Right side cover removal

[Dakota Jim]

How do you remove the right side cover to get to the document bag?

 

[Dakota Jim]

I got it removed. Remove the philips screw that faces the back of the bike, remove the plastic push pin and pull out the bottom until the two grommets release the plastic cover tabs and then push upward and out. In the manual on page 80, it states "the owners manual, registration, and insurance info can be stored in the plastic document bag behind the right side cover". No it can't as there is no place to put it or hold it or protect it!! On page 34 it says "document bag and tool kit are stored in the tool box". Which is it HONDA? Actually, the tool box will work but at least now I know how to remove the side cover.

 

[dmonkey]

I've had the right side cover off and never encountered a document bag. Imagine being pulled over and explaining to an officer that you need to open the tool box, grab a screwdriver, and take off a side body panel to get to your paperwork
I added a storage compartment to where the license plate mounts: https://hondatrail125.com/index.php?threads/grifter-behind-license-plate-storage-box.487/
If you do put anything of importance in the tool box, beware that the lid can pop itself open on that. One solution is to secure it shut with a reusable cable tie through the handy holes that are already in place on it and the lid.

 

[SneakyDingo]

Imagine being pulled over

On this bike? For what, speeding?

 

[dmonkey]

Sure? It's capable of speeding, and plenty of other hooning that can get you in trouble, while not being fast enough to not get caught

 

[SneakyDingo]

When I knew this bike would make me meet lots of old men, police officers were not what I had in mind.

 

[op46]

You can get a ticket for hindering traffic too.... probably more likely.... choose your roads wisely. Actually getting run over from behind the more likely if you choose poorly.

 

[SneakyDingo]

True, but where I am, it's super rare to get a hindering traffic ticket (you can search the public database for those, and I've never actually seen any, RCW 46.61.427). The reasoning is the definition of pullouts etc. for holding up vehicles is very poorly defined, so cops don't issue tickets on it because any lawyer will get you out of it. For the same reason, I will roll on the shoulder to allow traffic to pass if conditions allow it; slow down to a moderately slow speed, allow the traffic to pass, and rejoin traffic. Despite this being illegal outside of RCW 46.61.428 (usually for reasons in RCW 46.61.670 aka spreading shit all over the road), I never hear of people getting tickets for it.

 

[dmonkey]

In CO we have a few catchall traffic laws, one being "careless driving" (CRS 42-4-1402). This gets used for anything you can imagine that isn't otherwise explicitly illegal or doesn't have enough supporting evidence to be charged, but seems unsafe or like a misjudgement. I have heard of it being issued to lower power cars that can't keep up with traffic in the mountains, and it's what an officer showing up to the emergency room after an accident will often issue to all parties involved after taking their statements. A lawyer might have the finesse to get it dismissed depending on the circumstances, but most traffic lawyers in the area charge $1,500 minimum to take on a case, so the path of lease resistance would be plea deal from the district attorney and a lesser ticket.

The screw is the only thing that securely holds my right side cover in place, those upper tabs broke off after a few removals. Really think Honda could have done a better job with all the body panel tabs on this bike. Even with the utmost care they'll become brittle over time. There are plenty of other bikes heavy in plastic body panels since the 80s with designs that have held up well, and others that didn't. Seems like Honda missed out on utilizing that hindsight advantage.

 

[m in sc]

i keep mine in the tool box in a ziplock. much easier than dicking with that RH sidecover.

 

[SneakyDingo]

stuff

Cops will be cops. They will find a way if they feel particularly inclined to doing so. Tesla ran into this problem with their automotive programming, their self driving cars have to break the laws in order to perform safe operation in some cases.

Gotta say, hard agree on the panelwork. It shouldn't be something I have to Youtube to know where the hidden tabs are to avoid breaking them off. That's pretty much the antithesis in intuitive design.

 

[Mick In VT]

The header is “right side cover removal”, so I am going to return to the topic. I removed mine yesterday with the awareness of the rear-facing screw, the bottom pop-pin, the two center tabs, and the two top tabs. I’ve seen YouTube videos showing the cover removal, but somehow still missed the little plastic post in the top left of the cover which broke off. I imagine it is possible to remove the cover without breaking this tiny post by wiggling the cover to the left when the bottom is lifted up to release the center posts. Fortunately the plastic that broke off doesn’t seem essential, but I still feel bad about breaking it.

 

[MisterB]

Mick, is there anything in there from the factory?

 

[Mick In VT]

Besides the rear brake fluid reservoir? Definitely no paperwork lurking there. I should have looked in the service manual before removing the cover because that little post is shown in the illustration.

 

[mcmd]

Besides the rear brake fluid reservoir? Definitely no paperwork lurking there. I should have looked in the service manual before removing the cover because that little post is shown in the illustration.
View attachment 2601

Hi Mick,
It looks like I need to add rear brake fluid. Can you explain how you removed the cover that houses the rear brake fluid reservoir? Also posted a question elsewhere (not sure where) about where you used the liner for the GIVI mounting plate. Thanks for all of your help!

 

[Mick In VT]

Hey mcmd, the cover has the obvious plastic pop fastener on the bottom(push in gently in the center), and the rear-facing jis screw. If you then pull the top left corner (as you are facing it) rearward, you should be able to free the tiny post before swinging the bottom up and freeing the top two tabs. I totally missed that tiny post and snapped it off. Fortunately the cover is secure without that tab, although I felt miserable breaking it.

As to the Givi plate, I considered larger pieces of rubbery materials but didn’t want anything to trap moisture (although I am a fair weather rider). I had cut a couple of two-inch pieces of narrow bicycle inner tube to use on the bent steel pieces Givi provides for the bottom of the rack, so I just cut four more and positioned them in the four corners. I can just see them along the edge without having them protrude. They never moved all season, and the case seems very secure.

Hope this helps.

 

[mcmd]

Hey mcmd, the cover has the obvious plastic pop fastener on the bottom(push in gently in the center), and the rear-facing jis screw. If you then pull the top left corner (as you are facing it) rearward, you should be able to free the tiny post before swinging the bottom up and freeing the top two tabs. I totally missed that tiny post and snapped it off. Fortunately the cover is secure without that tab, although I felt miserable breaking it.

As to the Givi plate, I considered larger pieces of rubbery materials but didn’t want anything to trap moisture (although I am a fair weather rider). I had cut a couple of two-inch pieces of narrow bicycle inner tube to use on the bent steel pieces Givi provides for the bottom of the rack, so I just cut four more and positioned them in the four corners. I can just see them along the edge without having them protrude. They never moved all season, and the case seems very secure.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Mick. I appreciate the information.

 

[mcmd]

I see this thread started out as removing the side panel to access the document storage. Then there's the other reason to remove the panel, to access the rear brake fluid reservoir. The conclusion on the former being that there's no place or reason to place your documents inside the side panel. I wanted to share an idea on document storage from a guy on You Tube who goes by On2Feet. He's got some great videos. His suggestion is to place your papers in a good zip loc bag and velcro this little package to the bottom of your seat. This way they're locked away, yet easy to access. I thought this was a great idea. This is the method I'm now using. Thanks On2Feet!

 

[SneakyDingo]

His suggestion is to place your papers in a good zip loc bag and velcro this little package to the bottom of your seat. This way they're locked away, yet easy to access. I thought this was a great idea. This is the method I'm now using. Thanks On2Feet!

I did this, and the velcro un-stuck. I pressed it on and hoped for the best, but when I get a moment I'm going to add some painter's tape and superglue the velcro to the painter's tape.

 

[jimzpsd]

Super glue is bad, it dries hard and brittle. If you can find a flexible adhesive, the velcro will thank you