Am I really stupid? removing belt covers on 1100

[Frustration]

I reskinned the bike, changed rear sets, swapped the oil cooler side panels...

I cant get the upper belt cover out of the frame...  It just wont budge.  The lower was obviously no problem, but ...


Anyone else as dumb as me?

Do I have to pull the tank and lift it out?

[zarn02]

I helped a friend change belts a bit back, and remember the vertical cover being a huge pain in the ass.

Don't remember if there was any sort of special trick to the operation, but I know it required patience and harsh language.

[rosstermyer]

take a microfiber rag and put it on the pretty side of the cover (if you are removing carbon ones) and just rip the sonuvapregnant dog out.  i had hell getting my carbon ones out, but with some good yanking it finally came out, but i scratched the clear on mine a little hence the microfiber recommendation.

[Frustration]

Gulp!

[Raux]

take it out through the top

[Frustration]

Even with the tank covers off, it wont coe out the top...

[zarn02]

Even with the tank covers off, it wont coe out the top...

Have you lifted/removed the tank itself?

[Frustration]

Was hoping someone had a certain special twist that would keep me from doing that...

probably the next stop though.  Alternately I could dremel a small bit away from a couple of spots of the covers...  It's a small margin keeping em in and the parts that I would hit would be pretty hard to see...

[ungeheuer]

Fuel tank has got to go unless you wanna trash your belt cover.  Its not that hard: One allen bolt under the seat one more  bolt on either the left or right side support.  You dont need to completely remove the tank - just lift it up and away to the left to give you the room you need to get the belt cover out.

Really, its not that hard.