Useless appendage?

KCScooterDude · Post by **KCScooterDude** » Wed May 28, 2008 4:43 am

Okay, fellow Blur owners. A few questions.

Rear finder, below the reflector. Does your bike have an awkward, seemingly useless fender extension that doubles the length? I've seen a few picks of Blurs without one. My real question - does this serve any purpose at all? Have you removed yours? To what effect?

Racenut · Post by **Racenut** » Wed May 28, 2008 4:53 am

If you like to wear full length trench coats, it might help keep it out of the wheel?

Mine didn't have one and if it had, I would have removed it even before I took the stickers off.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Wed May 28, 2008 6:43 am

My '06 didn't have one. I've even thought about removing the piece that the license plate is attached to, then making a custom mount for the plate.

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Wed May 28, 2008 11:18 am

They put useless fender extenders on the Blur too? The Buddy has them- well- just like indicated in this thread, SOME of the Buddys come with them.

Many of us take them off just because they look so strange. No ill effects other than mud/water gets kicked up higher, but hey, you're not behind you on the road!!

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Wed May 28, 2008 1:07 pm

When I bought mine, that thing was in the pet carrier, and I never put it on.

There's no reflector or anything on it, so it almost certainly isn't a DOT requirement. I'd guess it (maybe) prevents water from splashing on your back (or bikes/cars behind you) when riding in the rain, but I've never had issues with that without it.

Erlkonig · Post by **Erlkonig** » Wed May 28, 2008 2:21 pm

It is for save someone's face who ride behind you when rain. this thing use to look like below

Post by **ericalm** » Wed May 28, 2008 3:50 pm

The Buddys also come with one of these. It went from the pet carrier to the garage. Heck, I want to cut down the existing one!

justscooten · Post by **justscooten** » Wed May 28, 2008 4:18 pm

i took mine off it looks better with out it that an water dos not spash up on the fender as it did with it on.

Tiki torch · Post by **Tiki torch** » Wed May 28, 2008 6:55 pm

My bike came with that in a bag as an extra. You dont need it. I have removed the other piece as well with no ill effects and you dont have to create anything custom for the license plate, there will still be brackets to hold the plate. It looks so much better with out it.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Wed May 28, 2008 7:11 pm

Plus, if you'all notice, the rear tire already has a fender covering it. Plus, plus - given a choice, I'd prefer to not ride in the rain...

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Thu May 29, 2008 3:16 am

Tiki torch wrote: there will still be brackets to hold the plate.

Reeeeeaaaly? Good to know, thanks.

(Note: the top section is only there to hold those three reflectors at DOT-approved positions. If you take it off, you're violating DOT regs and-more importantly- reducing your visibility.)

KCScooterDude · Post by **KCScooterDude** » Thu May 29, 2008 4:38 am

illnoise wrote:
Tiki torch wrote: there will still be brackets to hold the plate.
Reeeeeaaaly? Good to know, thanks.

(Note: the top section is only there to hold those three reflectors at DOT-approved positions. If you take it off, you're violating DOT regs and-more importantly- reducing your visibility.)

The public has spoken. Bottom section is coming off tomorrow. Top section will remain.

Speaking of pet carriers. Like real estate contracts, there wouldn't be a mention of it if some idiot hadn't tried it in the past. Though, I'd like a clarification. I think some pets might do okay. Your standard pet store gold fish in a baggie might get along quite nicely in there.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:32 am

KCScooterDude wrote:Speaking of pet carriers. Like real estate contracts, there wouldn't be a mention of it if some idiot hadn't tried it in the past. Though, I'd like a clarification. I think some pets might do okay. Your standard pet store gold fish in a baggie might get along quite nicely in there.

Don't know about that - it gets pretty warm in there because the engine is sitting right under that bin. On the positive side...poached gold fish anyone?

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 4:34 pm

Anyone try to take off the top section of the mudflap?

Any tips on how to remove those plastic rivets holding it on without damaging them?

TikiTorch is right, I can see that there's a license plate mount under there, but it looks like you'd still have a black metal bracket visible on the sides. Anyone try it? Photos?

GFridrich3 · Post by **GFridrich3** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 7:00 pm

Those are snap-in rivets. To install, you snap-in the post into the seat. To remove, you snap-in the post and pull out the seat. To reset, just pust the post back out of the seat after it has been removed from the hole.

I took the top section off, and its nice, there is a metal structure underneath that can hold a licence plate quite nicely, no need for a custom bracket. However, to stay legal, youll have to fab up a few mounting brackets for the 3 reflectors. Luckily, the metal bracket that remains has plenty of holes and slots in it for mounting those custom brackets!

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:14 am

I tried removing the rear thingamabob today and it was fairly easy, but I just really didn't like the way it looked. I took some photos of the process and of the bike without it for reference, but then I put it back on. I'll post the photos ASAP, I'm burnt out from writing the oil change how-to.

There's just too much of that black frame showing, and the taillight looks sloppy without something there.

GFridrich3 · Post by **GFridrich3** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 2:46 pm

A little flat black testors model paint and a steady hand will easily clean up the tail light housing. I noticed too that extra chrome that shouldnt be when the upper piece of beavertail is removed.

Just remember, you might not like the way it looks up close, but stand back 5-10 feet or more and look again. You will hardly if at all notice the black metal bracket thats there. And even if you still do, it doesnt look all that bad, and still even cleaner than leaving the stock plastic piece in place if you dont like the way that looks.

zuman · Post by **zuman** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:38 pm

I just returned from lunch, and the construction site I pass had been recently washed down. I slowed to about 15mph as I passed through the sandy, wet area, but when I got back to my office and saw the back of my jacket, it had a fine splatter pattern up the back which could have only come from my own rear wheel. I might not have noticed it except it's a black mesh jacket and the spray is sand-colored.
I don't know for sure that the extra piece would have helped, but it probably would have.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:05 am

As promised, a few pictures of my bike without the tailpiece:

The sides are attached with plastic rivets, As GFridrich explained, you pop them out by pushing out from the inside on the pointy part, a quarter or the flat side of a chisel helps. Be careful to push them straight out, if you push at an angle, you're likely to break them (though they're easy to replace from an auto parts store). Once the center bit pops out like a turkey timer, you can pull the whole thing out. (To replace, you push the wide part in, THEN push in the core.)

Then you remove the license plate, and a large phillips-head screw behind the license plate, and a small phillips-head screw just under the taillight.

The black metal frame remains, and you can easily re-attach your plate to that.

But I was curious, so I had to try it out, but I just didn't care for how it looked so I put it back on.

The exposed black frame looks sloppy and the plastichrome edge under the light doesn't help either. And of course you're losing your DOT-required reflectors and possibly exposing yourself to a rooster tail of mud up your back. The plus was that it was easy to scrub and polish the plastic piece and wash in some cracks that were hard to get to.

Maybe it's your look, though, GFrid had some suggestions above to make it look cleaner.

Bb.

GFridrich3 · Post by **GFridrich3** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:35 am

Its actually easier, and safer, to remove those clips by pushing the smaller piece into the larger piece to remove them. They snap in twice. Once to lock in place, second time unlocks them. Then after they have been snapped in the second time, it is easy enough to reset them by hand after they have been removed and you are ready to reinstall them again.

KCScooterDude · Post by **KCScooterDude** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:37 pm

illnoise wrote:As promised, a few pictures of my bike without the tailpiece:

Bb.

Do you need to add reflectors to either side of the bracket to be DOT compliant? I've heard this, but I don't know if it's true.

You could probably fabricate a piece of sheet metal to make a small box-shaped piece to wrap around that bracket, attach the reflectors to the side and the plate to the back.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:43 pm

Yeah, i'm pretty sure those are DOT-mandated. It's not the kind of thing you'd get thrown in jail for, but on the other hand, it never hurts to make yourself more visible. It'd be pretty easy to rig something up, and if you did it with a little craftsmanship, it might actually make the bracket less visible... you could maybe fabricate a metal strip that holds the reflectors and wraps all around to smooth out the lines, too.

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:45 pm

You got the basics of a great setup there. All you need now is to take a hacksaw to that license-plate bracket. Take out a couple-three inches, weld it back together, touch it up with a little black paint and Bob's your Uncle. It'll look totally boss*. I'm braindead, could somebody pls photochop this pic so we can see what this would look like? Thanks!

*This marks the second time I've used the word "boss" on Modern Buddy. I'm pushing my luck, I know, but if this life is all you get, you have to live dangerously or not at all.

KCScooterDude · Post by **KCScooterDude** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 5:37 pm

Sad attempt at Photoshop - hey, I only had 5 minutes.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:42 pm

I think John meant to cut and shorten the bracket like this:

That does look better, (but the plate probably wouldn't be illuminated properly by the taillight.) And I didn't bother photoshopping in reflectors. : )

Bb.

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 7:54 pm

Dude, that looks awesome! I even have a suggestion for the lighting. Mount a strip of orange LEDs under there to illuminate your white plate. It would make the plate glow orange. How cool would that be on an '06 Blur? Those LED strips come pre-made with adhesive backing and everything. All you'd have to do it stick it up under there out of sight. Electrically, all you'd need is a couple of those wire-tap gizmos you get at the auto parts store to tap off your existing rear light wiring.

NathanielSalzman · Post by **NathanielSalzman** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:12 pm

Oh I am so totally doing this! I hate that stupid mud flap down the back. I didn't have the little extension from day one but getting down to just the basic bracket would rule! It'd need just a touch of clean up, but hell, that's totally worth it to clean up the back end - and especially clean up the profile. I see sport and standard motorcycles running around all the time with no kind of rear fender, so I doubt you'd get a bunch of dirt on your back.

rafaelbracho · Post by **rafaelbracho** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:08 am

Hey! guys I drove today on this severe weather from lisle all the way to Romeoville.. What a nice ride.. I love it!
A good rain suit and you're done!!
About that long piece hanging on the tail.. It really worked with the water coming out of the wheel.. There is always a reason why the created that stuff. Doesn't look that bad and If you look at it, makes the back part look bigger..I won't take mine, but is anybodies choice!!!
There was a lots of rain and the Blur work fantastic, only some jerks like always, they passed you and turned back to the lane so they can wet you!! but I even love that!!!!

Modern Buddy

Useless appendage?

Useless appendage?

The Verdict!

Re: The Verdict!

Mine's going back on