Side covers

[Holysmoke]

Hi again

Hope all are doing well. Just replaced the rear main seal, and clutch, on Beatrice, my '78 R100S. It went well. Ready to put some miles on the bike. Any tricks to keeping the side covers on?

Thank,
Ron

[ME 109]

If you have the hooks on the insides of the covers, the oe rubber band works fine.
But only in conjunction with a small cable tie on the rear edge of each cover, around the subframe.
Drill an 1/8" hole where it can't be seen on the rear edge of the cover.
Covers can't come off without breaking/cutting the cable tie.

[SteveD]

Cable ties around the frame, then connect to the side cover hooks. The right one is most important.

[Bamboo812]

Small bungee cords will work and last longer than the oe rubber o-rings.

[Ken in Oklahoma]

Small bungee cords will work and last longer than the oe rubber o-rings.

I've used those too and I like them. Even as they degrade they will typically still hang onto the hooks well enough long enough that you don't loose a side cover. My favorite approach though is a discrete hole drilled into the flange of the cover, with a small zip tie securing the cover to the bike.

Ken

[Zombie Master]

I drill a small hole at the rear of the side cover near a sub frame tube and zip tie them on for security. you don't see the hole from the side of the bike. I install the O rings as per stock fitment. I've never lost one yet in the last 40+ years riding Airheads.