Memphis Fats on Standard

[cynicalsteve]

Anybody have a Memphis Fats installed on a standard?  I just bought a "fats" and the quick release kit for my 1998 standard and I ended up with a 1-1/4" gap between the headlight and bottom of the windshield, I have the fork clamps as low as they can go.  I confirmed with the manufacturer that I have the correct kit.  I would rather not modifiy the "headlight stay" that links the turnsignals to the headlight (and keeps me from moving the turnsignals down a bit) but that's plan B right now.  If anybody has the same set-up, can you send me a pic of yours?  I'd like to see how/where you mounted your kit to your forks.  Thanks for your help.

[Jess from VA]

I don't have a std/tourer or a Fats shield, but I have had this issue before.  There is some special material, much like weather seal for house or car, specifically sold to add to the edge of a windshield to create a laminar flow of air larger than the shield itself.  If you cannot get the shield to headlight space closed by other means, a piece of this placed in the headlight cutout (only) might be useful in stopping unwanted airflow there.  (a three foot minimum sucks at $12.90 a foot)

http://www.saeng.com/product.php?id=581&category=80

http://www.saeng.com/testimonial.php?product_pk1=581

[Bugslayer]

  If anybody has the same set-up, can you send me a pic of yours?  I'd like to see how/where you mounted your kit to your forks.  Thanks for your help.

Here is my Memphis Fats on my Tourer. The bottom of the windshield is a little less than an inch from the headlight.

[vanagon40]

If you don't like the 1-1/4 inch gap, you will really dislike my set up.  The gap on my bike is almost 2 inches.  Never seemed to be a problem, so I have no advice to give you.  And yes, it is a Memphis Shades with the quick mount.

AND, welcome to the VRCC.

[dubsider]

I had the same large gap and hated the noises it seemed to create..  I am down to 1/4" by micro adjustments:  slightly lowered the turn signal brackets, slightly lowered the windscreen brackets, tilting (rotating) the windscreen (top more toward the rider). The last adjustment will also rotate the screen away from the bottom screws on the bracket.. leaving just enough to grab the screen. The top bolts become the pivot point.  Each of the adjustments are minor and all add up to lower the gap and also serve to lower the bottom sides of the screen to almost meet up with the top of the lowers.

[Lucky Duck]

I made the same adjustments as Dubsider. If you lower the turn signals, be careful that you don't go too low because it is possible they could hit the radiator in a full lock turn. My turn signals miss the radiator by about 1/2 an inch and the windshield is less than 1/2 an inch above the headlight using the adjustments Dubsider mentioned.

[cajundood]

[WDAN]

I have a Memphis Shades Fats on my Standard. I also had one on my Road Star.
I cut my shield down in height to where I could barely see over top of shield. You get the maximum wind resistance and do need to be able to see over top.

I also installed Memphis Shades lowers; cuts out a lot of the wind shear coming under bottom of shield and over tank.

Yes, you are going to have a small gap between the bottom of shield and top of bucket.
There is also a small gap between top of my lowers and bottom of shield. I can play with this adjustment until i get it as good as can be.

[cynicalsteve]

 
Thanks everybody, got some things to try and some other options.  Appreciate the advice.

[CASABROKER]

Drop the turn signals That what I did, i have a Memphis regular with the deflectors like yours.
 

[salty1]

What cut out size was used in these installs? What windshield height worked best for your height? Been a great string!

[Bugslayer]

I plan on cutting mine down.... I hate looking through the shield.

[dubsider]

I think I have a 21" and when it was in the original position, I was planning to cut it down.. HOWEVER, after the microadjustments - the top of screen is now below eye level (if I don't slouch too much).. which save me the trouble of cutting.. very happy the way it turned out.

dub

[Sodbuster]

I have the same setup on mine. I think you'll want a gap there to help pressurize the backside of the windshield to minimize air turbulence coming over the top and sides.

[CASABROKER]

I'm 6' 2" and have a 19 in works perfect look over the top and breaks the wind perfectly.  21" I'd be seeing to much of the shield.

[cynicalsteve]

I'm all set guys, thanks for all of the help.  I ended up just unhooking the headlight stay/rod from the turnsignals and dropped them down as fas as I could without risking contact with radiator, the windshield is now about 1/4" above headlight and I'm happy.  I can still scooch it back up a bit if I have too for air adjustment.

Somebody asked about cutout size and height- the Valk requires 9" cutout.  The one I bought was 21" and it is too tall for me (I am 5'-10"), but I got a great deal on eBay and thought I'd just cut it down if need be, well . . . . . it need be.  My buddy said the proper way to determine height is that your line of sight should just clear the top of the shield when you look at the road surface 50ft in front of you.  For me, I gotta cut roughly 2-1/2" off.   

[Sodbuster]

Memphis Shades uses acrylic plastic for their shields and is a lot easier to work with than the OEM lexan material which is softer.  I have cut mine down a couple of times. What works great is get yourself some tag-board (thin cardboard) and tape it to existing shield to trace the outline. Then move it down to where you want it and trace the new outline on some painters tape. A fairly course blade (in a jig saw) seems to work best - if you use too fine of a blade it wants to heat up the plastic and tend to melt it. Then just work it down with different grades of sandpaper eventually to wet sand to get a glass smooth finish !!.