Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Accessories Memphis Fats+Lowers - so far so good

I installed a 19" Memphis Fats windshield yesterday and the lowers today. The windshield is VERY handsome and sturdy looking. A nice visual addition to the bike.

I was less impressed with the mounting kit (9907 for Suzuki Marauder). The Marauder probably has slimmer fork tubes than ours and doesn't have that lovely great speedo in front of the bars. The fit seems a bit strained. Even at the limit of clamp adjustment the windshield sits more upright than I would like. Additionally, as someone noted, the body of the clamps is aluminum and the tightening screws are stainless steel. It might be ok but...

Functionally, the Fats by itself is just ok. It's surprisingly high, at 5'10" I'm definitely looking though it, and it goes down a fair bit beside the headlights. Without the lowers, though, I got as much buffetting from below as I did with my slipstreamer viper at 1/3 the cost.

The lowers make a big difference. With them in place I definitely havce less buffetting at the base of the helmet. I have some flutter at my chest but it's not nearly as annoying.

So far, so good. It's the best combination I've had so far and there are probably adjustments to be done. I'll post pictures when I get a few minutes.

Hi Bill,
I have the same screen. I have done some drastic mods, but like it better now.
FIRST and foremost: Check the mounts and turn your front forks back and forth to make sure you don't get into the paint on your tank. Several folks have already found that out the hard way. I reversed the mount brackets on the windshield so the flange is on the outside. This relieved a lot of stress on the plastic. And yes, one of my lower bolt holes now wears a nice new shiny helicoil.
I used a rotary file in a drill to cut the mounting slots deeper. I cut into the upper ones a bit more to get the angle I wanted. Then, since I was looking "through" the screen, I got my rotozip saw with the circle cutting jig and clamped a piece of thin plexiglass to the front of headlight cutout. I cut my headlight hole 2" higher, so I could lower the windscreen by dropping the fork clamps. Of course I removed the plexiglass after using it to center my circle cutter.
I don't have lowers, so the buffeting is worse now. The bottom points on the screen are low enough now to come real close to lowers, if mounted. I am looking on ebay for some cheap lowers to use until I get a WindVest.
For now, this will have to do. The lowers kit for a Honda VTX1300 work on our bikes, right?
Ride Safe,
Dennis

Dennis:
Thanks for the tips.
-I was sensitive to the mounting because of comments I read here and my tank is intact.
-I mounted the flange on the outside to start with! I thought that was what the instructions said (in a very convoluted way).
- I would like to slant mine back more but I don't see cutting the slots deeper as an option. it's already very close to the speedo. Could you look at this pic and see if yours is mounted differently, maybe i'm missing sopmething. a pic of yours would also be welcome.
- I am definitely looking through the screen and I don't like it but I'm going to leave it that way for next week's ride and see if I can stand it. If I was going to do anything I would trim the top rather than the headlight opening - that just seems hard!
-My lowers are Memphis shades purchased from a classified on this site.

Hi Bill,
I'll send you a pic when my daughter brings my digital camera back from the Gulf Coast tomorrow afternoon.
I chose to cut the headlight hole because:
1. My rotozip circle jig only let me do a 19" diameter hole. The rotozip did a fair job on the Lucite, but I didn't
want to test it on an "out in the open" part.
2. I wanted to get the screen's center acorn nut below the speedometer. Oh yes, Mine had a 9" cutout for the headlight,so this let me close the gap a bit.

If you do decide to trim your top a couple inches, maybe one of the kitchen countertop shops can do it. they have the bits to do a good job, since they cut formica. They are usually good at cutting radii (radiuses) too.
I'll get some pics posted tomorrow evening.
Ride Safe,
Dennis

Hello just had a couple of questions about the screen I emailed I think her name was cindy from memphis she said I needed the 9907 kit for sheild and kit 9887 for lowers I saw on here that somebody said we used a 9891 for the lowers and about the screen do I get a 7" or 9" headlight cutout looks like some have cut there 7 to a 9 already so was thinking of going with the 9 thanks for any info Mike

For sure you want the 7" cut out and the 9907 mounting kit.

On the lowers I'm confused. I think people have two different parts one would mount above the brace and the other below.

Hi Mike,
I got the 9907 mount kit on ebay for $50. I bought the 19" windscreen from a local shop for 1/2 price, since the buyer had rejected it because of some scuffing on the front from the box (buffed right out in about 20 seconds). It had a 9" cutout and I had to buy a Kielbasa Sausage to fill the gap. Everything fit well, except the sausage. If you use a Fats or Slim - get the 15" or 17" unless you are 6'4". If you plan on paying retail - get a WindVest and be done with it.
That is my ultimate plan.
Just Ride Safe, So You Can Keep In Touch,
Dennis

Hi Bill,
Sorry I am late with these pictures. I just posted 5 views of my windscreen and mounting mods on my photopost. The top of the 19" screen is inline with the tip of my nose. I am 5'10". The bottom of screen is at the bottom of lower yoke. Buffeting is better but not gone. I will add lowers to eliminate that problem.
Ride Safe,
Dennis

Skillet: Thanks a lot for the pics. you did a good job on the cutout. I think I am going to go with cutting the top down though rather than the cutout. I think that the overall shape of the screen means that to move it down you have to mount it more upright (I'm saying this based on looking at your pic of your brackets vs mine).

For sure I will have to cut it though. I am just back from americade including a few stints in the rain - you just don't want to do that with a screen you look thru. It's not really the rain itself, you might tolerate that - it's the road crud on your screen, visor, glasses - berry berry bad.

Thanks again, I hope to learn from your efforts. I do recommend the lowers - they're excellent.

To everyone else, the MS 19 is WAY TOO TALL unless you're paul bunyan or something. Also, the MS screens are handsome, they do fit, but they are not made for our bikes. The upright speedo and the headlight position are issues. try to get a good look at one on a bike and think it through.

Bill,
I agree. That's why I want a Windvest. I could lean mine back more since I have about 1.5" clearance between screen and speedometer, but it creates a horrendous updraft thus magnifying the buffeting from below. Memphis Shades and National Cycle both make nice sprortscreens that would better suit our rides. HabuBA has a WindVest, his bride, AmyLee has a sportscreen. Maybe they are the ones to ask.
Ya'll Ride safe,
Dennis

I just read an interesting item about lowers. it was on a bmw aftermarket screen but it seems applicable here. their point was that the lowers don't so much block air that would hit you directly but they keep air from disturbing the bubble behind the main screen. makes some sense.

Hi,

I'm 6'2" and have 17 inch MS Fats and lowers. This height shield is comfortable for me to see over (only just mind you) but I was still getting too much buffetting even with the lowers in place. I ordered a Laminar Lip and fitted this and can report that it works great, although I think that it was very expensive for what it is.

Got back from a 2000 mile trip through France last week and can report that this set up worked pretty well at all speeds that the Speedmaster is capable of, right up to maximum downhill with a following wind on the Autoroute approaching the Millau Viaduct. http://www.viaducdemillaueiffage.com/index.php4?lang=EN

In fact without it I don't think I would have kept up with the other guys on their R1150GS and R1200GS's.

Best wishes

Sid

that bridge is on my list!