83 midnight maxim chain wrapped front fender

First intention was to copy the outline of the fender in chain the cut it lose and make the inner out of something else but this far was hard enough.

Hardest part was to get chain to bend sideways, which it don't wanna do.
Tried it several way even with heat and in the pipe bender.

Then I'm thinking well I need some sort of bigger chain link plates on the out side and I dunno where I was going with that.

Then I thought just cut all the inside plates so it can bend. I did it on the end with the tightest bend first and when that worked I kept going.

Had to break the chain a few times to count n then cut the link plates not stuck to the fender. Had to add some extra chain too.


First thought was to make a skeleton chain fender but it might look good if fender is black n chain is chrome like or something. Will take lots n lots of welding to make the chain stiff enough to be cut lose though.

Also could probably do it with a chrome chain without messing up the out chrome side but who thinks that far ahead. Just do it, think to much and it becomes hard.




http://xvfinishes.com/chainfender/

 

Wow! Dedicated! Cool idea!

 

Very cool idea!

When I was a kid we used to ride in a sand pit. Every summer I'd get a couple chains to where they would bend like you want. Too bad I didn't keep any :wink:

 

Would of been allot easier with HW store chain but that sprocket chain was a PITA.

 

more pics

http://xvfinishes.com/chainfender/

 

That's different but darn cool!!
I like it.

 

I think you should chrome it. It'll look spectacular.

Of course, now you have to do a rear......

 

How do you keep it tight?!!
Just kidding. That's a different idea and one that will be copied by some custom builder for sure. Keep us posted with photos when your all done!

 

Killer.

 

Had to do it for several reasons mostly cause chrismalm is giving me a new guard rail and mine already had holes drilled in it so a few more holes wouldn't hurt it.

Plus I always wonder why they make them so small and you can see from the foam part it nice and broad.


pics
http://xvfinishes.com/chainfender/

 

Dunno if everyone will notice or get the XV part, a Virago is an XV

 

As we say, here in Boston:

"Wicked-Pissah"

Absolutely a great touch that is surely to be "Borrowed" by some other bike builders ... because the door, here, is always open.

Nice work.
Bravo, man.
Stroke of Genius!

 

Two questions:
Are they o-ring type chains,
and how often to you have to lube them?

 

Well I know the 10 speed chain isn't

dunno for sure on the bigger one for backrest but when I baked it up to around 500f to burn off oil it didn't overly smoke me out.

Had to soak it in oil for a day to losen it up, then bake the crap out of it to get ride of oil and help losen rust to be able to weld.

 

Totally rad.

 

I would think a nickel finish would look cool. I'm not a fan of chrome it is over rated.

 

This fender is up for sale, make a decent offer.
fender is in same condition as in the pics, it was the look of the bike, all Ive done is wipe it down with WD40 time to time.