Quote Originally Posted by Dfinkelsteinmd View Post
So I heard that the belly pan also improves handling at high speed and in windy weather. Is this really true? Any idea what stuff hit the bottom of your bike or is it just rocks and debris that come off the front tire? Also, how difficult is the install with a CS or do I need to bring it to someone with a lift?
As was already explained, the belly pan can be installed with bike on the centerstand. It does not interfere with the centerstand.

My comment will deal with handling issues. I cannot comment on HIGH speed handling improvement, as riding at 120+ mph you tend to keep your eyes and mind on the road...and not on whether your belly pan has improved the handling of the bike at those speeds. However...the belly pan DOES in fact improve the handling of the bike when dealing with strong cross winds. Ride the bike going east to west, or west to east, on Interstate 90 through South Dakota, and when the cross winds want to keep you riding at a 45 degree angle all day, the belly pan alleviates that lean angle, and allows you to be at a (approximately) 13.14159 degree angle.

The fact is that the belly pan allows the bike to cut through cross winds much better than the same bike without the belly pan. Lean angle is reduced by 66.314159 %.

For me, the primary reason for using a belly pan is the protection of the underside of my engine cases. In 2003 I set off to ride the most miles in 30 days...30,681 miles...and did it in May, 2003. About 15 minutes before leaving Everett Powersports, in Everett, WA. I bought and installed a new belly pan for my '03 Wing. At the end of that 30 day time period, my bike was okay, but the new belly pan had a hole punched into it, and through it, about the side of a quarter. There was no damage to the engine case, but...just imagine if that belly pan had not been there.