Does being afraid to own a naked bike make me a prude?  I love the look and simplicity of naked bikes.  However, there is this stigma in my mind that "if you go over 50mph it starts to get uncomfortable", which is how two friends described riding the same Ducati Monster.  As a result, I've kinda crossed off all unfaired sportbikes off my list since I do a lot of highway riding that is mainly straight and flat.  But then I wonder how/why anyone would buy a naked bike--especially one that goes fast--and started to think that maybe I'm missing something here. 

Am I making too big a deal out of the convenience of wind protection?

Can someone explain the benefits and drawbacks of an unfaired bike?

Is fatigue a problem until you get used to it?

I'm not trying to make this into a fairing vs. naked war.  I'm just trying to find some justification to consider naked bikes in the future.

Thanks,

Mark

i think it is about styling more than anything.  naked bikes have a different look and feel to their faired cousins.  sometimes naked bikes cost less and because they have less plastic can be cheaper to fix in a crash.  i myself like fairings and only had naked bikes for a short period of time.  OK this is my opinion.  fairings look better, they help the bike perform better at speed. yes they do protect more than naked bikes but i like them for the aesthetics.  if you are into speed or the highway seen you will not get bumped around in the wind at speed.  you are less likely to get into a speed wobble than on a naked bike.  hope this helps.

only owned a naked, so no real experience with faired but I have no issues with wind at 85+ regularly on highway.

I have a naked.  Also no experience with fairings.  The wind can knock you around some, but I just love the naked look.  Maybe thinking of getting a small windscreen (F16) for those touring trips.

when i took the fairings off of my bike i only really noticed a difference at around 80-85 mph.

Right on, folks.  Thanks for all the great feedback.  If there's no real difference until 80-85mph then maybe I'll give nudity a shot.  I do prefer the look of fairings and will likely buy another faired bike in the future.  I just want to keep my options open in the event of a good deal.  Moreover, if I end up keeping the GS for a while, it might help to take off the fairings at some point just to keep things fresh.

the only thing i like nude is my wife. 

I have a naked and it DOES get choppy in the wind at high speeds.  But Ive never ridden a fairing. 

As far as looks.  I like both naked and fairing.   

Quote from: jserio on September 10, 2008, 06:22:42 PM
the only thing i like nude is my wife. 

yeah i like her too 

Quote from: jserio on September 10, 2008, 06:22:42 PM
the only thing i like nude is my wife. 

How does she handle with a 2nd rider aboard?   

Quote from: Caffeine on September 11, 2008, 05:53:19 AM

Quote from: jserio on September 10, 2008, 06:22:42 PM
the only thing i like nude is my wife. 

How does she handle with a 2nd rider aboard?   

I think that depends on whether the muffler is on or now 

That thread degenerated fast.

ya but its funny

leave it to me to f%$k up a perfectly good thread! 

For me, the choice had more to do with how much I'd have to spend to fix my bike every time I dropped him. I'd be spending a WHOLE lot more to fix a Gixxer than I have been to fix my semi-nekkid SVs. 

I love the looks of the faired bikes, but not the expense of broken plastic. I've always ridden nekkid, so the wind's never really bothered me... You should try it nekkid some time!