Side panel breakage?

[rondob4]

When I bought my used '99RT bike, the black plastic side panels located below the seat on either side were/have both plastic plungers broken off (dunno which). My guess is this is a design issue. Any recommendations for a fix?

[Motorradmark]

Yeah, mine did the same, the one on the left side tends to snap off more. I have used JB weld before with success. Secret is to ensure all points are lined up BEFORE pushing in, my own hard lesson. And pull off carefully. Probably ought not to be a small plastic tab, under some stress there. I haven't noticed any issues when it is broken off - panel flying off or anything.

 

good luck

 

Mark

[Murf]

I'm with Mark. I had to use JB Weld also. Let it cure completely before re-installing it and putting the stresses back on it. It also helps if you apply a little vasoline with a Q-tip into the hole and around the post.

[Jerry_75_Guy]

Facinating. Interesting timing as well; the right

side just broke on mine a couple of days ago.

 

Time to buy some JB Weld I guess. A touch of lube in the hole (maybe

a touch of axle grease would last longer than vasoline)

sounds like a good idea too.

[Tool Man]

Ron,

I knew this was a problem even before I got my 04 and treated it kindly. The left side still snapped Naturally the warrenty covered it. I doubt you'll get the dealer to warrenty yours but you could try since it is a known problem.

 

I think Jamie (KMG-365) did a step by step procedure on how to repair the tab with some high strength glue specifically for plastic. If he dosesn't show up here and reply, send him a PM.

 

I keep a small dab of grease on the male tab. Whenever I remove them I apply more if needed. It helps the R&R significantly

[Les is more]

Check here for a fix Jamie did with Plastex - Awesome stuff.

[topdal46]

I've broken my tabs in the past too, I have wondered if you could put a screw into the stub that remains on the side cover, and if the screw head is round and of the right size, if that would not work?

[Michael Fajans]

My preventative solution was to cut a small wooden block that fit into the space underneath the plastic post and epoxy that into place. I then carefully drilled a small diameter hole through the center of the post down into the wood block and ran a metal pin the length of the post and into the wooden block. So far so good.

[AndyS]

Mine have broken too, on two bikes!

Now Mr & Mrs BMW know this is a VERY common problem, and I think they are a little bit on the naughty side for not changing the design of these known weak areas when they do their annual updates & various facelifts. However it makes them some easy pocket money,so maybe there is method in their lack of action.

AndyS

[too old to care]

On my 97 RT, I broke one of the studs. I took a bolt about 1 1/2 inches long (stainless steel battery bolt), ground down the head until it resembled the stud, and simply used two nuts to jam-lock it in place after drilling out a hole in the flange. It worked fine for many years.

[OOF]

Seems it doesn't matter how careful you are; they still break off!!

When my left hand cover "plunger" broke off I drilled it and drilled & tapped a thread into the cover. It is now resin bonded and secured with a little machine screw.

When fitting the cover I add a little spit to help it into the grommet. For removal I press it out from the rear.

[Couchrocket]

Another vote for JB Weld. Though the "boss" that has the spear attached looks pretty substantial, it is hollow and the wall thickness is amazingly "thin." I used the plastic stuff that Les recommended to reassemble the spear to the rest of the piece, then filled the entire cavity with JB Weld and let it cure properly. The rest of the bike will now fall off around the spear before it breaks off again.

 

I plan to fill the void on the other side as a preventative measure.

 

I also have started using a silicone grease/paste on the grommet with which the spear mates.

 

BTW, anyone needing a "left side" for an RT, let me know. I have a new "spare" since it took me a while to find all the little bits to rebuild the original. They were scattered about in the back of my truck.

[K^2]

When mine (left side, as usual) broke, I epoxied it. Lasted about a year, then broke again. Now I just use velcro. Works fine.

[mikefigielski]

An alternative to JB Weld or Plastex is ABS cement. The covers are made of ABS plastic and Home Depot or any other hardware store should have ABS cement and cleaner handy. I have used it to repare case lids and fairing panel mounts before with excellent results. As a bonus, it can be had in black so no one will know it was repaired!

Mike

[Bruce Barrow]

After breaking one side and repairing it with JB Weld I took a small file and removed the very sharp corners that create the "arrowhead" shape. I am on the 6th year with both sides still intact.

 

Bruce

[PatML]

I managed to fix mine okay, luckily the tab stayed in the frame grommet and I could retrieve it. I drilled a hole up the middle of the broken-off tab and screwed a small self-tapper into it. Having thus cut a rudimentary thread in the tab, I removed the self tapper, cut the head off it, tidying the stump edges with a needle file, and rescrewed it in the tab the other way round so that the tab now had a nice tapered self-tappping screw sticking out of it. This screwed very nicely into the panel and with a splodge of glue (epoxy would be good but I probably used some old stuff in the bottom of the toolbox) to hold it in place it has worked fine since. I am very careful about taking the panel off and on now but it works and I saved some fuel money.

Good luck with fixing yours, I hope you managed to salvage the tab. I still remember the moment (in front of Dad of all places!) well: 'Surely this should just pull off. Surely it shouldn't be this stiff. A little bit more heft, grunt, snap, cuss.' 'Solid German engineering then son?' snarl.