Topic: IMO the hardest Honda CB500/550/750 original part to find - The Front Fender

[kyle750]

Plenty for sale but mostly in poor condition. Rear fenders appear to be thicker metal, less prone to damage, and fairly easy to find in decent shape.  But finding a front fender in decent condition has proven to be very challenging for me 

I've bought 2 used front fenders and 2 used rear fenders for both the CB750 and CB550. I spent a lot of time looking at available front fenders  for the CB750 and finally decided on one that looked good in photos.  But when it arrived it had tiny dents all over the top where it looks like someone tried to hammer out a big dent.  I could not see the tiny dents/dings in the photos and the seller was not very forthcoming with detailed information on the condition. Very disappointed.

So this fender pops up for sale so I thought I would try again.  Price was cheap so I pulled the trigger.  Fender just arrived in a consolidated shipment from the USA and I am just getting around to unwrapping it and taking a better look.  The underside is black with road grime.  Fender is now soaking in a tub of hot water with kerosene, degreaser, and dawn liquid detergent.  The water has already turned black.

Excellent Seller's photos (showing many sides and condition of the fender)

[Stev-o]

Are you satisfied with the quality of it?

[kyle750]

Perhaps I should have waited a little bit longer.  This fender just showed up on YJ today

https://buyee.jp/item/jdirectitems/auction/c1218421099

[HondaMan]

There's been so few of these that failed, I suspect that the supply is fairly low?
All I've seen happen to them is little dents, usually from garage accidents (dropping boxes or wrenches) or, like mine, little dents on top at the forks from carrying your locking chain and padlock wrapped around the front forks, like in the movies.

BTW: I discovered that when you do that for a 5000 mile trip it can burn out the 2 center sparkplugs...I did it twice!

[bryanj]

Front fender same for 500/550/750 and still available new both pattern and genuine, check Dave Silver

[crashmaster]

Try MRC Cycle for used

[PeWe]

I have bought 2  NOS front fenders from David Silver UK. The later version from late K2-K6.
They had the earlier one too a few years ago.
Price has increased since I bought the first one almost 10 years ago.

I ordered  also a NOS K1 rear fender for my K2 with old style rear light we have here in Sweden on K2-K6. 
Not that pricey around 2015-2017.

Another rear K1 fender from Germany  2019 when DSS did not have Honda stock, 310Euro.
DSS cost maybe 250 Euro a few years earlier
688€ today from the same seller, CCC.
I had the feeling to order while still available.

Prices going sky high.
Vietnam for lower cost might be an alternative. Rust protect it inside.

Early front fender. Double price today
https://www.davidsilverspares.co.uk/CB750K1-FOUR-1971/part_104643

Later front fender.
I paid for Honda stock as the replica cost today
https://www.davidsilverspares.co.uk/CB750K6-FOUR-1976

[bryanj]

Big difference early to late is the later ones have the rubber bushes and top hat washers at the mounting points BUT you can just use bigger od washers

[kyle750]

Many thanks for sharing all the different options for front fenders.  I let the newly arrived front fender soak overnight and am scrubbing the underside with a green scothbrite pad this morning.  The tub looks like a small pool of thick oil.   Very suprised all the black grime is coming off with just a little scrubbing.  Shocked that the metal is clean underneath with no rust.   From my earlier rear fender restoration I learned that Honda only used flash chrome to the underside of the fenders so they will normally rust much faster than the topside which has higher quality chrome.

Is it possible that the thick oily black road grime on the underside actually protected the metal over all these years? 

I will post photos of the cleaned fender after I make a cup of coffee and second round of cleaning.

Late Edit:  I do not use scotchbrite to clean the topside of the fender.  Scotchbrite is too abrasive and will leave scratches on the chrome. I only use a soft sponge to clean the topside.

[kyle750]

Photo of the FEDEX delivery earlier this week - 2 large packages.   Fender is in the box on the right.

Shipping from the USA to Thailand is expensive.  In addition there are high customs import taxes and VAT.  Consolidating parts into larger boxes really helps to keep costs down.  Normally I ship about every 2 months.

[jonda500]

When i was doing my 500 and 550, I found the harder to find fenders were:
-the earlier model rear (three hole tail light bracket). It took a long time to snag a good one, the one I got is dent free but the chrome is rather dull...
-the earlier model front without the larger holes on the right side for the rubber bushes - I never did find one of these new or used, ended up with a new larger hole one with little M6 washers jammed in the holes and re-used the old stays
-the single stay front fender was not easy to find, the one I got is a little tweaked but after much work I have the tyre centered where it enters and exits at least!
John

[kyle750]

Ouch - I just bought a set of used CB750 original 341 exhaust pipes from Japan for about the same money.  My bike will never be a show bike so trying to work within a limited budget.

The DSS aftermarket front fender priced at £175 seems like a reasonable alternative to Genuine Honda

[scottly]

Big difference early to late is the later ones have the rubber bushes and top hat washers at the mounting points BUT you can just use bigger od washers

On K2 and earlier 750s with the "C" style caliper brackets, the fender brace mounted to two lugs on the bracket, and directly against the upper two bosses on the fork leg on the right side. The later 750 fenders with the "T" style brackets and matching fork leg are not interchangeable.
Early "C" bracket on the left with the extra fender mounting lugs, and aftermarket right side bracket for adding a second disc:

[kyle750]

Thank You Sir!  Not the best photo but I believe my brake caliper mounting bracket looks the same as the one on the left.  The main difference I can see is my caliper mounting bracket has a separate removable mounting bracket for the brake line hose and the newly arrived fender has it built into the fender mounting bracket.

Fender is "hard mounted" to the lower fork legs with no rubber bushes or top hat washers at the mounting points.

[scottly]

Yes, you have the early 750 forks.
Early on the left:

[kyle750]

Emerging from the tar-choked, fossil-fuel abyss

[kyle750]

Lightly polishing the  chrome with Autosol.  Old chrome was cloudy, hazy, and dull and easily polished up in only a few minutes of work with a soft cloth.

Quick question:  After polishing and buffing the chrome should I apply a light coat of wax to prevent future oxidation or does the Autosol provide a protective barrier??

[MauiK3]

I have found that the underside of fenders has pretty much a suggestion of chrome and corrodes readily. I know it's not stock but I usually paint the underside with a good silver paint. It's not really something you see and it provides some protection. I usually wax my fenders once in a while. Not sure it helps but it makes me feel good.

[Rayzerman]

After cleaning up the rust, painted my rear with silver, then two coats of clear FlexSeal.  It leaves a very durable rubber coating that looks milky silver, but who is going to notice....   my front was a new replica from Yamiya, just masked it off and sprayed on the FlexSeal.

[kyle750]

As the chrome looks decent (but thin) on the underside of the newly arrived front fender I am going to leave it as is.  Topside chrome cleaned up nicely. No dents or dings with only a few very minor, almost unnoticeable scratches.  Nice, bright, and shiny

Too bad it will not fit on my CB750.  Will work on my CB550 

[kyle750]

Checking Yamiya CB750 Fenders

Photo 1 Genuine Honda K0-K2 price Yen 120,000  $751 USD
Photo 2 Replica Fender  K0-K2 price Yen 65,000 $407 USD

Photo 3 Genuine Honda K3-K6 Yen 137,000 $857 USD
Photo 4 Replica Fender  K3-K6 Yen 50,000 $313 USD

[kyle750]

I imagine I can remove the old stay from the rusted old fender and swap it into the newly arrived fender but I'm not sure how to drill out and replace the fender rivets    I'm following the "Fender rivets" thread with keen interest.  Thanks!

Yamiya Replica K0-K2 stay only

[kyle750]

Yamiya sells the K0-K2 replica stay only for Yen 18,000 = $112 USD.  I just dug out the old rusted fender from the parts graveyard and the stay is showing its age but might clean up OK   Price = $0 USD

[kyle750]

This was the worst side.  A few minutes with Autosol and very fine steel wool.  The other side of the stay was rust free and excellent chrome. 

[kyle750]

While searching for a KO-K2 early fender I found this one for sale and I had to do a double take 

Fender mounting brackets are symmetrical and setup for 2 earlier K0-K2 caliper mounting brackets (one on each side)

Custom made fender for a K0-K2 dual disc setup? or factory made at Honda??  No closeups of the fender rivets in the photos so hard to tell how it was made???

Late Edit:  I'm not interested in buying this mystery fender.  I'm perfectly OK with the stock CB750 single disc brake as it working well and suits my riding style (not super fast or aggressive).   Just curious what other forum members think about this setup?