arrggg How does the meter cover come off????

[Rocky]

OK, I am pretty good with motorcycle maintenance, I have checked the valve adjustment on my NT, but I am stuck here. My service manual says remove the screws and release the tabs on the meter cover from the grooves on the inner cowl, but does not say how. Up? Down? Left? Right? Crowbar? I cannot get it off and if some one has done this I could use some help before I break something.
Many thanks for information on how to release these tabs without breaking any plastic!

 

[tawilke46]

Aren't service manuals great. "Remove part A, then take out part B, then remove part C as shown". Simple, right? Simple. Anyone can do it.
No where does it give enough detail to give you confidence to do the removal. A lot of guessing is done.
I had a '98 PC800 that had a awful amount of tupperware to take off to get at anything!! Even regular maintenance stuff.
I broke some tabs and pieces of plastic on the PC, and it is no fun!!
Manuals seem to assume you know how to do the maintenance to start with. Which is no help.

I know I'm of no help to you right now, sorry.

 

[Rocky]

I get it if it has to do with metal parts, but they should at least tell you what direction to un hook plastic tabs, or at least show a picture of the tabs and how they are attached. Back to the garage to try again.

 

[Bear]

I had my center cowl off. What I did was to get my fingers in between the mating surfaces and exerting some pressure toward the center of the cowl. Carefully check for screws. Missing one can make removal a bear. My best advice is to take your time and don't force anything. The tabs don't do anything for me. I much prefer Dzus Fasteners or screws.

 

[dnktng]

The service manual procedure works and I dont remember it missing any screws, but the meter panel locking plastics are difficult to separate. I've only done it once, but was able to see the furthest outside locking tabs and determine what it takes to disengage them. I think there are a total of 4 tabs, maybe 6. Anyway, once I had the outer ones apart, it did take more force than what would seen normal. Sorry, not much help. Just be sure you have all the screws out, and yank on it.

FYI, Meter Visor part number is 64216-MEW-920 and it cost $28.52. Plastic, uuugggghhh.
Good Luck

 

[Herb]

The service manual procedure works and I dont remember it missing any screws, but the meter panel locking plastics are difficult to separate. I've only done it once, but was able to see the furthest outside locking tabs and determine what it takes to disengage them. I think there are a total of 4 tabs, maybe 6. Anyway, once I had the outer ones apart, it did take more force than what would seen normal. Sorry, not much help. Just be sure you have all the screws out, and yank on it.

FYI, Meter Visor part number is 64216-MEW-920 and it cost $28.52. Plastic, uuugggghhh.
Good Luck

I had mine off as well, followed the manual with some not remembered futzing.

 

[DirtFlier]

The only valves that are difficult to access on the NT are the two exhausts for the front cylinder because of close proximity to the radiator. All the others are in the open and a cinch.

 

[Rocky]

Thanks all for your replies, with a fresh attitude I will ATTEMPT to get it off again today. For me other than some access issues the hardest part of the valve adjustment procedure was the removal of all the plastic. There were some challenges getting tools into tight spaces but at least I can see what I need to do and can improvise. Just yanking on expensive plasic without really seeing how the tabs are locked bothers me. Please Honda, maybe a blow up on the tabs in the Service Manual at least giving me a clue on the direction to yank it!!

 

[Rocky]

AND THE ANSWER IS..... Got it! There are two tabs on each side above the vent looking thing that have tabs aiming up that engage in the red plasic front fairing (if you have the fast bike) right above and to the inside of the mirror. Not much area to move the dash cover or the fairing to release the tabs but after much aggravation I resolved to get it off with more force than I would deem necessary, and it reluctantly let go unbroken. Thanks for the help all!

 

[bicyclist]

Crowbar?

Yes.

I had a hell of a time getting it off last year to install a support bracket for my GPS. It came off with no problem the second time I removed it to install a switch for my Motolights. This time, it was a real struggle. If I figure out how to do it again, I'm going to write it down, cuz my poor old brain CRS.

I gotta tell ya, the Kawasaki I've been working on lately is a pleasure compared to the NT.

 

[bflophil]

Removing plastic

It would be most appreciated if someone could video and talk us through a field stripping of the plastic on our bikes. How long would it take for someone who is proficient (done it three or four times) to do a complete removal?