As everyone knows, the side covers (especially the left battery side) are easily damaged (at least the mounting tabs) and in some cases disappear all together during a long ride. I am interested in forgoing the side covers and looking for custom options to cover at least the battery on the left side. I have seen some bikes with a leather case that covers the battery (see picture) or a metal box of sorts while still using the factory battery cage/latching system. Just wondering what others have done and/or any aftermarket products that can support this mod.
I explored options for doing the same thing.
everything that I found ended up looking like a hack botch job.
even with covering the battery with something cool, you still got the electrical stuff to "hide".
imho:
The stock sidecover ended up working (and looking) the best.
That's what I am finding out as well. Both my covers are shot and to find a left side on ebay is pricey. And then of course, there is painting and such...
I can sew, but I attempted to make my own seat cover back in the day and it ended up looking like a 4 year old made it.....
I've seen numerous bikes with various types of screens, grilles, or grates for side covers, and found several videos on YouTube on how to form them (making speaker grilles). I haven't tried it yet, but hope to in the future...
"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
"He that is good with a hammer tends to think everything is a nail" - Abraham Maslow
"If you can't take the time to do it right the first time, how are you ever going to find the time to do it over?" -Unknown
In The Shed:
'81 gl1100I barn find aka "Josie, the farmer's daughter." (almost comatose build)
'77 gl1000, roller parts bike.
'82 gl1100I, 'Old Crusty' titled roller parts bike (free!)
'82 gl1100I, My first 'Wing, and an expensive lesson! New2U Bike? Read Me.
I haven't tried it with one of my wings due to none of the mounting "stems" being broken but I use one to fix a side panel on my wife's shadow. worked perfectly and you don't have to worry about it blowing off. https://www.quik-latch.com/
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1982 1100 standard. (sold)
1986 Yamaha FJ1200
2000 Yamaha Roadstar
1976 GoldWing. running but not on the road
1978 Goldwing. future cafe project.
2019 Can-Am ryker (boss's new ride)
2002 Shadow American Classic(sold)
1983 Shadow 500. (sold)
ABS plumbing cement and plastic from wreck take-offs from your local dealer can repair most side covers. And then after that slick paint job you give them, attach them to the bike with a lanyard so they at least won't go far when you don't reattach them properly (and tug to make sure).
"Love 'em all.... let God sort 'em out!"
Ex 2006 GL1800 - the Black Pearl SOLD! to make room for:
2021 Can-Am Spyder RT Limited Dark Chalk Metallic
1975 Red GL1000 project - ex Pistol Pete project
1972 Triumph T150V Trident rescue - finished and FOR SALE!
1976 Yamaha RD400c
1978 GL1000 with '75 engine - the Hunley
Ex 1978 GL1000
Ex 1979 GL1000
Ex '79 CB750F rat bike
Ex '86 SEi
Ex '77 GL1000
Ex '76 RD400
Ex '72 Penton 125 set up for flat track
Ex '73 RD250
Ex '68 TR6C - chopped
That’s a good use of a spare Buxton shave kit cover in the first bike picture.
Current Bikes:
DISPLAY MODELS:
1966 CL77 - Honda 305cc - Dual purpose - "Gentleman's Scrambler" was a period moniker.
1967 CL175K0 - Low production number with #802 engine serial- winter 2019/2020 full restoration.
1972 CB350F - Baby Four with low mileage - Cosmetic refresh to the next level 2021/2022.
RIDERS AND FUN TOYS:
1978 CB550K - Very original bike with only 7499 Km. from new - light cleanup and refresh done.
1983 CB1100F - Canadian model - DOHC Supersport in pristine low kilometre condition from new.
1984 CX650E - Restored summer 2017 - a rare Eurosport model - excellent one owner bike.
Beat the gas tank in a little, get a smaller battery ,put on a flat panel.(ala my street tracker) Go to a regular tank and put all the electrics under the seat.(ala the Bopper)
Proud member of the NGW Cartel My Album
Jesus is Lord ! Hope is not a plan
83 Ascempade has become a trike with 1200 fork tubes and Maxda Miata rear suspension.
84 Standard ongoing project
82 Interstate 35k reincarnated as a "Street Tracker"
no one replicates it? is it so difficult to replicate it? I try to ask a friend of mine who works in fiberglass, he builds many things in the nautical sector and I know that he replicates the dashboards for the Fiat Abarths and for the Lancia Rally.
Paola (Italy)
Paola, my best guess is that there just isn't enough demand to make the molds for the ABS. They are repairable (several of mine are repaired) with ABS plumbing cement. The real problem is when they are totally lost, which is why I recommend lanyards on them. My '78 with '75 engine does not have lanyards only because the covers must be removed to prevent them from being abraded by the straps that hold it to my trailer when taking it to shows. I place them in old helmet bags for transport. I supposed negative molds could be produced for fiberglass layup using a good set of existing covers, but they changed in '78 also.
"Love 'em all.... let God sort 'em out!"
Ex 2006 GL1800 - the Black Pearl SOLD! to make room for:
2021 Can-Am Spyder RT Limited Dark Chalk Metallic
1975 Red GL1000 project - ex Pistol Pete project
1972 Triumph T150V Trident rescue - finished and FOR SALE!
1976 Yamaha RD400c
1978 GL1000 with '75 engine - the Hunley
Ex 1978 GL1000
Ex 1979 GL1000
Ex '79 CB750F rat bike
Ex '86 SEi
Ex '77 GL1000
Ex '76 RD400
Ex '72 Penton 125 set up for flat track
Ex '73 RD250
Ex '68 TR6C - chopped
wouldn't a lanyard be kind of counter productive if a side panel lets go while you are moving..especially at highway speeds? the turbulence of it being tethered in the wind would be hard on it if it's smashing against the side of the bike.
I was considering using one of these for more storage and to replace one or both side panels on my 82 until I found the interstate bags for sale locally.
FWIW, both side covers on my CX have been held on by acorn nuts since they were on the previous bike (GL500). In my case I was able to pass a piece of 5/16" threaded rod through existing holes in the frame and secure it to the frame with washers and nuts on either side, then bend the ends so that they come through the covers almost perpendicular. After that I threaded 2 nuts onto each end, adjusted the outer one to where the inside of the side cover sat against it and used the inner one as a jam nut to keep the outer one from moving. A nice stainless acorn nut and washer on the outside makes it look tidy and keeps the cover from coming off unless I want it to.
I will confess that after nearly 2 decades of being mounted that way the covers are a bit distorted around the holes; I originally used a washer in the inside too so that the pressure from the nuts was spread but after about a decade I just stopped putting them back and I'm sure that contributed to the distortion (I probably should tack weld washers to the nuts behind the covers but I was planning major changes (including building a larger tank) for a long time. Unfortunately, now that I'm using it so much less I don't need the bigger tank and it would take more time than I am likely to spend on the bike in a year so it is hard to justify putting that much effort into a project like that.
That’s a good use of a spare Buxton shave kit cover in the first bike picture.
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