Main fairing removal and replacement
1. Park bike on center stand
2. Place a large blanket onto ground
3. Remove top pocket covers
4. Remove top pockets
5. Remove headlight assembly and front light grill
6. Remove Mirrors, Dash assembly Cover,
7. Unplug the wires in the left hand pocket.
8. Remove the rubber blinds from the left and right side.
9. Remove the left and right wire connection plates
10.
11. Remove Headlight Adjuster knob
12. Remove Seat and backrest
13. Remove the left and right lower Cowling following the steps below
a. Remove ram fin screw
b. Remove side vent screw
c. Carefully remove lower cowling and check for any damage and repair with A.B.S. glue or pure M.E.K
14. On the Left hand side remove the bolt securing the fairing to the frame.
15. On the lower Right side slowly and carefully remove the air lines for the suspension. (Note some oil will blow back from the front lines.) Once the lines are removed undo the three bolts two hold the fairing on and one holds the air lines.
16. Carefully undo the fairing skirt and the bolts the fairing will come down. (It is best to have a helper as it is rather cumbersome to do alone) move the fairing so that you can unplug the main wiring harness from the left hand pocket connector.
17. Place the fairing onto a table and pull out the wiring connectors behind the headlight.
18. Remove the dash assembly by removing the four bolts in the fairing. (Note that you will need a long extension to do this) You can remove the radio harness at the same time.
19. Unplug and remove everything from the left and right pockets. And remove. At the same time remove the fairing vent rubbers and drain tubes at the same time.
Installation is the reverse but make sure you take your tie and clean all of the contacts well.
gl1200 1987 Main fairing change
- CharlaineC
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:40 am
- Location: Pomeroy, Washinton
- Motorcycle: 1987 GL1200A GOLDWING ASPENCADE
106,890 Miles(sadly this bike was lost to the Malden Wa wildfires on Sept 7, 2020.
New to me
1986 SEi - Contact:
- virgilmobile
- Posts: 9102
- Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2010 5:39 pm
- Location: Denham Springs,La.
- Motorcycle: 1988 GL1500 I
Previously owned
78 GL1000
81 GL1100
82 GL1100 I
83 GL1100 I
83 GL1100 standard
84 GL 1200 I
Re: gl1200 1987 Main fairing change
Brings back memories(nightmares) of what I did just to do a good paint job.
Nice pictures...Good job.
Nice pictures...Good job.

-
- Posts: 112
- Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:23 am
- Location: wacousta Mi
- Motorcycle: 1986 GL1200 interstate
1980 GN400
1979 CB750
1996 1200 Sportster
1961 T120R sold
1975 Norton sold
1972 Moto Guzzi 750
1976 Goldwing sold
1972 SL125 sold
Honda Fat Cat
RD350 sold
Re: gl1200 1987 Main fairing change
haha as i was relating to a couple motorcyclists around a campfire how i bought a 1/4" air ratchet to get into the 6 forktube securing allen bolts to install my newer forks one of them said "why didnt you just remove the fairing"?
- virgilmobile
- Posts: 9102
- Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2010 5:39 pm
- Location: Denham Springs,La.
- Motorcycle: 1988 GL1500 I
Previously owned
78 GL1000
81 GL1100
82 GL1100 I
83 GL1100 I
83 GL1100 standard
84 GL 1200 I
Re: gl1200 1987 Main fairing change
Was your response "because I'm not Japanese" ??? 

- CharlaineC
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:40 am
- Location: Pomeroy, Washinton
- Motorcycle: 1987 GL1200A GOLDWING ASPENCADE
106,890 Miles(sadly this bike was lost to the Malden Wa wildfires on Sept 7, 2020.
New to me
1986 SEi - Contact:
Re: gl1200 1987 Main fairing change
it really wasnt a hard job but it is best with someone to help you as the fairing is clumbersom
-
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2019 3:16 pm
- Location: Sun City az 85351
- Motorcycle: 1982 GL1100Aspencade
Re: gl1200 1987 Main fairing change
How long did it take ?CharlaineC wrote: ↑Wed Nov 07, 2012 2:31 pm Main fairing removal and replacement
1. Park bike on center stand IMAG0998.jpg
2. Place a large blanket onto ground IMAG1008.jpg
3. Remove top pocket covers
4. Remove top pockets
5. Remove headlight assembly and front light grill IMAG1018.jpg
6. Remove Mirrors, Dash assembly Cover, IMAG1019.jpg
7. Unplug the wires in the left hand pocket. IMAG1021.jpg
8. Remove the rubber blinds from the left and right side.IMAG1002.jpg
9. Remove the left and right wire connection plates IMAG1010.jpg IMAG1009.jpg
10.
11. Remove Headlight Adjuster knob 200CF1D5-6803-49F8-870F-FDBE5C6C966A-6334-0000066C261BBF18.jpg
12. Remove Seat and backrest IMAG0999.jpg
13. Remove the left and right lower Cowling following the steps below
IMAG1014.jpg
a. Remove ram fin screw
IMAG1013.jpg
b. Remove side vent screw
IMAG1012.jpg
c. Carefully remove lower cowling and check for any damage and repair with A.B.S. glue or pure M.E.K
IMAG1017.jpg
14. On the Left hand side remove the bolt securing the fairing to the frame.
15. On the lower Right side slowly and carefully remove the air lines for the suspension. (Note some oil will blow back from the front lines.) Once the lines are removed undo the three bolts two hold the fairing on and one holds the air lines. IMAG1015.jpg
16. Carefully undo the fairing skirt and the bolts the fairing will come down. (It is best to have a helper as it is rather cumbersome to do alone) move the fairing so that you can unplug the main wiring harness from the left hand pocket connector.
IMAG1016.jpg
17. Place the fairing onto a table and pull out the wiring connectors behind the headlight. IMAG1029.jpg
18. Remove the dash assembly by removing the four bolts in the fairing. (Note that you will need a long extension to do this) You can remove the radio harness at the same time.
IMAG1030.jpg
19. Unplug and remove everything from the left and right pockets. And remove. At the same time remove the fairing vent rubbers and drain tubes at the same time.
IMAG1021.jpg
Installation is the reverse but make sure you take your tie and clean all of the contacts well.
-
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2018 10:24 pm
- Location: West Branch, MI
- Motorcycle: 1986 Goldwing GL1200 Interstate
Re: gl1200 1987 Main fairing change
THANK YOU for this post!
It appears that the procedure should be the same for my 86 Interstate.
Having a complete set of plastics INCLUDING fairing painted and will be doing a piece by piece swap out.
It appears that the procedure should be the same for my 86 Interstate.
Having a complete set of plastics INCLUDING fairing painted and will be doing a piece by piece swap out.
- CharlaineC
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:40 am
- Location: Pomeroy, Washinton
- Motorcycle: 1987 GL1200A GOLDWING ASPENCADE
106,890 Miles(sadly this bike was lost to the Malden Wa wildfires on Sept 7, 2020.
New to me
1986 SEi - Contact:
Re: gl1200 1987 Main fairing change
Sorry for not seeing this. I Have had a ton of life stuff get in the way since I posted this.
Because of my Disabilities and doing it alone, Looking at the restoration book for that wing it took me about 2 hours. That's also because I took the time to clean up a bunch of stuff.