Home made lowers

tomk · 05-10-2008, 05:30 PM

After getting buffeted way too much, I decided to try to make a set of lowers. They are an extension of the stock ones and go up to the windshield. I also had to cut out a square hole in them to clear the Cobra light bar ends.

**jmorrow** · 05-10-2008, 05:45 PM

I like the looks of them. There not as wide as the lowers on my Nomad. Did they prevent the helmet buffeting?

bigjohn · 05-10-2008, 06:54 PM

Well done.

audiogooroo · 05-10-2008, 08:19 PM

Nicely done tomk!

beezer · 05-10-2008, 09:17 PM

Very nice. I didn't realize you needed to do those cutouts for the Cobra bar.

**ringadingh** · 05-11-2008, 06:03 AM

Nice work tomk! :)

kawgirl · 05-11-2008, 07:41 AM

I like em

Bdog · 05-11-2008, 08:52 AM

Very nice job and probably works great too...cool

radco · 05-11-2008, 09:05 AM

LOOKs good Tom, ANY whistle noise from the hole or windshield area??? Rich

05-11-2008, 10:26 AM

Hey, Tom,

Are those Lexan? If so, how tough is it to work with? Does it fracture easily while cutting?

tomk · 05-11-2008, 12:49 PM

Thanks folks. I just got back from trying them out. The buffeting is gone, the wind behind the screen while riding at 85-90 is the same as around 70 (all indicated on the speedo).

There is a bit of a breeze coming from in front of the mirrors but the air coming over the tank right at your head is gone. There is no wind noise that I could hear whether a whistle or other.

I bought the material at Home Depot. It's a 2 x 3 x 0.212 (?) sheet of acrylic for $15. The stock one was around 0.156 thick if I remember right. It's fairly flexible and didn't fracture. The cut does melt with a jigsaw so you want to use a band saw if you have access to one. I made one with a jigsaw and the other with a band saw. I used about half the sheet. I did a lot of work with the Dremel and sanding bit and a little with a file. I drilled four holes and jigsawed and Dremelled the square holes -- the Cobra goes into the holes about 3/4".

I didn't buy the Lexan sheet because it was $50 and I wasn't sure how well they would work out or if I would screw it up.

There is one thing to do when mounting them and I don't know if you do these with the Edmonds. The top of the new lower should rest against the windshield brackets. I brought the windshield forward as far as I could and just barely rested it on top and against the lowers. I also rotated the lower attaching bracket as far forward as I could(tilting the top backward against the windshield bracket). If you don't, they rattle against the windshield bracket.

blowndodge · 05-11-2008, 01:06 PM

I'm hoping your pleased at the reduction if turbulence Tom. Those are nice looking! Ride next sunday maybe to check them out?

tomk · 05-11-2008, 01:26 PM

Yup -- just as you said they would. Next Sunday sounds great!

misunderstood · 05-11-2008, 01:39 PM

Looks great..........................let us know when you start production and what costs are.

05-10-2008, 05:30 PM	#1
tomk Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 65	Home made lowers After getting buffeted way too much, I decided to try to make a set of lowers. They are an extension of the stock ones and go up to the windshield. I also had to cut out a square hole in them to clear the Cobra light bar ends. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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05-10-2008, 05:45 PM	#2
jmorrow Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Beech Grove, Arkansas Posts: 1,884	Home made lowers I like the looks of them. There not as wide as the lowers on my Nomad. Did they prevent the helmet buffeting? __________________ Jim (Dooley) Morrow Stanford, Arkansas 2004 Kawasaki Nomad 1500 VBA #146
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05-10-2008, 06:54 PM	#3
bigjohn Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Lenoir City, TN Posts: 417	Home made lowers Well done. __________________ BigJohn Price 2006 V2K Bagger
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05-10-2008, 08:19 PM	#4
audiogooroo Sr. Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado/Las Vegas, NV Posts: 3,390	Home made lowers Nicely done tomk! __________________ Audiogooroo - Daryl Porter Colorado Springs, CO VBA #248 VROC #17261 1999 Grn/Grn Nomad
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05-10-2008, 09:17 PM	#5
beezer Top Contributor Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The VooDoo Lounge Posts: 5,779	Home made lowers Very nice. I didn't realize you needed to do those cutouts for the Cobra bar. __________________ 2012 FLHTK Login or Register to Remove Ads
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05-11-2008, 06:03 AM	#6
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	Home made lowers Nice work tomk! :) __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
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05-11-2008, 07:41 AM	#7
kawgirl Sr. Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 2,729	Home made lowers I like em __________________ Amy "kawgirl" Neal Greenville, NC 2002 Nomad
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05-11-2008, 08:52 AM	#8
Bdog Sr. Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Ft. Mcmurray Ab. Posts: 1,447	Home made lowers Very nice job and probably works great too...cool __________________
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05-11-2008, 09:05 AM	#9
radco Sr. Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Dedham Maine Posts: 4,199	Home made lowers LOOKs good Tom, ANY whistle noise from the hole or windshield area??? Rich __________________
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05-11-2008, 10:26 AM	#10
Guest Posts: n/a	Home made lowers Hey, Tom, Are those Lexan? If so, how tough is it to work with? Does it fracture easily while cutting?
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05-11-2008, 12:49 PM	#11
tomk Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 65	Home made lowers Thanks folks. I just got back from trying them out. The buffeting is gone, the wind behind the screen while riding at 85-90 is the same as around 70 (all indicated on the speedo). There is a bit of a breeze coming from in front of the mirrors but the air coming over the tank right at your head is gone. There is no wind noise that I could hear whether a whistle or other. I bought the material at Home Depot. It's a 2 x 3 x 0.212 (?) sheet of acrylic for $15. The stock one was around 0.156 thick if I remember right. It's fairly flexible and didn't fracture. The cut does melt with a jigsaw so you want to use a band saw if you have access to one. I made one with a jigsaw and the other with a band saw. I used about half the sheet. I did a lot of work with the Dremel and sanding bit and a little with a file. I drilled four holes and jigsawed and Dremelled the square holes -- the Cobra goes into the holes about 3/4". I didn't buy the Lexan sheet because it was $50 and I wasn't sure how well they would work out or if I would screw it up. There is one thing to do when mounting them and I don't know if you do these with the Edmonds. The top of the new lower should rest against the windshield brackets. I brought the windshield forward as far as I could and just barely rested it on top and against the lowers. I also rotated the lower attaching bracket as far forward as I could(tilting the top backward against the windshield bracket). If you don't, they rattle against the windshield bracket.
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05-11-2008, 01:06 PM	#12
blowndodge Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Washington City, Utah Posts: 16,474	Home made lowers I'm hoping your pleased at the reduction if turbulence Tom. Those are nice looking! Ride next sunday maybe to check them out? __________________ I love my Victory Cross Country Tour 106. Smells like Victory! Ultra's are Limited There are two types of Harley riders. Those that trailer them and those that push them. The most Interesting Man in the World "Find the things in life you don't do well and don't do those things" Member # 0005
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05-11-2008, 01:26 PM	#13
tomk Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 65	Home made lowers Yup -- just as you said they would. Next Sunday sounds great!
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05-11-2008, 01:39 PM	#14
misunderstood Sr. Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Knoxville,TN Posts: 1,845	Home made lowers Looks great..........................let us know when you start production and what costs are.
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