I was told that a "non-visual appealing" weld got those covers, I guess if the welds did not turn out so good looking they covered them? Seems kinda trivial since a lot of bikes have exposed welds and some don't look too good and I have seen some hand welded frames that look like artwork with their welds. Since my last issues with weld quality on my 02 Goldwings frame i'm more about strength than looks.