Doing a happy dance !!!

[Larry D]

I received my right side panel today !! Yiippeee!!!!
Only took 6 months for one to pop up on the FleaBay. I could've bought one from the dealership for around $40, but what's the fun in that ?!?
This one was $22 delivered. I have the badges and am going to paint and pinstripe when I do the rest of the bike.

Before and after pics....

[bonanzadave]

Cool !! Lookin goood !!

Now, get some Nevr Dull and start shining.....

[Larry D]

Cool !! Lookin goood !!

Now, get some Nevr Dull and start shining.....

Oh noooo !!!
I spent several years in the US Navy. And many, many hours shining brass with Nevr Dull. It won't bother me at all if I nevr see, smell or touch that stuff again !!
I know she needs a little cleaning up. I plan on riding her next season and doing a complete teardown next winter.

[bonanzadave]

Oh noooo !!!
I spent several years in the US Navy.

Ha, I was a Jarhead

[Larry D]

Ha, I was a Jarhead

You mean a "former jarhead", don't you ?

[Larry D]

A better way ?

I was thinking on my way to work today about the "new" side panel....

Although Mr. Suzuki designed some great GS motorcycles, he didn't design a very good mounting system for these side panels. Being held on by two tabs and a plastic stud that fits into a rubber grommet just isn't very secure.

Has anyone come up with a better way to hold these in place ? Perhaps some kind of pins and clips or something ?

[Russ' GS1000E]

Hey Larry,

My '80 GS has the lower point attached with a bolt. (factory)
Perhaps you could replace the plastic tab with some hardware.

I could've bought one from the dealership for around $40, but what's the fun in that ?!?

I'm in the same boat with my fuel tank.
Rusty, leaky, and coated with Kreem.
Smart bet would be to buy new..... at $400.
So instead, I'll spend forty hours cleaning and repairing the old can.

[Eli69]

loose and shaky side covers are just waiting to fly off. usually, if you find them, they have tire tracks on them. anyway, some gs's came with a rubber band on the metal hooks that the cover hangs on. they cut down on vibration and tighten things up a little. if you don't have them anymore i suggest finding something to replace them with. i think it helps.

[Newbee]

Works for me...so far

On a few of my bikes I have been able to drill a small hole through the post/stud install cover slide on a washer and a clip from the backside. Looks stock and works great for me. Just don't forget to remove pin when removing cover.

I see Redline has a special rivnut that slides in to the grommet and allows you to drill a hole through the cover and screw on the cover. Might be a way to make that look stock if you work at it a little?

[twr1776]

Congrats on the sidecover, is the rear mounting tab bent down slightly or is that the way it is? Have you replaced the bottom rubber grommet? A new grommet should hold better than the OEM one if you havent done it already. Maybe try some weatherseal for cushions on the top mounts?

[Larry D]

Congrats on the sidecover, is the rear mounting tab bent down slightly or is that the way it is? Have you replaced the bottom rubber grommet? A new grommet should hold better than the OEM one if you havent done it already. Maybe try some weatherseal for cushions on the top mounts?

The rear tab is not bent to my knowledge. The panel fits great. I haven't replaced either grommet. I am planning to, when I figure out how to secure them a little better. I was thinking of drilling small holes vertically in each tab a dropping a pin with some sort of clamping head to help hold them on.