I changed over to the HD chrome battery cover and it came with new clips. Now you have to pull hard to open it up now. Yes my stock cover would pop open all the time. No worries now.

 

I created a slot in the clip by drilling two small holes and slicing out the middle.
The zip-tye gets reused. It makes it easier to pull out next time if you leave the zip-tye sticking up an inch or so. I can get the tye in and out with the saddle in place.

 

i have a 2008 1200 L and I have the same issues after the dealer replaced the battery,
i went back to them and they said, it was nothingthey can do. but there was a new updated version of the clips, i purchased the new clips and i have about 2 months of riding with new problem, they attached to the frame and the cover with screws...

 

I lost mine too this weekend. Sounds like Harley should pay to replace these!!! Lol..I won't get that lucky but really!!! Mine popped off over a bump??

 

A former active member on here had a brilliant idea for this problem. Simply drill a hole straight down through the plastic clip. Then just slide a zip tie down the hole. No need to connect the ends of the zip tie. Just placing it in the clip will keep everything in place. And if you need to access the fuse box, you don't have to cut off the zip tie. Just pull it out, and replace when finished. I totally lost one cover before I did this.

I still wonder what happend to that fella. OldFenderGuy. He either died, or just got fed up with a lot of the crap on here.

But, that is the answer to your problem.

 

Mines a 09. I had to use zip ties to keep them shut till a unrelated incident had my bike at the dealer at which I said something about them and they told me there was a recal and they needed to get replaced. Since then I have never had a problem with them.

 

Mine comes off every night. I don't want to have the tender connector hanging out so I've got it tucked in there and I've only had a problem when I'm in a hurry and didn't fasten it all the way.

 

+1 - works like a charm...

 

I'm 62 and just purchased my first motorbike a 06 1200 low sportster with only 341 miles on it. On my very first day on any motorbike the battery cover feel off within one mile and is now scratched up pretty badly. Through the years the joke was buy a Harley and watch the parts fall off. Now I know why. As a brand new rider it's appalling Harley does not do a recall on this unsafe design. What Harley stupid engineer designed this stupid battery cover and it's fasteners? The dealership where the bike was inspected installed Harley approved replacement clips and the cover still fell off wright out of the dealership. And when calling the dealership they never returned my voice mail message. Sounds too me I've made a big mistake and should have bought a Honda. On a positive....note I'm discovering how much fun it is to ride motorbikes.

 

Sorry it happened to you so soon! There's an easy fix most everyone here does for the '04-'06 Sportsters. Search the forum for "battery cover zip tie" and you should easily find the fix. In fact, there are a couple of fixes; one involves drilling a hole in the top of the cover for the zip tie, the other drills a hole in the clip. Both simply require a plastic zip tie or two; but you're right, the engineer on that design cheated on his final exam. I've had my '05 for 8 years now and that is the ONLY part that fell off. Check eBay for a clean stock cover from someone who replaced his with a chrome one, which is what I did because I never knew mine was missing until the end of a long one-day trip. Good luck, you're gonna love your bike, and be safe!