How-To: Body Panel Fasteners | MC GARAGE

Tips on how to undress your bike.

Screws, bolts, plastic rivets, tabs, posts and grommets, and dual-lock pads are just some of the strategies manufacturers use to keep bike bodywork in place. Peeling off body panels can be like playing with puzzles, but these tips will reduce your frustration and minimize your risk of damaging costly components.

Threaded Fasteners – Shouldered bolts are often used to secure bodywork to metal brackets, and they might all look the same until you unscrew them. Take note of bolts with different thread diameters and different shoulder diameters and lengths. These shoulders have a specific purpose; using the wrong bolt can leave the bodywork loose or promote cracking. Bagging similar bolts together is a good idea.©Motorcyclist
Friction Fittings – Posts and grommets and dual-lock pads (essentially industrial-grade Velcro) are often employed for side panels and tank trim. They're easy to deal with—just pull them apart. Applying a little silicone lubricant to grommets will ease installation and help to preserve the rubber.©Motorcyclist
Tabs – Tabs and friction clips often hold overlapping panels together. There's always an order of operations to removing overlapping panels, and it usually starts with a screw or bolt. Once you've removed all the obvious fasteners, gently pry back the panel to determine where else (and how else) it's held in place.©Motorcyclist
Rivets – Push the center in with a pick or small screwdriver to release tension on the fastener. Then pull the rivet out with your fingernails or a small flat-blade screwdriver. Once you've removed the rivet, pop the center back above the surface. When you reinstall it later you'll press the center home to secure the fitting.©Motorcyclist
Damage – Snap a tab? You can order up a new piece, or you can try fixing it with superglue, epoxy, or a specialized product like PlastiFix. Stripped or cracked threaded tabs can be repaired by filling the threads with epoxy, securing the boss with a zip-tie, and then drilling the cured epoxy to accept the screw.©Motorcyclist
How many of these body panel fasteners look familiar to you?©Motorcyclist
Threaded Fasteners – Shouldered bolts are often used to secure bodywork to metal brackets, and they might all look the same until you unscrew them. Take note of bolts with different thread diameters and different shoulder diameters and lengths. These shoulders have a specific purpose; using the wrong bolt can leave the bodywork loose or promote cracking. Bagging similar bolts together is a good idea.©Motorcyclist
Friction Fittings – Posts and grommets and dual-lock pads (essentially industrial-grade Velcro) are often employed for side panels and tank trim. They're easy to deal with—just pull them apart. Applying a little silicone lubricant to grommets will ease installation and help to preserve the rubber.©Motorcyclist
Tabs – Tabs and friction clips often hold overlapping panels together. There's always an order of operations to removing overlapping panels, and it usually starts with a screw or bolt. Once you've removed all the obvious fasteners, gently pry back the panel to determine where else (and how else) it's held in place.©Motorcyclist
Rivets – Push the center in with a pick or small screwdriver to release tension on the fastener. Then pull the rivet out with your fingernails or a small flat-blade screwdriver. Once you've removed the rivet, pop the center back above the surface. When you reinstall it later you'll press the center home to secure the fitting.©Motorcyclist
Damage – Snap a tab? You can order up a new piece, or you can try fixing it with superglue, epoxy, or a specialized product like PlastiFix. Stripped or cracked threaded tabs can be repaired by filling the threads with epoxy, securing the boss with a zip-tie, and then drilling the cured epoxy to accept the screw.©Motorcyclist