86 vs 89 Main Fairing

[Arnie]

Ok, all you smart guys who know everything about all the various years FJ....

I have an '89 main fairing for sale. 
Islandbum (aka Benny) wants a fairing that hasn't been beat on and repaired poorly.

We've agreed a price and I've even found a way to get it to him at the right price :-)

HOWEVER, although his bike was described as an '88, it looks like an '86 to me.
(You can see pics in his intro and more pics of his fairing in the parts for sale thrread about this)

Who knows if the '89 fairing will fit his subframe, and if any of the other parts scoops, lights, indicators, will fit?
Or how hard it would be to make it fit.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Cheers,
Arnie

[Arnie]

Very surprised that there are none of the "smart guys" I expected to have all the answers to my questions about compatibility between '86 and '89 fairings.
Luckily after a couple of days of no replies, I posted to the Yahoo lists as well, where I did get replies.  As I suspected, this swap will not work easily or cheaply if you want the bike to look and function properly.  (previous sentence is FYI)
At least IslandBum and I discovered this info before shipping the thing about 2,000kms.

Cheers,
Arnie

[simi_ed]

I can offer some 'smart answers', but they don't have anything to do with your fairing question ... 

[bigguy1]

Thanks for posting your findings.

[Marsh White]

Very surprised that there are none of the "smart guys" I expected to have all the answers to my questions about compatibility between '86 and '89 fairings.
Luckily after a couple of days of no replies, I posted to the Yahoo lists as well, where I did get replies. 

Arnie, I didn't see your post earlier.  Yeah, what George said - big pain in the ass - not plug-n-play.  Lot's of extra parts and work required.  Far better to find an 86 fairing and repair it / repaint it then to do this.

[yamahammerFJ]

I have decided to revive this thread to ask the following question:

Which years of FJs fit which years of lower fairings?

[RichBaker]

There are 4 generations of FJ11/12..... generally, body parts are the same among each gen.   1stGen= 84-85  2nd Gen= 86-87  3rd Gen= 88-90 (88 was not imported to the US, too many prev. year bikes still in dealers)  and 4th Gen= 91-up....

Color schemes vary year to year, but the body parts will be the same among each generation.

[yamahammerFJ]

So essentially, there is no easy way to attach a lower fairing from an '86 to an '85? Is there anyone who makes a full lower fairing for the FJ anymore? Seems the best deals I have found for repro lowers online range from about $140 (unpainted, undrilled and possibly without proper mounting tabs) to $230 (solid red, still unpainted). I have done a lot of searching on eBay with no luck, and I have the SuperTrapp exhaust, so I am not looking to cut up a mint OEM piece. Suggestions?

[TRoy]

easy way to attach a lower fairing from an '86 to an '85?

..you can swap out your lower frame rails with '86 ones.  I have some, wanna trade? (your 85 frame rails for my 86's)

[yamahammerFJ]

..you can swap out your lower frame rails with '86 ones.  I have some, wanna trade? (your 85 frame rails for my 86's)

Perhaps... will everything else including the engine still bolt right up? Any chance there's an '86 lower fairing coming with it?

[lawson]

This is a pretty basic problem.Should you even be on motorcycle.Ha Ha .If you are in Put A Shimp on Barbyville - Also swap out inner support.Glad to be of help from "Smart Ass Guy" oh wait - i meant "Smart Guy"

[Travis398]

There are 4 generations of FJ11/12..... generally, body parts are the same among each gen.   1stGen= 84-85  2nd Gen= 86-87  3rd Gen= 88-90 (88 was not imported to the US, too many prev. year bikes still in dealers)  and 4th Gen= 91-up....

Color schemes vary year to year, but the body parts will be the same among each generation.

Doesn't Lotsokids 88' FJ look more like an 86 than it does an 89?

[FJmonkey]

There are 4 generations of FJ11/12..... generally, body parts are the same among each gen.   1stGen= 84-85  2nd Gen= 86-87  3rd Gen= 88-90 (88 was not imported to the US, too many prev. year bikes still in dealers)  and 4th Gen= 91-up....

Color schemes vary year to year, but the body parts will be the same among each generation.

Doesn't Lotsokids 88' FJ look more like an 86 than it does an 89?

If that is an 88 then someone downgraded it with AD forks. The side scoops look like an 86/87 as well. Some web sites post the wrong pics of different years like this one showing an 87 as an 88. http://motoprofi.com/motospecspictures/yamaha/fj_1200-1988.html.

[Travis398]

well than someone downgraded the fairing also, cause the blinkers are shaped like the 86'. 
does anyone else have a pic of an 88 FJ?

[Travis398]

okay maybe he mixed the date up cause it looks like this is an 87 FJ according to the person that listed the picture