You should find 3 bolts inside the nose cone itself. I'd expect you can do it without removing the side panels ....just take out the infills. Ive always done it with the side panels off but can't think of anything that would stop it coming off....just dont forget the 3 fairing bolts along the top of the side panel AND the one under the front that holds the nose onto the side panel. TBH by the time youve done that you might as well have the side panel off too!
The front fairing also has slots for the little shark fin type tangs from the air tube covers. I generally leave the covers on and wiggle the front fairing a bit. A palm hitting the nose can be enough to dislodge the tangs.
And watch out on re assembly. It's easy to trap the mirror indicator wires. The front indicator will stop working and the rear flash quicker.
You can take the nose off when leaving the side panels on, but its not worth it, as the fairings are designed to come off in a certain order. Its side panels off (you can technically leave the belly pan on, but will need to cable tie it in place). Mirrors, ram air covers. The nose has two bolts on the front fairing stay and one under the headlight as @bradders said, which is a larger fairing bolt, with a washer for good measure (well it is on the 1098). With the nose off, the lights arnt actually held onto the frame and can, if careless, fall off
