So have I - when I felt it might be necessary. When I got my dads Victory I was the last to remove the side plate - over 25 years ago so I did it when I got it last year and it was a little gunked up so I just blew it out with brakleen, air blasted, lubed and put the plate back on. The plates on the two Smith's I bought recently were removed a few years ago to install spring kits so I am leaving them on for now.