On a GS500F, should fairing and header pipes be removed to access oil filter?

[Kikuchiyo]

Question:  Do the fairing and the exhaust headers need to be removed in order to remove the oil filter cover and then the filter?  The service manual and owner's manual (PDFs) seem to imply that they don't.  But other places I read (here) say yes -- you have to remove the header pipes to access the oil filter cap.

NOTE:  Talking about stock header pipes here.

[Kookas]

The fairings, yes, you shouldn't need to remove the headers though.

Here, for example: http://www.gstwin.com/oil_change.htm

[twocool]

I concur.   Fairings come off.  Exhaust don't touch.  (I've done a lot of oil changes on my GS with 52,000 miles I put on it)

Be careful the first time you take off the fairings...some hidden clips and things.  If you miss them you will break the fairings!

Once you've done it,  you can get  the fairings off in like 2 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5xtOQgc2UA

Get one of those T spinner tools above...and put on a metric Allen socket.  Makes fast work of removing fairings!

Oil may drip on exhaust...clean it off real well.


Cookie

[Kikuchiyo]

Thank you both!   

[Bluesmudge]

Neither the fairings nor the exhaust need to be removed to drain the oil or change the filter. It is a little easier if you remove one side fairing but I don't ever bother.
The only exception is with the Vance and Hines exhaust which needs to be loosened at the header bolts to get enough clearance.

[twocool]

Certainly "possible"...but messy...and needlessly working in a small area.  (I did this once and only once)

Taking off the fairing is worth it.

Plus a good time to clean up the parts of the bike you can't normally get to...and time to put some stove black onto the exhausts.  Nice to clean the INSIDE of the fairings once in a while.

And less chance of f---ing up those little studs.

To each his own.


Cookie

Neither the fairings nor the exhaust need to be removed to drain the oil or change the filter. It is a little easier if you remove one side fairing but I don't ever bother.
The only exception is with the Vance and Hines exhaust which needs to be loosened at the header bolts to get enough clearance.

[Kikuchiyo]

And less chance of f---ing up those little studs.

I've read a few threads here about guys breaking the oil filter cap studs while removing or over-torquing them when putting the cap back on -- I'll be careful.

[Kikuchiyo]

It's not a big surprise for me.  Almost every sport bike that I've owned required lower fairing removal to access the screw-on oil filter, at least one side, so I'm sort of used to having to do it.  But removing the header pipes would have been a ridiculous chore.