The Vetter Honda Fairing
The Vetter Honda Fairing
FAIRINGS HAVE COME a long way since O. Schlegel’s canvas and metal rod windscreen of 1916. Windscreens (more commonly called windshields) have been quite popular with touring riders for a number of years, but a proper complete fairing has been somewhat slower in catching on.
Many purists believe that fairings destroy the aesthetic qualities of a motorcycle, while others maintain that the adverse effects of crosswinds and the unpleasantness of increased engine noise greatly outweigh any advantages a fairing may have.
Motorcycle racing, however, has proved that fairings are an asset. Increases in speed of up to 15 percent over an unfaired bike are commonplace. The fairing also serves to protect the motorcycle, and the rider to a lesser extent, from harm in the event of a spill.
One of the most popular reasons for fitting a fairing to a road machine is that of protection for the rider from the elements. High speed cruising is much less fatiguing and more pleasant when there is no need to worry about getting smacked in the face by an errant bug or rain, to say nothing of relieving pressures created by wind on the rider’s upper body.
Another reason for fitting a fairing is to increase the performance of a motorcycle. Better gas mileage, although usually not outstanding, is also a plus factor.
Seeking to explore the fairing myth a little more deeply, we contacted Craig Vetter, of Vetter Design Works (see Dan Hunt’s feature article on the Vetter BSA Three in the Sept. 1970 issue of CYCLE WORLD), about a fairing for our “guinea pig,’’ a Honda CB750.
The Vetter Phantom IV Series 1700 fairing arrived in a large cardboard box. Ali the component parts were nicely braced and placed to avoid damage in shipment. A very concise instruction sheet is enclosed which helped speed the installation considerably. It is advisable, though, to have another person nearby to help lift the machine onto blocks, and to steady the fairing during the actual mounting process.
Vetter’s fairing is completely framemounted. That is, nothing is attached directly to the handlebars. The main support bracket is secured to the steering head by two large hose clamps
which are more than strong enough to support the weight of the fairing. An additional bracket is clamped to the
lower downtubes of the frame to hold the fairing away from the exhaust pipes and to provide additional support.
An Advanced Design That Increases Comfort Without Sacrificing Performance
Once the preliminary preparations have been completed, installation is a snap. All the holes are in the right
places, and all the necessary hardware is supplied with the kit.
High quality materials and construc-
tion are evident. Nylon mounting screws for the windshield are a safety feature which allows the windshield to break away from the fairing in the event of a collision. Two storage compartments, each displacing 1.2 cu. ft. of space, are located just behind the windshield and provide a handy place to keep gloves, maps and other small articles.
In keeping with Vetter’s philosophy, the fairing employs advanced design concepts, which stem from his continuing study of American tastes. Triangular shapes with rather sharp curves are blended with more conventional fairing design techniques to combine both aesthetic and functional qualities. Carefully planned anti-lift planes at the bottom cancel out lift forces generated by the upper portion of the fairing moving through the airstream to provide good handling characteristics. Engine airscoops keep the engine running just as cool, or perhaps even cooler, than with an unfaired machine.
Finish is excellent and the inside features DuPont textured vinyl (TVF) coating. Shock absorbing cork pads are cemented to the bottoms of the storage compartments and to the inside rear edges to prevent contact between fairing and the rider’s knees.
Riding the faired Honda was a novel experience. It’s rather like riding in a car with the windows rolled down. At higher speeds, there’s very little wind disturbance behind the fairing, although there was some buffeting at speeds of up to about 50 mph. Wind and rain protection are quite good at the higher speeds as well, and what surprised us most was the relatively small increase in engine noise level. Of course, the Honda engine is comparatively quiet, which had much to do with the lack of tappet clicking, etc.
Although there is somewhat more motorcycle deflection while riding through a cross-wind condition, handling remains predictable. Cruising at higher than legal speeds proved to be effortless, and handling in curves seems much like an unfaired machine. Indicated top speed was slightly higher than with a handlebar fairing.
Increased protection from the elements is worth the price: the white ver sion costs SI 87, and the black, $197. Despite a reluctant American buying public, the fairing is here to stay. Europeans are never completely wrong! [Ô1
