Took a bit of trial and error but I believe I got the right bits in the right spot and in the right mounting sequences. It was a tight fit pulling the fairing's lower mounting holes over the turn signal mounts but I finally got it to go in.
Once the fairing was in place and mostly centered on the headlight (still needs some work), I tackled mounting the windshield onto the fairing using the expanding rivets. These were not the easiest thing to put in, even with some lubrication with WD-40 as recommended by others in the Airhead mailing list. The end rivets were definitely a PITA but I did manage to get them in.
That's when the realization of the meaning of a comment made by the previous owner of the fairing hit home. He'd mentioned that the owner of the fairing prior to him had done some trim work on the upper arms of the fairing. Me being a noobie airhead owner and never having seen an S motorcycle in person, looked at the pics he'd sent me and saw nothing wrong.
Well, there was, kinda. The guy had actually cut off about three inches off the ends of the fairing's upper arms. I can see why he did it, otherwise the arms would hit the brake fluid reservoir on the right and the choke assembly lever on the left. Apparently, S motorcycles either came with the european or "low" handlebars and not the US or "high" handlebar Brigitta came to me with.
So, it's good that he trimmed it otherwise I'd be stuck doing it or figuring out how to move things out of the fairings way if I wanted to use it. I am now debating whether to "trim" the overhanging end of the windshield or not. Any opinions out there on whether to trim the windshield or not?
You can extrapolate where the missing portion of the upper fairing arms would have caused issues.
She does look pretty good though
The windshield and fairing does help a little bit in getting the wind pressure off my chest when going at speeds higher than say 55mph. If I was trying to make this motorcycle my touring motorcycle, it'd need a higher windshield I think.No, this S fairing is mostly for looks, I like the way Brigitta looked before but the S Fairing gives it that aerodynamic retro look for which the S motorcycles were famous for when they came out in the late 70s through early 80s.
3 comments:
Nicely done, Sir! The fairing does add a nice touch to the bike. A little bit of jazziness without being overdone.
Dear Dom:
My very first Beemer was a 1986 K75S, with a Sprint Fairing. This fairing was rare 22 years ago and has become something of a legend now. At last count, there was something like 10 of them in the U.S. It was very gratifying t go to an MOA rally and not see one other machine like yours.
That fairing was a plague to work on. A burned out headlamp would take four hours to replace as the entire fairing unit would have t be removed from the bike! This was not a handlebar mount but a full frame-mounted fairing with a fragile windshield.
The bike came to a bad end when an elderly lady ran head on into me in Strasburg, Va. last year. The fairing exploded into fragments and I hit the deck.
The Parabelum Scout on have o my "new" 1995 K75 is almost as easy on the eyes, but a lot easier on my patience.
This bike of yours is beautiful. This trimmed fairing is a sophisticated fit that speaks well of your handiwork. The paint work is classic BMW. Now this may seem like a silly question, but was it standard that the crash guards on the bike were painted to match the body? It's a nice touch.
Fondest regards,
Jack Riepe
Mac-Pac
West Chester, Pa
Thanks Irondad.
Jack, thanks for your comments about the R80 but I can't take the credit for the overall condition of the bike, it came to me that way from an indie beemer mechanic who I suspect put some serious hours into it. At least, I like to fantasize he did.
The trim work done on the fairing was a previous owner's handiwork, I am just the accidental recipient of his skills. I am debating either trimming the windshield or somehow adding on the missing fairing portions but the debate continues.
I read your trip report to West Va where you mentioned the accident involving you and the elderly lady. Glad you came out of that ok.
Re the Crash Bars being black vice chromed, I don't know what was standard for 1987. I just like the look of the black bars. Not a big chrome polishing kind of guy.
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