I tried to think if a good name for this project. All i could come up with is a cross between "slippery" and "sipster" (from Top Gear America's project).
I have mentioned previously in my Ninja 250 general thread about my ambitions to design and build a streamlined fairing for my motorcycle. I'm a 22yr old college graduate with a BS in PreMed Biology, and will soon be starting a new job with the degree that may require lots of driving. My motorcycle is my primary vehicle, so the main goal with this project is not only to improve the fuel efficiency of my motorcycle, but to also improve the comfort of the ride as well as extend the conditions for which i can ride (Temperature, weather, etc). The fairing will be made entirely out of steel or aluminum bar stock for the framing and a thin layer of fiberglass for the shell.
There are a few design considerations that i would like to follow:
1. The design will accommodate an upright riding style. This means i will be sitting comfortably with my back straight and arms relaxed.
2. The fairing will be at least as easy as the stock fairings to remove from the bike.
3. The fairing will at least consist of a front and rear fairing, and mounting and unmounting the bike will be easy. If possible, i would like to enclose the sides for better airflow from front to rear.
4. The front fairing will be as wide as my handlebars and foot pegs (approximately 30"), and as tall as my helmet in an upright position. The front fairing will extend forward past the front wheel and fully enclose it.
5. I'd like to retain the stock headlight, tail light, and blinkers with the fairing. The less parts i have to buy, the better.
6. The rear fairing will cover the passenger seat and extend up to the back up my helmet, possibly even having a back rest built in. The rear fairing will follow a tear dropped shape.
7. I'd like to incorporate storage spaces in the fairing, ideally front and low on the bike, but also behind me. I'd like to be able to carry a bunch of clothes, maybe some groceries, and a laptop.
Goals that I would like to meet:
1. Allow riding in sub freezing temperatures without having to wear 4 layers of clothes under my riding gear, a ski mask under my helmet, and ski gloves instead of riding gloves.
2. Be able to safely store payload on the motorcycle and not have to worry about it falling off the bike (a bungee coming loose)
3. New MPG goal : 125MPG
I plan on starting on the fairing soon. However, i would like to open this thread up for discussion and allow the EM community to provide suggestions and insight on this project. I have read the quests of Craig Vetter and others and understand a bit about full fairings on motorcycles.
Here are some designs i have whipped up real quick to get the discussion started.
First, a mock up with clay of a possible design:
Heres a quick side view of a fairing that fits an upright riding position:
Heres a top down view of what the shape of the sides will probably look like:
First closed:
Second, opened
Here is a current picture of my bike with extended windshield:
And here is an older picture with me sitting on the bike:
It could look something like the Prometheus EV Ninja:
