Front panel housing the battery.

[richard@thefenlandroaster]

I have just purchaesed a BMW C650 GT highline Scooter 2013 plate with only 5,000 miles on. However on leaving the dealership and within 10 miles the front offside panel flew off while riding 60mph on a dual carriageway. The dealership are blaming me saying I had damaged it in someway. No other marks anywhere else.

 

[mjnorris]

This has happened to me. I’m betting that the screw at the front corner was missing. If it’s not there a gust of wind can come up from the front wheel well and blow the panel off. I new mine was missing when I bought it from another owner but did not know this could happen. 65 mph on the way to work at 5:30 am.

 

[Ceesie76]

As per the photo, there are supposed to be several screws holding it in, plus I think two press-fit pins. It's impossible to have it fly off unless (most of) the screws are missing. The dealership's explanation makes 0 sense, they're just trying to avoid responsibility. Best would be to go back and hope to find it, undamaged, otherwise will be hard to find in your color used (Ebay), and expensive to buy new + have painted. Unless the dealership owns up, then it's their problem.

 

[mjnorris]

It only needs to be missing the one screw at the front. It sounds like the dealership did not reinstall it after servicing the battery or the front tab on the panel that the screw goes into was broken off (that’s what happened to me).

 

[RollaCosta]

I have had the same situation too, but on a bike I test rode.
The guy installed a charger plug himself and could not figure how to put it back together properly, or simply broke the front tab on disassembly. He simply used a transparent (and unnoticeable to me) duct tape to keep front angle in place (!)
The panel was blown off and scratched. I recovered it and returned promptly.
I did not buy the bike as I sort of lost the confidence