rear guard cut off

[grog]

after all these years with long rear guard, standard one that is. decided time for a change. many have recod tail tidy, pms very helpful. i dont want to mess with under tray so have decided no tail tidy. any probs with just cutting off level with bottom of number plate. straight across obviously for middle bit. the sides, straight across or need to be angled up? any recos appreciated, any pics also. cutting tool, hacksaw, air hacksaw, angle grinder? i know i worry too much about stuff like this but when help available ill use it. old people need help sometimes

[gsxbarmy]

No pictures I'm afraid Grog, but many I have seen who have done just that have cut just under where the number plate screws on, and then have shaped it back under where the standard indicators go. Have to say it looks quite good.

What I would suggest though is mask yours up first with masking tape to both make sure you get the cut lines "right", also to make sure that you are happy with the finished lines once you do cut it. Often this shows any "issues" or "things you haven't thought of" beforehand, so for the sake of a roll of masking tape can be of benefit. Just go slightly past where you want to cut with the masking tape and then draw your cut lines in pencil.

Once all marked up, the best way is to actually remove the rear fender completely as some angles can be a bit awkward, but if you are feeling bullish and wasnt to leave the fender in place, then personally I'd remove the rear wheel before cutting and would cut in the main with a hacksaw, using a stanley knife with hacksaw blade attachment to do the more fiddly angled parts. Once cut, some gently rubbing on the edges with some fine wet and dry (wet) will smooth off the cuts.

[Andre]

I take no responsibility for the work as it was done by previous owner. Something more for me to clean up.

[KiwiCol]

Was he a butcher by chance Andre?

[Tony Nitrous]

i dont want to mess with under tray so have decided no tail tidy. any probs with just cutting off level with bottom of number plate.

That's just what I used to do with my UK bikes.

Swap the stock barn door number plate for a smaller "illegal" one,
more like AU size. Mount it a little higher, then cut the long guard to suit....

Before...



After...

[Andre]

Was he a butcher by chance Andre?

Nope, he is a carpenter

I might do him an injustice as it could have been the owner before him (or who knows who).
Fortunately one does only see the butchery from down under (pun intended)

[VladTepes]

grog I may have put it in my thread - I trimmed the rear guard back with a saw and tidied it up with a dremel, and fitted a number plate holder that was listed as a 'hayabusa' tail tidy on ebay.  It has a busa logo on it but as that's covered by the plate... who cares right. Twas cheap.

[grog]

thanks fellas, think ill mark it up and attack with hacksaw.

[Kiwifruit]

Should'nt take long 

[Andre]

Looking good! Just make sure you got enough lubricating oil in the saw. That rear guard material is  tough on the chain.

[ARH]

Yep... that silencer is at the perfect height to line up the saw with the cutting line as well!  Looks like it's titanium so I'm sure it won't show any scratch marks off the chain.....

[grog]

Excellent help, thanks mate. Well thought out, loved it. Probably about as straight as ill get tape. 

[gsxbarmy]

Should'nt take long 

You may laugh - I have seen it cut and shaped with an angle grinder 

[grog]

Finally got to cutting off rear guard. Hacksaw, wood rasp and finished with wet n dry. Polished with Black Chrome by Turtle Wax. Used for car black plastic bits. Well pleased.

[VladTepes]

Much better mate :D