Members with 1972-1973 front fenders -- I.D. help needed!

[DogBunny]

The parts drawings give the following:
306-21511-00-93 1972 front fender
366-21511-00-93 1973 front fender
447-21511-00-93 1974-1976 front fender

The large hole in the center brace is shown to be oblong on 1972-1973, like this:

On 1974-1976 the hole is shown to be round, like this:

Does everyone with 1972-1976 front fenders agree with this? Does anyone know if there is any difference between the 1972 and 1973 fender besides the part number? And, does anyone know if all of these year fenders will interchange, I.E. bolt up correctly on the different years?
And, One More Thing:
Does the fork brace on 1972-1973 have a LEFT-side brake line groove like this:

Or, is it smooth, like this:

THANK YOU!

 

[DogBunny]

Okay, so it turns out I found a 1972 and a 1976 fork leg, and answered a couple of my own questions:

The 1976 fender definitely will NOT fit on a 1972. Can someone with a 1973 please give me the measurement shown above?

 

[5twins]

You may have your labels switched there. I think a '76 left leg would have the extra disc mount, '72 leg not.

 

[DogBunny]

Thank you, you are correct, I have fixed the labels.

 

[650Skull]

72 is a one year only Front fender brace. They are longer due to the stupid hub/disk set up.


Note the difference along the guard edge. 74-76 has less flex due to the extra rib, Means the 72/73 Stays dont interchange
74-76 guard profile......


73 Front guard braces wont interchange with 72 or 74-76 guards due to the different shape of the 74-76 guards and the position of the guard brace mount differences as shown above.

Not sure if the 72 and 73 guard will interchange using the appropriate year braces.

Maybe there is more info but this is what i have found

 

[650Skull]

On all the pics i have the 72 and 73 do not have the groove for the brake line on the right side of the guard mounting brace, even though the 73 hub had the provision for twin disk set up.
All 73's


72's

 

[650Skull]

Sorry i haven't answered the length measurement.

Just had a look. I have a 73 guard with a front stay and 74-76 set of guard stays. the 74-76 stay will slip over the 73 guard but there does seem to be visual difference in length, (small ), when sitting the 7-76 stay on the guard next to the 73 stay. I say visual but not 100% so would use caution. I haven't tried to unbolt the 73 stay and bolt the 74-76 on the 73 guard

 

[650Skull]

on your first 2 pics the guards both look to be 74-76, the hole may have been changed during those 3 years

 

[DogBunny]

Skull, thank you very much, that is some great info. Very helpful to know that both 72 and 73 do NOT have the brake line groove, even though the 73 fork tube has provisions for a left-side caliper. Also great info on the reinforced rib on 74 and later, absent on 72 and 73.

ebay sellers are claiming that their 1973-74 TX750 front fenders will also fit 1974-76 TX650/XS650, but I wonder... They are getting this from the commercial online diagrams, which I don't trust in this case. I would love to get my hands on a real 73 or 74 parts manual for verification.
That sort of explains these diagrams:

This is the diagram for the 72-73 XS650. No left-side brake line groove, which makes sense for 1972, and was probably an oversight for 1973. Oblong fork brace hole, which I think is correct for 72-73.

This is the partzilla diagram for 1973-74 TX750. Brake line grooves on both sides, which makes sense for TX750. Partzilla claim this also works for 74 TX650 and 75 XS650. cmsnl also adds 76 XS650 which makes sense. Partzilla, above, shows oblong hole for 73-74 TX750, which I think is correct. cmsnl shows round hole for 73-74 TX750, which I think is wrong.
This also explains the very first picture in my very first post of this thread -- that is really a 73-74 TX750 fender, which is why it has the oblong hole with grooves on both fork braces.
Again, I wish I had a real TX750 parts manual...

 

[DogBunny]

An eBay search of 73-74 TX750 fenders seems to confirm my previous post. If they really also fit 74-76 TX650/XS650, and the only difference is the shape of the fork brace hole, then they are a great source for cheap fenders for those years.

 

[Mailman]

My 72 front fender is packed away out in my garage. Tomorrow I will take detailed photos for you and post them here.

 

[Mailman]

I just took these, let me know if you need any more detail. The fender is still dirty, as I got it. I haven’t had the chance to get to it yet.
Bob

 

[DogBunny]

Mailman, great pics, and thank you very much!
I had no idea that the large fork brace holes are oblong on one side and round on the other. You would never know that looking at the parts drawings.
Otherwise, as expected for a 72 -- no groove for the brake line hose on the left side, and no reinforcing moulding/rib on the fender side edges.

 

[kshansen]

Just took a look at the fender that was on the 1972 in that picture over to the left and it looks like the one mailman took pictures of, well except this one is not a good looking, chrome is badly pitted. It might be salvageable but would need to be stripped of the chrome and polished and rechromed.

And this picture may not do it justice it might be worse than it looks there!

 

[DogBunny]

Thank you kshansen.
I think I've got the differences all figured out except for one thing:

Could someone with a 1973 please provide this measurement? That would answer if 1972 and 1973 fenders are interchangeable.

 

[650Skull]

That distance relates to the fender struts, not the fender its self...............as stated earlier and the parts file show, the struts are not interchangeable on the 72-73 models. the struts should interchange between the 72 and 73 guard............

I went through this when a buyer wanted to buy some struts for his 72. The set i have from the early guard i thought would work and offered mine for sale. This is when i found out the 73 struts are shorter than the 72 and why

 

[DogBunny]

Thanks Skull. Yes, I read and understood what you wrote the first time, and then I promptly forgot it. Yes, the "stupid," complicated 1972 axle set-up. So, 72 struts are different from 73, but the fenders might swap.

 

[txxs]

Does the fork brace on 1972-1973 have a LEFT-side brake line groove like this:

I checked out my two survivor 1973 TX650's.
The blue one does not have the left-side brake line groove however the gold one DOES have the left-side brake line groove.
To confuse the issue I also have a brand new 1973 fender which does not show the left-side brake line groove.
Also the 1973 supplementary parts list (the real paper one , not the internet version) DOES show the left-side brake line groove.

In answer to your question there seems to be 2 versions of the 73 front fender.
(This sometimes happens as Japanese manufacturers outsource the work).

The 73 fender and braces are all different from the 72.

Also I believe that a 1974 "assembly" including the 1974 fender plus 1974 front brace and 1974 rear brace will bolt on to the 73 outer tubes.
(However I don't think the 74 fender can't be used with the 73 braces)

 

[txxs]

Photo of the left-side groove

(My rarest bike - not many in this colour)

 

[DogBunny]

Yes, that does confuse things. And yes I agree that bike is rare -- gold with an "Electric" badge -- maybe only an Australian and/or European thing?

What about the reinforcing moulding/rib on the edge of the long fender sides -- your 73s should not have it.