Installing GS1000S/Wes Cooley style fairing

[cvmgtwowheels]

Here are the pics I said I would send

[salty_monk]

I got nasty weave at around 100 with the big *ss fairing I started off to Yosemite with. Much bigger than one of these though, bigger than the one Chef had on his bike even.

Dan

[Sandy]

Here's some photos of the original Suzuki mounts and installation. If you need any measurements let me know as they are off the bike at this time. No they're not for sale, sorry.

[Sandy]

Limited to 4 photos so split them up 3 and 3. Hope they help

[Mark M]

Word is handlebar/fork mounted fairings can cause weave at 100+ MPH, anyone have this experience?

Not personally, but it is a well documented problem. The old 80's FJ models had this to some extent, there were others as well. It is a difficult thing to predict, depends on the bike model, how and where you attach the fairing, your chassis set up, etc. But you want to be aware of the possibility before you install one, in case it comes up and you need to deal with it. It's much better to have a plan than to be surprised by it one day at a critical moment.

Mark

[Sandy]

Word is handlebar/fork mounted fairings can cause weave at 100+ MPH, anyone have this experience?

Yes and no. On a previous GS1000 I install the Airtech S replica fairing and had nothing but trouble with hi speed weaves and wobbles and after adjusting it many times it just didn't work so I ended up taking it off. Maybe the non suzuki mounting hardware wasn't rigid enough and allowed some flex at higher speed, I don't really know. I got tired fiddling with it. My present GS1000 when I had the Suzuki S fairing and proper brackets installed was just as stable at hi speed with or without the fairing.

[80GS1000]

Not personally, but it is a well documented problem. The old 80's FJ models had this to some extent, there were others as well. It is a difficult thing to predict, depends on the bike model, how and where you attach the fairing, your chassis set up, etc. But you want to be aware of the possibility before you install one, in case it comes up and you need to deal with it. It's much better to have a plan than to be surprised by it one day at a critical moment.

Mark

Thanks for all the help and pics guys.

Sandy - Do you still have that Airtech fairing floating around? That's the one I was planning on using. If you want to sell it, please let me know.

I'm wondering if the likelihood of wobble/weave at speed is reduced by attaching the fairing to the frame vs. the forks or handlebars. Probably so I'm guessing so long as it's set up correctly, as this is the way new fully faired sportbikes come from the factory.

The newer GSXRs have a couple of lugs molded into the steering head. The fairing stay/bracket is then bolted to the lugs. Then the fairing bolts to the stay/bracket. My 06 GSXR 750 has this setup and has never had a headshake or weave at speed. Credit also probably goes go to good chassis and steering geometry on that bike, plus the fact they come from the factory equipped with a steering damper.



I can't help but think that a similar setup would work well on the GS as well. The standard GS fairing mounting brackets wouldn't work so a new one would need to be fabbed up and the lugs made up and welded to the GS steering head. But if it works well, it may be a small price to pay for stability at speed.

The GS is rock-solid right now at 100+ MPH, no problem there. It's also got a GSXR 1000 steering damper fitted, which helps ward off any stability issues. The wind blast kinda gets old though at speed.

Thanks again.

[Sandy]

No, I don't still have it. That was so long ago it seems like a past life, back when GSs were almost new. :-D