Batwing on Fatboy?

[lilfatboy]

Originally Posted by james62

I put a windshield on my fatboy, the hd nostalgic model, and then cut it down
to a tombstone style, i couldnt take the look for much more than a couple of weeks, so off it came.

james

That is my problem. My buddy had a heritage, nothing wrong with them, but just not quite my style. To me the batwing has a more hot rod look to it. Clear windshields remind me of all the old geezers I see down here during the winter riding around on their little Hondas.....

[route66paul]

Looks are important, but comfort is king. Any wind block is nice, even the shorty windshields. I like shocks at both ends of the bike, too.

[Hoot]

Originally Posted by lilfatboy

Anyone out there put a HD Batwind fairing on a softail, specifically a FatBoy, or no anyone who has? After buying my new FatBoy the Street Glide fairing has really grown on me. They are both FL front ends so it should be a pretty easy swap, right?

Try this, http://www.hoppeindustries.com/spstrhb.html , They sell fairings for softails.

[07HDFB]

I know this post is ages old now, but I have been going through the same delema.

I bought the FatBoy for the wide tires and stout look. I asked my salesman about putting on a faring when I purchased the bike and he said it would not be a problem. Now, after purchasing the bike, the stealership says, no. The FatBoy front end will not handle the weight of a faring and if one was installed the dynamics of the faring make the front end wobble from the wind moving across it.

I don't know anyone who has one on a FB so I can't verify it. Currently I have a stck HD windshield for long freeway trips and remove it around town. It works OK but would rather have the look of a faring.

Anyone had the oppertunity to verify this?

[Clint50]

Get a Dragonfly batwing fairing and don't look back. You'll love it and it should work fine on your FB.

[1bdBagr]

Originally Posted by 07HDFB

I know this post is ages old now, but I have been going through the same delema.

I bought the FatBoy for the wide tires and stout look. I asked my salesman about putting on a faring when I purchased the bike and he said it would not be a problem. Now, after purchasing the bike, the stealership says, no. The FatBoy front end will not handle the weight of a faring and if one was installed the dynamics of the faring make the front end wobble from the wind moving across it.

I don't know anyone who has one on a FB so I can't verify it. Currently I have a stck HD windshield for long freeway trips and remove it around town. It works OK but would rather have the look of a faring.

Anyone had the oppertunity to verify this?

If you like the feeling of a brick in the wind (as with the stock windshield)....I put one on a Heritage and took it off after one ride. I hated it. As far as the fairing on a fatboy i think your sales guy was just a dumbass. The fairing doesn't weigh THAT much, and for causing wobble....i'd doubt that. On that theory, you couldn't put a fairing on a road king. but , alas, YOU can! Everybody who has a Dragonfly fairing never seems to take it off once it's on. The only drawback is the cost. There are other manufacturers of these, but IMHO, they're kinda ugly. Like the Hoppe with the 4 speakers that looks like it's a Pep Boys item.
But again, just my skewed opinion.
The other option is buying the kit that http://www.mckayscyclecreations.com/
has you get the brackets/hardware from him or an associate and get a factory HD fairing part # 58198-76A.
You just don't get the stereo option as with Dragonfly, but then again a quarter of the weight. Hope this helps ya.
Tim

[07HDFB]

Thanks for the input on this.

I went to yet another stealership and closely looked at the 07 FatBoy and the 07 Heritage front ends. There IS a difference in the neck configuration between the two. I talked to one of the mechanics who seemed to be interested in what I wanted to do and he said that he road a newer FatBoy where some one had added a Dragonfly faring. He said it looked real good but that the ride was a little funny and he felt it was unstable. He said it's because the forks attach on the front side of the neck assembly vs the rear like the Heritage. A gusty wind might cause some handling issues.

I guess I just need proof before I spend that kind of money. I want my ride to be comfortable, not a challange.

[Carrie]

Here's a batwing on a fatboy. Owner American Eagle :

[1bdBagr]

Originally Posted by 07HDFB

Thanks for the input on this.

I went to yet another stealership and closely looked at the 07 FatBoy and the 07 Heritage front ends. There IS a difference in the neck configuration between the two. I talked to one of the mechanics who seemed to be interested in what I wanted to do and he said that he road a newer FatBoy where some one had added a Dragonfly faring. He said it looked real good but that the ride was a little funny and he felt it was unstable. He said it's because the forks attach on the front side of the neck assembly vs the rear like the Heritage. A gusty wind might cause some handling issues.

I guess I just need proof before I spend that kind of money. I want my ride to be comfortable, not a challange.

Maybe you're mistaking a Heritage for a Touring (FL) bike. A touring bike has the reverse trees you mention. A Heritage and Fat Boy's triple trees are EXACTLY the same. I still call BS on the riding different thing when putting a batwing style fairing on a FL softail. I will also clarify that with saying i havent ridden a softail with that setup. I've seen many softails with the detachable fairing. It they handled shitty i'd doubt you'd see so many companies selling them. You really need to talk to a Dragonfly Owner and ask him how it performs.
Tim

[bagger-style]

Bagger-Style.com has detachable fairings for Fat Boys. Fully detachable, lockable (only fairing that does) MP3 jack, 12 volt jack, Polk Audio speakers check out the web site www.bagger-style.com or you can call me at 831-245-6135. Ron Kemberling. owner of Bagger-Style.

[Coolmaker]

I have a Dragonfly on my 06 Road King Classic. It handles well. Way better than just a windshield. In fact, I sent my outer fairing off for some graphics and paint work not long ago, put the stock windshield back on and I felt like the bike was unstable w/ windshield on it. I was a happy camper when I got my fairing back on the bike..

[Tling]

I m looking also what is out there, I found this site. Has anybody seen this around? http://www.hoppeindustries.com/
Also has anybody has any experience in cutting down the windshild on a harley? Need to take a inch off. Thanks

[Glenn W]

Originally Posted by Tling

I m looking also what is out there, I found this site. Has anybody seen this around? http://www.hoppeindustries.com/
Also has anybody has any experience in cutting down the windshild on a harley? Need to take a inch off. Thanks

(disclaimer: I work for Hoppe)
In addition to the "Hoppe with the 4 speakers that looks like it's a Pep Boys item." I designed a smaller model for the Heritage that may interest you.

It'll go right onto a Fat Boy if you have the lightbar with spotlamps. This also relocates the turnsignals from the handlebars where the fairing would partially hide them from the view of oncoming drivers.

[98-Fatboy]

anybody have any updates to this thread... I'm looking to do the same thing to my fatboy, I was wondering if someone out there could inform me what are the differences are between all of the different HD fairings and will any of them work or is it just a particular fairing that will work or do you just suggest getting one of the aftermarket kits...???
thanks

[Glenn W]

Originally Posted by 98-Fatboy

anybody have any updates to this thread... I'm looking to do the same thing to my fatboy, I was wondering if someone out there could inform me what are the differences are between all of the different HD fairings and will any of them work or is it just a particular fairing that will work or do you just suggest getting one of the aftermarket kits...???
thanks

Pretty much any fairing designed for the Heritage can be made to fit the FatBoy-that said, be careful on how/if you do it. The reverse trees on the ElectraGlide/RoadKing families make them completely different from a Heritage/FatBoy when it comes to a fairing. You could practically mount a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood to a Road King and have it handle ok, while a fairing app on a Heritage/FatBoy (H/FB) is verrrry touchy. First off, the basic mounting points are parallel on the Herit. and tapered on the FB so you'll need spacers on the top mounting screws or just go to the spotlamp/turnsignal bar. I recommend the lightbar because a fairing will partially block the veiw of the handlebar-mounted turnsignals on a FB. Basic FB fairing 101> lower, smaller & lighter = better! Also the farther back towards the rider the entire fairing sits the better the handling-the farther forward of the steering head centerline the more dangerous. You can get a weathervane effect if it's too far forward and that will kill ya in a hurry. Same if the fairing sits up too high or is tilted forward too much. The MoCo warns against ANY fairing on a H/FB family bike, 'course they warned against synthetic oil too, until THEY offered it Just know the score-if you have worn or loose steering head bearings or swingarm bushings, and/or a cupped or out of round front tire, a fairing will magnify it. The front end will handle the weight just fine, it's the increased downforce and sprung mass that really affects the handling.