"New" eBay Fender Eliminator FE kit install

[marke14]

Hello guys, wanted to show you how I installed this FE kit on my bike.

I searched all over this forum for a detailed description of how to install this and couldn't ever find one, although I did have several responses here and on "that other FZ6 forum" that were definitely invaluable as far as giving me an idea of how to get started and the courage to try! So, I am posting this here in hopes that it will help others like myself.

Here's the bracket I used. At the time I wasn't able to find FAZR6 bracket or whatever it's called, and frankly I like this one better because it sits far back enough to look stock to cops (so, hopefully no fix-it tickets) and to allow the license plate itself to act as a tiny fender for water spray (at least compared to the FAZ6R kit). I got it from eBay for around $35 shipped. It's made of heavy duty anodized aluminum and seems very stout:



I used the stock signals and license plate light. Here's the deal:

I removed the left side panel and unplugged the 4 wires (2 DC for the plate light, 1 square harness type connector each for the signals) and cut a couple of zip ties holding everything together. Then you can pull the wires through underneath the passenger seat to unbolt and remove the fender.

Regarding the turn signals:

Once you get it off, you unbolt the signals from the inside and they come off with a rubber boot around them. Inside this boot is a little steel insert which the wiring harness-like connector will not allow to slip off; rather than try to incorporate this into the new FE, or cut and rewire the harness connector, I carefully used a Dremel to make a tiny cut on the insert so I could bend the insert and get it off of the signal cord. I also used the Dremel and scissors to cut off the rubber boots.

Make sure you test out the right and left turn signals once you strip everything down! They are not marked as far as I could tell and you definitely don't want to signal left then turn right!

Regarding the license plate light:

I removed the license plate light assembly from its larger housing and wired that using (I think) 16 gauge electrical wire (with black wrapping) to wire it up through the screw holes in the assembly (the ones you unscrewed to remove it from the housing) around the little "T" under the exhaust tips and back around underneath that metal bracket. Yeah, that part of it could look better and probably I will try to figure out something else once I get a free moment to think about it.

I also heard that in CA we must have a red reflector on the back end of the bike, so I took one of the 3 available reflectors on the stock fender (1 on each side and one in the back) and bolted it through the larger central hole in the FE just below the light.

I shimmed the main bolts using some small washers, so the bracket wouldn't bend when I torqued the bolts.

This is the finished product:










Here's the stock "before" pic:

[ctr46]

Looks really clean and nice!

Congrats

[marke14]

Thanks man!

[three3eye]

I recently purchased the same FE, but in black. Marke14 sent me the link to the ebay store:
http://stores.ebay.com/customizedbikeparts_W0QQ_trksidZp284.m183QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DDR%26its%3DS%252BI%252BSS%26itu%3DISS%25 2BUCI%252BSI%26otn%3D4
It arrived only about a week after I ordered it, and I just installed it this past weekend. Marke14's post was a great help.

I will post some pics when I get a chance to take them this weekend, but in the meantime I'll tell you about my experience.

First, removing the old fender and signals was pretty simple, the screws and bolts just needed a little grease before they came off. The only difference with the previous post is that my brake light wiring was not attached to a wiring harness, the turn signals did though. I have a 2005 model, so that could be the reason, but there was no way for me to disconnect the wires because they go through the plastics of the stock fender. I had to cut the wires to remove the brake light from the old fender and then reconnect them by stripping them, twisting them together, and covering them with electrical tape.

Next, I encountered the steel insert inside the rubbr boot of the turn signals. In order to get access to the bolt on the signals I had to cut off the whole rubber boot with a knife. Then I did not have a dremel, so I left the steel insert on the signal. Later this insert was useful when bolting the signals onto the fender. However, since I cut off the whole rubber boot there is about half an inch of space between the fender and the signals where you can see the screw and wiring. Looks like a piece is missing, so I should have left the very bottom of the rubber boot on the signals.

There was no way to attach the brake light to the new fender, with its larger housing or without it. I ended up zip tying it to the black plastic and metal bracket between the end of the exhaust pipes. It does not look as clean as marke14's, and it is slanted downward a little. It still lights up the plate though.

After attaching the license plate, I also put the red reflector through the hole above the license plate. I think that in NJ you need to have side reflectors in the rear, so additionally, I mounted the side reflectors with the same bolt used for the turn signals. Just put the wire and the screw through the hole on the reflector mounts and screw on the bolt. Very simple.

I routed all the wires through the space between the fender and the bracket it attaches to on the bike.

In the end the whole assembly does not look much smaller than the stock fender, and it's not as clean looking. I feel like if I had cut off most of the plastics of the stock fender, and removed the brake light housing and tied it on with zip ties, it would look the same as the new fender. I think my biggest problem with it is that the turn signals are about the same size as the fender itself. I think with an integrated turn signal tail light this fender would look a lot better. However, I have only found 1 of these available for the FZ6. I am going to look into some other possibilities of smaller turn signals in the location they are now. Maybe I can use some integrated front lights on the back.

I will post pics asap.

[three3eye]

Pics attached. You can see in the first 2 that the screws on the turn signals are showing. The last 2 show where/how I mounted the side reflectors.

[marke14]

Nicely done! You could remove the sideways facing reflectors to get a slimmer profile from the side ... I doubt you'd be hassled so long as you have the one above the plate (which to some cops would see as at least making an effort).

[marke14]

UPDATE to this thread:

THE DAMN THING SNAPPED OFF! The FE snapped on me yesterday, near the part where the "FZ" is stamped through the bracket in the back. I suspect metal fatigue from the weight of the license plate and signals, plus probably wind resistance pushing on the back of the plate/signals.

Fortunately I was only a couple of blocks from home yesterday when it happened. What a pain in the ass. I am now open to suggestions on how to make one for myself (sheet metal reinforced w/ brackets?) or if anyone has a source for pre-fabbed ones I'd be grateful.

[Mr. Sparky]

Well you got a year out of it.

[AugieNYC]

[quote=marke14;4096462]UPDATE to this thread:

THE DAMN THING SNAPPED OFF!QUOTE]

Stop messin wit dat ebay crap and get the FAZR6 FE. May not suit you now because it looks like you hacked up the signal stalk.

[marke14]

Anyone have any experience with this one? Comes w/ turn signals ... incandescent ones even!

Yamaha FZ6 2005 Fender Eliminator Tail Kit By Targa:eBay Motors (item 300311831193 end time Jun-29-09 17:10:03 PDT)

[04efi]

I have the same one its about two years old now. Working just fine.