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1990 K75RT Side Cover Removal

beemerboy

New member
Hi.
I recently bought the above mentioned K75. The manual is a little vague about the removal of the side covers. They seem rather stiff to remove and I are fearful of busting something fragile. A clear set of instructions would be appreciated.
BB
 
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I got your sentiment, but sometimes you need to break stuff.

These old girls sometimes need a firm hand, a bit of a bite of the tongue and occasionally a few non-politically correct, not repeatable in public expressions of your frustration.

Grab the bottom at the front of the covers, express a gratitude to a deity of your choice, yank and hope they were merciful.
 
Thanks, DY.
Good to see another Manitoban on here. So you're saying at the front, under the tank I just pull straight down?
BB
 
No, reach under the bottom corner of the side cover and feel for a clip,(circled) push it up and pull the panel out towards you. There is a pin at the back, once the bottom clip and front are loose it should pull forward and off. The clip on the bottom and the pin at the back tend to break off, the PO may have rigged up something different.
 

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No, reach under the bottom corner of the side cover and feel for a clip,(circled) push it up and pull the panel out towards you. There is a pin at the back, once the bottom clip and front are loose it should pull forward and off. The clip on the bottom and the pin at the back tend to break off, the PO may have rigged up something different.

Mine doesn't have that clip??? I grab the bottom, at the front, it pops a bit, and then at the top, I have a semi-circle at the top on a rubber bushing, at the front, pop it with well wishes and hopefulness that it won't break, slide backwards, swing out, pull to the front and I have it?

K, Beemerboy, ya gots to tell why yooze needin take yar girlz apart. We be riding together soon, eh?
 
egads, oops I'm bad! Didn't see you had an RT which is different than mine! Hopefully some RT owner will chime in
 
Yoda and 35--- both have Ss. Do not follow their previous instructions. I only have 5 Ss an a C. The C is different from the Ss, but I believe the RT is even a third design.

It's been awhile since I worked on an RT. If I remember correctly (but I very well might not) there is a pin that is molded to the back of the battery cover near the forward upper corner. It pushes straight into a rubber grommet on a tab at the bottom edge of the tank. They are usually pretty tight after all these years of the rubber getting hard. It needs to pull straight out without pulling out on the bottom edge of the cover. Then the lower hook and rear pin will be obvious.

Be very careful, this may not be correct for your RT. Hopefully an RT rider will chime in soon.





:dance:dance:dance
 
Yoda & All.
I'z wanting to top off the coolant a bit. I also want to know how these panels work for such time as they need to come off.

The manual starts at the bottom and says pull down. So far, so good. Then it moves to the front under the tank. Also says pull down. This is the one that is tight, so not sure if it is out and down or just down. I really don't want to force it and regret it. Busted plastic is hard to ever get right after.

Many of these references to "popping" and "pulling straight" need to also reference directions to good old terra firm. Otherwise, I'z confuzzled. Is it pop it out toward the ground, or pop it out toward oneself? I suspect it's obvious to those who have done it a time or two. Is "straight in" in toward the centre line of the scooter or straight in toward the sky?

One guy on YouTube says he is going to demonstrate what to do to take remove the battery. He completely edits out removing the panel. Next frame, there they are- gone! So many manuals are like this- they go into details on the obvious but breeze over what you can't actually see.

Personally, I like screws and bolts. I don't know why there is this mania, of late, to hide all fasteners. Some of these new vehicles even cover the engine with a big plastic cover lest some hapless owner should stumble on to the discovery that his car has an internal combustion engine in it. "And here I thought it was some kind anti-matter drive. Why its just got a piston engine like my dad's old two cylinder John Deere"!

And worst of all they almost never tell you how to get these screwless wonders apart. They just tell you to remove "X" but not how. Once you've busted some flimsy tab off you know for next time, I guess.


The best manual I ever used was for the Air Tractor spray plane. The best down to earth instructions ever. "Lift this and put a piece of 2x4 under it for now. Now wrap a web strap around the tank. Hold it in position with a 2x4 stud across the opening". Stuff like that. Rant over.

Until later.

BB
 
1. Pull the front corner toward you. This can be tight.

2. Move the front of the cover downward to unhook the middle fastener. If you pull outward on the middle, the cover hook will break!

3.Move the cover forward to get the rear pin out of the tailpiece.

I replaced the front grommets and now the front is very hard to get loose. I am very careful to pull only as hard as needed on the front so as not to break the middle hook.
 
There are two pins which push into holes behind the panel. On back center of panel is another pin holding a rubber bushing which slides over a longish straight metal hook attached to the frame and oriented front to back. This opens to the rear of the bike. I have this on my 1991 RT. I pull directly towards me at top (position towards front of bike) enough to pull pin out and then do same at rear of panel. When both free you can move panel and see third grommet thing around metal hook. Wiggle panel gently and slide to rear of bike.

To reattach get grommet thing around metal hook first then reposition so pins are at holes and push with heel of hand until in. I usually give it a firm push.

Same on other side.
 
There are two pins which push into holes behind the panel. On back center of panel is another pin holding a rubber bushing which slides over a longish straight metal hook attached to the frame and oriented front to back. This opens to the rear of the bike. I have this on my 1991 RT. I pull directly towards me at top (position towards front of bike) enough to pull pin out and then do same at rear of panel. When both free you can move panel and see third grommet thing around metal hook. Wiggle panel gently and slide to rear of bike.

To reattach get grommet thing around metal hook first then reposition so pins are at holes and push with heel of hand until in. I usually give it a firm push.

Same on other side.

Looks like the Canadian models are different than the US ones.
 
There may be a difference between the US and Canadian models or between years. I see two battery covers in the parts fiche at Max BMW. The one I have on my bike is on the left. If it helps, the photo shows a beat up side panel with two pins and a tab with a hole (grommet missing) that came off my bike.
 

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Wow! That IS different. Like Walter said, not sure if it's year difference or territory difference.

The ones I was thinking of look like this:
(this is off a US '87 K75C)

side1.jpg


side2.jpg


side3.jpg


Should be easy to tell which yours is by looking at the rear end of the panel from the outside. Do you see Pin C or not?


Let us know once you find out. Photos would be helpful. I would think Walter's is the correct one for your bike.





:dance:dance:dance
 
98 Lee, I think I've got what you show.
It has the pin "C". So. I'll go in later and gently, yet forcefully pull it out toward me. Hopefully you won't hear any gnashing of teeth from here ; )
BB
 
My bike is a Canadian '87 K RT. I raise the seat and then firmly pull at the front top of the cover, towards me. Once that "button" is free, I then push down to release the lower plastic "arm". Finally I then pull the cover towards the gas tank to release the rear pin.

Before reinstalling, I smear grease on the top rubber grommet and the lower rubber cylinder that the plastic "arm" wraps around.

Four years ago, a dealer broke the lower arm on my right cover. Picked up a replacement for when I lose the right side but so far, the upper "button" and rear pin have kept the battery cover on the bike.

Cheers!
 

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I have seen a couple of different side covers,the first picture is the '86 on (until the body style change in the early '90's) that seems to be the most common K100 cover. The second picture is the early K100 side cover that was used up to and including 1985. When they changed to the new style seat (grab rails on tail instead of seat) the side covers changed as well. That cover seemed to continue in production to be used on the solo seat K's with the radio box tail piece. I haven't seen a bike with the cover in the third picture but I am almost exclusively dealing with K100's so haven't seen many K75's (especially the later models).
The connectors will break off the first two (at least the hooks and pin), I haven't broken the mushroom on any that I have. They are reasonably easy to repair, on the '86 style you can replace the broken pin with a bolt and the hook can be reinforced with welding rod and epoxy. On the earlier style I have replaced the plastic bracket with the hole in it with an aluminum sheet fabrication epoxied to the cover (the more surface area the better).
The low seat models have a completely different setup.
 

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I haven't seen a bike with the cover in the third picture but I am almost exclusively dealing with K100's so haven't seen many K75's (especially the later models).

K75S and I believe K75 Standard without low seat.



:dance:dance:dance
 
Cover on my '95 K75RT looks like this one.

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