Merriam cycles side covers

[LoserShoes]

Rode the bike to work the other day, and when I got there the left side cover was gone. Kind explains the car honking as I went by. Don't know how it got past my left knee with out me noticing it. It did have the lock tab broken and was more or less jammed on. Guess YammerHammer just rejected it.

Anyway, has anyone bought a side cover from Merriam Cycles? The fiberglass ones?

Are they worth the money? I'm willing to pay for good quality, and they are new, as opposed something I might find on Ebay, and shouldn't give me any trouble for the rest of the life to the bike.

Steve

[beechfront]

i have no doubt that merriam sells good stuff. but from the prices he's quoted me in the past - i also have no doubt that he is outrageously expensive.


my 2 cents.

[John]

I understand that Merriam's price is around $175. I would take my chances with ebay.

[gaffer77]

get an old one drill very small hole and zip tie it to frame

zip tie mine thru the standard hole as they wobble about a bit!!

even with the rubbers,can't even see the zip tie under the seat

once panel is on the bike

[Pat Kelly]

On the Virago site they have a neat tip for retaining sidecovers. It seems they lose them as often, if not moreso, than we do.

Drill a small hole in the sidecover in an out of sight spot. Run a wire from one side of the bike to the other. Attach a swivel (used for fishing) to each end of the wire. Clip the swivel through the hole drilled in the sidecover.
Easy to remove then unclip the swivel and each sidecover holds the other on.

[Winterhawk]

I removed the guts to the lock mechinism.
I then installed a 1/4-28 rivnut where the latch was. I drilled a 1/4 inch hole to line up with the rivnut. I used a bolt with a round knob attached to it and just turn the knob and remove. I tried saftey wire, zip strips and such but was to awkward to get to the tools and stuff. 175.00 bucks? I guess if sombody has the money to spend and wanted something nice. I bought mine off E-Bay and did some fiberglass and painted it.

Merriam Cycle
XS1100 Side Covers
Hand made of fiberglass by us come primered ready to paint any color, are five times stronger and look factory when on.
$175.00 each plus shipping.

[Shuriken]

$175 isn't freakishly awful if you figure around $90 each. What would Yammmy ask if they were still available?

For a complete restore, Merriam may be the only option. I rarely have seen (or gotten for that matter) sidepanels with locking tabs intact. The left side bottom piece is always gone. When it isn't, all of us fight each other on EBay and run up the bids.

Ben

[beechfront]

yeah but doesn't it say $175 EACH ??

Originally posted by ae7f
$175 isn't freakishly awful if you figure around $90 each. What would Yammmy ask if they were still available?

For a complete restore, Merriam may be the only option. I rarely have seen (or gotten for that matter) sidepanels with locking tabs intact. The left side bottom piece is always gone. When it isn't, all of us fight each other on EBay and run up the bids.

Ben

[gaffer77]

By the time you paint em,,very expensive,,AND TIME CONSUMING,,there was a guy on ebay selling tank and panels sprayed with badges if i remember correctly

sure they were $300.00 buy now I think??

seems a good way to go if he,s still doing it

if you want perfect!!

he had a few models but special mainly i think it was

was a while back but someone must know of him??

[LoserShoes]

Yea, they are $175 each, but I am considering the long term durability and repairibility of fiberglass vs. the stock Yamaha plastic.

This bike will be with me for the next 20 - 30 years so I want to do it right the first time.

Steve

[Shuriken]

Agree with both. Gaffer, yeah, that guy on ebay did some freaking FABULOUS painting. I've complimented his work at least twice to him.

Ben

[sksxs1100]

would it kill ya'll if i said i have a right side cover with the tab still intact on it on my desk as an ash tray....


but the top front corner was eaten off by a dog...

[pggg]

OK, no laughing, here we go again from the land of no spare parts.

[xssiveone]

You're right.. no laughing. Another example of necessity truly being the mother of invention. Once it's on, no one can see it and the latch will never break again.

[sksxs1100]

BTW... a local fiberglass guy said he could prolly mass produce the side covers for about $25 to $30 each.. i just have not had time to get with him about it yet