GS500F - front faring build quality

[mike_mike]

I must say, the GS500F is a nice looking bike with the new plastics.

but... after having to take them off a few times to do a bit of work, i must say the upper front farring build quality and assembly is absolutely terrible.

- those little plastic rivets that pop out and back in...   
- soft nylon screws holding the windshield on...     
- my windscreen buzzes in the upper farring at higher rpms  (i think i fixed this today with some rubber from a bike tire)


Anyone else notice this? It looks nice... but as soon as you want to do some work, it is obvious that suzuki just slapped it together without caring too much about the quality.

[TragicImage]

I look at it like this.....

they're identical to a car's interior.  They're fine until you have to take them apart, then the fit is never right again.

[mike_mike]

I look at it like this.....

they're identical to a car's interior.  They're fine until you have to take them apart, then the fit is never right again.

That is the feeling i got too.

On my grand prix. taking the dash off involves two simple steps, and they are the following:

1) cringe
2) pull hard and hope it doesn't break

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

I look at it like this.....

they're identical to a car's interior.  They're fine until you have to take them apart, then the fit is never right again.

That is the feeling i got too.

On my grand prix. taking the dash off involves two simple steps, and they are the following:

1) cringe
2) pull hard and hope it doesn't break

LMFAO!!

[mike_mike]

I look at it like this.....

they're identical to a car's interior.  They're fine until you have to take them apart, then the fit is never right again.

That is the feeling i got too.

On my grand prix. taking the dash off involves two simple steps, and they are the following:

1) cringe
2) pull hard and hope it doesn't break

LMFAO!!

I'm not kidding! the thing has these nasty metal snaps, which require you to yank them off and bash them with something to put them back on.. and they make such a terrible sound.

the first deck i installed in my car, i thought i had destroyed my interior until i realized it was supposed to make those crazy noises.

[scratch]

The windscreen is supposed to breakaway in an accident.

But, as far as dissassembly and re-assembly, I'll have to go to a dealer and look.

[3imo]

dunno about the gs fairing as my bikes are naked,   
but on other bikes my freinds and I use (power tool) teflon tape
around the fasteners for fairings to get that fresh from factory fit.

[3imo]

this stuff.

for when the fasteners get loose from removeing and installing over and over.

[groff22]

this stuff.

for when the fasteners get loose from removeing and installing over and over.

Thanks - a good idea. I take the fairings off every so often for oil changes, maintenance etc. and have noticed this "loosness".

[TragicImage]

you take the fairing off for Oil Changes?


why?

[blue05twin]

I have removed my fairings way to many times and they are still tight.    maybe my bike is weird

[Turd Ferguson]

I've had my fairings off at least 20 times and they still have the factory fit and finish.  As long as you know the propper method to removing the fasteners, everything should be fine...

-Turd.

[mike_mike]

I'm not saying that it doesn't fit back together well.

I'm saying the materials they selected are not very good.

[groff22]

you take the fairing off for Oil Changes?


why?

It's easier to inspect and clean the bike with fairings off, not to mention trying to get the new filter in there. Honestly though I had no idea how to take the fairing off the first time I did it, now it's a cinch with the exception of one area where a rivet is missing due to a drop .

[pantablo]

- those little plastic rivets that pop out and back in...
- soft nylon screws holding the windshield on...
- my windscreen buzzes in the upper farring at higher rpms (i think i fixed this today with some rubber from a bike tire)

dont sweat it. my 600rr is about the same way. I've stripped a bunch of the screws since I swap the bodywork so often...those pesky allen head bolts are SOFT. price you pay IMO...

[monopoly]

the 1st time taking off the fairings i broke those cheap plastic fasteners and replaced them with a small bolt, rubber washers and a nut. holds way better than those cheap crappy stock parts.

[scratch]

Allright, I went to the dealer today and looked at the plastic buttons you all are lookin' at, and I am familiar with these.  What you need to do is use a pen to pop the center in to remove the button.  When re-installing, first you have to use the pen to pop back out the center (so that it sticks out, above the head of the button), put the button in its respective hole and gently push the center back, so that it is flush with the rest of the button.

Hope this helps!

[mike_mike]

Allright, I went to the dealer today and looked at the plastic buttons you all are lookin' at, and I am familiar with these.  What you need to do is use a pen to pop the center in to remove the button.  When re-installing, first you have to use the pen to pop back out the center (so that it sticks out, above the head of the button), put the button in its respective hole and gently push the center back, so that it is flush with the rest of the button.

Hope this helps!

Yeah - they are simple to operate... but what a useless fastener!