Inzane 17

Batwings on the move

Started by Grey wolf oz, Sat 04, Feb 2023, 16:41:59

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Grey wolf oz

Team

I have never really been happy with the speaker placement on the interstate,

Has any one tinkered with this or manoeuvred the fairing mounts to change the batwing angle or height ?

Or has anyone fitted an after market bat wing to an interstate ?

Thanks

Luke

Avanti

There have been fixed HD fairings mounted. I changed the angle of my Interstate fairing more than 10 years ago for better air flow and to stop turbulence.

Jess from VA

The speaker placement on the IS (Interstate) fairing isn't bad, it's the low powered OE amp and speakers that are the problem.

Several have upgraded the speakers, and added a preamp inside the fairing.

Many have plugged the IS vent (below the shield) to avoid eating bugs (open face helmets), and many have replaced the stock shield to taller or shorter and/or wider shields.

I've never heard of anyone swapping an IS fairing for another fairing, though many have mounted aftermarket (or Harley) batwings to their Tourers and Standards.

Grey wolf oz

Cool

Any recommendations on Pre-amp


Sounds like a possible fixer


Grey wolf oz

Thank you sir, I shall investigate further

Bagger John - #3785

Quote from: Grey wolf oz on Sat 04, Feb 2023, 21:43:42
Any recommendations on Pre-amp

Sounds like a possible fixer
Search the 1500 Tech forum. IIRC there are several threads regarding "amplifier" (not pre-amplifier) upgrades for the I/S. Bear in mind that a power figure of 60-80W/ch is realistic for the stock alternator/battery arrangement and you'll need to upgrade the fairing speakers too.

I may upgrade the amp and speakers on my I/S at some point but always ride with a helmet w/ headset. OEM stereo is plenty powerful for driving a J&M.

My '99 Tourer was a slightly different challenge. Of course, these come with no radio whatsoever and just a windshield - not a fairing. I had a Memphis Bat Wing on my first Tourer for a while, albeit with a set of Fats windshield mounts and it just didn't quite sit back far enough. I bought the Valkyrie-specific Trigger Lock mount kit for the setup when I built my second Tourer - but lost the ability to also run a Fats windshield without changing the mounts. Until I studied the problem and found that a modified set of Victory Hammer Trigger Lock side plates work just peachy. (Why Memphis didn't/doesn't offer these is a complete mystery, as it's just one hole per side which needs extended into a slot.)

The Memphis Bat Wing doesn't accommodate speakers, but an I/S trunk does. One is on the Tourer now, and the stereo (actually a dual-band ham rig with AM/FM BCB reception) resides in the spot where an I/S CB would normally go. Its built-in amp is good for 15W/ch and I can always install a beefier unit in one of the saddlebags if warranted. Audio to and from it is integrated to the bike's Hondaline CB via a Kennedy FRSet-4.

As with the I/S, I always ride with a headset-equipped lid so hearing the radio isn't an issue. The trunk speakers are more for my passenger's benefit.

Grey wolf oz

Quote from: Bagger John - #3785 on Mon 06, Feb 2023, 10:54:41
Quote from: Grey wolf oz on Sat 04, Feb 2023, 21:43:42
Any recommendations on Pre-amp

Sounds like a possible fixer
Search the 1500 Tech forum. IIRC there are several threads regarding "amplifier" (not pre-amplifier) upgrades for the I/S. Bear in mind that a power figure of 60-80W/ch is realistic for the stock alternator/battery arrangement and you'll need to upgrade the fairing speakers too.

I may upgrade the amp and speakers on my I/S at some point but always ride with a helmet w/ headset. OEM stereo is plenty powerful for driving a J&M.

My '99 Tourer was a slightly different challenge. Of course, these come with no radio whatsoever and just a windshield - not a fairing. I had a Memphis Bat Wing on my first Tourer for a while, albeit with a set of Fats windshield mounts and it just didn't quite sit back far enough. I bought the Valkyrie-specific Trigger Lock mount kit for the setup when I built my second Tourer - but lost the ability to also run a Fats windshield without changing the mounts. Until I studied the problem and found that a modified set of Victory Hammer Trigger Lock side plates work just peachy. (Why Memphis didn't/doesn't offer these is a complete mystery, as it's just one hole per side which needs extended into a slot.)

The Memphis Bat Wing doesn't accommodate speakers, but an I/S trunk does. One is on the Tourer now, and the stereo (actually a dual-band ham rig with AM/FM BCB reception) resides in the spot where an I/S CB would normally go. Its built-in amp is good for 15W/ch and I can always install a beefier unit in one of the saddlebags if warranted. Audio to and from it is integrated to the bike's Hondaline CB via a Kennedy FRSet-4.

As with the I/S, I always ride with a headset-equipped lid so hearing the radio isn't an issue. The trunk speakers are more for my passenger's benefit.


Thanks Jon

Theres a NICE looking bat wing loaded with speakers etc, but costs an arm and a leg ,, 

Looks as though an amp and speaker combo is a solution i can deal with the install of,

Winter project,, 


Bagger John - #3785

Quote from: Grey wolf oz on Mon 06, Feb 2023, 23:42:20
...Theres a NICE looking bat wing loaded with speakers etc, but costs an arm and a leg ,, 

There are a couple I'm thinking of - one from the Trike Shop and another from Hoppe Industries?


Bagger John - #3785

The fairings with Road King mounts gave me an idea.

One of the Valkyries in the Just Pics section from years ago sold me on the whole Valkyrie theme. It was a '99 Standard w/ National Cycle light bar. I eventually built a near-duplicate of that bike for Blondie when we were still together (and she was still blonde). Another NC light bar was on my first Tourer and made it over to my second ('99) which currently wears a Bat Wing. That first Tourer didn't have a trunk. It reminded me a lot of a Street Glide when the fairing was in place.

I have most of the pieces in the stash to reprise the build I did for Blondie, except this one's for me. As with the first iteration, no two-way radios (CB, amateur, etc) will be installed. There's an extra set of hard bags looking for a bike, so they'll be attached if/as needed.

Which brings me to the fairing. I want to go with a fat fork front end, and if I do there's no way to cleanly mount the fairing clamps. A couple years back I scored a Road King spotlight bar plus Daymaker spots at Mid-Ohio VMD for a gimmedat price. I also managed to track down the front turn signal mounts for a VTX1800N, which can be modified to become the upper mounts for the R-K light bar. I'll need to fab a lower mount bracket and weld it to the bar but when done this should give me the same windshield/fairing mount options as a Roadie has.

An AM/FM/XM/MP3 system plus two speakers will be perfect for this application. Removable if I want to turn the bike back into a Standard. Attach the bags and fairing then throw mama on the back and hit the meets or a car show...

Grey wolf oz

Nice job , i like it

They didn't bring many valks out to Australia

Mind you they were doing it hard to sell gold wings  at GROSELY inflated prices while waffling on about the value of the dollar and devaluing bikes sold when the dollar was at 50 us cents

At that point it was at over 90,,,   

So even wen the new cold wings hit the market at 60K AUD they were a slow mover

I paid 45k for a shop floor model in 2013 it was still too much,,

I've seen 3 valks in Australia even when i ran a riding group,  the first was a yellow and black standard,  the third i own

I've got mine very close to where i want it,  but soon i am gonna side line it and put club plates on  ( weekend use) pick something else for day to day