Front Fender Problem on a motorized bicycle

GoldenMotor.com

Easy Rider

Santa Cruz Scooter Works
Jan 15, 2008
2,145
7
38
Nor*Cal
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.
 
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deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
63
up north now
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
63
up north now
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

LORD VADER Moderator
Jan 16, 2008
2,605
6
38
71
pampa texas
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

Santa Cruz Scooter Works
Jan 15, 2008
2,145
7
38
Nor*Cal
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

Easy Rider

Santa Cruz Scooter Works
Jan 15, 2008
2,145
7
38
Nor*Cal
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
63
up north now
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

New Member
Jan 29, 2008
509
1
0
Shelby MI
forum1.freakbikenation.com
Re: Front Fender Problem

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
 

MotorbikeMike

Dealer
Dec 29, 2007
477
3
18
Sacramento
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

Santa Cruz Scooter Works
Jan 15, 2008
2,145
7
38
Nor*Cal
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

Santa Cruz Scooter Works
Jan 15, 2008
2,145
7
38
Nor*Cal
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

New Member
Feb 14, 2008
153
2
0
Metro Washington, DC
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

Santa Cruz Scooter Works
Jan 15, 2008
2,145
7
38
Nor*Cal
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

paul

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2007
5,547
44
48
66
Kalamazoo, MI
Re: Front Fender Problem

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

Santa Cruz Scooter Works
Jan 15, 2008
2,145
7
38
Nor*Cal
Re: Front Fender Problem

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.
 

Ilikeabikea

Active Member
Jan 27, 2008
2,322
0
36
68
Ptown, Texas
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.rotflrotfl