Tail Chop

paikkylee · Post by **paikkylee** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 1:55 pm

A MB member inspired tail chop on my '08 Buddy 125 that I did this weekend. I think this is my favorite aesthetic mod.

Witch · Post by **Witch** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 2:48 pm

Nice! Got any pics from a side view?

paikkylee · Post by **paikkylee** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 3:34 pm

I'll take some and post em up after lunch.[/quote]

jonlink · Post by **jonlink** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:37 pm

By "chop" you mean that you took off the mud flap, right? I'd like to see side pictures, too, when you have a chance. It looks nice.

flatblackbuddy · Post by **flatblackbuddy** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 6:16 pm

How were you able to do this with a stock setup? I took mine apart last night to removed the mud flap, but it seems like the rear fairing as well as the plastic piece below the tail light are all secured via screws on the mud flap.

Wondering if you found a bracket, or just cut it down behind the license plate?

flatblackbuddy · Post by **flatblackbuddy** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 6:17 pm

How were you able to do this with a stock setup? I took mine apart last night to removed the mud flap, but it seems like the rear fairing as well as the plastic piece below the tail light are all secured via screws on the mud flap.

Wondering if you found a bracket, or just cut it down behind the license plate?

Tocsik · Post by **Tocsik** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 6:24 pm

To do this, you have to remove the license plate, bracket and rear fender. The license plate bracket actually attaches to the fender so you have to cut down the fender and leave the upper piece for the bracket.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 6:44 pm

Nice. LOVE the checkerboard! How is that applied?

paikkylee · Post by **paikkylee** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 7:07 pm

@ Flatblack, Tocsik's got it right. You take off the rear fender (how many screws does it really need?) and cut it down behind the license plate with a utility knife (see pic of the piece that's left over).

To do the checkerboard, I used a roll of Scotchlite 2" reflective tape (<$5 off Amazon with free shipping) a pair of scissors and a utility knife.
1) Cut a bunch of square pieces
2) Clean off the wheel hugger really well (I just used an old dusty towel that was on hand in my garage, so I hope it's good enough).
3) Mark a centerline down the hugger
4) pick a place to start. Now that it's done I think I could've started a little higher up and had a bigger first piece
5) when you get past the 2 center rows, the 2" squares no longer fit, so you've got to decide how to "curve" the rest, or to do more at all. I think 1" squares would be cool too.

Voila! Checkerboard

paikkylee · Post by **paikkylee** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 7:11 pm

Oh yeah, here's the leftover piece of the fender. The checkerboard was to replace the visibility lost when I hacked off the reflector. Bonus if it looks cool too

flatblackbuddy · Post by **flatblackbuddy** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 7:25 pm

Looks good. I was hoping to save the mud flap in case I took it off and hated the water on my back. Wonder how much a new one costs before I go cutting...

paikkylee · Post by **paikkylee** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 7:34 pm

They're $20 @ scooterloungeonline.com.

BTW - as an ex-cincy guy, where did you go to HS? I'm an X man.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 7:48 pm

paikkylee wrote:The checkerboard was to replace the visibility lost when I hacked off the reflector...

There are reflective license plate screws you can get. Cost all of $3.95 or something like that. I bought mine locally but you can find them online too.

flatblackbuddy · Post by **flatblackbuddy** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:03 pm

paikkylee wrote:They're $20 @ scooterloungeonline.com.

BTW - as an ex-cincy guy, where did you go to HS? I'm an X man.

I'm an X man as well - class of 2001.

Thanks for the info. $20 is definitely worth the risk of cutting the fender off.

paikkylee · Post by **paikkylee** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:18 pm

Nearly crossed paths - '96 here.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Mon Aug 15, 2011 8:27 pm

Hehehe - us Jesuit-educated guys (SLUH '77, plus a couple more of my own so far) will take over the world.