So i was looking at my GS today and started staring at the headlight. Then i came to a realization, they are kinda ugly! It is oddly shaped, shaped kinda like a heart + upside down triangle. So it got me thinking... wondering if there is anything i can do about it. But after studying the structure of the mount and frame, i doubt there is much that can be done.

Just thought it was worth mentioning
Any thoughts?

PS: keeping it F.

How handy are you with fiberglass? Check out some of the fairings for other bikes from Airtech - a little bit of work involved, but you can change the headlight if you wanted to.

Ugly? Well I've seen worse. I can live with it. I bought my GS to ride. It's fun and it works rather well

I'm reworking mine/with the fairings, where do you live? maybe we could do it together? First of all, im gonna mold over the existing shape to make it rounder/ more sleek, than find the cheapest/working headlights I can find, I'm actually looking for dual headlights, but that's personal preference. cutting out my shape, putting them in, fixing the edges up to cover up the cuts. plaster/clay over top of the ridges/fill in what you want first of all. once the clay mixture has dried some to a hard state us something like vaseline and coat a thick coat over top of the clay, do it once let it dry some what, 10 mins or so. than do it a final time, cover with fiber glass, follow instructions on your resin/fiberglass. make sure to prep the existing piece, once the fiber glass is dry, flip the fairing over, and cut the back of the parts you covered up, releasing the clay. once you got what you'd like prep and paint how ever you'd like.

some notes: don't have to use vaseline, just anything that will keep the resin from sticking to the clay. sand/sand. sand again. Smooth finish is what your looking for. Also a little knowning of some basic math to get an even shape. remember, to always have a test set up first, use a cookie cutter on the clay like a star shape or something, and practice on that. Also for the big headlight hole, if your filling it in, use foam. not the spray stuff, unless you wanna be shaving a whole lot. but something that you can shave a little and fill with fiber glass.

but I'd have to agree, the GS500f < my bike. the fairings are horrible. headlight even worse.

Another option would to be use fairings from another bike. more costly, less custom too. but less work/time.


But for a full write up, gonna have to get my bike RUNNING again, before I do anything. but I will be doing this.

Quote from: Big Rich on January 26, 2012, 09:52:46 PM
How handy are you with fiberglass? Check out some of the fairings for other bikes from Airtech - a little bit of work involved, but you can change the headlight if you wanted to.

Never touched fiberglass, but thinking about it. But if i get fairings from other bikes, wouldnt the fitting all be different and the headlight mount not fit?

Quote from: J_Walker on January 26, 2012, 10:17:15 PM
I'm reworking mine/with the fairings, where do you live? maybe we could do it together? First of all, im gonna mold over the existing shape to make it rounder/ more sleek, than find the cheapest/working headlights I can find, I'm actually looking for dual headlights, but that's personal preference. cutting out my shape, putting them in, fixing the edges up to cover up the cuts. plaster/clay over top of the ridges/fill in what you want first of all. once the clay mixture has dried some to a hard state us something like vaseline and coat a thick coat over top of the clay, do it once let it dry some what, 10 mins or so. than do it a final time, cover with fiber glass, follow instructions on your resin/fiberglass. make sure to prep the existing piece, once the fiber glass is dry, flip the fairing over, and cut the back of the parts you covered up, releasing the clay. once you got what you'd like prep and paint how ever you'd like.

some notes: don't have to use vaseline, just anything that will keep the resin from sticking to the clay. sand/sand. sand again. Smooth finish is what your looking for. Also a little knowning of some basic math to get an even shape. remember, to always have a test set up first, use a cookie cutter on the clay like a star shape or something, and practice on that. Also for the big headlight hole, if your filling it in, use foam. not the spray stuff, unless you wanna be shaving a whole lot. but something that you can shave a little and fill with fiber glass.

but I'd have to agree, the GS500f < my bike. the fairings are horrible. headlight even worse.

Another option would to be use fairings from another bike. more costly, less custom too. but less work/time.


But for a full write up, gonna have to get my bike RUNNING again, before I do anything. but I will be doing this.

YES, i just hate how bulky the fairings are and the shape is not the best. Dual headlights like an r1 would be awesome, but then again i may be going in over my head  I live in Cali near SF.

Yeah, your method actually sounds do-able. But i just re-painted my whole bike ...

Quote from: dam on January 26, 2012, 09:54:42 PM
Ugly? Well I've seen worse. I can live with it. I bought my GS to ride. It's fun and it works rather well

haha, don't get me wrong, this is my first bike and im very glad i chose this over the ninja 500. Its just that sometimes i wish it LOOKs better, as well as it rides anyway.

Quote from: redge on January 26, 2012, 10:48:32 PM

Quote from: dam on January 26, 2012, 09:54:42 PM
Ugly? Well I've seen worse. I can live with it. I bought my GS to ride. It's fun and it works rather well

haha, don't get me wrong, this is my first bike and im very glad i chose this over the ninja 500. Its just that sometimes i wish it LOOKs better, as well as it rides anyway.

Maybe tape off part of the light and paint it?  Cover it with vinyl?  Or even nightshade it?  I don't know how much of a difference it would make, but they're all relatively cheap/easy options.

Well I live on the OTHER side of you. Florida. but maybe we could share ideas, and find out what works best, and make a write up for the GSTwiner's to follow, and we can have an official [full faired] GS500f.

The reason I say "full faired" is because the side fairings are like half -@ssed.

Ahh repainting, well.. you don't need to take ALL the paint off, but it'd just be worth it. the side fairings I still don't know how im gonna do, the fact being. A- where to mount them? and B- how would I get the exact shape for both sides. B- is my biggest problem, if you figure out how I can have both sides the same look, lemme know. I was thinking about doing basic shapes of foam for one side, and like squares, circles, ect. and than flipping them, and using them for the other side, coming in parts/ but getting the exact same layers.

I also had an idea for that bulky rear plastics, cut holes in them, add small plastic/metal hinges and make compartments for holding cellphone/shoes/socks/wallet.

I really wanna get working on detail work. but I got nasty valve problems to deal with atm... Mechanical before cosmetic anyday! 

Wow man you got great ideas! Got dang, i hope you get your bike fix soon.

I've been looking around online and stumbled upon this : http://www.flyncycle.com/Demon_Fairing_Motorcycle_Headlight_p/hludemblk.htm

So here is what im thinking, what if we cut out the dual light part, cut that shape into the gs front fairing, then cover the rest with fiberglass. (if you know what i mean).

The mounting part... hmm, i am pretty sure that we can re-drill new holes to fit the new angles and position of the fairings. As to making it symmetrical, i think making precised measurements is key, in theory lol.

I just wish i had the time to actually do all this tho, redesigning the fairings and executing it will take forever! One can only hope..

Ahh, my bike came with the GS500E head light on it, the big round one. I got my fairings, front one is 100% fine. side ones... Look like shet. so I can work on my fairings without actually having to need them back on my bike. I was actually thinking about finding some HID bulbs, two. Wire them up and place them on the underside inside the divit of the front fairing/ on the sides.. kinda hard to explain. than use a DIY ACRYLIC Sheet plastic, aka plexiglass. simple stove, and some clay again will help with this... and mount them onto the fairing some how.. See the problem is My bike needs to stay a two seater. as I like taking my girlfriend out on trips. so I'm looking to keep it modern but also a "wow! I've never seen something like this before" kinda look.. also give me that "what a bad@ss solo rider" look.

But that headlight might work, I have one sorta like it already.. Forgot where I put the main bulb.. oops.. To small for the GS500f the GS5 need's something BIG as the front fairing is already BIG! I'd also like to mount the side fairings onto the front.. so its flush, maybe throw in a cup holder ^_^ Slurpee fan.

Also get rid of that nose thing it has.. on the under part, there is this little thing that sticks out.. it makes it look horrible! If anything the front fairing looks the worse. side's have some flaws.. but the front. for sure the worse.

Quote from: redge on January 26, 2012, 10:34:19 PM

Quote from: J_Walker on January 26, 2012, 10:17:15 PM
I'm reworking mine/with the fairings, where do you live? maybe we could do it together? First of all, im gonna mold over the existing shape to make it rounder/ more sleek, than find the cheapest/working headlights I can find, I'm actually looking for dual headlights, but that's personal preference. cutting out my shape, putting them in, fixing the edges up to cover up the cuts. plaster/clay over top of the ridges/fill in what you want first of all. once the clay mixture has dried some to a hard state us something like vaseline and coat a thick coat over top of the clay, do it once let it dry some what, 10 mins or so. than do it a final time, cover with fiber glass, follow instructions on your resin/fiberglass. make sure to prep the existing piece, once the fiber glass is dry, flip the fairing over, and cut the back of the parts you covered up, releasing the clay. once you got what you'd like prep and paint how ever you'd like.

some notes: don't have to use vaseline, just anything that will keep the resin from sticking to the clay. sand/sand. sand again. Smooth finish is what your looking for. Also a little knowning of some basic math to get an even shape. remember, to always have a test set up first, use a cookie cutter on the clay like a star shape or something, and practice on that. Also for the big headlight hole, if your filling it in, use foam. not the spray stuff, unless you wanna be shaving a whole lot. but something that you can shave a little and fill with fiber glass.

but I'd have to agree, the GS500f < my bike. the fairings are horrible. headlight even worse.

Another option would to be use fairings from another bike. more costly, less custom too. but less work/time.


But for a full write up, gonna have to get my bike RUNNING again, before I do anything. but I will be doing this.

YES, i just hate how bulky the fairings are and the shape is not the best. Dual headlights like an r1 would be awesome, but then again i may be going in over my head  I live in Cali near SF.

Yeah, your method actually sounds do-able. But i just re-painted my whole bike ...

You want it to look better? Rip the fairings off and go naked.

Quote from: Twisted on January 27, 2012, 02:09:20 AM

Quote from: redge on January 26, 2012, 10:34:19 PM

Quote from: J_Walker on January 26, 2012, 10:17:15 PM
I'm reworking mine/with the fairings, where do you live? maybe we could do it together? First of all, im gonna mold over the existing shape to make it rounder/ more sleek, than find the cheapest/working headlights I can find, I'm actually looking for dual headlights, but that's personal preference. cutting out my shape, putting them in, fixing the edges up to cover up the cuts. plaster/clay over top of the ridges/fill in what you want first of all. once the clay mixture has dried some to a hard state us something like vaseline and coat a thick coat over top of the clay, do it once let it dry some what, 10 mins or so. than do it a final time, cover with fiber glass, follow instructions on your resin/fiberglass. make sure to prep the existing piece, once the fiber glass is dry, flip the fairing over, and cut the back of the parts you covered up, releasing the clay. once you got what you'd like prep and paint how ever you'd like.

some notes: don't have to use vaseline, just anything that will keep the resin from sticking to the clay. sand/sand. sand again. Smooth finish is what your looking for. Also a little knowning of some basic math to get an even shape. remember, to always have a test set up first, use a cookie cutter on the clay like a star shape or something, and practice on that. Also for the big headlight hole, if your filling it in, use foam. not the spray stuff, unless you wanna be shaving a whole lot. but something that you can shave a little and fill with fiber glass.

but I'd have to agree, the GS500f < my bike. the fairings are horrible. headlight even worse.

Another option would to be use fairings from another bike. more costly, less custom too. but less work/time.


But for a full write up, gonna have to get my bike RUNNING again, before I do anything. but I will be doing this.

YES, i just hate how bulky the fairings are and the shape is not the best. Dual headlights like an r1 would be awesome, but then again i may be going in over my head  I live in Cali near SF.

Yeah, your method actually sounds do-able. But i just re-painted my whole bike ...

You want it to look better? Rip the fairings off and go naked.

IT has been done before, we want something new!

PS: my bike is now like that! naked? my bike is REALL naked right now..

She looks sexy don't she...

IMO, if I lived in California or Florida, I wouldn't want a fairing at all.

Here's a link to Airtech's Suzuki page.
  http://www.airtech-streamlining.com/suzuz/prodsuz.htm
The 83 GS650 is a favorite quarter fairing of mine, and check out some of the GSXR750 headlight fairings. They "could" be mounted as half fairings with a little work.

Edit: forgot to add the link

Take off the fairing, windshield, and shorten your blinker stalks. Then reinstall the stock "f" headlight with zip ties or whatever.

Its been done and looks greeeeat.

Please don't remove the rear panels though, there is a point where "streetfighter" goes too far for an ugly frame like the gs's.

NOO, i shall never go naked! hahaha, i personally prefer a sporty bike full fairings. 

@J_Walker

I was actually gonna do this first: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=48791.

and i used my crappy Photoshop skill to design a concept of what i am thinking. R1 Demon eyes 



So maybe like... keep the original GS headlight, but cover parts of it, then add headlights to both sides. TRI-headlights!
then again this maybe too crazy for the little GS.

PS: what you mean by nose?

Quote from: Big Rich on January 27, 2012, 02:41:39 AM
IMO, if I lived in California or Florida, I wouldn't want a fairing at all.

Here's a link to Airtech's Suzuki page.
  http://www.airtech-streamlining.com/suzuz/prodsuz.htm
The 83 GS650 is a favorite quarter fairing of mine, and check out some of the GSXR750 headlight fairings. They "could" be mounted as half fairings with a little work.

Edit: forgot to add the link

Live near the bay, and i am always on freeways. its gets windy around here pretty often, cuz a buddy of mine wit a ducati 696 complains about how he gets blown around

I think the front of the gs looks sexy just like it is.  I love that light and the fairings and the way it looks like a beak.