Lil background info first ... I ride 365 days a year and the GS is the only mode of transportation I own excluding my feet and rollerblades, I ride year round and living in Atlanta, GA the winters are "manageable" I have however decided to get a lil more protection for hwy riding and the rain and winter ... what would you suggest ?
(http://www.nationalcycle.com/images/products/webimages/SPSUMN2520SV65099-_600.jpg)
F-15 Sport Shield
(http://www.nationalcycle.com/images/products/webimages/SPSUMN2522SV65099-_600.jpg)
F-15 Tour Shield
(http://www.nationalcycle.com/images/600/f16sumn2524bandit1200.jpg)
F-16 Medium Tint
(http://www.nationalcycle.com/images/600/f16homn2526919.jpg)
F-16 Sport Shield
I am torn between the F-16 Sport Shield and the F-15 Tour Shield ... the F-16 would suffice in the summer and for shorter rides and it looks cool but the F-15 would be awesome for long distance highway cruising and in the winter and it is alot more functional ...can anbody post pix of their bike with either of these two screens and if anyone has any other recommendations that fall within the $100 budget lemme know
Remember I ride in the winter too and riding in single digits without fairings or electric heating is PAINFUL and riding in the rain without wind screen sux ...+ I want to do some touring too or atleast do 400 mile days and noot get pooped ... I took a beating comin back from Barber last saturday, was doin 90-100mph all the way back on I-20 ... was lying flat on the tank tucked behind the gauges with me foot on the rear pegs kinda superman pose ... must have been a hilarious sight as everyone else had litre bikes ... TLS1000 , GS-X 1100, CBR 1100XX, R1 ... but the bad ass GS rode like a dream :)
and any of you long distance riders what other mods have you done to your bike? I plan on gettin windscreen, (hippo hands for the winter), Case guards (could make decent highway pegs dont you think :) ) ... and maybe some cheap hard luggage.... thanks
I have the F15 in the dark tint and it's been fine all weather. I live at 43 deg. south, stuck out in the Southern Ocean, so we get snow in winter (not real deep) and some truly horrendous winds- like 200 km/hr. I am 6'2" tall and if I had it over again I would have gone for something a bit taller. I can get down behind the F15 OK without feeling too cramped.
you can suck it up, learn to enjoy the elements. freezing rain is fun. and hwy pegs, I took alot of crap about those when I first put them on, they just don't look right, but they sure are comfortable.
I used to give people a hard time about big windshields until I got one. They just look a little dorky for my taste but I don't think I'll ever ride without one again. And as far as windshields are concerned, even a tiny one makes a huge difference.
My riding has increased to an average of 5 days a week and I recently got a screen to ease the wind pressure a little. I have a National N2560 that is about as high as the stock mirrors. It takes all the pressure off my chest at highway speeds and has increased my comfort on long rides.
Most of my riding is back and forth to work and around town and it seems perfect for that.
A taller shield will obviously give you more protection and might be better in foul weather. I usually chicken out and drive my truck when we have heavy rains.
I added GenMar risers to move the bars up and back a bit and the case guards to hold some forward pegs to stretch the legs a bit on longer runs. I ran a Spitfire shield last 2 summers, but I like the National Plexi 2 shields for best protection from cold and/or wet. Here's a pic of my touring rig sitting in Maggie Valley, NC last June, I live in NE OH:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/burp04gspic.jpg)
The best addition for traveling was the Givi trunk added last spring, holds a weeks clothing and keeps it all dry. Messed around with soft luggage and rain covers too many years.
I've got the F-15 sport. It is good. Get one. Really the F-15 Touring would be better for you, but I'm concerned with the size of that beast!
Get the largest one. You won't regret it. These bikes look best without any shield, but if you try to split the difference between looks and function on a smaller shield you'll get neither. :roll:
(http://www.gstwins.com/gallery/albums/oldgallerybikes/ahf.jpg)
what windscreen and what rack/topbag combo is this?