Vetter Owners Bikes-21

Vetter Owner's Bikes Page 21 Posted April 17, 2011

1983 Yamaha Seca XJ 750 with a Windjammer 5

Hello America,
Hello Carol and Craig Vetter -
Greetings from Bad Reichenhall, Bayern in Germany !

First of all I beg your pardon for my English, it's very "un-used".
Its a pleasure to see that there are so many people which are still using your fairings - and I am one of them.

Here are some photos from my "Joy", an '83 Yamaha XJ 750 Seca, which I buy in 2008 - after a long time without motorbike, but a lot of family.

In winter 09/10 I shot a Windjammer V on 7.10 am on a sunday morning at ebay for such a low price which I can not tell, because everyone would call me a fraud.
So I started to built up a Travelling-Bike for me like I would have had in younger times.
Now its nearly like the "Picture in my head" - for the Windjammer, I made a new Windshield and modified the mount which was made for a Honda; for the luggage I found old Krauser K2 saddlebags, and a new tailtrunk (first I think about a Vetter-Tailtrunk, but I decided that it would be too big for my bike). At last I mount Highwaypegs, what I miss is a radio, probably I take Helmet-Headphones and a miniradio and mp-player - and then ?

Maybe.....one day I will make the ride which I dreamed of in my youth - around Europe.
If, and you wolud like it I will tell you.

It would make me pride if my "Joy" - thats the name of my bike - would find her way on your Owners bikes-site.

Again, many greetings from Germany -

Michael

Craig says: We will have a space here for your adventures on "Joy"

A true story from 1973

Craig - I doubt that you remember me, but here is a voice from the past. Your kindness and generosity in 1973 made me a fan of yours and, probably, an unanticipated champion for Vetter products.

In September 1973 I drove down the "Alaska Highway" from Anchorage, AK to Ft Bragg, NC by way of MN. I was driving a 1970 International Travelall and pulling a 1963 Ford van into which I had stuffed a 1970 Honda 750 and a 1970 snow mobile. A Bultaco El Tigre was hung on the front bumper of the International using a set of bumper mount motorcycle carriers. I also had 16 tires, the van tank, a spare gas tank in the van, and full dual tanks in the Travelall- about 60 gallons, total. When I left Grand Marais, MN I headed towards Rantoul.

I knew where Rantoul was because my dad had taught at Chanute in the late 40's and early 50's. We lived in Loda part of the time and Champaign later. I had read that you had developed and were manufacturing fairings and decided, while I was in Alaska, that I wanted to buy one for the Honda 750.

Vetter Fairing Company, when John visited in the Fall of 1973

Visitors would have to get past SuperDog

I pulled into your facility at Rantoul sometime in late September 1973. I walked in and talked to a person about buying a Windjammer fairing and told him the story of my trip and where I was headed. It got kind of quiet and I was told that they didn't sell retail, only wholesale. I don't remember much of the conversation after that until it got to the part, "Let me see if we might have something in back". After several minutes a different guy came out of the back with a box. I think that person was you. I was told that he had found a second and could sell it to me at a discount. I opened the box and it was a white fairing with the round aircraft style vents. I don't remember if the mount was in the box or a separate box.

When I inspected the fairing I couldn't find anything wrong and remarked on that. I was told it probably had a small cosmetic flaw. I thanked everybody, paid for the fairing, loaded it in the back of the van and headed for Ft Bragg. About two weeks later I mounted the fairing on the bike and realized that there weren't any flaws. I am pretty sure you pulled fairing off the line or one boxed for shipping and sold it to me for a "second". That's the way I remember it.

In 1975 I went down to the Honda dealership in Fayetteville, NC to look at the new bikes. They were all naked. The liter four cylinder bikes with fairings showed up soon after. I took one look at the fairing and said, "That looks like a Vetter fairing and was asked lots of questions about the one on my bike. I told my story and remarked that they couldn't go wrong if they got the fairing.

Roll the clock forward to 2010 and I see a 1975 GL 1000 Gold Wing at auction and can't help bidding on it! When I go down to the Hitching Post, my closest Honda dealer, to do some research on parts I stand around with the sales and parts people telling bike stories. Then I tell them, "Have got a story to tell you. Have you ever met Craig Vetter?"

I ran into Randakk's eNewsletter and info on the past Quail Motorcycle Gathering and it featured GL1000 Honda. It had your email address in the article. If you don't remember me from 1973 and my thanks to you at that time, thank you again.

John Rantala

Craig comments: That probably was me, John. I had the authority and do things like that. We had to protect our dealers. But how could I turn you down? You didn't know our rules. This happened often. We really did have what we called "Seconds." They might have had a slight drip in the paint... something like that. Rather than sand them down and start over, if we had one, we would save them for emergencies like you.

Windjammer III serial #83054

Jan writes: For so many years I thought your windshields were unshatterable--yet in march of this year, while traveling down I75 at approximately 75mph, a large foreign object did just that to my Windjammer III...One piece remained on the bike while the other side was in pieces..many...
I never thought this could happen--even traveling down the old Alcan highway with 1523 miles of rocks and dirt flung up at you by the trucks barreling the highway, didn't do this kind of damage..

Jan

Craig Notes: Even tho the windshield broke it protected him. Makes me feel good, Jan.

A pretty Vetter Setup from Sweden

Windjammer 5, # 63-160212

I just love your fairings.. :) Today I finished the winter project with my bike. Kawasaki Z750 -84 with Vetter Fairings and saddle bags..
Br
Peter - Sweden

Craig comments: All Vetter Windjammers and all Vetter luggage are pretty much the same. To build up a bike like this, you just need the right Vetter mounting brackets for your year and model motorcycle.

Windjammer 111 # 78841
Lowers; #16339

Anyway, here are the serial numbers for the fairing I just installed. Paid $200 Canadian. Came off a 1982 Honda Goldwing with only 10.000 miles on it.

Attached a couple pics.

Cheers

Craig comments: The Windjammer was a great success because it would fit any bike. The magic still works.

Well hello Carol & Craig,,,

I am enclosing photos of the fairing, mount, and the fairing mounted on the bike,,, (finally), I never did ask Craig what model my fairing is so if you can let me know, Anyway I am enclosing a photo of the fairing serial number to help, I hope.

K32 118957

If you need anymore information, please let me know,,, oh and craig, it went on like a dream, thank you for all the information on your website, WAY TO GO,, A+++++, now if I could just find the correct saddle bags and trunk,,,,if you want to you can see all the pictures of this project, and feel free to copy any and post to you site.

Thank you for your response, I look forward to talking with you again.

James Noon

Craig says: This is one of the fairings we made for Kawasaki Motor Company for their product line. James had asked about turn signals. This fairing and our Vindicator fairing needed special Turn Signal Mounting Kits: Download the instructions from the middle of the page. We have some NOS Turn Signal Kits in house.

Windjammer in Slovenija-EU

Branko and son, Bojan

I don"t have story about bikes, but when i get chance to buy a bike i was looking bike with Vetter, because i think and i am verry proud to have it, that the bike with this equipment is an icon for FREE RIDE.

I buy this bike last year 2010 from first owner. He come from USA and take his bike with him here in Slovenija-EU, he sold bike to me. I just don"t know what to say, because picture tell a lott of staf what we all have in our mind about the bikes with the Vetter equipment. I am just verry happy that some of us have this luck to own this and we can show what is bike with Vetter. I think that we all need only helmet with name Vetter on it.

Thank you from EU-Slovenija, BRANKO and BOJAN my son. And I have to say that I am very proud to be owner for my son and bike with Vetter.

Craig says: This pleases me as much as it does you.

The mystery of K32-126686

I am hoping you may be able to steer me in the right direction.

I have emailed Kawasaki and they responded saying any past production information is proprietary and not available. Everyone on the forums knows all about the Vetter Products but no one has pictures of the Kawasaki versions new or restored.

I have attached a picture of my old 1983 KZ750N2 Spectre after I rescued it and reworked it mechanically.

I have the Kawasaki Vetter Bags –Serial 29-76576, and Vetter Trunk Ser 36 247585 and Kawasaki Lowers K35 021138

I have not found any factory evidence of this bike's production with full dress, and yet I own one.

Is there anyone who might have information about these old components and the color schemes they came in. They seem to be slightly different than the Vetter versions and they color match the bike (or did at one time).

Thank You in advance for any assistance,

J.E. Hargadine

Craig explains all... pretty much: First things first. I had sold Vetter by late 1978. By the time this fairing was being made by Vetter for Kawasaki, the company had been put into bankruptcy by the new owners. Bell - the helmet makers - took over and were probably running the show by then.

From the fairing serial number, this is indeed a Kawasaki Fairing made by Vetter. It looks like a rebadged Windjammer 5. I did not know they did that. As I write, K32-126686 is the highest Kawasaki (K32) number I know of. That makes it unique. In the deal I arranged with Kawasaki we agreed to color match the fairings we made for them. Kawasaki supplied their own striping, which seemed to change every year. It is reasonable to think that your fairing is exactly as we made it for Kawasaki, with the exception that "Spectre" was probably never put on the side like that. A previous owner probably put that decal on.

I think the Kawasaki dealers actually installed the Vetter stuff, not the factory.

Because you have given us the serial number for the Lowers, I have learned that "K35" was the prefix used for Kawasaki Lowers. I did not know that.

Vetter Saddlebags were all "29" Tail Trunks were "36". If you go to my fairing page, you will see that you have among the last of the Vetter luggage numbers, too. I'd say that what you have represents the last of the Vetter Product Line.

I am happy that you are restoring your bike. It is significant.

Page posted April 17, 2011

Updated April 24, 2011