I just put a set of R&G crash protectors on my 98 and would like to share a couple of installation tips that I haven't seen on any of the threads. First, I used the "paint on the bolt head" method to locate the holes but with a slight difference. Rather than apply paint directly to the bolt head, I had some round Velcro with a diameter almost the same as the bolt head (don't remember where I got these, but someplace like Staples would be a good bet). Each set of Velcro fasteners has a stiff piece and a soft piece. The soft one makes a good paint pad so I stuck it to the bolt, making sure to center it. The pad holds more paint and, because it is round, leaves a nice round spot on the back of the fairing. This makes centering the pilot hole easier and more precise. Second, I used neither a tank cutter (R&G recommendation) nor a Dremel tool to cut the hole. I used a 19mm Greenlee chassis punch (16mm is spec'd. but I wanted some wiggle room). This is a tool used to cut reltively large round holes in aluminum and soft steel and were common during the vacuum tube era in electronics (holes for tube sockets, RF connectors, meters, etc.). Each consists of a threaded cutter, a die and a bolt which is used to slowly draw the cutter through the panel into the die. With some judicious e-baying, you can snag one of these for $10-20 (search "Greenlee") The resulting hole is perfectly round, precisely sized and so clean that no deburing is required. A second pilot hole (typically 1/4" or 3/8") needs to be drilled for the bolt, so make the first pilot hole small and use a self centering bit for the larger second one. I was very reluctant to cut my fairings but this approach worked perfectly. The only issue is that you can only do this if the hole location is on a flat area of the panel. This works fine for Gen 5, but probably not for Gen 6. Don't know about the others. Don't have pics but can take some if there is interest.
