So I had a bit of an accident a few weeks ago on my GS500F. Went off the outside edge of a curve into grass (because I went into the curve way too fast). I had gear on, so all I did was break my right wrist.
The bike was also lucky. I broke both front turn signals off, both mirrors off, broke the left fairing (not badly). I suspect some of those little metal fairing supports are bent, because the left fairing doesn't quite line up with the other pieces anymore. Oh, and the handlebars are bent. It's been ridden - it tracks and handles fine, so I think the cosmetic damage is all that's wrong.
So, how do I fix this? I think my options are:
Take off the left fairing, bondo it back together and remount it. This will be cheap, and I won't have to repaint it, but it'll look bad.
Replace the left fairing entirely. I'm worried mostly about how much it'll cost to have it painted to match the other side.
Replace all the fairings, and get a custom paint job.
Take them all off, track down the parts, and make it naked.
Suggestions? Other options I've missed? I've grown rather fond of the fairings, but I expect it'll end up as a track bike in the long term.
(Edit: Money isn't as big a problem as I made it sound - I got a generous check from the insurance. If I wanted to do the naked thing, can I just go buy the headlight assembly for a 2005 new from my local dealer? I'd like to have it back running by the time my wrist is healed, and that means not spending a month hunting for parts on ebay.)
Thanks!
Definitely make it naked!
I'd keep the fairings. I just like them.
Take the side fairings off for now. Collect some money and get used side fairings off ebay in the same color scheme. Mount them and your good.
cheers
KaMeL
NAKED!!
Just sell your fairings to someone else. They can fix 'em up and paint them if they want. Then you can make the necessary changes to your bike to make it naked with the money you make. It's not that difficult of a task. Naked bikes look so much more BA!
The people that like the naked will tell you to go naked the people that like the fairings will tell you to keep them, do what YOU want. you can get some fairings off ebay for a lot less then a new one.
Naked! , the bike doesnt look good with a foot of plastic ahead of it,
The headlight assemby would cost near nothing to find