Side Covers: Vital Equipment, Or Purely Cosmetic?

[T100ICE]

I popped a side cover off and threw a bag in its place. I was going to go left side, but in my research for this task, some people thought that was a bad idea with the air snorkel on that side in case of rain. It's not like the cover didn't have some substantial gaps of its own, hard to imagine some rain wouldn't find its way in there in a downpour anyway.

Still other people insist side panels are purely cosmetic and there's nothing to worry about leaving them completely off all the time.

What's the real story, who's right or is the truth somewhere in the middle? Is this bag protection enough, or should I plan to fabricate a few peices of plastic to block some more of the rain from the top and front?

Thanks!

 

[solomon]

I'm just guessing. They are to hide things, make the bike look 'tidier'. Stop thieving fingers fiddling.
Most rain and dirt is not coming from the side when riding.
I hate side panels, as they, in my view, look cheap and false. Taken them off my bike, but not riden in the rain yet. Moved anything behind them to under saddle.

 

[T100ICE]

I'm just guessing. They are to hide things, make the bike look 'tidier'. Stop thieving fingers fiddling.
Most rain and dirt is not coming from the side when riding.
I hate side panels, as they, in my view, look cheap and false. Taken them off my bike, but not riden in the rain yet. Moved anything behind them to under saddle.

Good info, thanks! Let me know when you hit a rain patch how it goes!

 

[solomon]

Good info, thanks! Let me know when you hit a rain patch how it goes!

I avoid rain if possible.

I've not got anything exposed in removing side panels that will cause a problem.

Coil was previously behind one. That's now under tank --exposed to a degree, and not unusual to have it there.

Battery is more visible, no more exposed to rain when riding.

Horns now act as side panels. These are normally exposed, got water resistant ones anyway.


Regulator/rectifier on mudguard is no more exposed than before.

I've got a mini panel one side for ignition. That's functional, so I like that.

Oil pipes will be tidied up on other side.

Potentially, there's slightly more potential to readily vandalise. But if someone wants to vandalise a bike, they're not going to think, "Oh, look, jobs made slightly easier".