Just changed the nose cowl on my 2008 blade; thought I'd write it up. Mine was crash damaged and I swapped it like for like with an OEM cowl. Found info on another forum, but I managed to do it without taking the side & lower fairings off (as the Honda manual says you have to). Apologies, didn't take any pics. Sorry if I'm teaching grandma how to suck eggs, if you're a newbie like me and never done it you might find it useful! Process: 1. Take a deep breath and steady your nerves (you got this). 2. Remove Mirrors: disconnect connectors (fish them out from behind the supports) and undo the two nuts. 3. Remove Screen (optional, I had to take it out anyway): undo all the allen bolts and lever out. You'll need to undo the middle allen bolts even if you're not taking the screen off. My cowl was already cracked but watch the tabs on the cowl that go into the lowest holes of the screen - these snap super easily. 4. Remove Air Intake Cover: Underneath the nose. Held in by three trim tabs, on mine they were the screw type (centre and one on each side). Again, watch the various tabs and grooves for snappage. 5. Remove Inner Covers: These are next to the forks, on the air intake. Held in by three trim tabs (2 rear, one front), again, screw type. 5.a. Behind the inner covers (at the front) there's a grey connector that's something to do with the air intakes I believe. Disconnect these - put an "L" and "R" on them so you know which is which - they look identical. 6. Remove LHS lower inner cover: on the inside of the side fairing - covers gap between radiator and front of the fairing. Held in by 3 trim tabs (screw type: 2 top, one middle) &1 actual screw at the bottom. Watch the tabs at the front of the side fairing; these slot into grooves on the cover you're removing. Seem snappable. 7. Disconnect wiring: Inside the left fairing are two wiring connectors. The large one behind the cover you took off in step 6. The smaller one is a pain; behind the main side fairing. If you look through the gap in the fairing (from behind) you'll be able to see it. It's fastened, so you can't pull the whole thing out to disconnect. I slid a thin flat blade screw driver into the retaining clip to disengage it and pulled the wire out with the other hand from the front. getting it back in required surgery with long nose pliers and another screwdriver. Fiddly but doable. 8. Remove the allen bolts from each side of the nose cowl. They're the furthest outermost screws, at the front on top of the air intake covers. The nose cowl is now loose. At this point I took the whole headlight unit off etc with the nose because it's easier, though you could leave it on. I also got Mrs Glory to help, to support the nose unit while I disconnected everything. Really didn't want it to fall and crack anything else! 9. There are 2 wires to disconnect; from the horn (white plastic connectors) and a larger grey connector to disconnect from the back of the clocks. Note: there are two velcro tabs on the bottom of the nose cowl - mine don't really line up (I didn't even notice them until after) but you may need to slide a flat blade in between them to release from the sides. 10. Vacuum chamber: large greyish box in the centre of the headlight unit - this should just slide out of the retaining clips. (It stays with the bike rather than the nose unit). 11. Make sure all the tubes and wires are all free, and the nose cowl and headlight unit should slide straight off. ta-dah! I then retreated to the warmth of the kitchen to swap all the components over. All fairly obvious screws: Four across the top (two hold the tip sensor), one at each edge and one at the bottom between the headlights. Putting things back together is basically the reverse of the above. When putting things back together it's probably easier to put the screen in just hand tight before you put the cowl on and bolt everything down. I put the screen in when the cowl was already on (but before mirrors) and hadn't appreciated how much you have to flex things to get it in! My starting info was this link form another forum, but thought it might be useful here. https://www.1000rr.net/forums/modifications-upgrades-08-11/55797-08-upper-cowl-removal.html Any questions do ask, or add your comments if you've done it differently?
