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I've been looking at at wider front for Ruby for a long time. I ride PGR missions in weather that I'd not normally be out there and the hands take the brunt.
I looked at shields, the best looking one being Slip Streamer, but I'd have to fabricate the mounting hardware.
Rifle has a nice black plastic fairing for $600 but it doesn't fit Ruby. I mean they don't make one for Ruby!! GBG
I looked at fairings that would fit Ruby but the cheapest I saw was a bare fairing for $525 and of course 50+ for shipping. And of course no other parts.
And then as they like to sing on Sundays in church - I Saw The Light!!! Joe (Chuckster) Norris posted that he had a Harley batwing fairing that was for sale!!! I almost broke my fingers typing!! GBG He wanted $50....
So the tale begins.... $50 fairing!!! WhaHoo!!!!!!!!!! It cost $59 to ship it... and it REALLY begins!!! GBG
Well, a fairing that's Ugly doesn't work... so I ordered a bra to cover it. I'd previously priced a fairing with one paint job, the silver match on Ruby and clear coat... $400... sigh. Bra $65.
Well, you have to mount the fairing to the scoot, right? Lee Sido makes 'um for $125 shipped, and a good price for those of us that need 'um!! No, not done...
Well, you want a windshield, eh? OK, found a cheapo on the net for $45. Well you have to fasten it, right? Got the chrome strip mounting part for $42 on the net.
So......... my $50 fairing is now up to $362!!! OK, still a great deal... but I really wanted to get it painted and look GREAT!!!!! Ruby deserves it!!! (who am I kidding... GBG)
A good friend Don VSP connected me to a guy in Modesto, we chatted and he wanted as much as he could, and I explained that to pay more for a paint job than the entire fairing just wasn't right... so.... he said he'd do the primer, paint and clear coat for $250, NOW we're talking!!!
The bra was on back order for a week, and I said to myself (I do this often... not many others understand me.. GBG) Cancel the bra and save $65!!!! Doing this was, well, you know Internet help folks... But I got it done!!!!!
Net, net... I'll have a complete fairing, metallic silver and clear coat, mounting brackets and shield for $542 when done!!!
And I consider that to one hellofa deal!!! It is less than 1/2 of what it normally would've cost!
Special thanks to Joe (Chuckster) Norris, Lee Sido and Don VSP!!!!
And in the beginning.... The Dawning, think 2001 music here!!!! GBG
Ain't she GORGEOUS?????!!!!!!! The mounting strip and shield next to it....
So I got the fairing over to Modesto to Don VSP's friend, left it there a few weeks for the paint to dry... Went to pick it up and of course, CAUTION was the key word. I figured my sleeping bag would make a good carrying case!!! Taped and bungied the crap outta it!!
Extreme caution!
Safely home!!
Not THAT'S better!!!
So now is the time to "strip Ruby"!!! Ta Dum De Dum TA Dum De Dum, my best of the stripper...
Off with the PGR logo, I'll get a special decal for the new shield...
Geez, here bloomers off, Lowers away!!!
Her top is off!!! Woo Woo, good stuff, eh???!!!!!!!!!! Again, old men... GBG
Even took 'er gloves off for cleaning, spiffied 'er up right nice, If I might say!!!
Look at 'er shine!! Not bad for a 7 year old bike, eh?
More sparkle....
Why stop now?
And around we go...
All 'er glitter on the ground....
Well, Lee had been busy and it took a while to get the mounting brackets, but here they are!! Ain't they gorgeous????!!!!! Old men get their kicks where they can...
Started to put it together... first bug, no nuts to fasten the fairing to the mounting strip, crank to Orchard Supply for nuts, Hey, you do what you have to!!! GBG
So I'm learning about how to sandwich a Harley shield, altho damn slow, tried to do it on the living room floor, YOU try to bend a shield, and get it all lined up and clamp it!!! *&)%!_*%!)*!)*$%
Worse is the mounting strip folks sent me 1/2" screws... They would not extend thru the strip, fairing and mounting bracket!!!!!!! )!#*%!)#*$%)#!$%*!#)$
Cranking to Orchard... Rain on the radar, Cranking HARD.. it took a 1 1/4" screw to do the job!!!
So I pre-mounted it on the bike loose, and checked out the alignment, started cinching 'er down and drilled the pouch mounting, got the shield in, very badly, sigh.. long learning curve as you get older!!! GBG But....
Hey! Hey!!!! She's got 'er top back on!!!
You can't really see it, but 'er bloomers are back on and they fit in touch with the fairing, real nice front protection!!!
Here you can see the lowers as they go up behind the fairing, about 2 inches. Edmund's short version I think would be a perfect fit, flush right up to the fairing.It took me the !%)*!#$%*!)# whole day to figure it all out and get 'er mounted! moved my three pocket pouch over to the new fairing, nice to have that storage up front!
As it doesn't have an inner liner, I see some opportunities for additions, I think I see a perfect spot for a GPS, I think I'll have to do that, that's the one gadget I think has value.
See that area between the two vertical supports and above the handlebars and below the storage pouches? Ideal! That cable tie in the middle of the handlebars has a 12 V connector, just about perfect, IMHO!!!
I finally got a ray of sunshine and here she is! I got in a little test ride in 50 deg weather and sitting behind that fairing is real nice, very little breeze! Ready for Don VSPs Polar Bear Ride!!! GBG
Now, after all this, how am I gonna sell buying a GPS to replace the MAP to the other sweetheart???!!!! It just keeps getting more expensive!!!! GBSEG
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