Side Covers

xstom

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Hello everyone.

I've been working on my 1980 XS650 Special for sometime now and have a question regarding the side covers that go over the air boxes. On the 1980 the covers are held on with a rubber grommet on the bottom and press onto two slotted rubber posts (for lack a better term) at the top. I don't know if over the years the plastic can shrink or what but it appears that one of the three mounting locations is off. For instance if I mount at the two top posts first the bottom bung is off location by about 3/8 of an inch. If I go with the bottom first and then the rearward top mount the front mount is off about the same. I thought of trying a hot air dryer to heat the cover up a bit to see if that helps. Anyone have any experience like this?

Tom
 
Welcome Tom
The rubber grommets do harden with time and unless yours have been replaced they are 30 years old. Replacements are available from MikesXS here. Part #02_6505 for the top & #02_6504 for the bottom.
Also the plastic of the side cover can become brittle and both my bottom mounts have broken off, I just filed them flat and replaced them with stainless nuts & bolts
Cheers Kev
 
My bottom mounts broke off also but I used rubber gromets in the covers with clevis pins going through the gromets from the cover through the gromets on the frame , washers and clips to hole them on , I still wanted easy access to my tool bag without the use of tools to get the cover off.
 
I put mine on in this sequence....bottom on first, top front goes on next and then the top rear. Disassembly in reverse, of course. Taken off and put on are done VERY carefully.
 
Thanks for the info. It appears that there is a little interference between the side cover and air box. I'm not sure why and have to examine how everything is fitting, although it all appears to be ok.
 
Okay, this is funny. When I got this bike (free) the air boxes were not on it, but assembled. I have been going through all the systems re-building or replacing as I go. So it's time to put the air boxes back on and I just put them on the way they were assembled not realizing that the outer cover was on incorrectly (back facing front). Anyway, got it fixed now. Amazing how nicely the side covers go on now. Duh.
 
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