[Graeme]

front mudguard bracket snapped when coming off motorway, made one hell of rattle. Dealer is sorting it out on warranty but need to wait for it to be sent from Italy.
Looks like brittle fracture as the other bracket showing signs of failing in same position.

 

[greer]

They'll replace both while they're at it? Hope so. I have the Classic fender kit, so I'll check mine. Thanks for the head's up.

Sarah

 

[Graeme]

They'll replace both while they're at it?

Hi Sarah
Yeh, they are replacing both. Never heard of anyone else with this problem so hopefully just one of them things.

The plate fractured from the inner radius where it is folded to form shape.The only thing I can think off is that there was a little imperfection creating a stress raiser. I have just come back from a tour around North Scotland so constant buffeting from wind might of caused it to go.

 

[vincelp]

Hello

Not that astonishing, in fact. If you have a look at your mudguard when driving, you'll see that it vibrates a lot.

 

[egicar]

An identical case in Italy:
Parafango anteriore che si rompe da solo

Parafango anteriore che si rompe da solo - Scrambler-Italia.com

 

[Graeme]

An identical case in Italy:
Parafango anteriore che si rompe da sol

Thanks for that egicar.
The photos on the Italian link showing the break line on the bracket is identical to where it failed on mine.

 

[egicar]

Thanks for that egicar.
The photos on the Italian link showing the break line on the bracket is identical to where it failed on mine.

I hope this can help you for the warranty.

 

[Auriga]

This is somewhat off putting for my proposed replacement of the inadequate Classic fmg with a Sammy Miller alloy trials guard. Whilst currently hors de combat ( I dropped it on my left foot on wet clay more than 5 weeks ago, and I will be unable to ride again until AA, a former nurse, authorises me so to do) I am about to undertake the task, which I delayed to take advantage of the dry weather --------. If the bracket breaks, I will ask a friend to weld it or make a stronger version, as there would probably be a problem with making a warranty claim.
I have an uncomfortable feeling about the strength of some components on this bike, quite apart from the cheap suspension and uncomfortable seat.. Only time will tell.

 

[greer]

I haven't made much progress on my fender either, but I've been wondering about this, too. Would it help at all to use stacked plastic washers between all the fittings, give a little leeway for the jarring and vibes?

Sarah

 

[vincelp]

Hello

I haven't made much progress on my fender either, but I've been wondering about this, too. Would it help at all to use stacked plastic washers between all the fittings, give a little leeway for the jarring and vibes?

Having a look at the broken support and seeing how my mudguard shakes forward and backward, when riding, I would say no.
It doesn't break due to high frequency vibrations, but rather due to too important displacements than bend in both direction the support. So plastic washers wouldn't change anything to these too important displacements.

To fix this, I think the support should be re-designed : I would use a flat metal blade, bent in a top-down U form, with the top holding the mudguard and both legs of the U fixed on each internal face of the support on the fork leg. This would disallow backward and forward displacements of the mudguards.

 

[vincelp]

Hello

I had a look at mine today... and it's beginning to crack exactly at the same place than yours... :-(
I will report it to my dealer, so the warranty can play.

But, I will also study a replacement part, made "in my garage", because the OEM is definitively not well designed, as it allows the mudguard to shake a lot.

 

[Graeme]

Just to let all know that Ducati Leeds dealer replaced my broken brackets under warranty. They took the broken parts and understand will be reporting it to Ducati.

However, I agree with Vince, the bracket is not a good design and prone to fracturing so will be keeping an eye on it. The photos posted by Vince show the start of a crack in exactly the same location as mine.

 

[greer]

I'll be checking mine, sounds like it is just a matter of time for all of us.. Vince, looking forward to see what comes from your garage.

Sarah

 

[vincelp]

Vince, looking forward to see what comes from your garage.

They are quite ready for test, made in aluminium, 2 mm thick.
- left mount, side view :

- right mount, front view :

 

[vincelp]

Hello

I had to modify them a little bit, so the fork can go up without the upper fork tube saying "hello" to the mudguard support. They are now installed, the mudguard can't move as much forward and backward than before.

Let's test that on enough distance to see if they resist more than the OEM support.

 

[Auriga]

I made a support for the SM mudguard some weeks ago, a 'blade' of one eigth inch alloy, c.20" long and 4" wide, to replace the oem fmg, with the intention of bolting it to the oem fmg support for the Classic: I also bought two alloy tubes from which to make additional supports for the fmg, once fitted, to attach to the bottom lug on the forks.
As the oem brackets seem bound to fail, I shall wait a little longer before proceeding with this project. If Vincelp' s brackets prove satisfactory in use, I may try to carry out a similar modification before starting it.

 

[vincelp]

My only concern is to know whether I have taken enough thick aluminium plate : it's 2 mm thick, maybe not enough...


--
VinceLP

 

[Auriga]

I liked your original idea, in #10, to use an inverted U shape, with , perhaps, an additional mg brace at the top, like the old trials Hondas etc had. Sammy Miller produces these but I suspect there may be tyre/ wheel clearance problems if attached to the U bracket.
I'll have to discuss this with an engineer friend, to see if he can devise a suitable solution, but it should not be necessary for owners to do the development work for the factory: shades of the old British bike and car manufacturers' practices.

 

[vincelp]

Hello

I just made a little test ride : the mudguard still shakes a little bit, but only laterally now... We'll see if my supports last longer than OEM ones. I'm pretty sure we must not have a rigid mount, otherwise it would break even faster, as the fork is a moving part of the bike.

My supports have got the right shape, maybe not the right material. If they break too fast, I will do another pair within iron, instead of aluminium. I took 2 mm thick aluminium and the OEM ones are 2 mm iron. The OEM supports are certainly more solid than mine, but less flexible.

Here is what it looks like, on the bike. I'll paint them in black if they are "validated".

 

[vincelp]

Hello

I liked your original idea, in #10, to use an inverted U shape, with , perhaps, an additional mg brace at the top, like the old trials Hondas etc had. Sammy Miller produces these but I suspect there may be tyre/ wheel clearance problems if attached to the U bracket..

I had such a support on my XT500, to put the mudguard near the tyre. I think it would go between the fork leg. The only problem is to find a way to fix it on the existing mounting points of the fork leg... On the XT, it was easy, because I could use the lower tube of the fork (standard fork, not upside-down). On our bike, I just can't imagine how to do so, in a way it's not too ugly and visible...

You can see such a support on this photo of my XT500 :