Not sure what the difference is from oem-ABS to aftermarket glass regarding stability or durability - I have three early fairings ( `83 - `85 ) and none has cracks or shows signs of material fatigue.
I actually wonder why they don't have any, because one of them on one edge even shows how a previous owner must have slid across the pavement with it !
Not a sign of weakness imo...?...!...
As others have documented, cracks often occur around the headlight area if not all of the stock mounts have been used over the years, the X-bracket alone is not enough.
Did you note on the fiberglass fairing in your picture, it has to be cut and worked on to accept the upper winglets (mounts from gas tank bolts to rear position of fairing) ?
After all it`s a matter of personal preference.... I have always been a custom guy and never cared about oem parts, but with the FXR I very much prefer the stock part over the aftermarket fairings.
.......especially when they don`t have the recessed area (where some mount speakers) and also show a closed-up plain surface where the stocker is empty to take up the separate glove boxes.
As how I feel that`s one of the reasons why they have that ´knock-off-look` to them, but others may like them better or simply don`t care.
Some of the custom ones have raw inner surfaces and need tons of filler to get them plain, same with most of the lower fairings.
Whenever I had a glass part in my hands, be it a fender or whatever piece, they never were totally accurate to shape, had uneven edge thickness and have been
painter`s headache (and overtime) when he tried to smooth them out before painting (before handing over the finished product while saying ..."...sorry couldn`t get
it better than that..."...) .
Some cost double after all the work it you want to get things perfect (and might still not be perfect).
My friend who had an Indy shop, building custom bikes for centuries, refused to use glass parts like the devil avoids holy water.
When I look at a stock fairing-FXR it appears to me as the more desirable and worthier bike than one with an aftermarket fairing (given the rest of the bikes is comparable).
But I don`t mean to talk down the custom part.....what the "better" thing is for the one guy, might not be for the other one and has more to it than overall cost or even
stability etc..........for some it is about oem-originality, for others about certain details which a stock part does not offer.
Finally, I might be obsessed with the historic part ( that I had an aversion for back then... ..😂 ).