Hitchcocks Forum

On cleaning the bike today after a good ride out I noticed the centre mudguard stays on front mud guard have both broken on both sides is this another known problem. Along with the chain guard last month - indicator brackets a few weeks back. & Broken spokes plus other parts that fall off regularly. Oh the joys Bullet riding and hours of fun spent in the shed. Still it brings smile to me face. :~)

Paul this is your lucky day, I have seen that happen, stay gets caught up in the wheel,drags the guard forward, locks up the front wheel and over the handelbars you go, happened to a friend of mine a few years ago and he still has shoulder trouble

Paul, I think it is a known problem, if you look in the Accessory Shop section on this site under Mudguards you'll find our Hosts sell a strengthened version of the centre stay. I reckon many of these vibration stress cracks occur because we are lucky enough to be able to ride faster and further than the chaps in India!
REgards, Mark

Hi thanks mark I will order the strengthened replacements. What brought this to my notice is the front brake cable stated to get a bit slack so on investigation to adjust it I found the cracks right at the cable anchored point where the adjuster is bolted though the fork and mudguard stay on one side and same place on the other side. As Norm says could be nasty if not noticed.

Yes Paul, it is a weakness in the design, the original Redditch ones are a bit prone to fracturing there as well but usually when they are a lot older than yours!
REgards, Mark

Went and checked Tornado's, and they seem fine.



Didn't fancy the idea of my bullet becoming a bucking broncho!

Scaly, just remember there is often only one ride between a broken stay and a non broken stay, Anthony doesn't check anything on his bikes except his mudguard stays before every ride these days lol

It's all that vibration wot does it on them 500s. The 350, despite having heavier mudguards, doesn't suffer from broken stays.

Peter you are right, deeper, heavier front guard,equals less vibration and because the guard is deeper the stays are shorter, win win

To update I changed them and as Norm said they broke on the last ride out no sign of breakage when I polished them the day before ride out and you can see by photo clean brake snapped right though hole both the same photo of new and old for comparison now on bike but had no spare screws so used s/s Alan bolts temporary whilst on order/