Upper cowling removal

[scapello]

After removing all the bolts that the Yamaha service manual shows the cowling still seems very tight on the bike. I am worried about pulling on 20 year old plastic and that I missed a screw somewhere. The sides and top feel ok but something seems to be holding it back around the headlight. Are there any bolts holding it below or around the headlight?

Steffen

[mikeholzer]

There's one on either side of the headlight. If memory serves me, they're a 12mm head. Not only do they hold on the cowling, but they also hold the headlight in place.

[markmartin]

If I remember correctly, with the tank off and your eyes down where the tank would be, you can see the bolts, one on either side of the headlight.  you can reach them with a socket , but you can't see them AND reach them with a socket at the same time.

Mark
'89
Hampden Maine

[RichBaker]

I have a 36" extension.... I can see them AND reach them at the same time....

[Marsh White]

Yeah, as the others have said, one bolt on either side of the headlight...right in the middle.  Not too hard to get out...quite a bitch to get back in, in my personal experience.  Make sure you either hold the headlight or tape it in place as you take them out.  The headlight can easily fall right out...break on the ground...dogs and cats living together...mass hysteria!

[mikeholzer]

That's a potentially obscure Bill Murray reference, Marsh.

There are two "tits" (for lack of a better word) on the top of the headlight which go into two rubber grommets located in the black tube frame which supports the cowling. Make certain that you have those tits in the grommets prior to mounting the cowl, or you'll spend twenty minutes trying to figure out why the headlight won't fit in the darned hole provided for it, and why the (insert expletive here) bolts won't start.