Leagality of no front guard?

[TygerTung]

I gave my bike a bit of a birthday today, new front and rear tires and new chain and sprockets.

Went one tooth less on the front for a bit better acceleration as well..

The bike originally had a 2.5-18 on the front but I fitted a 2.75-18 which is a bit bigger, I got the same on the back, as this is the only sticky you can get in cheng shin, actually not a bad tire, for some reason cheng shin make this one sticky model, but only in that size, strange.

But anyay this is a slightly taller tire, and was running very close to the guard, and the front guard is only held on by two bolts and the other two bolt mounts got snapped off in a crash- now I was travelling at speed today, doing about 110, lying on the tank, feet on back footpegs and I felt a huge jerk and I shit myself (not really) as I thought the engine had seized or somthing.

It turns out I had not as I looked at the front of the bike and saw an exploded front guard hanging off the side of the front, it seems that the wind had pushed the guard back, then it caught on the tire and jammed it foward.

So I had no choice but to remove the highly rooted front guard and chuck it over the fence.

Now I have no front guard, is it illegal to ride without one?

I heard rumours that it isn't unless it comprimises my safety, it seems it's more dangerous with it on.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Sam

[slopster]

Don't ride on a wet road without one. The water will go straight up and the wind will blow it in your face (and its way more water then you would think!).

[Bonez]

Personnally I'm not serprised the guard pivoted with only two bolts. It'll just pivot back as yours did. Get the other snapped bolts remove or use a U bolt to secure a guard to it. Tend to agree with slopster. Also all manner of shit will get thrown up under the tank onto your coil, plug leads etc. Can never undersand why some bikes have there oil coolers low and direct directly behind a fat front tire with naf all protection. Upart from looking kawl that is

[Jackrat]

It is illegal to not have a front guard.
As the others have said,,,your not going to like rainy days either.

[Zed]

If you're going to fit a higher profile tyre on the front always check the clearance between the new tyre and the guard. One bike I bought years ago had the wrong size on the front and stones kept getting caught between tyre & guard and making a heck of a grinding noise when they did, eventually the guard would have got damaged or ripped off if I hadn't changed the tyre! :slap:

[TygerTung]

Nah the actual mounts snapped off the forks, not the bolts.

I'm getting a disc brake front end soon as anyway, ie in the next 2 weeks so I'll just use that as I would have to weld bits onto these forks then drill and tap the holes.

[Sniper]

I don't have a front gaurd and I got my WOF no problems

[Buddha#81:Me]

The fnt guard can work as a fork brace it can effect your handling. I would look at putting one back on.

[Motu]

You have to have a front and rear guard for a WoF - but like everything you have to do these days,it wasn't always so.I've ridden heaps with no front guard in the good old days - sure you get wet,but just move your head out of the way and the spray isn't so bad.

Traditionaly flattrackers don't have a front guard,and I never ran one on mine,for some reason the bike handled better,and even on a muddy track I had no problems with mud in my face.

[speights_bud]

If you're going to fit a higher profile tyre on the front always check the clearance between the new tyre and the guard. One bike I bought years ago had the wrong size on the front and stones kept getting caught between tyre & guard and making a heck of a grinding noise when they did, eventually the guard would have got damaged or ripped off if I hadn't changed the tyre! :slap:

I've got this problem right now!! Does anyone know a good front tyre that would(well might) suit commuting, but able to stick on a decent thrash every other day? the bike is reccomended to run 100x80x16 but the closest i could find was a 100x90x16. At the moment it has a michellin A39 on the front and Battlax bt45 130x90x16 on the rear(also reccomended to be a 130x80x16 but isn't an issue with no rear tyre hugger)

Any advice would be much appreciated

[TygerTung]

The fnt guard can work as a fork brace it can effect your handling. I would look at putting one back on.

Nah my one was flimsy as, I might get one, but I might get a bigger bike and retire this and convert it to a bucket racer.

I'm getting a bigger bike soon, so I'll probably lose interest in this one.

Although the bigger bike is a 2 stroke so it'll probably be not that flash for commuting, but I'll see how it goes.

[Bonez]

I've got this problem right now!! Does anyone know a good front tyre that would(well might) suit commuting, but able to stick on a decent thrash every other day? the bike is reccomended to run 100x80x16 but the closest i could find was a 100x90x16. At the moment it has a michellin A39 on the front and Battlax bt45 130x90x16 on the rear(also reccomended to be a 130x80x16 but isn't an issue with no rear tyre hugger)

Any advice would be much appreciated

Just go down one size -ie 90/90/16 if such a tyre exist. I think you'll find 120/80/16 is the recommended rear tyre size.

[Mental Trousers]

A larger front tyre will make the bike turn slower because there's more mass, the tyre diameter is greater and it rakes the bike out more.

[TygerTung]

Didn't notice much difference, steering was very slightly heavier, but it's only .25" bigger so not much really.

Seems to work good as.

[far queue]

Seems to work good as.

I can vouch for that. I was surprised and impressed at how well that CG handled around the hills last night, and the speeds you were able to maintain.