GS850G / GS1100GK Faring swap

[Anonymous]

I purchased my '79 GS850G new and have been riding it ever since. Several years ago I purchased a faring and trunk from a GS 1100GK. The time has come to attempt to mount the 1100 faring & trunk on my 850. The mounting hardware is not a perfect fit and the trunk has the quick release mount that my 850 luggage rack dosen't. Can this be done? Will handling be seriously effected. Is there a source for the correct mounting brackets?

[Anonymous]

I hate to tell you, but you made a big mistake. The GK fairing and mounting bracket are unique to the GK. The GK bracket is made to fit the GK frame, which is much like that on the 850, but has screw holes tapped into it. I wish you had "consulted" this board before making your purchase, because I would have immediately sent you a red flag.

The trunk is indeed made for the luggage rack. You could drill holes into the bottom of the trunk and bolt it onto the 850's rack.

The best thing you can do is, in my opinion, put the GK fairing and mounting bracket on sale on eBay or perhaps advertise these items on this forum. You can then purchase a good used Windjammer fairing and bracket, easily found on eBay and other places, and install it on your 850.

I owned four 850's before buying my GK four years ago, so I know these bikes fairly well. You could adapt a Windjammer to fit a GK, just as I've done (see the Gallery for a pic of my modified GK), but the other way around is a dubious kind of thing.

Handling won't be affected. I've been riding faired GS bikes for many years, and there's nothing to be worried about, provided you ride sanely.

Nick

[Anonymous]

GS850G / GS1100GK Faring swap

Nick; Thanks for the quick reply. I bought the GS 1100GK faring for $50. At the time I looked at it as an investment rather than a purchase. I knew that the bracket did not align with my frame but was hoping that I could make one. I quess my question should have been, can I adapt the GS1100GK faring to the GS850G frame, (clearance, weight distribution, etc.)

[argonsagas]

Nick is right, the mounts for the GK are specific to that bike, but reality is, you can make anything work.

Success depends on your ingenuity and determination.

My 1100 G came with a home-made fairing mount, and a Windjammer IV.

You don't really see it while the fairing is mounted. Without the fairing, it looks like H-ll....but it works.

As Nick also noted, the GK rear bag locks and rack were designed to match together.

I had the same idea as you, and bought a used GK bag rack, complete with abrasions, to put on my 1100G.

The GK rack went on, but some additional parts were needed, as the mount spacings are different. I used a couple of steel extension plates and spacers. Took me a while to find, cut and drill parts to get it together, but only a few minutes to remove it all. ( I bought a GK, in better condition than the G. and had to remove the bags etc to make room to get the new bike into the garage)

Remember...for appearance, paint is everything. As soon as you have the necessary parts fitted to your application, paint them and install them.
Don't give in to the temptation to mount and ride...that invites rust, and it comes sooner rather than later.

Once it is together, it will look fine.

[Mobetter]

I'm treading on thin ice here,
but I think the windjammer fairing is better looking
than the GK fairing.
Sell the GK fairing and bags,
you should be able to more than recoup your $50 investment,
and search for a Windjammer in good condition.
Ocassionally you can find them with matching bags but that is becoming
a rare occurance as time moves on.


Mo

[dpep]

I'm treading on thin ice here,
but I think the windjammer fairing is better looking
than the GK fairing.
Sell the GK fairing and bags,
you should be able to more than recoup your $50 investment,
and search for a Windjammer in good condition.
Ocassionally you can find them with matching bags but that is becoming
a rare occurance as time moves on.

Mo

I have a GK and my 850 has a Winjammer. The Winjammer is better looking and even a little more functional because you can use the whole inside of the fairing to store things. But the GK fairing seems to give better protection, more dead air. Sitting position on the two bikes may be affecting that.

Maybe Nick would want to swap fairings.

[Anonymous]

Maybe Nick would want to swap fairings.

I like them both, actually. I'll stick to my Windjammer, mostly because it's easy to get a replacement windshield for it; lots of them on sale on eBay and such. The GK fairing's windshield is not available for sale anywhere, and must be custom made most of the time.

I like the storage space in the Windjammer, Don. On the left side I have the works for the headlight modulator, while the right, which is lockable, I use for minor odds and ends. I also like the round headlight, which is very easy to replace with a cheap unit at any auto parts place anywhere.

What I like most about the GK fairing is the little snap pocket on the right side. That's where I use to store my chapstick and change purse.

Both do the job, which is to protect the rider from cold, rain, etc.

Nick

[dpep]

Nick, I now have access to the inside of my GK fairing. I took a skil saw to those little plastic pockets. Now when I remove the doors I can store things just like with the Winjammer. I always keep a set of replacement cables (clutch, throttle, speedo, tach) in there.

[argonsagas]

Don, May I suggest a tiny investment in a suitable headlight bulb container/protector...I get them for about 3 dollars. If you want to carry spare parts, this is one you should not be without.

[argonsagas]

Maybe Nick would want to swap fairings.

I like them both, actually. I'll stick to my Windjammer, mostly because it's easy to get a replacement windshield for it; lots of them on sale on eBay and such. The GK fairing's windshield is not available for sale anywhere, and must be custom made most of the time.

I like the storage space in the Windjammer, Don. Nick

Me, too. The storage is much better on the windjammer.

I am not entirely sure about the effectiveness of the fairing in cold weather, as I have only tried the GK below freezing for a few minutes, but it seems better on the hands at low temperatures.


Windshield availability? No problem whatever. Local hardware store.

Buy Lexan sheet.

Lay the old one on top then mark, cut , and drill the new one.

Mount and ride.