WTB red front fender for 99 GZ250

[VTXorcist]

Hi everyone! My wife and I just bought a used GZ250; it's her first bike and she's pretty excited. The previous owner laid her down and it has some cosmetic damage. The worst of it is that the front fender is actually cracked through about halfway on the left side.

I was hoping someone might have a replacement fender lying around that they wouldn't mind letting go.

Thanks!

EDIT: The bike is red, by the way. Thanks again for any help!

[mrlmd1]

Have you tried to take it off and repair it with a layer of fiberglass or two underneath?

[alantf]

Originally Posted by mrlmd1

Have you tried to take it off and repair it with a layer of fiberglass or two underneath?

I've found that one of the best ways to repair plastic parts is to us a 2 part putty. Over here we can buy them specially for plastic, stone, wood, or steel. They come in a sort of "sausage" with a grey centre core & a blue outer core (the stone, wood, steel etc. all have different colour outer cores so you can tell them apart at a glance) You cut a slice off, then mix them to an even colour in your hand. After opening up the crack (with a file etc ?)you just fill the crack, & it dries rock hard in half an hour, when you can sand it flat. I even mended (sucessfully) a crack in a plastic part on a car radiator. It really is magic stuff. If we can get it over here, I'd bet you'd be able to get it in America.

[VTXorcist]

Dang wish I had seen this a few hours ago! I just used gorilla glue to seal the cracks then used a razor to cut off the excess and touch up painted it. It ain't beautiful but better than it was! If it doesn't hold I'll try to find some of that putty. Thanks!

[VTXorcist]

As for the fiberglass, how do you add a layer of it?

[mrlmd1]

Go to the local auto parts or marine store or Walmart, get a small can of resin (comes with the catalyst) and small pack of fiberglass cloth, either a small roll or pieces in a package. Mix up a small batch of resin and catalyst in a small container (like a paper cup or similar) per the instructions in the kit, paint it on the underside of the fender, lay a strip of fiberglass cloth or fabric over it, paint on more resin working out all air bubbles with the brush to get it down flat, let it dry a little so it's tacky (15 min or so depending on how you mixed it). If you want, put another layer of cloth a little larger, extending a little past the first layer, then coat it again with the resin and smooth out the air bubbles and let it dry. You can sand it after it thoroughly dries, like the next day, and smooth it out if you get rough edges. Wear some cheapo plastic/vinyl gloves to keep it off your hands to make cleanup easier - it is pretty sticky and hard to remove, impossible to get out of clothes.
There is also a fiberglass product in a can called Tiger Hair, which has fiberglass threads mixed in with the resin that you can apply just as is out of the can after mixing with the catalyst, without having to get some of the fiberglass cloth. Both are very simple to use and very strong - should outlast your fender if you apply it properly by lightly sanding the area for it to stick, to get better adhesion to the fender.
Should take no more than 1/2 hr. to repair, including removing the fender.
If you keep the can well sealed, the resin will last indefinitely, useful for any other repairs to metal, wood, most plastics, for anything else you want to repair at a later date. Don't mix up more than you want to use at one time, the unused mixed resin/catalyst will harden like a rock in 1/2 hr. and it's an exothermic chemical reaction, it gets a little warm as it stands, which is normal.

[VTXorcist]

Wow sounds easy. Thanks!