Hello,
I just purchased a 1996 F3 two weeks ago and it is freezing here in Ohio so I picked up a Battery Tender. I looked at a manual someone online had photocopied and it says there should be two bosses and one quick release on each side cover my problem is I got the quick released to release but what are the bosses the manual refers to. Sorry for the newbie question.

 

ROund rubber grommets that plastic tabs of the fairing slip into. Removing the fairing from the bosses just takes a bit of a pull straight-on and then you'll see what they look like. For the panek you're speaking of, there is one boss to the left of the quick release and two to the right of it (assuming you're removing the side with the fuel petcock).

 

It sounds like you are saying to do what I tried earlier. I unlocked the bottom quick release and pulled and the side cover never came off but it did make a small hairline crack under the fuel on off ****, will this spread? Thanks for the reply.

 

A crack there is unlikely..weird

Start with the tail end of that fairing and work your way towards the gas tank, it's much easier. In the back there's just some clips that come undone from the tail cowl. You just got to learn taking off the fairings for youself really, don't be scared that you'll ruin them.

 

I couldn't believe it cracked either but it did, my only guess is because it was 25 degrees today. I was looking all day for a how to, the service manual is kind of lame it doesn't give any tips or tricks I just unlocked the quick release and started pulling a tiny bit I wish I knew someone else that has had a CBR but I don't. I'm just hoping the hairline crack doesn't spread I'm guessing the covers are ABS and shouldn't continue to spread like fiberglass. So tomorrow I will unlock the quick release and work from the tail to the gas tank and hope I don't cause anymore damage. Do I need to do anything to get these clips undone the service manual never mentioned anything about them. The manual says
"remove the side cover by releasing the 3 bosses on the cover from the grommets and carefully pulling the cover free from the tabs and pin in the back." when I was pulling on the cover it felt like the tail cowl was going to break so that is why I started at the tank.

 

We can all do it in a heart-beat but explaining it is tough. Have you looked for youtube vids of fairing removal?

 

Just pull it off. Once you get it off you will say "That's it?". Just pull straight out. Start at the tail.

 

Thanks guys I'll have to give it a try Thursday when I go to the father-in-laws. I looked on You Tube and I wasn't able to find anything its probably to easy for the average person

 

any luck?

 

Yes sir!! I think the key was to start at the tail then you can work you can get your finger behind the boss and it pops right off. Seems like a lot of work to access the battery.