I had a similar issue...there's not a lot of room behind that cover and my Battery Tender connections (the fuse and the Y I use) were holding the cover out. I finally figured out how to get those pieces seated (aft of the mid-bracket) and it all fits properly again. It is a bit fiddley to get it to sit properly.
Also, I have used a semi-generous amount of silicone lubricant on the inner parts of the rubber grommets. That really helps seat things. (Maybe too much...LOL.)

 

Thought i might mention I had a similar problem and used some silicone lube to help seat the covers. Silicone probably wasn't a good choice, should have used soapy water. While going down the interstate, I felt a cover trying to fly off and it was because the lube was too slippery. Had to pull over and dry the grommets off to get them to hold the covers properly.

 

It's not hitting the battery.

It's hitting the white seat base pan.

Before trying to install the left side panel, get down next to the left side, find the white vertical seat pan post that sits just inside the front of the left saddlebag.
Push on the white vertical piece, and you will hear a pop as it releases the front of the saddlebag.

This is where it is hanging, and pushing out on the body plastic panel, not letting the side cover sit flush.
Jefro.

 

After you install the seat, the left part of the seat support bracket will hang up on the saddlebag plastic panel, pushing it out.

Jefro1, if your fix works it will be an amazing piece of fixing without seeing the actual bike. I am rooting for it.

That must have been the problem. I had the seat off the night before and must have screwed up getting it back on right.
I was already leaving when you posted this and by the time I got to my cabin in Eastern WV it was in place like normal.

Thanks for your help!

 

After you install the seat, the left part of the seat support bracket will hang up on the saddlebag plastic panel, pushing it out.

 

Jefro1, if your fix works it will be an amazing piece of fixing without seeing the actual bike. I am rooting for it.

 

I have had the same problem after replacing the seat, and finally discovering that the vertical seat piece was snagging and pushing out the left side saddlebag plastic. This kept my side panel from fitting properly. And I nearly broke off the little tab trying to get the side panel back on.
It looks like the white vertical seat piece is actually a support behind the saddlebag plastic, to keep it from flapping around at 280kph.

It only happened a few times, but I was sure it was the battery bracket. It was not.
Took me a while to figure out that the seat bracket was pushing out the plastic panels.
Always glad to share my secrets about this new Wing!
Jefro.

 

Fascinating. Thanks for sharing. This is the type of thing that could take a long time to notice.

 

Just wanted to say thanks to those that posted this information. I took the side cover off my month old 2018 Wing for the first time to program a new key fob. Spent over 30 minutes trying to get the side cover back on with proper alignment before I gave up. Checked YouTube but found nothing helpful. Then I searched this forum and found my answer. A quick inspection (now that I knew what to look for) revealed that my saddlebag bodywork was indeed hung up on the seat base. After I corrected that problem I was able to get the side cover back on and properly aligned within 30 seconds. Y’all saved me a trip to the dealer (my next course of action if I couldn’t get this figured out).

 

I "fixed this problem" that I was SURE was the additional wires added for heated gear... by taking the cover on and off about a dozen time adjusting the wires... sigh.... n0w I know..

 

Very helpful answer. Haven’t experienced this yet, but next time my cover is off I’ll pay attention to this.

 

You can add me to the list of people who have experienced this as well. Very first time I pulled my seat off to add the backrest, and I tried to button everything back up, I couldn't get the left cover to go in far enough to line up with the reset of the bodywork. Took me several minutes to realize that it was the other body work which had been pinched. It was by complete accident when I was trying to "persuade" everything back together, that it popped back out, and the left cover was able to fit properly again.

 

Max at Traxxion did a video with a couple of sidecover tricks that might be helpful.

 

Appreciated this, Lowbar -- thanks for resurrecting this thread: I didn't know.

 

I think that white piece sticking downward from the seat was causing my problem getting the left side cover back on too. Once I got that out of the way, the side cover went right on...

 

I’m so glad this showed up as a new posting As I had the same issue. Thanks for sharing.

 

Jefro is 100% correct, I've seen this same problem happen on numerous bikes.

 

Recently I was fighting with my side cover: what a battle to get it back on. Had NO IDEA what the problem might be as I've had it on and off a dozen times without incident up to that point in time. Now I know what to look for. Really appreciate this. Now I'm wondering... is there a fix for this beyond knowing what to do when it happens? Like perhaps grinding a little off a tab or post or something?

 

It normally happens after you remove and replace the seat, so that would be when to check it.

 

I brought my 22 dct air bag home 1/26/2022. I put a battery tender cord on with the fuse next to the battery bracket. I couldn't get the side cover on right then watched Max's video, that didn't help. I removed the charging cord but still the side cover wouldn't go on right. I took it back to Motorsport Hillsboro (Oregon) for them to install the tender cord. The fuse was on top of the battery now, but the side cover still was not right. I found this wonderful website and read about the seat bracket hitting the saddlebag. I pushed on the tab and it snapped in but still the side cover will not line up. I have developed a fear of Honda plastic pieces. On a unrelated note my right side fog light shroud isn't snapped on right. When I tried to snap it on it just pops back out. talking to Honda to see if it is covered by warranty.

 

On the fog LT cover remove the two screws bring the cover around to the right snap it in swing to the left reinstall screws, on the side cover I had the same problem just got a little more patience and after a few tries it went in then I took it off more times for practice the dealer will put it on.

 

Thanks yellowrex but still the same, maybe the tab(s) have lost their bite. We should let the post get back to side covers.

 

Sorry for the hijacking. But I wanted to let everybody know including yellowrex that I thought about it and I came up with this and it worked. One point I would like to make is to remove the tape from front to back.

 

spit

 

Well, I'm learning. We all are. Ha, I have so much yet to learn about this bike.

 

An other issue with the fit of the side cover is the wire harness that is behind the side cover tab . This is the harness to the connector that you use to reset the TPMS. I just reset the tpms and the side cover would not go back on right. Checked and the harness was against the slot the tap goes into. Re positioned thee cable away from the slot and the cover fit no problem.

 

My 22 left side cover seems to not fit as well as the right. Thanks to this thread I checked the white tab from the seat and unless I don’t understand the issue I don’t think the seat tab is the issue. Please see pic - it’s from the ground looking up. Is the seat tab in the way or not? I tried pushing on and it wouldn’t budge. If the seat tab is the issue - how do “push” it to fix the issue?

Thanks Everyone!

 

Check and see if there is a wire harness pushed up against the slot above the white connector, next to the positive battery terminal. That was the problem with mine. The side cover would not fit right until I moved that harness away from the slot.

 

Please somebody correct me if I'm not right but I think that looks good. Mine is still not quite fitting right still working on it.

 

I cut off the red battery cap too since I posted pic. The white tab isn’t pushing against the saddlebag as can lift the saddle bag piece leaning on tab and no pressure. Stumped.