A question about fairings, saddle bags etc

[datter]

Hi all,

The 1981 standard I have recently inherited is currently partly disassembled, with the fairing, gas tank, seat and side plates removed. The side bags are still in place, but I was told that I was to make this bike into my bike and that's what I plan to do, though honestly it's going to feel a bit odd as I still haven't quite got to the point of thinking of it as MINE yet.

Anyway, I've never been much for big fairings and side bags etc, so I'm looking at the possibility of removing them. Of course I'll need to figure out something about the headlight and front blinkers, but that's down the road.

Right now I'm wondering if there's any resale value for the side bags and front fairing? If I'm not using them, I'd hate to see them just sitting in my basement especially if it's the sort of stuff others might be looking for.

I know XS parts can be hard to come by, but is there any market for fairings/bags etc should I choose to part with them? If I do, someone else might as well get some use out of them instead of having them just sit here.

Thanks,
David

[xswilly]

you can come up with a price and offer then to the people on the forum
or ebay is another option
you could work a trade with someone for the parts to restore yours to a naked style
signal lights and headlight bucket come to mind

[datter]

If no one local was interested I'd certainly offer them up here first, I'm just not sure if that's the sort of stuff people might be looking for. Maybe there's a guy someplace with a stripped down XS looking to do the very reverse of what I'm talking about.

[webbcraft2150]

Sumthin you might wanna consider. Stash em and see if you "might" ever want to use them. If you have the OEM Yamaha gear, it is getting rare and hard to find in good shape. Years ago, I wouldn't be caught dead on a full faired/bagged bike but I rode around with them for a while and actually liked them. Real nice on those chilly days to be able to tuck behind the fairing. Real nice to be able to take a weekends worth of stuff stashed in the bags. The bags come off and go back in one piece so they are an easy on-off affair. The fairing takes a little longer. You can "custom" cut a windsheild out of tinted plastic to give a "sporty" look to the fairing.

[datter]

That's worth considering, I guess I'm not in a hurry to get rid of them or anything. I'll have to think about it more when the time comes. I just know I don't want all that stuff on the bike, so it's sorting out the headlight/blinkers... and possibly the handlebars towards something smaller too.

Something like this as far as handlebar look goes though maybe not so straight.

I'm an artist/3d animator, maybe I'll do some sketches or 3d stuff just to sort out what I want.

[webbcraft2150]

If you have the OEM Yamaha rear turnsignal bar that came with the fairing package, you can just unbolt it. Someone here should have a set of "naked bike" front and rear turnsignals or you can try aftermarket stuff. The square headlight may be a little harder to find. E-bay may help or someone from here. The logistics of ya being where you are shouldn't be a big problem.

[fredintoon]

Stash 'em!

Hi David,
what Webbcraft said. You sell those things for a pittance (or even for a reasonable price) and later you'll regret that you can't reach your own arse to kick it. Just because you don't like a fairing right now don't mean that your first long ride on a cold rainy day you won't become an instant convert. And the bags! Take off the bags and you can't carry stuff. Carrying stuff is important.
Unless you have arms like an ape and no beer gut at all those drag bars are too low and too far away for comfort. A Daytona bar or the slightly lower Eurobar are most likely what you'll feel happy with.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[planedick]

What Fred said,

I know others who went for the bare bike thing and found out right after they sold the fairing and bags that they were really sorry. Chilly days are probably the norm where you are and rain is something you get caught in more often than you like. Believe me, a raindrop at 50 - 60 MPH is something you don't want to deal with. As far as this bike is concerned, going fast is the way to travel with it and holding yourself against that wind for a few hours and you will wish you had a fairing. The bike has more than enough power to push that thing down the road at 140 MPH with ease with fairings and bags and top box. Also the short bars are not good on these machines as it takes a good deal of muscle to handle it that way. Remember, 600 to 700 pounds of muscle under you, you need real leverage if you ever have to swerve to miss something in the road. If you do sell them, don't underestimate the value. They are getting scarce as hen's teeth.

[Ljay40]

"The bike has more than enough power to push that thing down the road at 140 MPH with ease"

WOW I dont think I will be doing that on mine In fact I dont think it could do 140

[Ljay40]

My 1100 that is

I vote stash the bags and keep em

[datter]

Thanks for the advice, I'll stash them for now and see how it all plays out. There's next to no chance I'll put them on the bike however. What people here don't know is that I've ridden bikes in various forms for twenty years from age 9 to age 29 so I'm more than a bit familiar with what a speeding raindrop feels like... or a cigarette butt... or a rock. Hell even a seagull one time long ago. That sucked. First bike was a Honda XL80, last one was a Honda Interceptor 1000... with many in between. Then came family life, a car, responsibility and no bike for nine years now.

Though I'm not as young as I used to be, the bike will be bare by the time I'm done, but the pieces that come off will live in the basement until I'm 100% sure. If I have to I can rig up a smaller windshield affair anyway, but I won't.

I will certainly take the advice about the handlebars for the time being though, smaller ones might be something I'll try out next season depending on how I feel about them.

Thanks again all.

David

[BigDick]

I've done the exact same thing you're talking about with my 1980 xs1100 special. it looks and handles like a totally different bike. I got a headlight bucket for free off of a buddy. had to bypass the relay and wire it directly, for some reason it was being a pain. I saved all my parts though for just the reasons mentioned, I rode for one spring/summer/fall with the fairing/bags/sissy bar/ luggage rack and liked it. but being young and stupid i've pulled it all off. *shrug*

[Crazcnuk]

I have an '80 that had bags and fairing. The fairing was in really bad shape, so I had to replace it, with a Windjammer IV, as I couldn't find the original Yamaha one.

The trunk and saddlebags are also fairly rough, but I think I can salvage them.

The carrier is quite rusty, but usable, and the back rest is missing.

I would be interested in replacing the rougher items, but I can't afford to spend what most people are asking for them, so I have to fix what I can, and make do!

[desert1]

put em aside

Put em aside Dave . I once went without them and now would'nt be without em......just my feeling but there just so darned handy!
They wouldnt be long on ebay either.
Bruce

[Pat Kelly]

I used to convert my E from full-dress in winter to nekkid in summer (with a small windscreen).
Now I have the LG and the E stays dressed (winter and longer trips) and the LG stays nekkid (summer).
It takes me about 90 minutes to 2 hours to transform the E, fairing, lowers, hardbags, rack/trunk.