Popular Post Larz Posted December 7, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted December 7, 2020 ....on lightwieght, easily affected motorcycles, like our FJ/Tracers. Put one on my Tracer around 5K miles back. I had a vague impression of some slight change in how the bike felt at triple digits right away; nonetheless, being enamoured at the way the Bill/Beak filled in the empty space in the front end while giving her an "Adventure Bikey" look, I ignored it. Around the same time the bike got new rubber. And then I lost a wheel weight up front. And all of sudden, the bike had a pronounced bounciness in the frontend at triple digits- very noticable, but didn't effect the handling per se. So I just put up with it. It's not like I constantly blast around at those speed, after all. But then it was time for new rubber again. Ah, I thought, the wheel will be properly re-balanced, the bothersome bounciness wil cease. Except it didn't. It was better, but still there. My thoughts returned to the Beaky Bill. Finally getting off my dead arse, I removed it and took the bike out. I flogged her hard, multiple triple digit runs on tarmac of varying quality, getting up to an indicated 120 several times. Well, hmm, instead of a bounciness, now there is a chatter that comes on right about the triple digit mark. Again it doesn't really effect the handling, there is no head shake kind feel to it. Very much confined to a vertcal sensation. Overall, the bike feels smoother, "cleaner" , you could say, at high speed now sans the Beaky Bill. It's subtle, but quite noticable to me. However, the front wheel does not feel as planted when heeled over in a triple digit sweeper. I surmise that at those speeds, the Beaky Bill is exerting some degree of down pressure on the front end that is most noticable when the bike is heeled over. Just as it apparently negatively impacts some aspects of the already rather poor ( "dirty") high speed aerodynamics of the bike when traveling in a relatively straight line. Of course, this may not be relevant for many riders who rarley exceed 80MPH. Afer all, many good folks here run Top Cases without complaint. Sensitive Little Fuk that I am ( just ask my girlfriends) a Top Case would bug the hell outta me. I suspect that my front wheel is slightly screwed and that is the root cause of what is now a chatter, rather than a bounce with a new tire supposedly properly balanced but no Beaky Bill. Looks be damned, no more Beaky Bill for me. 7 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member knyte Posted December 7, 2020 Supporting Member Share Posted December 7, 2020 Interesting findings. Funny write-up! 2 2015 FJ-09 / FJR touring bags / oil plug mod / Evotech rad guard / SW Motech bash plate / GIVI DS2122S windscreen / Seat Concepts: Sport Touring / Vcyclenut ABS rings (speedo correction) / Cosmo RAM mount Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member keithu Posted December 7, 2020 Premium Member Share Posted December 7, 2020 Congratulations on your recovery! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoAl Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 If the beak is putting downward pressure at speed seems like it would be better for the Tracer GT as its a bit light in the front. As for the front tire I could see one causing that. On my previous bike I mounted up an older Pilot Road 4GT, it had been on the bike before - swapped it back on to replace a newer Road 5. It had a bounce/vibration. Replaced it with a new Road 5 front and the vibration was gone! It was a good tire then i took it off but somewhere it became not so good. I did, and still plan to do, lots of 5,000 to 7,000 mile trips and not wanting to change tire in the middle of a trip I go thru a fair number of tires. Upside is I have a spare tire if I need it and my friends get good used tires with a 4 or 5 thousand miles left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lospsi Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 Just a thought: I noticed you had your beak fitted with the spacers. Many "beakers" (myself included) fit the nose without them, beak touching the lower part of the front fairing. Maybe that small gap between beak and nose fairing creates some weird aerodynamics? Disclaimer: I haven't tested my bike with the beak yet😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larz Posted December 8, 2020 Author Share Posted December 8, 2020 @lospsiyeah, I wanted to make sure plenty of air was gettin' to the intake,eh. Seems unlikely, given the myriad gaps in the stock front end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted December 10, 2020 Premium Member Share Posted December 10, 2020 Tire and/or suspension issues. I find getting low over the tank is a must at "speed", the bigger the screen and/or beak, the more drag, the more vortex shedding to deal with. Could be a loosened steering head, vibration due to NOT being flush (I'd install a thin rubber damper layer between), and/or the spacers causing vibration, etc, etc Down force is good but is a very complicated when speeds, steering, braking are traded off each other. But tires and suspension are most likely. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member fjray Posted January 1, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted January 1, 2021 I've had my beak for a while now and have not noticed any issues with it. I like the way it looks too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick123 Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 8 hours ago, fjray said: I've had my beak for a while now and have not noticed any issues with it. I like the way it looks too. Not every one is a Sensitive Little Fuk... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member fjray Posted January 2, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted January 2, 2021 What the? You seem like a real peach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 9 hours ago, Rick123 said: Not every one is a Sensitive Little Fuk... Rick has been warned another outburst like this will get him banned. For now, he's been suspended for a week. Let's return to our normally scheduled content... 4 2 '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted January 2, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted January 2, 2021 Wow, I guess my absent minded references to politics aren't so bad in comparison... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick123 Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 On 1/2/2021 at 9:46 AM, koth442 said: Rick has been warned another outburst like this will get him banned. For now, he's been suspended for a week. Let's return to our normally scheduled content... I think you should’ve first read the original posting here before you issued this warning!!! If you still don’t see what I was referring to I can quote it to you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husqy Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 (edited) I love the look and I put a beak on mine over a year ago, haven't noticed an issue at all and have run it up to 230km/hr (140mph)... I did order mine off Ali express, and the first one I got cracked when I tightened the screw, so they sent me a replacement. Since then, no issues! Also not to get into forum 'drama', but I think @Rick123 was making a joke to OP's post where he refers to himself as a 'sensitive little fuk' Edited January 10, 2021 by Husqy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick123 Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Husqy said: I love the look and I put a beak on mine over a year ago, haven't noticed an issue at all and have run it up to 230km/hr (140mph)... I did order mine off Ali express, and the first one I got cracked when I tightened the screw, so they sent me a replacement. Since then, no issues! Also not to get into forum 'drama', but I think @Rick123 was making a joke to OP's post where he refers to himself as a 'sensitive little fuk' Wow, somebody got it. Thank you! The best part is that I’m planning to install the beak on my bike too😀 Edited January 10, 2021 by Rick123 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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