First time rehab of a 1976ish basket case

Should I cut down front fender or leave it?

  • Total voters
    7
kshansen said:
- - - The worst thing someone can do is ask a question and then when several long time members say check this or that come back three day latter and say I bought this or that and it still won't work. Totally ignoring what was suggested to be checked and replacing something totally unrelated to the problem.
Almost as bad as: My front brake seems awful spongy What should I do?
Suggestions: Bleed and flush brake, Check caliper mounting hardware, check for warped disk.
Next post from OP: I put new seals in the forks and brake is still spongy, might try swing arm bushings next!
Might sound far fetched but not that far off at times!
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Hi Ken,
yeah but that foolish OP is by no means the only person reading your post.
And even he may be steered back to reason by a stern reply.
OTOH perhaps there's other folks with the same problem reading your post and hopefully accepting your suggestions.
 
fredintoon said:
Hi Ken,
yeah but that foolish OP is by no means the only person reading your post.
And even he may be steered back to reason by a stern reply.
OTOH perhaps there's other folks with the same problem reading your post and hopefully accepting your suggestions.
Click to expand...
That’s why I post so much seemingly mundane and simple stuff and ask so many dumb questions. I’m pretty new to this but there are still probably a few people out there with less knowledge that could benefit the same way we all have from this forum!
 
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NOT INSTALLED! Just resting to show corner recess for wires which will have a “bumper” of fuel line adhered with rtv
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Got my new “fender” (sub-seat frame?) fabbed up and held in place with some old conduit clamps until I can borrow a friend’s welder. I’ll be adding in a few more 1/4” braces to create a channel for the rear light wires to run through to keep them hidden under the seat. Also whipped up a fresh taillight/plate mount that I’ll be cleaning up a bit next time I have more than 2 hours in the shop. Cleaned all the rust and junk out of the taillight housing and replaced the spent wires too, acouple more hours and some paint will call it done
 
I got a question, but it’s the less annoying kind! I actually would love some feedback/opinions on whether or not to hack this big front fender down. I kinda like the way it looks now, but feel it would “even out” the front to back proportions. Oh and I’m “done” with wiring for now. Got a voltage meter that’s been sitting until I can figure out a housing/mounting option and waiting new terminals for inside of headlight (old ones fried) but until my new gasket/seal set comes in I’m takin a break and fiddling with looks. This thing is really starting to head in the “brat bike” direction, which I rather enjoy and it is, after all, Japanese. Anyway what do y’all think? And should I post a new thread just as a poll?
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Jim said:
I believe you can edit this thread and add your poll.
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Thanks Jim, didn’t know that was a feature! I do almost everything from my phone since my computer is about shot *edit* I’m not seeing an “add poll” option anywhere, maybe because I’m on phone
 
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LiveSlowDieWhenever said:
:banghead: That’s probably the LEAST destructive thing p/o did to this bike. And how bout those directionals? Lol. Thanks for the input :thumbsup::cheers:
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Sorry to bust ya bubble...........that Guard is a 34mm forks 74-76 front guard.....the tell is the grove in the bracket that bolts to the forks........heck the guard may have been installed back to front or it could also be an earlier 73 front guard............either way the PO has cut the sides off of it.......

Could cut it down front and back to shorten it........The later 77-83 front guards have a lot more bracing inder the guard between the forks that was the factory way of giving the forks a decent brace..........Could buy a shitty old later model front guard to cut down and paint.

74-76..........................................Yours........................................73...............................................77-83
76C front wheel- Guard.jpg Crop IMG_3305.jpg crop 1 2c a.jpg 1977.XS650 011 crop.jpg
Don't usually post larg pics but im not sure if you can open the thumbnails.

74-76
76C front wheel- Guard.jpg

Yours
Crop IMG_3305.jpg

73
crop 1 2c a.jpg

77-83
1977.XS650 011 crop.jpg
 
Very interesting, skull. Thanks for the insight! If you’re “bursting my bubble” about it not being year-appropriate, don’t worry, nothing on this bike is except for the paperwork! I don’t believe it to be factory, it feels like plastic or even some kind of fiber? I have no problem hacking at anything besides the frame at this point anyway since this bike is a Frankenstein to begin with. I’m gonna make up a quick rendering of a cut down fender on my lunch break tomorrow and see how y’all feel
 
650Skull said:
Sorry to bust ya bubble...........that Guard is a 34mm forks 74-76 front guard.....the tell is the grove in the bracket that bolts to the forks........heck the guard may have been installed back to front or it could also be an earlier 73 front guard............either way the PO has cut the sides off of it.......

Could cut it down front and back to shorten it........The later 77-83 front guards have a lot more bracing inder the guard between the forks that was the factory way of giving the forks a decent brace..........Could buy a shitty old later model front guard to cut down and paint.

74-76..........................................Yours........................................73...............................................77-83
View attachment 137870 View attachment 137872 View attachment 137875 View attachment 137871
Don't usually post larg pics but im not sure if you can open the thumbnails.

74-76View attachment 137870
Yours
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73
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77-83
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Skull comes through, again, with the hard data !

So, that '77 in the last picture looks a mite familiar; in fact, I have a sense that I might have gotten my paws on that vehicle at one point.....and then maybe some Red Shoes took it from there ? ;).
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