left battery cover

[epsporty]

i was out riding the other day and the left battery cover fell off somewhere on the highway.  i didn't notice it until i got back home.  unfortunately it could be anywhere within a hundred miles and probably is beat to hell.  so i ordered a new one and the parts guy said they had updated the clips a couple of times so i ordered a set.  but it'll take a few days to get the cover and clips in.  my question to you guys is has this ever happened to you and is it bad to ride without the cover?  thanks for your help.
-eric

[Panzer]

Eric,
The cover is only cosmetic.
The clips you talk of (on my 07') are plastic.
Putting my cover on one day I tried to snap the cover back on and broke the front clip.
In the mean time I super glued the broken clip together and it's still holding 6 months later.
I went to the harley dealer and got a new one.
The new clip has a screw for mounting and I had to go back to the dealer and ask how it goes together.
So far I haven't installed the new clip.
Hold onto your hat..............that little clip cost $18.00.....ouch, $15.00 with a discount.
Hope you have deep pockets for the clips and cover.
Sorry to lay the cost on you, just so you don't get sticker shock.

Good luck.

[epsporty]

yeah I hear that.  you might want to gaurd that cover with your life!  a new one is $110 plus about $25 bucks for both clips.  kind of an expensive oops. but lessons learned i guess.  This is my first harley so i'm still getting used to the prices of everything.  I was pricing mini apes and by the time i bought cables and everything, it'd cost me somewhere around $300 bucks...a grand if the dealership put them on.  anyway...new topic.  i'm getting depressed.  thanks for the info though!
-eric