I am the owner of a Honda motorcycle [CBX1000] who lives in Hiroshima City, Japan. I am posting about FCR carburetor and CBX1000 customization. I also post about things other than cars and motorcycles. We will post information that will make bikers around the world happy.
This time, I will write a column about whether or not you should install a cowl on your motorcycle. I am writing about the changes that come with adding a cowl and the cost of installing it. The other day, I attached a CBX400F Integra cowl to my CBX1000 to make it look original.
I write extreme opinions. It is better to install a cowl on motorcycles that run on public roads. The following text will be my personal opinion.
Why attach a cowl to a motorcycle?
Speaking purely from a performance standpoint, it is easier to operate with a cowl because there is no wind resistance. You can also get speed. In terms of performance, there is no advantage to not adding a cowl. Exceptionally, in off-road motorcycle competitions, there are repeated stops and starts, so No cowl required. Riders who wear helmets without screens, such as newspaper delivery riders, may also wear a cowl, or rather a screen, to protect the area around their faces from insects and pebbles. What matters is the use. The cowl of racers etc. is designed to prevent the rider from being blown away. Guard and aerodynamics are considered. However, if you are cruising at 50 km/h on a public road or at best on a expressway, There are also items that can be sufficiently effective, such as screens that can be placed over the headlights or cloth windshields. Installing something that is sturdy, large, and solid will also affect maintainability and cost. It is important to choose the right material for the right place because it is easy to put on and take off, and because it gets dirty from work, it is easy to throw away. Motorcycles that do not have a cowl, such as naked motorcycles, Each manufacturer has different looks, such as sports-like thinking, maintainability, and fashion. We have a design philosophy. There is a reason why I install a cowl on my CBX1000. This is because it improves performance when driving on the expressway. Another reason is that I wanted to ride the CBX1000 with the cowl attached. It is installed with high strength. However, it is less maintainable and costs more to install. The weight is also increasing, so pushing and pulling becomes heavier.
What kind of cowl should I install?
Assuming large motorcycles such as CBX1000 and round-eye naked motorcycles that can easily reach speeds of over 120km/h. I will write it down. If you don't have any particular preferences, you can just attach a resin product called a bikini cowl or just a screen. You can enjoy it as a DIY without having to pay a professional to install it. The disadvantage of installing a bikini cowl is that the handle becomes heavy, but it is relatively light. Therefore, handling the handle does not become so heavy that it can be called a disadvantage. Please be careful that the cowl does not interfere with the tank or frame when tuning the steering wheel. As for painting, some bikini cowls are pre-painted, and if you ask a local car shop, they may be able to paint it for you at a low price. If you are a rider who is not experienced with painting, you may end up with disappointing results, so we recommend that you choose a product that has been painted from the beginning. A special stay may be required when installing a bikini cowl from another motorcycle. It is safer to use a general-purpose product. I have my preferences in terms of looks, but I don't think it would drastically change the image of a normal motorcycle.
Attach the cowl like a cafe racer
The difficulty level increases from here. Many riders want to install a cowl in the style of a cafe racer. Motorcycles such as racer replicas come with special parts from the beginning, and even if you remove the cowl, There's little point in riding a motorcycle. Depending on the type of competition, it may be better to remove the cowl. Care must be taken when attaching a cowl to SR or old type round-eye motorcycles. Roughly speaking, if you attach a frame mount cowl to a round motorcycle, It will look like a cafe racer. All you have to do is attach the cowl, but it's more difficult than I imagined. The bikini cowl mentioned in the previous section is intended to be easily attached and removed. For the frame mount cowl, the stay must be made in earnest. The placement and handling of safety components such as turn signals and headlights will also need to be significantly changed. Strength also needs to be thoroughly verified. The frame may also require modification. If you create and install a neat cowl or original stay, the cost will most likely be around 200,000 yen. Overall, other than the cowl kit specifically for that motorcycle being sold, Riders who are not confident in their work may be better off not touching this item. My CBX1000 may have a cowl that can be said to be cafe racer style. It's a frame mount. I will briefly describe the cost and the parts that were difficult to install. Since I installed it myself, there is no labor charge for that.
・CBX400F Integra cowl purchase cost, approximately 10,000 yen ・CBX1000 late model SC06 exclusive stay purchase cost, around 12,000 yen ・Purchase cost of repair items for screen and cowl, approximately 20,000 yen ・Purchase cost of general-purpose stay, approximately 10,000 yen ・Cowl repair and painting approximately 50,000 yen It costs about 102,000 yen and a lot of time, Approximately 10,000 yen will be added for touch-up and additional wiring costs. If you ask a custom shop etc., labor charges will be included, so Depending on the type of motorcycle, the labor costs can be exorbitant.
Do you install a cowl on your motorcycle?【summary】
This is a recent Japanese custom trend. Bikini cowls, side bags, and pannier cases are often attached to naked motorcycles. About 10 years ago, there was a trend that wearing bags and cowls was aesthetically inappropriate. There is no such thing in modern times. For people like me, installing a frame mount cowl costs both time and money. It's very large. Vehicle inspections may also be affected. It is not detailed above. Attaching the cowl increases the perceived speed, making it easier for the rider to increase speed. Driving naked at 120km/h Up to about 160km/h even in situations where the operating feel is reduced due to wind You can even speed up with no problem. Of course it depends on the use, If you use a cloth windshield, you can only benefit up to about 80km/h. If the speed is higher than that, it may be dangerous due to its shape and strength. Many people don't like installing a cowl because it changes the look. For naked motorcycles without a cowl, it is effective to equip them with screens, bikini cowls, meter visors, etc. Please refer to this regarding cowl installation. See you again!
*A photo gallery of the cowl is attached at the end.
CBX1000-Cowl
In terms of genre, it is a frame mount, and since it only has the upper part, it is an upper cowl. The cowl itself is a genuine CBX400F Integra cowl attached to the CBX1000. There is no special processing of the frame, it is installed by bolt-on. Although it is not a direct processing of the frame, some welding is done on the handle stopper and stay. doing. Since it is a frame mount, it does not impair operability while driving, The overall weight itself has increased.
