I noticed that running sans rear fender on my Visioné is taking its toll on my nicely painted frame (and some of the components that I mounted under the seat -- yikes!)
So I fabricated a "hugger"-style rear fender from an old front fender I had laying around. Man, this was a lot harder than it looks in the images.
Getting that fender to sit just so fractions of an inch above the tire was a chore. It's fastened at three points on the swing arm. I shortened it and filled in the unnecessary cable guide hole with fiberglass. It's lacquered and clear coated then polished with Mirror Glaze (I think that's what it's called).
Now that front fender really looks like shit so I'll have to tackle that next.
Steve
I like what you did there. I always thought that would be the thing to do so the stock inner fender could be opened up to let some air flow through to help with cooling the r/r. I kind of like the looks of it, kind of like the chain drive 920 Virago.
...also (I just noticed) it looks more like the original sketch for the Vision.
The R/R was moved to where the battery used to be (see image). Battery (Li) is now in the tail.
Steve
That looks really nice Steve. The paint work is impressive and it's clear you took some time to fit it just so - nice work. I may have to try this on my Silver Vision. :)
I see the bracket at the lower shock mount and the front bracket but where is the third? BTW, is that front bracket a modified hinge? Also, did you shorten the fender or is that stock dimensions?
By "three points" I meant two allen screws midway up the fender and one down by the cross member of the swing arm.
I might get real creative with it at some point and fiberglass-fabricate a larger mounting bracket at that midway point to make the fender more stable.
No, that mount is not a modified hinge (although that's a pretty good idea!). I cut it out of aluminum sheet with a Dremel tool and reinforced it with that little aluminum triangle (I used low-melt aluminum rod to weld it there with a propane torch). The fender is blind-rivet mounted to the mount.
Note that in order to mount the completed fender without scratching it I had to remove the wheel first. I'm thinking I could mount a small "sleeve" on the forward edge of the fender (where it no allen-bolts to the swing arm cross member) and just slip the fender over the wheel and slide it onto that "L" mount. Yeah, that's a better idea.
Yes, the fender is shortened about 3 or 4 inches as I remember.
Steve
Thanks for the clarification and additional details Steve.
Steve,
I'm trying to decide what mods to make on my second Vision when I get it down here. I've been thinking about how to make it lighter. I've already installed a Mac exhaust system and I plan to use a Shorai battery. Those look like the easiest and heaviest components to change. Everything else looks like a case of diminishing returns for the amount of work involved. What else do you think can be done to make the bike lighter. How much does your bike weigh now? How much lighter is the fuel tank than a stock tank?
I met a guy at a race track one time who told me he had taken a Norton race bike apart over the winter, put every bolt on the bike in a lathe, and drilled a hole through it to lighten it. He didn't say how much it lighten it but I was thinking it couldn't have been much.
Put a lighter rider on the bike.
Art,
The tank is aluminum, so yeah, it's lighter. Parts I dumped and replaced with lighter units: gauge cluster, tail piece, turn signals, tail light, headlight, mufflers (Marving), and seat. Parts I just dumped: a big chunk of the rear frame, related "tabs," side panels, radiator shroud, all that rear plastic fender crap, gauge cluster holder, and that "Yamaha" plastic thing below the headlight. Probably more but that's what I can remember.
The battery is a Battery Tender Li -- much lighter.
If you can find Virago spoked wheels that would be another big weight savings. Good luck with that.
Haven't weighed the bike but I'm hoping for approx. 360 lbs. It certainly feels that light.
Steve
The stock tank is fairly light. It's rather light gauge metal.
Quote from: artbone on July 03, 2017, 02:35:59 PM
What else do you think can be done to make the bike lighter.
Remove the main stand, lightweight brake rotors, replace the exhaust hangers (or remove some of the material - I saved over 2kg on mine pics here (http://ridersofvision.net/rovforum/index.php?topic=13508.msg142910#msg142910)).
POD,
Your exhaust hangers are a work of art. Now I'll have to order another set on eBay and practice modifying them.
On another note, when you installed your aftermarket coolant gauge did you use the supplied sensor or did you splice a resistor into the existing one? If the latter, what value?
Thanks,
Steve
I've improved the rear-fender-to-swingarm mount.
I fabricated this little "sleeve" that I riveted to the bottom of the fender. Now I can slip the fender on and off the "L" mount without removing the wheel.
The way I had it before the bottom mount was riveted directly to the fender. Dump idea.
Steve
Quote from: turbosteve84 on July 05, 2017, 10:22:52 AM
POD,
when you installed your aftermarket coolant gauge did you use the supplied sensor or did you splice a resistor into the existing one? If the latter, what value?
Thanks,
Steve
The stock sensor is a single wire resistor to Ground from 12V. Modern ones tend to be 2 wire 5V so they are rather incompatible. I used the new one. Threads are similar, not quite the same, but I think it will stay watertight with some thread sealer.
Of course now I'm ditching this in favour of my analog thermo radiator cap and I'll probably fill the hole with an old lucas ammeter. Not quite decided yet.
Nice rear fender BTW I'm a bit jealous.
Thanks for the info on the sensor, POD.
I have a heli-coil thread repair kit (M10 x 1.00 me thinks) on order, so I'll re-thread a spare coolant "T" to accept the new gauge sensor. I like that the new gauge digits match those on the Motogadget multi-gauge. Why the coolant temp readout on the Motogadget doesn't function has everyone stumped.
Rear fender fabrication is still ongoing. I want to add some Fiberglas support where the fender meets the swing arm. But that will wait until the off season. Here, it's the height of riding season now.
Steve
Clever improvement to the fender mount Steve - simple and effective = elegant.
Wow ! I feel my XV920r is beginning to hit the "style runways" with it's Wrap Around rear fender ! Great Work you have done.
Cheers Ken S.