Side cover blew off...history

[Evil Mitch]

I know this was an "old" thread, but, just wanted to post up that on my brand spankin new 2015 R3T, the right side cover blew off and went flying down the road on the ride home. I actually saw the thing whip past in the rear-view and pulled over and walked all the way back to where it had landed and picked it up. It's scratched from bouncing off the highway but not broken up. I got it back on the bike (no grommets missing/twisted/etc) and got home.

When i got it home, I wrapped a bunch of turns of teflon tape (to simply increase the diameter of the posts) and then mushed it back on. It was a much much more secure fit, but, after reading this thread, I'll be going back and doing a little drill/zip-tie job myself.

I'll be bringing this up with the dealer when I take it in for it's first service this saturday.

I find it a little annoying that on a new bike like this, I have to be worried about sh$t flying off of it when I leave the showroom floor.

Thats another thing that makes the classic/standard and Roadster models better . Sidecovers are bolted on as they should be and the seat removes with the key

 

[TheRudeMoose]

I lost a side panel gromet, but luckily did not lose the side panel.
And knowing how the supply chain is right now (March 2022), I knew I would never get a OEM replacement.
So I improvised. Auto parts store. They Fit tighter so you dont lose the side panel.

 

[MIG]

I lost a side panel gromet, but luckily did not lose the side panel.
And knowing how the supply chain is right now (March 2022), I knew I would never get a OEM replacement.
So I improvised. Auto parts store. They Fit tighter so you dont lose the side panel.

I'll assume you had the side panel secured with a zip-tie or similar? For some reason it took me years to get around to it. Glad I did, though I've yet to have one come off... lucky I suppose.
-MIG