Front Fender Problem on a motorized bicycle

**CRUISER** · #11 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 02:45 PM

great tip. i love my fenders and don't want to loose them.

MotorbikeMike · #12 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 11:16 PM

Hi Gang, I had wanted to comment here, but things have been very rough here.

Ok, no here's the drill, IF your bike has ANY part that shakes like a wet dog, STUDY that part, and determine what action will reduce, or even stop the vibration.

I have seen several of these types of bikes damaged in exactly the same manner as this one, and ALL of the riders were pretty banged up in the process.

Believe it or not, the very first such front-wheel fender fiasco I have seen was none other than Steve Miller, of SpitFire, probably 6-7 years ago, in his case it was a fender brace, cracked at the point where it went fromn the stamped shape, to flat, and, as it let go, it skewered the front wheel, and he was end-over!

4 years later Carl at about 73 years old, on the very first of Grube's 4-strokes, had a brace give way, skewering the wheel, lauching him over the bars, took 3-4 months before he could ride again, the bike was toast, kit was OK.

WallyWorld sold some cheap Huffy's, I forget the model, and I saw somewhat less than 5 of those turn into catapults.

The bike in the picture COULD have been saved IF, as Noogoodnic says, the L-bracket were replaced AND that a second front brace were added.

I will NEVER do a motorbicycle with only one true brace on the front fender.

Mike

Easy Rider · #13 (**permalink**) 02-13-2008, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nogoodnic

I use hardware store L brackets on all of my bikes with fenders. All you have to do is drill out the original rivets, lose the cheap peice of tin the comes from the factory, replace with the L bracket, the holes should line up with the rivet holes and I bolt it together with 1/4" machine screws, lock washers and Loc-tite on the threads. I also cut one hole off of the side that bolts up to the bike. I haven't had any problems with any of the fenders that I've done this way...Kelly

Thanks for the awesome tip Nic, If I wasn't so gun shy at the moment, I definitely would be putting L brackets on my fenders. As for now, I plan on replacing both tires with the best tires money can buy along with removing my fenders. My little embrace with the pavement was enough to make a corrective plan to reduce my percentage of kissing the asphalt again.

Easy Rider · #14 (**permalink**) 02-18-2008, 11:14 PM

I finally got a chance to pull my bike out of the trailer since the last race and changed the tires and inspected my fenders. Thank goodness I decided to remove and inspect my front fender b/c it was cracked 7/8th off at both tabs.

Autocycler · #15 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008, 11:08 AM

Good catch...loose fenders can be painful. Were your L brackets cracked? I've broke a few L brackets from Home Depot. I'm looking for stronger brackets. Fender issues are my bike's chronic problem.

Easy Rider · #16 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008, 08:12 PM

I plan on leaving them off for now b/c I'll be putting on a shock with a front disc brake.

**CRUISER** · #17 (**permalink**) 03-08-2008, 07:20 PM

this has had me really thinking on how to make my front fender on my motor bicycle safer. here is what i plan to do. the fender has the L bracket that conects to the down tube and i plan on getting a second L bracket and haveing them face diferent directions with the one on the front of the down tube facing forward and the other one i will mount on the the rear of the down tube facing the back of the bicycle. a little double security. if it ever warms up i am going to do it and will take a picture and post here.

Easy Rider · #18 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 01:23 AM

The thing that worries me is the sheet metal fender starts to have stress cracks from the vibration. We went on a cruise yesterday and we were cruising around 30mph and the first thing that came to mind was: I could get seriously injuried if my front tire locked up. Being "No spring chicken"...I relized that it takes A LOT longer to heal compared to my youthful days. In fact, my knee still bothers me since my mishap last month.

**CRUISER** · #19 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 07:36 AM

that is what scares me also. it takes a long time to heal and i hurt easier

**Ilikeabikea** · #20 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 07:46 AM

As much as I like the way the fenders look I don't use for those reasons. I'm not a spring chicken anymore either and besides that there's a lot more of me to hurt than there used to be.