90/90-21 metz to 900 custom

[gimmick]

i know, no pics.... just yet!
i thought that the warning should come first and asap, i will post some pics when I go past the "angry" phase.

Making the long story short, I replaced the front tire with a metz 90/90-21, (made in Brasil, for what it matters) and when the mechanic lowered the lift and the bike touched the ground the front fender snapped in two from the left hand side front fixing hole. “Bang!”, just like that!

I took the fender off and rode home without it, the bike looks much cooler without it J.

Got home and installed just the metal support just to notice that there is not a great deal of clearance around it. It actually touches the tire on the left hand side of the bike and there are probably 2-3mm clear at the top. On the other side there are 5mm, why is it not centered I don’t know but won’t make the difference anyway. When the tire rotates and gets hot it will “grow” more than the clearance.

So, now what?

I don’t want to buy a new fender ($150, can u believe it!), I think I will make one from one of the halves left over. What about the support, how am I going to modify that?
I don’t know what to believe, I’ve done my homework well, I’ve read this forum from back to front, and Metzeler list this tire as an “upgrade”.

Careful what you wish for.

[Trashman900C]

thas sucks......i was thinking about getting one when it was time.......there are other members on here that have gotten it with no issues that i know of........hopefully they chime in........

[Bubba68CS]

Well...I'll find out this weekend when I have my Metz 90/90 21 installed...

[FL Vulcan Rider]

I'm getting a 90/90-21 installed this weekend too

Steve got his installed today.

[gimmick]

Originally Posted by Bubba68CS

Well...I'll find out this weekend when I have my Metz 90/90 21 installed...

my opinion is to have the fender removed before you install the new tire and after that try and see if it fits.

good luck and let us know how did it go.

[Richard Kerr]

I put mine on last week with no problems, there should be enough clearence. If there is more space from one support to the fork tube than the other then the fender supports are angeled differently and you should be able to just bend it back. If the tire is not centered between the forks then something is wrong with the spacers {not in all the way? they are the same for both sides} I am going to go take some pics and post in a few min.

[sbg8r]

got mine today, it's clearnce is very small but I like it, and no probs as of yet, only rode it for about 30 miles though

[Trashman900C]

the more i think about it, how would putting it back on the floor crack the fender? the lower forks, fender and wheel/tire all move together during suspension travel...........

[RichLockyer]

The "mechanic" did not properly install the rim onto the forks.

The tire SHOULD be centered between the fork tubes. After properly torquing the axle down, the front suspension must be FULLY compressed (fender removed) while gently tapping the right fork tube to allow it to seek it's proper position on the axle. The suspension can then be decompressed, and the pinch bolts torqued down.

At this point, if the wheel is not centered between the forks, I would suspect that the installer reversed the hub spacers (don't know if there's a difference between the right and left spacers or not).

The 90/90 Metz fits the 900C just fine... I've seen it myself on several bikes. It's snug without a lot of clearance, but it works fine.

[Trashman900C]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

The 90/90 Metz fits the 900C just fine... I've seen it myself on several bikes. It's snug without a lot of clearance, but it works fine.

thats good to hear..........i want to add a little more meat up front.......
to the tire of course........

[sbg8r]

I like the looks of it, it also feels much better, but my stock tire, 8500 miles on it, was cupping, I really like the look of the tread pattern too

[Richard Kerr]

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/p...s/DSCN0362.jpg

[sbg8r]

Hey thanks for taking pics of my bike....mine looks just like it....

[Trashman900C]

Originally Posted by Richard Kerr

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/p...s/DSCN0362.jpg

Tight Squeeze!

i plan on getting one too, when its time.....i already have a metz 880 on the rear.........
do you have straight on shot from the front, but further back.......?

Thanks

[RichLockyer]

The hint that the axle was not properly installed was when you said

when the mechanic lowered the lift and the bike touched the ground the front fender snapped in two

Find another shop to do your tire installations.

[NewRoadie]

It's a tight fit and you can hear any rocks that make it into the tread grooves due to them 'tapping' the fender, but I like mine!

[Baitis]

I was thinking about an Avon 90/90 on mine but that fender is tad close. Guess I better find out the inflated tire radius first.

[twoeyedninja]

i am a big fan of the skinny tire, why do so many of you upgrade to a 90/90?

[insolentminx]

i like it' i shall be getting one too.

it's still a skinny tyre, just slightly beefier .... haha.

I guess i wouldn't mine the stock tyre if it filled the fender nicely... it just looks like they meant to put a bigger tyre on it

[Richard Kerr]

+1 with Steve I just really like the way it fills the fender better, I also did the 200 rear and it look better too because it is the same width as the fender.