r1150GS front fairing bracket

[simonak3000]

Hi. I just got my new upper front fender for my 2003 R1150GS and just as I thought, my upper front fairing bracket is bent, so I Cannot bolt on my new fairing without having gaps and holes not lining up (see pics, fender hasnt gone to the paint shop yet). I really love the bike so I want to give it a permanent fix. I can ride without problem without the fairing until winter, so the question is: Do I buy a used bracket or do I try to unbend the one I have? Has anybody ever been in this situation? I can get a good used bracket for 200CAN$ to my door, but with the new fender costing 350$ plus the paint, its starting to get expensive. Let me know what you guys think.







L.Leblanc

 

[88bmwjeff]

I would try straightening it first and then purchase a good used one if that didn’t work.

 

[simonak3000]

I would try straightening it first and then purchase a good used one if that didn’t work.

Do you think I need to take it off in order to straiten it? I tried to move it with the bolts loosen but I didnt want to budge.

 

[88bmwjeff]

Do you think I need to take it off in order to straiten it? I tried to move it with the bolts loosen but I didnt want to budge.

I'm probably not the best person to give you advice here. I'm not that familiar with the R1150 GS to know how things fit together. But, if it were my bike, I'd take a long hard look to see where things are bent and out of shape. This would require taking the front apart as needed. Based on your photos, it appears that things got bent due to a tip over, light laying down on one side. I would consider how the bracket got bent and how to reverse those forces to straighten it. Are you sure that only the fairing bracket got bent? Sometimes it can be combination of pieces. Judging by the size of the piece, it's probably going to take at least a moderate amount of force to straighten. There's a bit of a risk trying to straighten it on the bike that something else could give/break, but it did bend that way while on the bike. Taking it off the bike might give you a better perspective on where it's bent and provide better access to provide the forces to straighten it. As long as you're careful, there's no real risk in trying to straighten it since you were thinking about replacing it anyway. Worst case scenario is that you are unsuccessful and end up buying a replacement. However, you can save a bit of cash if you're successful.

 

[simonak3000]

I'm probably not the best person to give you advice here. I'm not that familiar with the R1150 GS to know how things fit together. But, if it were my bike, I'd take a long hard look to see where things are bent and out of shape. This would require taking the front apart as needed. Based on your photos, it appears that things got bent due to a tip over, light laying down on one side. I would consider how the bracket got bent and how to reverse those forces to straighten it. Are you sure that only the fairing bracket got bent? Sometimes it can be combination of pieces. Judging by the size of the piece, it's probably going to take at least a moderate amount of force to straighten. There's a bit of a risk trying to straighten it on the bike that something else could give/break, but it did bend that way while on the bike. Taking it off the bike might give you a better perspective on where it's bent and provide better access to provide the forces to straighten it. As long as you're careful, there's no real risk in trying to straighten it since you were thinking about replacing it anyway. Worst case scenario is that you are unsuccessful and end up buying a replacement. However, you can save a bit of cash if you're successful.

Basically its a bracket that is bolted to the side of the frame below the tank and also at the center (see pic). I pretty sure that if I take it off and I put it in a vise, ill probably be able to straiten it. I think its because the left side is bent upwards and sideways. I tried to bend it while still on the bike but I think the fact that it was still bolted to the headlamp assembly added a lot of stiffness. Basically I thing If I put one side in the vice, I can bend the other side to the original shape easily, which is no possible to do strait on the bike.