Removing front fender and riding without it?

[1extremeskier]

Thinking of going old school and removing front fender and riding without it. Old school look. Anybody done it and any issues, other than water?

Wasn't sure where to post...........thoughts?

 

[RCAdd1ct]

Do a search. It has been covered quite a bit.

My take is that the fender acts as a fork brace....if you are going to add a fork brace, why take off the fender?

 

[Oldskuul]

I tried it for a while, I liked the look also... The existing forkbrace is not up to the job and the front end was noticeably flexy....
The front tire also started to wear funny on the sides off center.

I'd opt for a beefier fork brace before giving it another go.

 

[Brew]

I've noticed that those that do run without a front fender are usually running a springer type front end. Just saying

 

[Tattooedirish1]

I think Moespeeds removed his and just ran a fork brace, but he too had a springer

 

[lee]

I'n not running a front fender at the moment because the mount cracked. Being that I have a Bulldog though I don't have the long front end. Only issue is surface water

 

[BBChopper]

I would ask Sul, MARV. Think he's been running like that a while.

 

[Splitlog]

2008 K9??? My 2008 Ridgeback has/had a fork brace above the fender...ran with the
fender off with no problems.....
the brace was not part of the fender..

 

[Five Five]

These front ends are beefy .... and I dont think removing a fiberglass front fender is going to have any impact on the overall integrity of the front end ....just keep the forkbrace mounted in place .... and post some pictures of that bad boy K-9 of yours when you get it all set up ....when do you and quasimodo want to go riding again...lets do Palomar mountain / lake henshaw...

:2thumbs:
"five"

 

[Oldskuul]

Fiberglass? Mines heavy gauge steel....06 K-9.
Maybe the fork brace is smaller because of this?

 

[jimizee028]

I rode mine for awhile without one only cause front fender was still in paint and the weather warmed up....the tire threw all kinds of shit everywhere,rode to ocean city from baltimore got 1/4 way there and it started raining,not drizzling,needless to say,had to ride to the side,cause of the roostertail the front tire was throwing...was really kinda funny to say the least......to each his own....I eventually after getting stuck in too many rainstorms ,finished the paintwork on the fender!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Five Five]

Fiberglass? Mines heavy gauge steel....06 K-9.
Maybe the fork brace is smaller because of this?

Your right oldskuul ...just put a magnet too it :2thumbs:
My Pitbull had fiberglass front and rear ..

 

[Vince81]

Thinking of going old school and removing front fender and riding without it. Old school look. Anybody done it and any issues, other than water?

Wasn't sure where to post...........thoughts?

This is One of My *kit* 2006 Pitbulls without the front fender and a Custom Diamondplate Fork Brace.
Wadda you think of it....?
Theres no issues whatsoever-and if water does hit me in the face I should either grin & bear it or not ride in the rain
But seriously-I never ran a front fender on my bikes and I've ridden from Connecticut to California,Sturgis,daytona and Laconis without any problems.
I like the look of No front fender
Vince

 

[Knuckles]

This is One of My *kit* 2006 Pitbulls without the front fender and a Custom Diamondplate Fork Brace.
Wadda you think of it....?
Theres no issues whatsoever-and if water does hit me in the face I should either grin & bear it or not ride in the rain
But seriously-I never ran a front fender on my bikes and I've ridden from Connecticut to California,Sturgis,daytona and Laconis without any problems.
I like the look of No front fender
Vince

I swear I've seen this same set up recently on another post...maybe they purchased it from you??????

 

[Vince81]

I swear I've seen this same set up recently on another post...maybe they purchased it from you??????

I do sell alot of them...but more than likely it was my bike again in a different post (I'm a whore when it comes to showing off my metalworking skills)
I make them for ALL BDM AIH and other H-D clones & All H-D models.
Vince

 

[Bobby Schulz]

All of the Ridgeback's and k9's I have worked on have metal fenders front and rear.
I worked on a chopper model though that has plastic fenders front and rear.
The fork brace is a must have IMO.

 

[Vince81]

All if the Ridgeback's and k9's I have worked on have metal fenders front and rear.
I worked on a chopper model though that has plastic fenders front and rear.
The fork brace is a must have IMO.

Yeah Bobby-I agree with You 100%
I also like that fork brace from BDM and I called John Masi at BDM and asked about gettin a few-no luck:down:
So *necessity is the Mother Of Invention* here for me.....
hence the diamond plated fork brace I make.
But I dont think I'm *old school*....but rather *REFORM SCHOOL*:2thumbs:
Vince

 

[stlmikie]

Is there anyway to run a brace with the fender? Under or over?

 

[Vince81]

Is there anyway to run a brace with the fender? Under or over?

Not that I can see.....
The fender takes up ALL the room to the edge of the mounting bracket(obviously-Vince) and I'd have to fabricate a *thinner* mounting bracket for the inside of each fork leg to slip a brace that's taller into the inside of the brackets-and Up & Over the fender.(definitely NOT underneath)

I could machine the brackets (thinner in width) to accept the thickness of the brace *AND* the fender - but it'd be close and look too "crowded" in my insane opinion
Most guys have real nice paint on their BDMs and wouldn't want a brace covering the paintwork/murals/graphics etc....they've told me so.

I personally like the look of No Fender - and I dont run a front fender on most of my bikes(My FXR has one though) and all my Pitbull Kits came w/the front fenders/tins. I sold one to Ken Malysa (a front fender) he's gonna repaint it.
Like I said - I personally like the *no fender* look ~ and the Diamond plate brace is real trick looking AND functional for stability purposes , but lotsa people prefer a fender and thats cool as well:2thumbs: And Mikie...YOU have a longer & sleeker front fender on your Mastiff than my Pitbulls came with
Vince

 

[stlmikie]

I'm not apposed to going without really. I ride in the rain a bit though. I really want to try a bracket to see if it'll stiffin up the front end a bit. I have a glass fender front and rear.