Weatherized system for motorcycle

#This invention pertains to a protective enclosure for a motorcycle and more particularly to a weatherized system located on the forward portion of the motorcycle in front of a rider for protection against such elements as wind, rain and sun, during operation of the motorcycle. The enclosure includes a removable adjustable compact rainshield adapted to be positioned on a vertically adjustable windscreen.

#While efforts have been made in the past to provide enclosures to protect a motorcycle rider from the elements, they have suffered from a number of deficiencies. In some instances, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 1,608,512, the enclosures surrounding the rider are too bulky and massive and have not been found satisfactory. In other cases, such as illustrated in French Pat. No. 1,255,486, the roof member is not adjustable and thus fails to afford adequate protection against the elements, and/or presents a risk of injury to the rider under certain circumstances.

#For example, the roof member in the device shown in the cited French patent is restrained against upward movement by a rear supporting post. When the post is disconnected, the roof member swings downwardly and forwardly for storage. The fixed joint between the windscreen and roof, however, prevents rotation of the roof upwardly and fowardly, so that the rider can be injured on going over a sharp bump which projects him into the roof.

#FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of the front portion of a motorcycle showing the enclosure disclosed herein;

#FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the rain-sun shield taken generally alone lines 2--2 of FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is an exploded assembly view of the rain-sun shield and hold-down members in combination with the top of an associated windscreen;

#Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 one embodiment of the weatherized system of the present invention, comprising enclosure 10 mounted to the front portion of a motorcycle frame. Enclosure 10 includes windscreen 16 and a molded, generally convex fairing 14 having sides and a bottom which taper outwardly and rearwardly thereof in such a manner as to direct wind and the like around the motorcycle and its occupants. Fairing 14 is a conventional, commercially available product which can be obtained, for example, from Vetter Fairing Co., Rantoul, Illinois, 61867 and is described in a Vetter brochure dated October 1973. The fairing is attached to the motorcycle in any appropriate manner, the attaching means forming no part of the present invention.

#Motorcycle front fork 12 shown in FIG. 4, extends through opening 30 in a lower part of the fairing 14. Either or both of fairing 14 or windscreen 16 attached thereto can be modified to include one or more air inlets 15, the total inlet area of which is preferably at least ten square inches. Fairing 14 can contain manually operable diffusers (not shown) for controlling the amount and direction of air flowing upwardly along the rearward face of the windscreen to deflect swirling water droplets away from it, or, during sunny weather, onto the rider. Air inlet scoops 15a can be formed in the fairing for increased air flow onto the rider and along the rear face of windscreen.

#Attached by any appropriate means such as bolts or rivets to fairing 14 is a windshield or windscreen 16. Windscreen 16, which is optically clear or transparent, extends upwardly from the fairing 14 and functions to direct wind and airborne material away from the upper body of the motorcycle driver. A wiper assembly 18 positioned for clearing windscreen 16 is driven by electric motor 19 powered by the electrical system of the motorcycle. A washer unit 20 having a conventional fluid holding tank, spray assembly and squirting nozzle (not shown) is suitably located to permit a fluid to be applied to the windscreen 16 for cleaning purposes. Controls for both the wiper 18 and the wash unit 20 are located for convenient operation by the rider's left hand.