I am thinking of installing a batwing fairing on my CT1100C2 Sabre during the off season. I have been told that it will mess up the performance/mileage since you are now pushing all that air. Other opinions say it isn't noticeable. What say you?

It is exactly opposite! Remember they put fairings on racing bikes to cut down the wind resistance.

Unless the fairing is REALLY poorly designed, I can guarantee the fairing will be more more aerodynamic than your upper body is.

I agree 100% with Lucky. The idea of the fairing is to divert the resistance around the bike smoothly. It's designed for better aerodynamics and is the main advantage of a fairing over a windshield. You're upper body is far less aerodynamic then the fairing.

I put a fairing on my '05 Suzuki C-90 and didn't see ANY reduction in mileage.

I put a small batwing (hoppe) fairing on my sportster... best thing I ever did. Have not noticed any effect on gas mileage but the ride is much more comfortable.

I have to agree with others,the fairing should improve your ride and as for mileage,the reduction in mileage will be minimal,I use a Memphis Shades & wouldnt want to ride w/out it.Its great in the rain and I can only guess that the batwing will make the ride even better!

I think who ever told you that might have been thinking about the 70's style old batwings which vibrated alot, and couldn't get a good seal around the headlamp...the new stuff is made alot stronger and lighter from the newer composite materials, boils down to what you want..really and no one else...but yeah go for it.

It makes that much of a difference? I may have to look into this after a while.

I have an 05 sabre and am also interested in putting a fairing on my bike. If/when you install it could you please take some pics and post them. I'm interested in seeing how it looks on the bike. Thank you.

 Got it mounted about a week ago.  

......and what results can you report on it with regard to increasing performance or wind drag?

Has it increased airflow?

Or has it increased drag?


Dont be confused by the amount of wind it has taken off of the front of you, I mean actual drag or actual airflow ok? 

My take on fairings is as Lucky and others has said but with reservations...Harley has a very poorly designed windsheild, mine is a clip-on and has sat in the garage only being put on during the worst of rain storms that are on for the whole day, even though it is one of the smaller ones it causes masses of wind drag, I only use it to stop quite as much rain from running down my face and neck inside my leathers on a long hard ride...the wind drag on that thing is around 15mph at top end...much more in a headwind.....

From what I am seeing in this short time, my mileage is still around 37 mpg. Handles well even in a side wind which we get a lot of here in WY. I was concerned with the simple hollow design that the wind might play havoc inside the bars but haven't notice any problems even at highway speeds. I realized one thing though: I'll be spending a lot of time cleaning grasshoppers and other bugs out of the slotted trim when the weather warms up.

Hehehehehehe, better to have the bugs on the glass than in your teeth.........unless you get hungry of course...well...it saves having to pull off the road for a nosebag right?  The only ones I dont like are the dung flies, they leave a nasty taste!!!

As long as you get them at slower speeds some of the crunchy bugs are nice...lol...they have a kind of cream in them...lol...Mmmmmm...lol...and sooooo crunchy.....lol.....

But on a serious note.....Windscreens stop you from getting free riding food!!!

But on an even more serious note.....You have to keep cleaning all that bug grease off!!!

But I digress...lol...If you like screening then keep an eye on your neighbours...lol...they aint like you unless of course they are Bikers.....

THE SERIOUS FOOTNOTE NOW FOLLOWS.....
I have seen the screens like you have there and it looks kind of ok, and that is why I was showing interest in it...but from your account of same fuel consumption etc...the only benefit I can see realistically is that you have less wind hitting directly on the front of you, so it is a win win situation...even if for other reasons.....

Thanks for posting the pic ! Its like a complete makeover almost to the bike.You also answered my question about what effect side winds are having on it.

Is this the Memphis Shade Bat Wing or some other clone of it?

Dang it,something else on my wish list..!!!

It is a Memphis Shades with the 9 inch gradient (black to clear) shield.

Looks very nice. I'm really considering getting one for my ride now. I have a regular windshield on mine but this might be a nice upgrade. Do you have any side pics of it? I'm curious about how the look of it flows with the look of the bike.

Was looking at same brand for my bike. Was wondering, do you feel it also protects your hands a bit more? Get tired of getting pelted in the hands all the time from bugs and road crap.

I put one of the Memphis Shades Batwing Fairings on my 09 RoadKing. Just got back from a 1500 mile trip and loved the way it performed over the windshield that came on it from the factory!!!!

Thanks for the picture update! I may have to look into it once I get my new handle bars and mount them.

I really like how that looks. Mine is nice but I am thinking about the batwing since airflow to my hands bother me because of my arthritis.

any body have a picture of a batwing on a vstar 1100 custom?

 I never found a batwing faring that would fit for my CM400T.  But just the windshield did make a huge difference in the comfort of the ride.

Now my new (To me bike) has a batwing faring and Wow!