this. I'm really glad to see we came up with similar solutions. That makes me think I'm on the right track.

Steven, on the side windshield deflectors you need to move your windshield away from you or they will not work, your handlebars will hit them at full lock. I had to heat up my windshield and change the angle (away from me) to get them to work. I went for it because I had nothing to lose, having the bike fall over and braking the windshield at the mounting holes. It was buy a new one or fix this one, so when doing that I said let me change the angle while I am at it. You will also need brackets to hold the windshield and side deflectors in place, or your windshield will move and crack from the wind force. Just remember the stock shield is only about 20% the size of the bigger shield and adding sides to that adds a lot of force on the mounting bolts, which are not designed for that.

 

[randy1149]

You don't need much of deflector on the radiator cover. Once your at speed the wind gets deflected around your legs. Mine is only about 1-1/2". I must say with my windshield and the little defectors on I stay pretty dry in light rain.