No Naked Airheads For Me

It recently occurred to me, of the six Airheads I've owned since 1981, all have had fairings. The first Airhead was a 78 R100/7 SPECIAL, which came stock with Luftmeister fairing with lowers, bags and tail trunk; next was a 79 R65 with Pichler fairing; an 82 R100RT; a 79 R100RT; a 76 R90/6 with Hannigan fairing, and now a 95 R100RT.

Prior to Airheads in 1981, I rode the first 100,000 miles on Harleys with no fairing or windshield, and wore only a half helmet and sun glasses. One reason for naked Harleys (besides being young and dumb) was I'd heard many stories of, "tank slappers" induced by handler mounted windshields. With the first Airhead, I learned that a frame mounted fairing was rock steady at all speeds. Not to mention the excellent weather protection.

If I were buying a naked Airhead today, I'd also be shopping for a frame mounted fairing at same time. To me, the RT provides the ultimate weather protection. Maybe that's why, of the six Airheads owned, three were RTs. I also have bragging rights to having owned the first and last year RTs, 1979 and 1995.

I've always had fairings. I guess I was molded that way with my first bike, a Honda 750-4 with a Windjammer. I also had a Honda Sabre V-4 which had the essence of a bikini fairing, but that wasn't a touring bike...more go-fast for me. But with my /7 and an R100RS (for a while), I've had fairings. My R69S has a fork mounted windshield but it hasn't proved to be a problem. Drove it to and from Mississippi over 10 years ago. My R25/2 is naked but then it doesn't go fast enough to even create any wind!!

I recently came to the realization I don't really like bikes without fairings even to look at for the most part. Some old stuff ok but certainly anything halfway new I like a fairing.

If you want a fairing, frame-mounted is the way to go. But for back roads riding, no fairing is awesome.

Me, I like nakeds. Of course living in SoCal probably has something to do with that. I've ridden behind frame mounted and the plexi-faring kind, but I just prefer the even wind blast of no fairing. A good fitting full coverage helmet and earplugs are a must. I took a ride today and it was a chilly 65F.. cheers.

I like my naked Airheads. I owned a 2004 RT, but lack of airflow made it uncomfortable to ride in the hot summer weather. I rarely rode it in July and August. I also owned an R1100RS and that did provide enough airflow to stay reasonably cool. Admittedly, the examples I gave were Oilheads, but I think the principle applies to Airheads. While I enjoy the naked Airheads, there are times a fairing would be nice...rain...cold weather...etc. If I opt for a motorcycle with a fairing, I will try to get one with an adjustable windshield. Both my Oilheads had that feature and I find useful.

I think technically all 3 of mine are naked add in my sons street triple we have 4 bikes in garage. All NAKED.
I was born that way

I like naked bikes.

Since my airheads are not my primary bikes I'm not as concerned with wind or weather protection. Both of my airheads are have "S" fairings. I like the riding position and the amount of wind protection the small fairing provides.

AntonLargiader said:

If you want a fairing, frame-mounted is the way to go. But for back roads riding, no fairing is awesome.

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+1! All my bikes now have some sort of faring, but all but one is an RS-style. However, a few years ago I had a nekkid 1998 Triumph Thunderbird Sport and riding the mountain twisties of Idaho it was awesome!! Sorry I sold that bike.

I like the BMW windshield set for standard airheads from '74 to '95 for twin shock and monolever models. To go naked, just remove 2 crown nuts and lift the complete unit off. No interference to access to the headlight bucket, head light assembly. The wind shield is aerodynamic. Solved my wind protection problem.

Since I like NAKED & farings, and have both style bikes, it’s all about the weather for me.
My first motor was a 1981HD FLH with that big batwing faring. There’s something about a faring that gives that warm & fuzzy feeling of protection.
Where I live it’s almost always cool and windy so a faring/windshield is a wonderful thing.

My uncle is giving me his Moto Guzzi V1100 Sport which has no fairing. I'm sure it will be lovely and a little more effort to ride from Maryland to Newfoundland.

Either frame mount or "nekkid". Handlebar mounted fairings/windshields are a ticket to disaster..... DAMHIK

Viejo

VIEJO said:

Either frame mount or "nekkid". Handlebar mounted fairings/windshields are a ticket to disaster..... DAMHIK

Viejo

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Interesting, please expand on this theory, and any anecdotal incidents.

So glad you asked........ (no good deed goes unpunished)

Back in the late '60s I was riding a borrowed Triumph Bonneville on US 66 (pre IH 40) outside Kingman, AZ. Just after leaving Kingman westbound you went down a low bluff onto a long flat and as you entered the flat there was a warning sign on the left side of the road noting- "High Crosswinds Possible". As I recall there was even a windsock, although it was usually sun faded and blown to shreds. I had only gone about a mile on the flat when I got hit with a gust of wind, probably close to to 50kts, from the southeast. The Bonneville was fitted with a tall, handlebar mounted windshield (probable a Vetter) and when the wind hit the back of the shield it slammed the front end into damn near a full right lockup...... pulled the left grip out of my hand and jammed the right grip back into my wrist. I was going about sixty at the time and fortunately there was nothing to the right of the road except open desert (no right of way fences back then) with a smattering of greasewood plants, so off I went on a short desert excursion. Through no fault, or skill, of my own I managed to get the bike back under control, headed back to the highway, and proceeded on my way...... at about thirty mph. Right wrist was unbroken, but sore for several days.

I may be wrong, but I believe that had the windshield been part of a fully frame mounted assembly the wind pressure would not have been able to place such a significant twisting moment on the steering head/front forks and the bike's forward inertial momentum would have absorbed/countered the brunt of the wind force.

Viejo

My second Harley was an FLH with the batwing - it afforded decent protection if it wasn't raining or excessively windy, but just as an example, my girlfriend and I were in south-western Wyoming when we got caught in a torrential downpour accompanied by high winds... We had to hunch way down, or we'd have been blown right off the road.

My first 1150 was an RS with the knob-adjustable floppy windshield. In California's "high desert" (Mohave city area), the high winds were literally forcing me and the bike all over the road; hated that....
For serious touring or bad weather, frame-mounted is the ONLY way to go.