is this part structural

I will post a pic soon but I am wanting to know if the c shaped bracket just above the rear fender under the seat is necisary or can I cut it off with out replacing it. I would like to make a flat bottom seat so that peice would have to go and the rear fender would have to be lowered about 1.5 inches. has anyone done this or know if it can be done without compromising the integrity of the bike.

 

if you're talking about that like 1/16 of an inch section, you should be fine, I doubt that has any real structural qualities, I think it's just for holding the seat up

 

I'm not totally sure which part you're talking about but if it the one I think it is I don't think you will have a problem. I have my rear section cut all the way to the shock mounts and there is no structural compromise. Hope this helps

 

The one the seat latches on to between the blinkers? Cut it. Mine's been gone a year now.

 

How about we find out which Maxim he's talking about before dispensing frame cutting advice? They came in many sizes. And it's his only transport.

Safety; I know it's an outdated principle. Sorry.

 

oh fitz ..you big 'ol wet blanket party-pooper...I wuz hopin' to see a twisted mass-o-steel!!! j/k

have to say..I wouldn't feel good about givin' the 'ol thumbs up without more info....but then agin I'm a skeered chiken chit wit stuff like dat 8O

 

I just know that the guys designing and engineering these bikes knew a TAD more than I do is all;

You're right to be "skeered." Prevents twisted masses o'steel. (And hopefully, blood.)

I don't advocate giving advice I wouldn't take myself, and I sure as heck wouldn't be doing any frame cutting without knowing exactly what I was weakening.

 

it is a 83 maxim 650. and I am not sure i will have to take another look but I believe the rear fender might be bolted to it.

 

ya, its useless

 

thanks guys I may just have to cut it off this weekend

 

We're talking about the piece across the top of the fender in the back like this?




That's my 650. That piece held the plastic front half of the rear fender and the seat latch point. It is long gone now.

 

hopefully that's the piece he is talking about. Like fitz says hate to see the guy cut something without even seeing what he is talking about.
iwingameover you sure got that muffler tucked in tight. Can you use it for a kickstand bet right turns are dangerous be careful

 

Oh that's been cut off and redone. That was done as a quick fix after my original fell off.

 

Thats a good thing. looked dangerous

 

It wasn't quite as far out as that picture makes it look.

 

I'm going to have to agree with Fitz on this one. Let's find out exactly what it is that he wants to cut out before we say it's OK to cut it out. I ain't against cutting anything out, but if ya got questions about if it's structural or not, then ya probably need some dead on accurate advice.

 

ok...so I look at this (the piece going over the top of the fender) and I read..

and a couple of questions pop into my head...structurally (if this is the correct "C" shaped bracket..) you should be ok.. BUT...
1) Lowering the fender at this point will pivot the rear of the fender toward the tire, you are going to lose a lot of clearance. MightCould run the risk of bottoming out on the fender.
2) How does that affect the turn signal mounts/wire clearance?
3) What will you use to hold the rear fender up with once you cut this off? New support braket welded in?
4) Are the grab rails going to be eliminated or cut down at the arch...?


I'm sure you have thought of all of this, but I always like a fresh set of eyes looking at my 'planned modification' Quite often I'll get the question "What are you going to do with 'x'?" and I'll have to say "Crap...didn't see that...good point...hmmmm" LOL

 

Cutting pieces off the frame can/will compremise the strength and possibly cause more flex and weaken it, no boubt, if it is a structural piece of the frame, which that bracket your referring to is not (in my opinion)
I cut my seat bracket off the frame on my 750 Seca, which is very similar to the Maxim frame. The bracket was used more for a seat bracket more than strength (of course it does add some strength, but not much) I cut mine off to shorten the stock frame (which I needed to do for my bobber project) and did not notice any added frame flex since then. I have been riding the bike this way for 5 years now and it handles perfect.

If you are concerned about frame strength, you can always add another cross bar between the frame rail in a lower position if you'd like. Or another idea would be to add two pieces of say 1/4" steel, cut in a traingle shape and welded in the corners of the existing cross bar under the seat to strengthen the frame (by the shock mounts)
Good luck with your project and keep us posted on your progress.

 

well I already took the sissy bar off all togather and my plan is to make a new bracket that would hold the rear fender on that would bolt on where the sissy bar used to be

 

So that should be enough to replace the part your cutting off and make the frame backto what it was before.
I have nothing from the cross brace (behind the seat) to the rear of the fender on mine and it's plenty solid. I just bolted the fender on the sides to the frame rails with no ill effects that I've noticed.
I've noticed others (alot of them) who transformed their bikes into bobbers and don't have any kind of cross bracing at all.