Gear Closet

Review: Britannia Composites Lynx Fairing

In preparation for my 10,000 mile 2019 Trans Asia Endeavour (Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Siberia, Mongolia), I made approximately eighty-five modifications and aftermarket additions to my Suzuki DR-Z400S.

Of all of those, only ONE aftermarket product bolted right up, fit perfectly, plugged right in, and required zero alteration or adjustment.

The Britannia Composites Lynx Fairing.

The advantages are obvious: a turnkey, plug and play fairing kit that provides some wind protection, superior lighting, and a customizable dash for mounting a GPS along with any gauges, switches or charging ports. Yes, you can mount all that stuff directly to your handlebars if you wish. However, if you prefer a tidy cockpit, the Lynx might check all of your boxes in the way it did for me.

For my trip, the Lynx’s dash and its ability to position my GPS up high and in my field of view, versus a handlebar mount, was this product’s strongest feature. I was off-road riding in remote parts of Asia where oftentimes there were no trails. In that scenario, easy sight to my navigation while riding over unknown, unmarked terrain was imperative. While I in no way profess to have the skill of a pro rally rider, or anything close to it, there is a reason why their navigation systems are similarly mounted up high on a dash.

I also was looking for exceptional illumination, and was very impressed with the Standard Lighting option of the Lynx. On the times I got caught out after dark, it proved to be excellent at brightening the road and the terrain around me.

One of the Lynx’s touted features is the sliding windscreen that allows the rider to give him/herself some wind protection when the dirt ends and the pavement begins. Most of my trip was off-road riding, so I only had a few opportunities to utilize it. On those occasions, it certainly provided some relief while on higher speed tarmac sections. What I will say about ANY windscreen of any size, Lynx or otherwise, is that its effectiveness is very dependent upon the bike itself and the stature/height of the rider.

I put my Lynx through some very serious abuse: almost 10,000 miles of off-road enduro riding across rough Asian double track, single track, and outright bushwhack. Constant pounding and months later, the Lynx continued to perform flawlessly.

Aside from the high quality of the product itself, I’d be remiss if I didn’t make note about the customer service provided by Britannia owner Ian Banbury. I am neither mechanically nor electrically inclined, so I was a bit clueless about both aspects of the install. Ian was extremely helpful, patient and responsive to my queries. The clean appearance and perfect functionality of all my gauges and switches is a credit to his assistance.

There are two aspects that seem to give potential buyers some pause when they are contemplating a Lynx purchase. They are:

WEIGHT: Almost certainly, the Lynx is going to add some weight to your front suspension. For a small percentage of riders, depending upon the type of bike and the type of riding, it’s a valid concern.

Conversely, far more are the dual sport bikes with four pounds of electronic gadgetry mounted directly to the handlebars, along with a seven pound tool bag strapped to the front fender. In that more common scenario, the additional weight of the Lynx is unlikely to be noticed.

In the case of my DR-Z, I meticulously weighed each component that I removed and each component that I added. On my postal scale, the Suzuki OEM headlight assembly weighed 3 lbs 11 oz (1673 grams), and the Lynx weighed in at 6 lbs 7 oz (2920 grams), for an increase of 2 lbs 12 oz (1247 grams). While I am never eager to add weight in any location, I felt it was a compromise worth making for all the benefits that the Lynx offered. ((Note: I also replaced my handlebar and hand control components with lighter weight options, so that by the time I was through with all my modifications, the total net weight gain on the forks was exactly one pound, even including the Lynx fairing.))

In the end, how much added weight will depend upon the weight of your OEM headlight assembly. Hardcore dual sports or enduro bikes might feel the weight increase a bit more keenly. That is, of course, why genuine rally fairings bolt up to the frame itself. But with the market trend strongly in favor of adventure riding, the Lynx’s additional mass will go unnoticed by the vast majority of riders.

PRICE: I’ve read some scattered complaints from non-owners about the Lynx’s price tag, usually from folks who feel they can duplicate its qualities and functionality from their garage workshop. Hey, if you can do it, my hat is off to you. Send me completed photos. Personally, I suspect such people have underestimated the quality, R&D, workmanship, and engineering that goes into a refined product like the Lynx.

For those who are less skilled in fabrication and who seek a sophisticated turnkey solution, the Lynx is hard to beat. Furthermore, the prices on authentic rally fairings make the Lynx a relative bargain in comparison. No doubt, if taken in isolation, it is not an inexpensive product. In my opinion, it is fairly priced for the quality and customer service that you receive.

In summary, no product is for everyone. As ever, do an honest assessment about what’s important for you and how you ride before buying any aftermarket product. Ultimately, your abilities, intentions, and priorities will likely determine whether or not the Lynx is appropriate for your bike project.

To see if there is a Lynx that fits your motorcycle, learn more at: Britannia Composites

8 Comments

  1. Prices. Can you send some prices of your fairing?

  2. Rick Turner

    I have just purchased a brand new Honda XR650L and Lynx S Fairing. I was looking for a smart phone bracket I could mount on the dashboard like the one in your picture with no success. Could you please share the make, manufacturer and where to purchase the smartphone bracket in your picture? Please let me know. Thanks!
    Rick

  3. Nice, balanced and honest review. Did you ever consider the High Output lighting option that is offered for this fairing?

    • Hey there Gus,

      I did not, but that’s only because riding after the dark, for me, is a last resort and something I work actively to avoid. But for the habitual nighttime rider, or someone who may have eyesight issues, or someone who just likes to light up the forest, then the High Output makes a lot of sense.

      I’d contact Ian at Britannia, tell him your needs and tendencies. I suspect he’ll have the best answer for your situation.

  4. OrangeBikeGuy

    Thanks for this review. I’ve been researching the Lynx for quite some time. I had some price hesitancy at first, but once you really start looking at it, you come to realize you get a lot for the money. As for the weight, I agree, the guys who might claim to “feel” the difference in their steering will claim there was no difference when they mounted up that 10 pounds of tools to the front fender! LOLOL.

  5. Great review, probably the best I’ve read on the Lynx. Looks like a really great product, and the old adage really is true: you get what you pay for. No way most people could make something that good on their own.

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