What do cut fenders do

[xfox250x]

What does cutting your fenders do?

[knighttime]

It makes them smaller.

[Scott]

gets you really muddy

[CranMan]

Lighten up your front end...(a little!):D

[MOFO]

I could never understand the idea behind this. I always thought it might give them more of a view at thier A-arms/front end components. Not really sure though....I bet its mainly for looks though....


Eric

It really helps when racing MX. You can see your front end which is nice when your tryin to fit 20 quads in an area that only holds 5.
You'll also brake them off after so many jumps if mud is cacked up under the bottom,,they do help cut down wind resistance(not much), they do look cool I think, I'd only recommend it if your racing,,I hate to trail ride with my cut fenders if its muddy..:mad:

when I got my 400 (used) it had the cut fenders and I did not like them at all for trail riding especialy when it was wet.

You just kept getting hit in the goggles with anything you went over.

After changing all the wasted plastic on the bike and riding with the full front fenders it was totally different.

They do keep down some mud and stone flinging but the bike just feels two feet wider and much heavier.

I guess i will get used to it but if not soon off they come.

You just can not see and judge your width or ruts etc.

[Juggalo]

i don't care what any1 says. they make you go faster. i have seen it. they make a lot of areodynamic drag and i don't care if the top professor of aerodynamics says i'm wrong they made my friends 400ex alot faster. also they help you see where your tires are a lot better. i ride in the mud a lot too and you don't get all that much muddier. the stock fenders don't do all that much anyways.

[CBW]

i thought they usually flopped around until they fall off, depending on the severity of the cut:D

[canadian400ex]

I can't remember if it was dirt wheels or atv sport, but do you remember the Team Alba raptor that they tested?It was probably 6-8 months ago now...but they said that on repeated radar runs the raptor was 4 mph faster with the back of the front fenders cut-off. I just read it at work today, when I go to work tomorrow, I'll see which issue it is in.

["BLAHH"300!!]

....BLEED....

i don't think i would like my bike as much if they had the fronts put back on....makes the bike look sportier....i don't race like rico was talkin about but i do ride some ruff trails from time to time and having those fender's cut...makes it alot easier to get that one sharp rock on the trail...(you know witch one i'm talkin about) makes it alot easier to get that rock between the front n rear tire and the rear sprockett or brake rotor...(i don't have a rear brake so i just avoid the sproket)....freind of mine rides the 400 with full front fender's...i'll see him walkin' his bike and leanin out to the side to look around the bike..so he can see where he's goin'...while he's got the front end up and runnin' at a high rate of speed in 4th/5th gear wheelies......i don't have to look around anything....i just look through my a-arms..right around that area...so it does a number of things.....i really don't worry about the mud hitting me.....if i'm runnin a trail and there's a puddle i usually stop and idle through it or find a way around....(yeah i baby my bike...)...at the end of the day....he's got about as much mud/water on his pants legg as i do on mine...i've noticed...the big chunks of mud that fly off your wheels always end up in my lap....weird.....but i just stand up give a shake and it's gone....cutt em' off.....

[TRX250XFIRE]

i love my plastic, its great, when i ride a bike that does not have them cut i dont like it, they make u feel like the bike is bigger and u have more room to move, on a normal bike it feels like im cramed on to it. i all so dont mind getting a bit muddy when i ride on trails though. i think that they are a awsome idea!

[Mitch400EX]

the front fenders are not very aerodynamic. You can see them tweaking backwards at high speed. I'm going to drill holes in mine before I cut them off, just to see if it makes any difference. A whole bunch of small holes will allow the air to get through more efficiently, but will stop the small rocks from hitting me in the face. It'll look cool too :D

[rrider7399]

I have fenders that are removable. Not sure if you can buy them like this as they were this way when I bought the quad. The plastic is red and race cut with black fenders screwed on.http://members.aol.com/rrider7399/images/4whlr-2.jpg

[PsychoDave]

i cut my fenders so i can see my front wheels. I have a track and when i race with friends i was faster because the front fenders didnt get in my way when i went around turns (lean to one side and i didnt have the fenders hitting my knees and blocking me from leaning more) Plus with trailing riding i could see where my wheels were better and helped me miss stumps and junk. Yes you do get muddy and wet but hey this isnt tennis, is it.

[beerock]

If you look at the maxxis ad with the orange plastic quad(im not sure what motor is in it)-400ex/250r/426?

The fenders are cut, and the stock plastic is then BOLTED BACK ON!

THAT is the way to go!

youll get the best of both worlds thats way!

[PsychoDave]

i have seen that pic...... they are bolted back on? I need to check that out again.

[rrider7399]

That is the set up I have. I posted a pic earlier in this Thread on page 1.

Maxxis ad:

[brink400]

The cut fender definately help with the aerodynamics. It feels like im going faster without the fenders, especially when I am riding into the wind. The fenders just act like a parachute and slow you down. Heres what the December 2001 issue of ATV Sport says about cutting the backs of the fenders off of the ALBA Raptor they tested...

[HOT ROD]

If you ride motocross tracks alot you really need to cut them, because if you make 50ft. to 75ft. jumps those fenders become wings and with a strong head wind you will see nothing but sky. I have experienced that myself!:o

[400exJOE]

Those 'bolt on style fenders' are made by maier. Just order a set of race cut plastic and then by the add-ons which are like $30. That way you can have 'em when you want, and take them off when you dont.

[Nausty]

I like cut fenders because you can just walk the tires backwards when you want to back up, look good, wind resistance, plus you don't feel like you are trapped in your quad and its easier to get away from the quad if your in the middle of a crash. Their was some more just can't remember.

[4punksdad]

my buddy has cut fenders on his R. when we ride on muddy days, he gets CAKED with mud. he complains that his grips are getting SO muddy that he can no longer hang on.
It might look cool, and cut down on wind resistance, but I am keeping mine.
I have a crack in my fenders which may force me to cut them if it starts to spread. I will only cut the top or front portion of them off however. they will then resemble the old quadracer front fenders. this should still block the slinging mud.

[400exRacerX]

Those orange fenders on that bike are maier "flare" fenders and the motor in that is the liquid cooled Four Stroke Tech 500ex. As for that alba raptor they quote that when they cut the fenders they gained 4mph! I find that hard to belive but you never no.

i dont mind the mud with cut fenders.the only time i had a problem with race cut fenders was last fall when me and my friends decided to cut accross a muddy farmers feild when we were racing to the motocross track.half way across we realized it wasnt mud but freshly spread cow $hit.it was a mess.we couldnt turn back so i just slowed down and tryed to dodge all of the big peices being flung off the front razrs.it was cool,later that day we went to some pizza place.i think the ladies loved it

[Tommy 17]

i bet they loved u... haha...

i dunno if i should cut my fenders or not... i wish i could ride anohter 400ex with them again so i can see if i like it or not..

[Nausty]

This of it this way, If you are the person to go through a mud puddle rather than around then cut fenders arn't for you. Usually whenever it rains I don't go ride cuz I have to keep my 400ex spotless.

[dune250r]

I have cut fenders but I do mostly sand riding. I cut them because it allowed me to see what my tires were going over. I was able to see hazards before I hit them. I also discovered that I could use my feet on my tires to back my bike up since I dont have reverse.

[xfox250x]

ne one with cut fenders think it added speed or ne thing

[Mitch400EX]

I just cut my fenders last time I went riding, and what a difference it made when jumping with a headwind. I was doing a a 3rd gear pinned slip face jump with a slight headwind (3-5 mph at times). I barely noticed the headwind. Normally headwinds slow me down big time in mid air and cause hard landings because a lot of forward momentum is exchanged for downward momentum. It was also cool being able to watch the front suspension do it's thing. The only drawback was that some gravel shot out from the front tires when turning at full lock and hit my arm. I barely felt it though I would say If you don't ride mud that the benefits of cutting fenders far outweigh the drawbacks.

[Blysster]

I have 2 sets of plastics. The yellow set is still stock with no stickers or anything on them and the red set is race cut in the back and the front will tons of decals. I mostly ride with the red ones. I don't mind getting a bit muddier, I do with the yellow ones anyway.. just not as bad.

The biggest advantage I found with the shaved fenders is when getting big air and the high speed wheelies. The wind doesn't catch in the fenders as much, you can see better, and the bike just feels smaller.

I also have two seats and two sets of latches.. so changing the plastics in front and back only takes about 7-8 minutes to do (if I don't switch the head lights)

[shamisc]

CUT EM CUT EM CUT EM!! DON'T BE SCARED! I AGREE WITH THESE GUYS. THEY MAKE YOUR BIKE FASTER, LOOK BETTER, AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE YOUR TIRES ARE GOING WHETHER THEY ARE IN THE AIR OR NEAR A TREE! IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT GETTING MUDDY, THEN YOU NEED TO SELL IT AND GET A CAR!!!!!!!!!! :devil :blah

when u jump air catches your front end and pulls you back and doesnt let u jump as far as you couldwith them cut

when u jump air catches your front end and pulls you back and doesnt let u jump as far as you couldwith them cut









:macho :huh

[Honda Guy]

Is there anyone who you can send your fenders to to be cut or is there a stincle because i no i will mess it up

["BLAHH"300!!]

you have a jigsaw or access to one....i wouldn't use the kind that you set on a flat surface to cut...there's a differant kind thats just pointed....the blade comes right out the end like a pencil..use that one....use tape, a crayon, a marker, or even a knife to scratch a line on your fender's....(tape or marker)
keep the fender's on your bike....watch out for the fender supports under there....go slow and cut on the outside of your lines...so if you do mess up you'll have atleast a 1/4 to 1/2/ inch to play with...(i cut mine flush with the tank plastic)...after you get em' cut off....remove the tape and check it out.......you can go ove the ruff edges with some sand papper to round em' off if you want....and i can't remember what i used to cut the fender supports with....might have used that same jigg saw....for that part....mark where your fender's end maybe wrap a piece of tape around it right flush with the plastic...(if you cut em' flush)....take off your front plastic and chopp off the supports.....

the in and out of the jiggsaw blade will make the fender's want to jump around...so go slow and use your knee or other hand to steady them...(i used my knee so i could keep both hands on the saw)....while your marking em'.....thin about all sorts of differant shapes to cut....how much of a "wing"...how much left in front.do you want em to meet the nose or over hang.....do you want em' to go all the way down or curve in....mark em' and remark em'....you got all day......

[RideRed400StYlE]

I just took some black tape, and marked one side off untill I liked it, and kind of measured it out and made a few marks on the other side. then I put the tape around the other side following the marks as good as I could. when that was done I took out the handheld jigsaw, and zipped the fenders right off, I also used a handheld saw for the tighter spots. I just did mine last night, and I love them already. Makes it look a lot more like a race quad, and feels better sitting on it

[TRX250XFIRE]

the sled in the back round is my dream sled, just thought u should know..lol, and i like the wheeler to, i just bought mier plastic for mine, even know i do like the looks of them just being cut, but i bet it would look ugly on a 250X plastic

["BLAHH"300!!]

shaved fender's or maier plastic if maier then yeah i agree
but if shaved fender' i have to disagree...i like mine looks and all
i even like the backs shaved but i need somethin back there

[RideRed400StYlE]

That sled is my stepdads, its an 800 mxzx, its got about 138HP, and we studded the track, and put picks in it. It is ungodly fast.

[TRX250XFIRE]

yeah i bet it is, i have a yamaha xtc 700, olny because my uncle owns a yamaha shop, i told my girl firend that as soon as i get enough money im getting on, we went riding up next to SU and a buddy of mine has one just like it, and we switched for a while, it was a really nice ride.

as for the plastic, i have meir front and i love it, i have not seen one with the stock plastic shaved i just thought it would look differnt then 3's and 4's, do u have any pics of ur back plastic after u shaved it?

["BLAHH"300!!]

i tried to post a pic on here erlier but it wouldn't take lets' see what happends now....
in this pic the right rear is already gone. just kinda imagine it with the left gone..leaving a little wing on each