does your under-mudguard panel fit well?

[mike5100]

There is a small plastic hinged panel in the wheel arch towards the back. It's held in place by one small self tapper that goes into a rather delicate looking plastic column. Trouble is I'm nervous about overtightening this screw and breaking the column, and yet the whole panel is loose and each side open up if I push the opposite one. There's some electrics inside and I assume it all gets deluged with water when the roads are wet?
Mike

 

[StratTuner]

wow... Mike.... after reading the post twice... I still can't figure out what piece you're talking about... let me read it again....
nope read it again, still don't know what you're talking about. I'm going to go and look at my bike now and see if I can find a panel under the front wheel mud guard.
Nope... hmmm... picture maybe?

 

[TC3]

It allows access to rear lighting wiring. Mike a tail tidy gets rid of the area

 

[L.B.S.]

There is a small plastic hinged panel in the wheel arch towards the back. It's held in place by one small self tapper that goes into a rather delicate looking plastic column. Trouble is I'm nervous about overtightening this screw and breaking the column, and yet the whole panel is loose and each side open up if I push the opposite one. There's some electrics inside and I assume it all gets deluged with water when the roads are wet?
Mike

The fit on mine not the most exacting of tolerances either...

But if it makes you feel any better, that stupid little screw was the first thing the lawn in the back yard (aka my "garage") () ate, never to be seen again. I used as close as I could find stainless steel wood screw to replace it and tightened up pretty snug. Seemed to take my enthusiastic use of a screwdriver and no particular regard for delicacy without complaint.

 

[silverhound]

Well it is supposed to be pretty snug up against the inner fender. Should not be loose so that it rattles. I had it open when I did some brake light work on my wife's bike. The screw turns hard but you can definitely feel when it reaches its max closure point. Should not be able to easily flex the sides to show gaps if its correctly tightened.

 

[Hyperborea]

There are little plastic tabs to either side of the panel that need to be pushed up to snap in. Also, if you did some wiring mods up there make sure that the wire is pushed back in to the larger open areas. If it's bunched up then the panel won't close tight.

 

[mike5100]

Thanks Hyperbora - I have now found that there are as you say little snap-ins - four in fact, but they don't 'seal' the compartment. I had wondered about sealing it with waterproof tape, but then thought Honda's engineers usually know what they are doing, so maybe it's a loose fit so that any water that does get in there can easily drain out when you park up?
Mike

 

[johnakay]

well I'm only up the road from you mike in stockton.
the best way to tightened screws I find is to nip it up using two fingers once it is snugged up turn it between 1/4 to 1/2 turn that should do it.
this only work on plastics ,I've done this several times on my sport bikes I used to own and not all had metal clips in them fairings.