Avon Calling

AVON CALLING

CONTINUING OUR ROUND UP of the latest in touring modes, Pacific Basin Trading Co. supplied us with one of the English-made Avon touring fairings for our staff “work horse,” Honda, for first-hand evaluation. Mitchenall Brothers’ Avon fiberglass products (or glass-fiber, if you will) are probably the most prominent in England. Among their more illustrious customers are the Rickman Brothers’ Metisses, for whom they make all of the glass components, Cotton and Greeves motorcycles. But perhaps Avon is best known for their road racing fairings, which have been the staple in this field for many years, streamlining many of the Norton Manx and Matchless G-50s running in England.

We were furnished a “sports” touringunit, not as full or wide as others in the Avon catalog; actually little more than a road race fairing with a headlight hole in it. We chose to install the lowest in height of the three optional windscreens available for it, keeping the sporting motive alive.

One must really get down low to fully escape the wind stream, a lot like the British “ton-up boys” who dart around the little island making like Phil Read and Mike Hailwood, while mixing it up with the traffic. It’s enough to make your hair stand on end!

Use of one of the higher screens will remedy the wind problem, at some sacrifice to top speed and the jazzy “cafe racer” image (“Cafe racers” is an endearing British term given to the boys who only play at it, usually living far more dangerously than the “real thing” racers they imitate).

If all of the fairings in the line are as difficult to install as this was, you’ll have a bit of a wait before you make it to the streets. We spent about four hours getting it in place, but as you can see, it Was well worth it. Reactions to riding with a fairing were mixed among CW’s staff. Most like it very much, particularly for the wind and weather protection the fairing offers. Our only real complaint is the increased noise level, and the tendency to direct engine heat upwards. The latter would be useful in cold weather, though.

Prices range from $56.50 for the “droopy snoot” handlebar fairing for BMWs, up to the super deluxe BMW touring AV22 for $194.50. Our Honda is fitted with the AS 13 Sports Avonaire, cataloged as a “sports racing” type, useful both on and off of a race track. Pacific Basin will be happy to fill you in on the whole story. Box 327, Athena, Oregon is their address.

We managed to improve the top end performance of our Honda by about nine percent, but it had no effect on the quarter-mile, since the speed at which it becomes most useful is reached at just about the end of the run. We used a special set of handlebars that dropped the controls down to fit the fairing openings. Lower seat height would make things more comfortable, but a higher screen would also solve the dilemma. ■