Memphis Shades Batwing

[Blueknight]

A week or two ago we had several post about the new Memphis Shades Batwing fairing.  I ordered one with the 9" windshield and the lowers.  I was looking for a ride report.   How is the coverage and protection compared to a windshield?   Are you happy with the Batwing?  Thanks

[Bagger John - #3785]

I meant to post a ride report after my Saturday morning trip...but this cold/flu/whatever I've been fighting has had me down.

So here goes:

I deliberately chose a day which had some strong crosswinds to more effectively evaluate how the Batwing would alter the bike's handling characteristics. That said, I cranked off down the road in the direction of the prevailing wind.

(A bit about my setup: I have the 9" shield and Memphis air deflectors mounted.)

Overall wind protection is decent. It's on par with the fairing on my I/S, but I would give a slight nod to the latter. Even still...it's better than the OEM Hondaline Tourer windshield or the Memphis Fats that I took off to fit the Batwing. Your hands are a lot better isolated from air blast than with just a windshield.

Coming back home with a trailing, quartering wind...I got up close and personal with a couple of semis and found that if the right set of circumstances came along, I would get blown across my lane, in the direction of the wind. Here, the I/S' fairing setup is definitely more stable.

But it's not unmanageable. I've ridden behind far worse in my day.

Would I make the purchase again? Yes.

[Blueknight]

Great evaluation.     Just what I hoped to hear.   Hope you feel better

[mirion]

I have been riding a week with the 7" shield on the Memphis Batwing. Before this I had a National Cycle windshield on this bike and I also have an Interstate. Although the hand protection on the Memphis is better than the National the upper protection is not quite as good. I am judging this by the way the visor on my helmet rattles from the wind although its not actually in my face. The I/S is way better. I have no regrets because I love the look. I would like to also get a full size Memphis windshield which could be switched back and forth in minutes with the triggerlocks between Batwing, Full Windshild or nothing at all for different looks or different moods.

[fldragon6]

I love the new fairing. I don't get the buffetting that I got with the Tourer windshield. I went with the 5 inch windshiel in black and will only use it for local riding. My friend and I created a 10 inch windshield out of my original Tourer winshield. It hangs out a little further than the Memphis Shades windshield and works great. By the way we have found that WD 40 will remove the coating that comes on the oem Honda windshield. Mine should be crystal clear with a little more rubbing. Amazing stuff.

[Blueknight]

Thanks for the updates.  Should have mine in a few days.  Lots of rides planned here in beautiful Idaho in May.  I'll post a photo and report

[Dodis]

Great news, fldragon6, I've been watching the results threads on the batwing till I can save up the cash. And now, the easy way to finish removing the coating on my tourer shield is the icing on the cake. That will help with the wait.

And, a question on the fairing mounting. I want to get the MS fairing, but keep the stock tourer shield for local runs (MUCH better than the MS I took off). Plus, I am using the KewlMetal shield mounts, so no fugly looking clamps on my triple tree. Are the mounting plates on the fairing basically just flat aluminum plate with bends at the fairing for the screws? If so, I can manufacture some to mount to the factory shield bolt locations.

TIA, Mike

[fldragon6]

The Memphis Shades mounting brackets are formed to fit the inside of the fairing and resemble the OEM windshield mounts. I had toyed with the idea of using the OEM mounts for the Batwing but they are a little to wide. After relocating the Cobra lightbar a half inch lower the MS mounts worked perfectly. [img]http://vrcc.photostash.com/vrcc_21375/resized.jpg[img]

[GreenLantern57]

Once you have all that coating off the windshield, go to a boat shop and buy some RainX for boat windshields. It helps polish the plexiglass, fills in the scratches, and bugs wipe off easier. For quick clean, I used a clear tire shine. Quick spray and buff and off to a ride. 

[Dodis]

Thnaks all!

fldragon6, though you declined to use the Honda mounts, does it look like there is room to make some bends in the mounting plates to fit? When I removed the MS mounts from my old shield, there was some corrsion of the aluminum under the clamps, and I want to not go back to any clamps on the forks if possible. This Gulf Coast salt air is 7734 on aluminum (and chrome)  . I had to just get rid of my Cobra lightbar for the flaking and pitting that happened within 6 months of buying the bike. Granted, that was living in an apartment, so the bike only had a soft cover and lived about 50' from the saltwater... Anyway, I hope to have the room to be able to get some alum plate and copy the MS brackets, adding the necessary bends to widen it to the factory mounts, thus keeping my Honda shield, and no clamps when I run bare (the Valk that is)    .

And GreenLantern57, thanks for those tips, that will hold me until I can get a new Clearview.

Mike "Dodis"

[BF]

Dodis.....Great qestion.   

That's exactly what I want to know too.  I too would like to be able to use both the Memphis bat wing and the stock Hondaline windshild. 


Fldragon6....The link to your pic isn't working.  Can you fix it please? 

[fldragon6]

I think I have the picture problem solved so here are a couple of pics. I have the convenience of keeping my Valk in our garage but it has seen its fair share of South Florida rain. I thin I might revisit that idea of using the OEM winshield brackets because of the reasons you discussed.

[Dodis]

fldragon6, that clears it up good for me, looks like plenty of room to fab a new bracket to keep the Hondaline mounts. Now to just keep saving my pennies!

Actually, I could do the fairing now, it's that new paint job that would kill me!!! ...and coating the headers, and...

Thanks, Mike

[Sodbuster]

I think I have the picture problem solved so here are a couple of pics.

Do you happen to have any pics of the MS Batwing from the inside .... in other words from what it looks like from sitting in the pilot seat ??

[6GUNR]

I GOT THE MS BW FROM MURRAY CYCLES IN MA.  GREAT PEOPLE AND MORE THAN FAIR TO THEIR CUSTOMERS.  I WAS GREATLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE AMOUNT OF BUFFETING I GOT COMPARED TO THE HONDALINE WINDSHIELD (I HAVE A 98 STANDARD) AND I GOT THE 9" WINDSCREEN WITH MY BW.  I CALLED MS AND THEY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL.  SUPER PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH.  I WAS TOLD THEY WERE COMING OUT WITH A TALLER WINDSCREEN SOON.  CAN'T WAIT.  THEY ALSO HELPED ME WITH SOME MOUNTING PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING AND IT TURNED OUT GREAT. IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THERE ARE QUALITY MANUFACTURER'S AND DEALERS STILL OUT THERE!   6 GUNR   # 3286

[kickstand]

I've seen on E-bay now they are selling them with 12inch for $309.00 Biker Haven

[kickstand]

Who did you buy your batwing from there is 3 outfits selling them Murrayscycles $389  Amercan Classic $293.95 and Biker Haven $309.00 ?

[JimC]

I have had my MS fairing for about a month now and I love it, it is rock solid. On a ride recently in a light rain for about 20 minutes my gloves did not even get damp. I did put a 13 inch windshield on it prior to MS coming out with the 12 inch and it is perfect for me at 6ft., but my wife prefers the taller MS windscreen because she is up higher than I am. But that is the nice thing about the quick change set up, the few times she rides with me I switch back to the windscreen in about 2 minutes.
 
All in all I think it is a good buy for the money.

Jim

[mirion]

Bought my MS from Murrays direct (skipped the Ebay thing) and they were great to deal with. Their price was the best at the time and it includes the triggerlock mounts as well as your choice of sheilds.

[Sodbuster]

All are nice looking rides .... could one of you provide a pic of the MS BW as seen from the drivers seat to get an idea what it looks like while you're riding ??