Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Accessories Custom Windshield Lowers

I made a pair of custom windshield lowers. I used Memphis Shades Lowers Mounting Hardware, with homemade plexiglass (.220 inch thick) plates (10 inches wide and 13 inches tall). I bought the plexiglass plates at Lowes. I cut the plates to seal off the area underneath the headlight and go up to the Memphis Shades Alleycat Windshield. Results are absolutely NO BUFFETING AND NO NOISE AT ALL; just a nice big QUIET air pocket (no airflow over the fuel tank). I originally made the length about 3 inches longer(downwards) but it still did not help protect my knees from the wind, so I cut it back to the final 13 inches height/tallness. To cut the plexiglass plate, I used a 18 tooth blade in a variable speed hand-held jigsaw to cut the plexiglass plates. I finished by adding a trim for the top edge made of a split rubber hose.

PS: After making a cardboard template, I used masking tape (top and bottom side) on each of the two plexiglass plates to prevent splintering and for marking the cutting line. Also, there is a notched-out area in front of my two driving lights, below the lower fork triple-tree.

PPS: It was amazing how much quieter my helment is now, and it is absolutely silent up to above 85mph, which is fast enough for me.

Nice work, Tom.

hey, very cool tom. it goes just a bit below the lower triple tree between the forks right? and a couple of inches further down outside the forks?

Yes, that's right.

Tom, didn't you have to modify the Memphis hardware to mount it above the triple tree? I got the Memphis lowers, and at the "smallest" notch they still way too big to fit anything but the fork shrouds. And mounted that low they divert so much upward that I may as well not have the windscreen.

Tom: I'm not sure whether it's the screens that are different or the way we've got them mounted but my lowers are way further back than yours. I don't think I could make them match up as well as you've done.

Hey Phil,

He is using the upper tube mounts which are smaller. Not listed any where as it is a non traditional location. Tom and a couple others had me dig and I found the size that will fit the upper tubes and now list them on my new site for that application.

And Bill, the reason they are further back in your case is that the Lower tube mounts have a longer mounting bracket than the ones for the upper tube mounts. I never noticed till just now. Part in parcel the trouble we have when companies don't make stuff for our bikes.

I bought the upper tube mounts to try out on my own bike before I started selling them in that application to make sure they would fit. I never used the lower tube and never saw pictures side by side. All I have heard was the lower tubes made a difference in the buffeting reduction.

On mine, I have the lightbar so I have to have them angled back to avoid contact with the screen and light bar. They STILL made such a difference that I kept them on. Originally I was not going to use them because I was not a fan of the look but I was won over by performance.


eddy

Ouch, wish I'd known about those before I bought the other ones.

What kind of windshield is that you have? And Bill, what kind is yours? I've got a Slipstreamer that was on the bike when I got it. Not real happy with it, as the mount isn't real sturdy. The whole think shakes like crazy over 30mph.

mine is a memphis shades "memphis fats"

Mine is an Alley Cat It looks shorter than it is in the picture.

Still, the reports that even the lower tubes make a huge difference, cannot be discounted. We make choices on what we know and I didn't have the ability on my old site to list both so if you didn't already know which you wanted there was no option. Now I have the ability to list choices on the new site...thanks once again Dennis!

Let me check on Monday with Memphis Shades to see if I can get replacement brackets only. I found I can get the clamps only so maybe I can get the brackets too? One of those things they don't advertise but may make available. Save a dime if you really want to change out.

Looking at those again, the shorter (lower tube versions) might allow for a better fit behind the lightbar. Right now I have to angle them back.

eddy

I'm still hoping to get a fairing over the winter but if that doesn't work out I'm going to follow up on this. I found my lowers made an amazing difference where they were but this would be worth trying.

I have the memphis fats and the rivco tunsignal relocators right above the tripletree, which style of lowers bracket should I go for?

mike

The MEM-9887 is the same one used for the 800 Mauader, and the one I should have bought in the first place. Mounted it last night and the fit is perfect for the Memphis slim and should be the same for the fats. Be a day or two before I can test it but now it doesn't sit back as with the lower mount. And shouldn't have that ram air affect. I'll also see where they fit with the lower mount and longer bracket. Phil

Mike57
With out a doubt, go with the 9887 the bracket will sit above the rivco bracket and the lower will sit out far enough to miss the turn signal. It will also sit even with the fat's where it should.

I found the lowers can make a big difference in reducing head buffeting.
Good luck guys!

9887 it is then. thanks Popcorn.
one of my winter projects.
mike

OK after talking with Memphis Shades you can get the long brackets separate from the kit. As it is they come ONLY in the kit for the upper fork tubes and not with the larger clamps for the lower tubes.

This is not an item a dealer can not get right out of the book through their normal source, they have to go direct with Memphis Shades and know what they are talking about because there is not a part number for this larger clamp needed for the lower tubes. This per Memphis Shades. Now maybe they are full of hooha but that is what I was told after a lengthly conversation and swapping of numbers and sizes and what I was looking to do an why and for what.

I am working out the detail on how to make it happen as there remains one more question regarding getting the larger lower clamps and the longer mounting bracket together. So a synopsis; Will be able to get the larger clamps made for the lower fork tubes (traditional lowers mount) and the longer mounting BRACKETS that come with the upper tube mount (smaller sized clamps) As of right now if you have the larger clamps already.

And to ask the obvious question? Do they have the larger clamp in a set with the longer bracket for any other model bikes? They tell me no, that is the ONLY kit that comes with the large tube mounts.

eddy

I just got a set of Upper tube shrouds for the 07 models from zmilin to research windscreen options and I see that there is an upside for these bikes in that the lower mount hardware will work on both the upper and lower mount tubes. Just nice to know info for those looking at lowers for these bikes.
eddy

I'll try and make sure I am saying what I think I am saying.
The normal Lowers location is the lower fork shroud. Some folks have found better performance mounting the Lowers on the upper fork shroud.

When the upper shroud is used, it is mounted on the lower end of the upper shroud below the windshield hardware (in case of the Memphis Shades windscreens, I don't know about Triumph Screens)

On the 2007+ models, the tapered tube is large enough to use the Lower Tube mount clamp on the bottom end (up about 4") of the upper tube shroud.

Which means, you have a single option, that will work in both locations vs the Pre- 2007 models that have to buy a different lowers kit if the want upper or lower mount locations.

Now since I have interchanged words here, upper/lower, upper mount lowers..etc> I have no clue if I am making any sense of it!

eddy