fairings vs naked look

[debtman7]

looks and personal preference aside i would say function is important.  if you are buying a bike and are going to be on the highway then you will want fairings.  if you are just going around town then naked will do nicely.   it is apples and oranges though, naked, sport, cruiser,  motard they are all different.   personally i like having a naked right now but that could change any time

Eh, no thanks I've done 80 on the highway, and I've only been riding 3 weeks, never had a problem with it. Really the wind around the helmet bugs me more than the chest, and you'll still get that on a faired bike. Plus a naked GS with a big ugly windscreen is going to do better on the highway than the faired GS. Well at least for the upper body...

[jserio]

wow. i started a nice dabate here. so, those of you who have posted opinions i must ask a new question. have you riden both types? fairings and nakeds?

[VTNewb]

looks and personal preference aside i would say function is important.  if you are buying a bike and are going to be on the highway then you will want fairings.

Sorry, can't leave an absolute generalization like that unchallenged. Generations of motorcyclists have somehow braved those terrible, terrifying winds without hiding behind a wall of plastic, and millions still do.. why is it that we can't, again?

Because when you ride 800 miles in a day you'd want to be less fatigued.

[RVertigo]

Is that why mine's getting steadily noisier as it gets more power?

Precisely!  The more power you give it, the more it yells in your ear.   

[scratch]

wow. i started a nice dabate here. so, those of you who have posted opinions i must ask a new question. have you riden both types? fairings and nakeds?

Alpha definitely has of the GS world.

I used to ride an FZR400, it is deceptively smooth.  Was doing 65mph when I thought I was doing 40.

[Jay_wolf]

i had a tzr 125 . fully faired ,. and i dont really notice it , the wind doesnt bother me at all , its almost like your body gets used to the pressure on it ,

Yep , Small , Cute and Naked, Perfect lol

[lancemclaughlin]

i like the naked look (i'll soon be removing the fairings off my '05, and installing new dual headlights)... but i HATE the single-headlight look. i don't know why, but that big round goofy light in between the forks just screams 1970 to me. to me it's a compromise. i like the sportier styles, but i don't like all the goofy plastic. it reminds me of rice-racer kids. streetfighters own my heart.

[Jay_wolf]

i like the naked look (i'll soon be removing the fairings off my '05, and installing new dual headlights)... but i HATE the single-headlight look. i don't know why, but that big round goofy light in between the forks just screams 1970 to me. to me it's a compromise. i like the sportier styles, but i don't like all the goofy plastic. it reminds me of rice-racer kids. streetfighters own my heart.

I dont like the single headlights on them either, and streetfighters are in my heart 2 

[Alphamazing]

wow. i started a nice dabate here. so, those of you who have posted opinions i must ask a new question. have you riden both types? fairings and nakeds?

Alpha definitely has of the GS world.

Yeah, the F model's fairings do cut the wind, but that doesn't make it "better" in any way. Let's just say I removed my fairings for a reason...

Admittedly, the F model's fairings mainly cut wind from the chest area, but it still hit my helmet and legs pretty cleanly. I took my GS on a 550 mile ride one day (all interstate at 75-80+ mph) and the seat bothered me before the wind did. The GS doesn't really go fast enough to NEED the fairings for aerodynamic efficiency, nor does any bike need them for street duty really. The only logical place I see them are on tourers and sport tourers that travel hundreds and hundreds of miles a day and on race bikes that are on the track.

The more you ride without fairings the more you get used to it and the less it bothers you. Hell, in Texas, I NEED the air flow otherwise I would pass out from heat exhaustion.

[lancemclaughlin]

Hell, in Alabama, I NEED the air flow otherwise I would pass out from heat exhaustion.

[SeqArtMark]

For my money I'm going with the F model.  I love the sport bike look but don't think I'll appreciate the "feel" of them.  I could be wrong but I'm under the impression that long country rides on a sport bike isn't much fun with the race-inspired ergonomics.  That's the big selling point of the GS for me; looks like a sport bike but acts like a standard. 

Admittedly, the more I look at the naked the more I like it.  So what to do?  Get them both!  Let the fiancee ride the naked in the city (since she likes the look of it) but on long highway trips we'll switch.  That way we both get the best of both worlds.

[lancemclaughlin]

you let your fiancee ride around on a motorcycle naked in the city? you are a more secure man than i... 

[Crucialval]

I like all bike, but not the F it's the only fairing bike that I've seen that the plastics don't fit the frame. Now that I know the bike world a little more, lean more to naked bikes.

It's like this, the fairing bike "only" riders are a lot like the "Mustang" or "Z28" kids back in highschool. My GF hates naked bikes thier not shinny, but she knows nothing about bikes. My brothers both like fairing bikes, I think it's becuase they associate the plastic with speed. They didn't like naked untill they rode my GS.

I'll ride anything, I'd buy almost anything for the right price!

My personal fav is the streetfighter look.

I'm just rambling some thoughts, but naked is +++1

[zephler]

interesting posts here and I respect people opinions  but, there is always a but  bikes with faring look way cooler, to me at least, I was toying with the nekid GS as I've stated previously but am happy I got the F model.... if you are into retro looking bikes get the nekid, the F's appearance, mainly through the tear shaped headlight (I'm not a fan of the single round headlight)  is much more modern, again to me at least...... I don't think it looks bad at all..... I know others think differently and that is fine but both bikes are great.... I can't see the addition, or lack of, faring makes either bike better then the other 

[Alphamazing]

interesting posts here and I respect people opinions  but, there is always a but  bikes with faring look way cooler, to me at least, I was toying with the nekid GS as I've stated previously but am happy I got the F model.... if you are into retro looking bikes get the nekid, the F's appearance, mainly through the tear shaped headlight (I'm not a fan of the single round headlight)  is much more modern, again to me at least...... I don't think it looks bad at all..... I know others think differently and that is fine but both bikes are great.... I can't see the addition, or lack of, faring makes either bike better then the other 

It's time for...

OPINIONS WHICH YOU DISAGREE WITH!!!

The F model's fairings are NOT modern looking. This is one of the reasons why I chose to remove them. See pictures.

2004 F model


2004 GSX-R600


Note the F model's upright nose fairing, as well as the highly visible gauges, and complete lack of belly pan.

Also, not all naked bikes are "retro" as you so put it.

Pictures are:
1. Older bike before fairings
2. "Retro" naked bike
3. Naked bike

1.

Please note that this is a CBX, and when it was introduced in 1979 it was considered the most powerful and fastest bike made.

2.

Ducati Sport 1000. Designed with the retro look in mind, this is a very modern bike with a deceptively classic look to it.

3.

How in the hell does that look retro at all?

Also...


As for the addition of fairings making one bike better than another... the GSes fairings aren't really that good, and the GS doesn't have enough power to take advantage of the aerodynamic efficiency. They simply add weight, mar the lines of the original bike to which they were tacked on to, and make a nice big sail that the wind can blow on to push you around.

As for the single round headlight looking "old"... I point you towards these bikes:






And while it's not just one round headlight, but two massive ones...




Not round, but close:


Damn, I just turned this thread into pure sex.

[plank]

interesting posts here and I respect people opinions  but, there is always a but  bikes with faring look way cooler, to me at least, I was toying with the nekid GS as I've stated previously but am happy I got the F model.... if you are into retro looking bikes get the nekid, the F's appearance, mainly through the tear shaped headlight (I'm not a fan of the single round headlight)  is much more modern, again to me at least...... I don't think it looks bad at all..... I know others think differently and that is fine but both bikes are great.... I can't see the addition, or lack of, faring makes either bike better then the other 

I agree with this assessment of fairings on the gs500. I have the F and enjoy the way it looks. I understand why people dislike it when compared to something like a gsxr, the plastics do look cheaper/more toy like/don't form to the actual body. I guess I just wanted to look like I was on a gsxr while I was learning(however poser-ish that is). I can always take them off if I get tired of them.

[zephler]

It's time for...

OPINIONS WHICH YOU DISAGREE WITH!!!

The F model's fairings are NOT modern looking. This is one of the reasons why I chose to remove them. See pictures.

seems like I've hit a real nerve here 

2004 F model

2004 GSX-R600

Note the F model's upright nose fairing, as well as the highly visible gauges, and complete lack of belly pan.

yep I see... but, and I may or may not have made it clear, the comparison being made was between GS's - nekid and Fared

Also, not all naked bikes are "retro" as you so put it.

that's true enough but the nekid GS, again this is only my opinion, looks "retro"

As for the addition of fairings making one bike better than another... the GSes fairings aren't really that good, and the GS doesn't have enough power to take advantage of the aerodynamic efficiency. They simply add weight, mar the lines of the original bike to which they were tacked on to, and make a nice big sail that the wind can blow on to push you around.

I specifically said "I can't see the addition, or lack of, faring makes either bike better then the other" I stand by that... I like the fared, you seemingly don't..... that's life 

Damn, I just turned this thread into pure sex.

.... you certainly have passion there I'll give you that 
nice pics also  I'll try and upload a pic of my mates Buell later, see what you think of that  and this nekid bike is definitely not retro... 

[zephler]

as promised... first is original, second and third are after many mods, including the installation of a shorter tail.... now this is a great looking nekid bike, street fighter.... Buell Lightening XB12Ss

[simon79]

...hmmmmm....blue Suzuki SV650... :drooling_emoticon: 

>Zephler:
Oh yeah...in fact the GS 500 E looks quite rétro...and maybe that's why I like mine so much
an 80's bike for a guy (=me) raised in the 80's...

[Jay_wolf]

I completely Agree With Alpha,

And i love fighters!!