Mudguard/Fender

I’ve got a’98 black beauty with a slight issue. The mudguard/fender has cracked and a bit has disappeared. Been on a certain auction site and there’s only a couple available (1 is in a country a long way away and the other is looks like it’s been badly painted) obviously unavailable now. Making the presumption I can’t get a decent replacement and mines unrepairable. Is there one from another bike that will fit straight on

Many thanks


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Have a look for carbon fibre ones that may help if desperate.
I got one not so long but can't remember where from. Think it was £120 quid.
Sorry I'm not much help.

 

You could try one of the many Chinese eBay bodywork sellers; they may well sell you a black front mudguard separate to the rest of a bodywork set.

As to whether another will fit straight on, I sort of doubt it as the fork spacing and mounts seem to be different for every bike. You could try a fender off the 6th gen VFR as it certainly looks like a similar mounting arrangement, and I know the fork spacing is basically the same (I did have my 5G guard mounted to 43mm forks in 6G triples).

 

Even if you buy a second hand replacement, it will likely have cracks. I looked for a long time, but then decided to repair mine. Cracks can be fixed. I suppose it depends how big a bit is missing.

I had cracks radiating from the bolt holes. I drilled the ends of the cracks to stop propagation. Then I created a “V” along the cracks (on the inside of mudguard) to provide space for filling/glueing. I also drilled small holes each side of the cracks. Then I used a plastic repair kit (I used Plastex but others are available and plastic welding probably better if you’re able). The newly drilled holes allowed me to have new plastic going into those holes and across the crack to hold it together.

For more severe damage you can reinforce with mesh and use the plastic repair over that.

Then refit using nylon washers with the bolts to reduce stress. My repairs have lasted well. For stress cracking like this, the repair on the outside of the mudguard is visible but not atrocious. You might be happy with touching up over the small repair holes. Now I know my repair is solid, I’m going to repaint or get it repainted.

 

Check thickness of section of mudguard requiring replacing then order sheet of ABS from fleaBay of desired thickness ( only a couple of quid).

Shape piece from sheet then using a soldering iron and steps if the ABS sheet as "solder" bond everything together.

For cracks make a V groove on either side then fill with melted ABS.

Did it for first time a few months ago as part of a 3rd Gen restore. Easy DIY task.

 

You must be using wrong search string in fleaBay, there are over half a dozen available but this one in Black, fleaBay 325467840037, looks best option. Bought from EU on fleaBay in past and had good results.

 

The best stuff for ABS plastic repair is actually ABS pipe cement. It isn't a glue, but in the class of solvent welding. This is the same process when plumbers are fitting PVC pipe and fittings together. I've posted this before, but a Goldwing owner has an excellent guide: