The Yamaha Road Star Warrior Forum

I did a search to no avail,  but has anyone succesfully mounted a custom fender to the rear swingarm?  My objective is to get that tire hugging fender look w/o bottoming out by having the fender move with the vertical suspension travel...I'm trying to figure out the best way to do so?  Best mounting points?  I can solve the other asthetic issues blending it to the stock 2-up seat and fender stays, but just was wondering the best way to mount onto the swingarm without compromising the swingarm while also giving adequate support to the fender....Anyone?

TIA! 

here's what i've found, but dunno if it will help ya any:

http://rswarrior.com/forums/t/13833.aspx?PageIndex=2 

might want to contact kouba from joliet even! http://rswarrior.com/forums/p/29106/392193.aspx#392193  

http://rswarrior.com/forums/p/27613/390700.aspx#390700 

i knocked this idea around quite a bit in the early days of modding. You can acomplish this rather easily by checking out how the HD customs (hidden with the fender through the swingarm)  are mounted or even go the sportbike route (braced on the top of the swingarm).

At any rate you'll have to tig in a couple of threaded bungs for you to bolt up the fender and  you may need to modify the lower portion of the swingarm, or reshape the lower portion of the fender, so you can attach it below the swingarm. Ideally you'd want at least 4 mounting points as far apart as possible to keep the fender rigid.

mdfdwarrior:

was wondering the best way to mount onto the swingarm without compromising the swingarm while also giving adequate support to the fender....Anyone?

TIA! 

Thom,

 I'd say take a trip over to Iron Door Cycles and check out what Big Bear does with their rear fenders.  Maybe I'm just partial to Big Bear for obvious reasons, but I really do think that have it figured out.  They pretty much have what JPWarrior described going on.  Of course, that will entail you welding on your swingarm and such....................but if you're up for it.  Go for it!

 thanx for all the info guys!  I see this is going to take a little more work than I originally imagined.....

You done with this mod yet Thom?  What's taking you so long?

***:

You done with this mod yet Thom?  What's taking you so long?

Thom is on a mental vacation - please leave a message after the beep......BEEEEEEEP!

 I have one on my bike, but I have a 1" over Patten Cycles swing arm, an AirFX air ride suspension and custom seat.  The frenched in LED's look cool too.  It was a lot of work (my builder will attest to that), but it sure looks nice slammed down.  Give me a shout if you need more details, I'm not too far from you over here in NW Indiana.

Josh/3RDDAY 

Josh,

 It looks great.  I'd love to go that route myself, however, my old lady will disown me if I take away her seat...........ha ha ha

 In a way I disowned HER.  I like riding solo better than two up so I bought her a V-Star 650 Classic of her own for our anniversary (she wanted a couch).  She's already outgrown it though and we're looking for something with more get up and go.

Josh/3RDDAY 

My attempt to fit was while waiting on new wheel bearings, so my wheels were off the bike.  I attempted to see if a Yamaha R1 rear tire hugger would work somehow.

 I discovered the following for the R1 tire hugger:

1. Will not work on lowered bike w/ oem fender still installed.

2. Will require brackets to be made to make up the minimal gapping between the hugger mounts and the swingarm.  This is necessary to prevent the hugger from rubbing on the battery box.

3. If you're a good fabricator, you could shave a portion of the battery box and plastic weld in a curved section on the bottom rear corner to allow for the movement of the hugger on with the swingarm.

4. OEM fender removal WILL be required with the squared hugger.  The flat face does not "hug" the tire like the rounded one will.

5. OEM fender removal might not be required with the rounded hugger.  It rides closer to the tire throughout.

6. A swingarm mounted "fender" will require bracket fabrication, possible rear brake line relocation (due to front mounting area), battery box may impede swingarm movement (due to front mounting area unless you fabricate around that issue), a side mount plate bracket and rear signal alternatives may be needed (up/down movement easily causes wires to break, use grommets and wire loom if you run them through the swingarm).

fireblade1:

My attempt to fit was while waiting on new wheel bearings, so my wheels were off the bike.  I attempted to see if a Yamaha R1 rear tire hugger would work somehow.

 I discovered the following for the R1 tire hugger:

1. Will not work on lowered bike w/ oem fender still installed.

2. Will require brackets to be made to make up the minimal gapping between the hugger mounts and the swingarm.  This is necessary to prevent the hugger from rubbing on the battery box.

3. If you're a good fabricator, you could shave a portion of the battery box and plastic weld in a curved section on the bottom rear corner to allow for the movement of the hugger on with the swingarm.

4. OEM fender removal WILL be required with the squared hugger.  The flat face does not "hug" the tire like the rounded one will.

5. OEM fender removal might not be required with the rounded hugger.  It rides closer to the tire throughout.

6. A swingarm mounted "fender" will require bracket fabrication, possible rear brake line relocation (due to front mounting area), battery box may impede swingarm movement (due to front mounting area unless you fabricate around that issue), a side mount plate bracket and rear signal alternatives may be needed (up/down movement easily causes wires to break, use grommets and wire loom if you run them through the swingarm).

thanx for the info Fireblade - got any pics to go along with that?

Sorry, no pics.  Didn't fit the idea I had and since I'm vertically challenged it made the mod that much more difficult to consider.  However, it IS possible if someone wanted to truly put in the time and effort to fabricate it all.  Might truly be worth seeing the end product too!