can any one tell me how involved it is to take off the covers on the right and left side of the motor? (not sure what there called)

I would like to have them powder coated black,
I know on the left side theres going to be some oil coming out but what about the right side?

thx

 

The left is the primary drive cover, and yes you will get a lot of oil coming out of it. the right is the cam cover. It's the tricky one to take off, your camshafts are right behind it. i would definitely get a shop manual, or at least a haynes manual before you tear into it. You've gotta do some things in certain steps, and clutch adjustment is pretty tricky without a book of some kind.

 

ok so its not all the easy ehh,
would you say it would take a few hours for the cam cover?
on the primary cover would the trans oil be coming out?
and is the the side to adjust the clutch?

 

It takes me about 30 mins for the cam cover, and 30 mins for the primary. The clutch cable goes right into the primary cover (right side) The cam cover you gotta take your timing cover and ignition out, and take the nut off that's behind it, and then take all the bolts loose. You'll have to remove the ignition from the cam cover as well, you may have to cut the connector off and solder and shrink wrap it back on later. the primary, you have to loosen up the primary chain tensioner, turn the clutch adjuster all the way in, drain the oil, take the two inspection covers off and (on mine, '87) there's a spring and a retaining nut that need to be taken off. then the primary can be removed. Once it's off, you'll have to take the clutch cable off, which on mine, you have to take the engager out of the cover. It's not a big job, just a lot of steps, and things to take into consideration, this is where a shop manual will REALLY come in handy. Oh, and you'll need all new seals as well. They're not meant to be reusable.

 

It's not taking them off. You're going to have oil from the primary. That's about it. But when you put the covers back on you are going to need new gaskets. When you put the covers back on you will need to torque the bolts in sequence. Don't just start putting the bolts all in and tightening them down. BTW what year is your bike? I have a shop manual for 04-06 if interested.

 

thanks for all the great help guys, I have a 2007 nightster.
I think I will get a shop manual before I tear in to her.

 

Best idea I've heard all day.

 

+1 on that and here is a picture of cam side, this one of forum's members bike

 

Getting the cam cover off is a bitch. I banged it with a rubber mallet several times. Slowly remove cam cover so that you don't pull the cams out also. That's another PITA if you do. Putting the cam cover back on is also PITA. At least for me, it took me several attempts to line it up and bang it back on (by hand, don't do it with the mallet).

 

thanks for the pic, it helps me understand whats involved a bit better.