Front Fender Problem on a motorized bicycle

Easy Rider · #1 02-10-2008, 11:25 AM

It WAS a beautiful Schiwn Cruiser. My buddy was riding home and he said he was only cruising around 20-25mph and the fender tab that attaches to the forks near the brakes snapped off. Before he relized he was on the ground. I'm glad he wore his helmet that day. I've noticed on my bike that speeds over 32mph my front fender vibrates like a S.O.B. Also I know (just like everything else in the world) some factorys don't build bikes like they use to.

BEFORE

AFTER

deacon · #2 02-10-2008, 12:03 PM

Greak looking bike.

I have the fenders off the next one I'm going to build. i did it to get a larger wheel and tire on it. I found that once I did that I could get a hand brake for the front wheel as well. The rear one came off to mount an electric motor but that is gone now. I still have the front fender on my Sissy Schwinn but I have been having second thoughts about that as well.

But then I don't know, I might put a chrome cut down rear fender on it once I get the chain situation right. I'm going drill and bolt it so that I can actually get to the bolts to check them.

**Bikeguy Joe** · #3 02-10-2008, 12:09 PM

Key word is WAS.

Hope the rider faired better than the bike.

I used JB Weld where all fender tabs were on my bikes.- front and rear.

**Bikeguy Joe** · #4 02-10-2008, 12:10 PM

Dang, I just noticed, he wrecked it so hard he changed the pipe!!

**Norman** · #5 02-10-2008, 12:15 PM

I don't run fenders for that reason. I wish I had a good or better answer than that. Fenders do help to keep the nasties off you but if they come loose the results are not good.
I hope you are not hurt. Bike looks to be damaged badly, lot of work to fix. You might be better off to replace and use the damaged bike for parts.
Norman

Easy Rider · #6 02-10-2008, 11:57 PM

Did you noticed that the front tire locked up so bad that it bent the forks?

Easy Rider · #7 02-11-2008, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norman

I hope you are not hurt. Bike looks to be damaged badly, lot of work to fix. You might be better off to replace and use the damaged bike for parts.
Norman

I'm banged up but for a different reason. But my friend snapped his collarbone and broke 3 ribs. I saw him today @ the races and he's pretty banged up.

deacon · #8 02-11-2008, 07:00 AM

When I was twenty three I was hospitalized for blacking out for a second behind the wheel of my car and driving it into a sign. The road was slipper from the ice storm so the second was all it took. At that time they couldn't find out the cause but the doctor warned me it might happen again. So I asked, "Should I stop riding my motorcycle?"

"Son I tell you what I tell all my patients," he replied. "If you ride it long enough, it will kill you." Naturally I didn't stop but that bike picture reminds me how dangerous all these bikes are. These seem to be even more fragile than the big bikes. Part of the allure I'm sure.

**Bikeguy Joe** · #9 02-11-2008, 07:10 AM

Definitely "more fragile" but they cause less damage to whatever they hit.

I had over 500 miles on both the bikes I built before I sold them and ALMOST no fender problems. I just removed them and went over the places where the fender brace connected to the fenders. I "reset" the rivets and coated the whole brace/fender union with JB Weld.

The one problem I did have was one of the rear fenders cracked where I cut it for clearance for the drive chain.

That was my fault.

nogoodnic · #10 02-12-2008, 03:40 PM

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