A call for Vetter serial numbers

[fxray]

Carol says: "The fairing hasn't changed a bit. I wish I could say the same"

Carol, by coincidence, I had a '76 CB550Four that I bought new from the same Honda dealer who sold this fairing. I have to say that in the picture of you on your CB500, you look waaaaaay better than I ever did!

That fairing went from Illinois to California with the original owner of this BMW. I think he said he also took it to Mexico a couple of times, and to a bunch of BMW Rallies. It's latest stint was to spend 16 years sitting in a barn (sometimes party house). I finally struck a deal with the second owner last May, and am working on it now. The frame will be going for powdercoat this coming week. Because it sat for so long, the bike only has 39K miles -- not at all bad for a 1974 model. The fairing is in pretty good shape for its age. All I did was wash it off before I started the teardown.

So Craig, what does this do to your S/N list? Maybe a special "transitional" category?

You mentioned earlier that the Rainy Day fender was special. Where would I read about that?

Thanks for all the info.

Ray

 

[roncar]

Craig,

Here's another number for your collection... My S/N is 9873... I don't need any sort of prize, but it would be nice to have you reply and tell me that this is an extremely valuable and sought-after fairing. That way I can print it out and wave it under the nose of my buddy who sold me the old Beemer. I love to irritate him, so lay it on thick...

I am convinced that you have Carol's Test Fairing Number One...How did it get into the hands of the dealer? That is simple. Windjammers were precious. The dealer was given some kind of deal. Carol got a new 550 with a new Test Fairing . Her new bike was never as special to her as her first bike and fairing.
Craig

fxray,
DING, DING, DING. I think you have a winner! START RUBBING IT IN TO YOUR BUDDY!!!

 

[Kynan C.]

Gee, and I thought the slot was a handle for carrying the motorcycle around with one hand.

I did laugh out loud when I read that. Thanks Larry.

 

[fxray]

I e-mailed the link for this thread to the bike's Previous Owner. He'd like to remain anonymous, so I'll just call him PO#2. I'd have to say that he was very interested in the information provided by Craig Vetter. Beyond that, he liked roncar's post the best.

fxray,
DING, DING, DING. I think you have a winner! START RUBBING IT IN TO YOUR BUDDY!!!

Like is a relative term, so maybe I should say he talked about this post the most. Anyway, he calmed down and dug out some pictures of the bike with the 9873 fairing and the rainy day fender from back in the mid 90's when this bike was still his daily rider. It's part of the history of the fairing, so I scanned them to post here:

I guess without revealing his name, I can still post a picture of PO#2. Anyway, how much can he really say, since he is actually a dog. Here he is sitting on his bike back in the day:

O.K., PO#2, calm down again -- that's a joke, son, it's only a joke!


Ray

{Edited to add a follow-up note on 8/15/2017 -- I was in here editing to replace the picture links killed by the maniacs at Photobucket, and see that it has been over 2 1/2 years since I posted the pictures that turned out to be Test Fairing #1.

I finally put the bike back on the road in March, 2017. Here are some pictures from the first day out. Sorry, all you fairing fans, it is running as a naked bike for now. I do still have the Vetter Fairing #9873 and the Rainy Day Fender #12 & 35 in protected storage. Same for the period Reynold's back rest, the engine guard, the little chrome foot-pegs, etc.}

The bike as I bought it:

Ready to go outside:

Finally back in the great outdoors:

 

[roncar]

Beyond that, he liked roncar's post the best.

Like is a relative term, so maybe I should say he talked about this post the most.

Made me laugh out loud!

Like "LIKE", value is also a relative term. I do not have any WJ1's or WJ2's and am not actively seeking ANY more fairings. In the last 7 years I've acquired 12 WJ's (nothing special, 3 thru 5, mostly SS's and 4's) spending less than $75 total (many were given to me) and stripped 2 of them for parts (Kawasaki versions.) To have a piece of history (like #1 test fairing) I would be hesitant to use it for fear of something happening to it, but then I have many others to choose from.

It's value lies with the collectors, Craig, AVetterXS, Terraplane Tom, and the like. Real connoisseurs of the Vetter product line. For me it is all economics, available at cost's that fit my pocketbook. That and nostalgia as I owned a couple in the 70's.

Again congratulations on an awesome find! (Sorry PO#2, finders keepers,..............)

 

[Highwinder]

1981 KZ1100
Vetter Fairing K32-121923
Vetter Trunk 36-215333
Bags K40-159

 

[Saxonplace]

Vetter side boxes now in the UK
Serial Number 29-31835
Were the side boxes made at a different location to the fairings?

 

[Highwinder]

Vetter side boxes now in the UK
Serial Number 29-31835
Were the side boxes made at a different location to the fairings?

View attachment 1174

According to the ID tags on my bags, they were made in Santa Anna, CA. So, that would say the bags were made at different locations... probably the different location depended upon which manufacture was going to use the Vetter product...

 

[Craig Vetter]

By 1977, we had two factories... one in Rantoul Illinois and one in San Luis Obispo, California. The various Vetter components were made in one or the other factory. Saddlebags and Tail Trunks were made in San Luis Obispo. The rotomolding vendor for the bags and trunk came from an outside vendor and could have been in Santa Ana. I do not remember.

We had a couple of trucks crossing the country exchanging some but not all components. I did not want to maintain a duplicate inventory. All Windjammers were made in Illinois. An order could be made up of a box arriving from Rantoul and a box arriving from San Luis Obispo.

 

[Saxonplace]

By 1977, we had two factories... one in Rantoul Illinois and one in San Luis Obispo, California. The various Vetter components were made in one or the other factory. Saddlebags and Tail Trunks were made in San Luis Obispo. The rotomolding vendor for the bags and trunk came from an outside vendor and could have been in Santa Ana. I do not remember.

We had a couple of trucks crossing the country exchanging some but not all components. I did not want to maintain a duplicate inventory. All Windjammers were made in Illinois. An order could be made up of a box arriving from Rantoul and a box arriving from San Luis Obispo.

Thanks for the info Craig

 

[Highwinder]

The bags I mentioned were factory on my 1981 KZ1100 and the script on the bags, trunk and fairing show "Kawasaki by Vetter", so that is why I assumed different locations for different bike manufactures..
Thanks for the information Craig,

Highwinder...

 

[PAUL politsch]

Okay here is mine they fall in the same numbers too 24-253511,36-240270, lowers are 13-108977 also piked this up today This book tells the story. Good reading..

 

[PAUL politsch]

By 1977, we had two factories... one in Rantoul Illinois and one in San Luis Obispo, California. The various Vetter components were made in one or the other factory. Saddlebags and Tail Trunks were made in San Luis Obispo. The rotomolding vendor for the bags and trunk came from an outside vendor and could have been in Santa Ana. I do not remember.

We had a couple of trucks crossing the country exchanging some but not all components. I did not want to maintain a duplicate inventory. All Windjammers were made in Illinois. An order could be made up of a box arriving from Rantoul and a box arriving from San Luis Obispo.

While this is fresh in my mind. I have this CycleSound radio catty that original speakercovers the do NOT have the CycleSound logo in the grills. I did remove the speakers and they are in fact CycleSound speakers and sound good BTW. I did pick up a Vetter radio cover to replace the CycleSound face plate that was missing the cover. If I'm correct the ones that Admin has will work on this face plate. I have 2 of these Vetter radio covers with mounting plates and a replacement cover . Could you explain to me on why maybe this CycleSound catty would not have speaker covers with the logo.. Thanks Craig for all you have done ..

Paul.

 

[Kynan C.]

By what I can tell from my research and units I have. The one you are showing is an early Cycle Sound unit, equipped with smaller 3" speakers then the later models. I have 3 of those with the same grills you show and none have Cycle Sound branded speaker covers. I have seen very few of the 3" speaker setup with a plastic branded grill. I have a few, but most are the metal ones.

 

[roncar]

3" metal ring, plastic grill.

 

[Highwinder]

My radio pack has Vetter speaker covers, and her is a picture of the serial number inside the one of the bags. And the temp gauge is for the larger engine oil cooler added...

 

[Kynan C.]

Ron, it always amazes me how much you know on these topics! Can you tell me about that grill? I have not seen one of those to date.

 

[roncar]

Can't say much about them. Were with a bunch of stuff I got a couple of years ago (so was the Terraplane) that only cost me a 105 mile each way road trip.

http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=45146

One of the few cycle (vetter) sounds I've had with OEM speakers and grills still attached. Most have been empty shells.

 

[PAUL politsch]

By what I can tell from my research and units I have. The one you are showing is an early Cycle Sound unit, equipped with smaller 3" speakers then the later models. I have 3 of those with the same grills you show and none have Cycle Sound branded speaker covers. I have seen very few of the 3" speaker setup with a plastic branded grill. I have a few, but most are the metal ones.

View attachment 1199

How cool is that . I was looking around for another catty with bigger speakers. I'm kinda limited to the smaller ones I really cant find speakers for and grills I cant use. anybody have a catty the would like to let go of? Or know what I can do to upgrade it without cutting into the one I have? This is a real clean catty and I don't want to chop it up ..

 

[PAUL politsch]

Thats a real cool set up there.