Fairing Removal Tutorial

[Vova]

If you are like me, you have no clue what you are doing when it comes to things like this. If you are like me, you are also brave (sometimes stupid) and willing to just give it your best shot and figure it out as you go along. In case you happen to have no clue, but not be so brave, I am going to try and post simple tutorials like this as I go. I know this one would have saved me a little trouble more than once as it is (and it does not get much more simple!).

This tutorial is for basic side fairing removal on a 2004 GS500F

Tools
A- Standard Flat Head Screwdriver
B- 4mm Allen Wrench
C- Something Tiny to "Poke" a Connector (I used a jewelers Philips Head)



Step One: Locate and Remove Clips

There are a series of clips holding the fairings together (final picture shows each screw and connector). These can be tricky and easy to break, but not if you know how to remove them! There are two connectors on the bottom, underneath the bike, connecting the left and right fairing together. Both are accessed from the outside (you do not have to try to reach in between the fairing and frame). They are both circled in the following picture (one is not visible from that angle, it is directly underneath though, facing the ground).



Both have a small slot in them (visible in following picture), insert your Flat Head screwdriver into the slot, and twist/rotate until the screwdriver is now perpendicular, basically prying it up (do not pry the screwdriver, twist the handle). This pulls the inside connector out, allowing you to easily remove the connectors. Do this for both of them. First picture shows it closed (screwdriver in slot ready to twist), second picture shows it unlocked.





There are also two small connectors that connect the fairings to the main front fairing. I broke one of these when I could not figure it out. They are incredibly simple, take your small poking tool and simply poke through the middle, this has the same effect as twisting the screwdriver on the bigger connectors, easily remove them. One is picture in the following picture, there is one on the other side in the same position.



Step Three: Remove the Screws

There are actually three types of screws here. (Final picture will show each screw and connector). In the following picture you will see three different colored circles, each color represents a different screw size. The red circles are obvious, the green and blue however are very similar (the first time I removed the fairing I did not even realize these were different, and just luckily put them in the right spots by chance!) Using the 4mm Allen Wrench simply remove all the screws. Do not worry too much about keeping them separate as it is obvious which ones go where when reinstalling the fairings (as long as you know there are three types, not two!). There are three large screws, two medium, and two smaller- on each side.

Once you remove the screws you can simply slide the fairing out.



Reassembly

Just follow the reverse order, when you slide the fairing in, line up the green circle screw first, it pops on top of a fitting so it will hold it in place so you can easily replace the screws, and then the connectors. To reinstall the connectors, replace them in the hole, and then push the extended section in.

The following picture shows the different screw types and connectors involved. You will notice the green circled and blue circled (from previous picture) are definitely different, though close. If you try to put the longer one in the shorter slot it will get very tight but be obviously sticking out some.

[rickyny]

Thanks Vova for a great tuturial 

[Vova]

Thanks Vova for a great tuturial 

My pleasure, next will come messing with the fuel lines. I did it and have all the pictures, just need to edit them and write it up.

[parker]

Bookmarked, might play around with it on the weekend, do you have to do anything to the light?

[Vova]

Bookmarked, might play around with it on the weekend, do you have to do anything to the light?

No this is purely the side fairings, both headlight and flashers are out of the way of the side fairings.

[parker]

No this is purely the side fairings, both headlight and flashers are out of the way of the side fairings.

Ah my bad, should of read the bit in bold