Bikers Workshop Series

Removing GL1500 Lower Fairing Panels

By Steve Saunders.

Lower fairing panels on the Honda Goldwing GL1500 need to be removed for various maintenance tasks, such as getting at the spark plugs and leads electrical connectors on top of the radiator fans, balancing the carburettors, replacing the timing belts etc. This article shows you how to remove the panels.

Click the thumbnails for a bigger image.

Remove the Goldwings lower cowl trim piece as in the first picture by first pressing it in at the top middle and pulling the edges out and up form the cowl. Then remove the three screws holding the cowl in place, one screw in the centre as in the second picture and one at each side (left side shown in the third picture). Some early GL1500 Goldwings used small Allen bolts here instead of Phillips screws.

Now pry off the plastic clip covering the screw as in the first picture. Note the type of screw used, as shown in the third picture. You must put this one back in the right place, ie the clip from the right side must go back on the right side fairing lower panel and the left clip on the left side panel. Tip; When refitting the plastic clip to the Goldwing later on, a bit of Blutack or similar will stop it falling off and getting lost. Pull the L piece trim away, taking care not to break the tab shown in the fifth picture.

Now pry off the small black plastic cover at the rear of the running light. Blutack will be a good idea here as well when refitting the cover. The owner of this GL1500 didn't use it and the cover on each side of the Goldwing got lost, which is why you can't see them in the pictures. Note the type of screw used here as well, same as the one mentioned earlier. Now pry the long black trim piece away from the front of the running light. The fourth picture shows the two normal Phillips screws under the trim piece, remove them. 

Remove the running light or just tie/tape it up out of the way, and pull the lower fairing panel away from the Goldwing.

When dropping the GL1500 cowl, be careful not to damage the tabs that hold it in against the lower side fairing panels and disconnect cornering or foglights if they are fitted to the cowl.

When refitting the panels, take care that you place the running light tabs between the lower and upper fairing, as shown in the picture. It's easy to get it wrong and put the running light tabs on the outside of the lower fairing tabs. If you do this, the tabs will snap off the lower fairing when you screw it back in place. 

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