If you're like us, you're always tinkering with your motorcycle or looking for awesome upgrades. A set of tank grips, axle sliders, or an improved air filter are great options to start with. But if you want to see a dramatic change to the look of your bike then a fender eliminator, AKA a tail tidy, is a great option. It's an aftermarket part that allows you to replace the bulky rear fender with a slimmer solution. Tail tidies vary from brand to brand and from bike to bike. Typically, they relocate the license plate bracket & turn signals. In some cases, they also include a brake light, and can even upgrade all lights to LED's. There are so many options to choose from, so what should you look out for?
Things to consider before buying a fender eliminator:
- What's included? This is the most important thing to consider. So important that we compiled a list of items that may or may not be included at the end of this blog post. Some tail tidies are simply metal license plate brackets for re-locating your license plate. They may have minimal hardware. Others, in addition to the license plate bracket, have a place to screw in your OEM turn signals, and have a plate light. Still others have their own turn signals, and a brake light. The fender eliminators with upgraded turn signals, a license plate light, and brake light will be most costly.
- Cost: What's the cost? Not just the cost of the fender eliminator, but the cost of any required add-ons. Things like turn signals, or the cost of your time (or a shops time) installing it. Cheaply made fender eliminator kits may be more difficult to install due to hardware not matching up properly.
- How easy is instillation? It's a good idea to read the instillation instructions of the fender eliminator before purchase. Another option is to find a video of the instillation. Some fender eliminator kits are plug-and-play which means no cutting, splicing, or drilling it required. If they have turn signals the connectors will plug right into the spot the OEM ones were. Generally, these will be the easiest to install. However, the make, model and year of your bike also matter.
- What options are included? Some fender eliminators can be mounted in a tucked position, others in a standard position. Some can be mounted in either position. Does the kit include a way to stabilize blinker flash speed like a dual load equalizer? Are there options for US or EU bikes like red or amber turn signals?
- How is the manufacturer with customer support? Check some reviews on the company that makes the tail tidy. This should give you some idea on how they are with technical support, warranty issues, etc.
- What's it made from? Is it plastic, steel, aluminum? Certain materials have certain advantages. Powder coated aluminum is one of the best options because it's light weight and corrosion resistant.
- How is it made? Is the part CNC machined, cast, or cut? How it's made can determine how well it will fit your motorcycle.
- How is the warranty? This is last because the warranty is only as good as the company supporting the product. What good is long warranty if you can't reach the manufacturer for support?
(Above: Fender eliminator for the Ducati Panagale 1299)
Features found in fender eliminator kits:
- License plate bracket: holds the license plate.
- License plate light: Illuminates the license plate.
- Upgraded turn signals: May be slimmer & brighter than OEM.
- Upgraded brake light: May be brighter than OEM.
- Dual Load Equalizer: Stabilizes the flash speed of aftermarket turn signals.
- Connectors: Plug right into the bike so no splicing is required.
- Hardware: The bolts and spacers you need for installation.
All 3 of these pictures above display fender eliminators for the Yamaha YZF-R6. However, the one in the upper left is a simple plate bracket. The one in the middle has a plate bracket and license plate lights. You'll have to re-use your OEM turn signals. The one on the right includes upgraded LED turn signals, the license plate light, and a license plate bracket. This bracket is in the tucked position which is desirable for some riders. You can see the last kit here.
There are pros and cons of each kind of fender eliminator kit. Maybe you like the way one looks over the other? Maybe you don't want upgraded turn signals? Maybe you are budget conscious and want a low cost solution. No matter what you decide we hope this post helped!