Some thoughts about the Yoshimura fender-eliminator & inst.

[avanti]

I've had the bike a week yesterday and just completed the installation of the mods I initially intended/ordered. Some thoughts about the Yoshi fender-eliminator follow: This is NOT a “how to;” there is no need since there is another fender-eliminator thread here that adequately answers questions relevant to all such product installations, imho. Yes, I found that thread invaluable.
 
The Yoshi fender-eliminator kit is interesting, given what I've read about and seen of other kits. The Yoshi is VERY well done, nice welds, the fit/finish excellent. The finished assembly appears to place the entire "package" higher than others I looked at, meaning closer to the tail-light (some have expressed concern about this with other kits). A compact "unit" is important to me, as per a personal mod I note later.
 
The kit is certainly complete but not all the fasteners are stainless steel. I buy a LOT of stainless fasteners and I know what they cost in relationship to others and there is no reason for any non-stainless, imho—so, I swapped to all stainless. The fabricated parts are ALL superbly made and fit together correctly—they look “factory” finished.
 
I did consider enlarging the two round holes the wiring runs through to the underside of the bike on the Yoshi bracket so that I could use a pair of rubber grommets to further protect the wiring. I finally opted to pass on doing so since I discovered I didn't have grommets on-hand the correct size; and, since I put the extra length of stock wiring cover over the Yoshi tag light wires all fit snugly inside the holes and not going to rub significantly. But, I did place a zip-tie both above and below the two, parallel bracket-plates the wire runs through to assure no possible up/down movement of the wires. Btw, there are no significant gaps between the bracket and the under-fender liner to fill or cover.
 
Except for the actual tag frame, the bracketry is all steel (stainless, as I recall from ads) though I’d have expected aluminum for weight savings (btw, the Yoshi is @12oz. lighter than stock). Yet, I suppose mounting the stock blinkers on the assembly dictated steel for durability.
 
The instructions supplied with the kit are… well, not exactly worthless, but… … they only discuss/illustrate the Yoshi parts, all of which are pretty much self-explanatory. For everything bike specific the installer is referred to the “Owners Manual/Shop Manual.” I have the GB Shop Manual and it is of limited use for anyone unfamiliar with the bike's side-panel removal—the appropriate thread on the Forum here was a God-send and is the one I noted above.
 
Being true to form, I did end up fabbing one aluminum part for the install… I made a small (1”x 6.75”) bracket added to the bottom of tag holder that allowed moving each blinker in about 0.75” closer to the center of the assembly, making the completed "package" appear a little more compact.
 
Bottom-line, I certainly think the Yoshi kit is worth the extra it costs beyond similar other products. I was already familiar with Yoshi products and that did sway my purchasing decision.
 
Oops, I nearly forgot... a hint, or two, for those who have expressed difficulty in crimping small wires such as the Yoshi tag light to the stock, thinner wires.  Here are a couple hints that make it easier (imho).  Two things: 1) strip enough of such small gauge wires to double or triple them back on each other before inserting into the connector to be crimped, and 2) not all crimpers do an equal job, even if they otherwise look identical.  Some do a tighter crimp before the "anvils" in front of the handles come together and limit further crimping.  All the best!!!
 

[avanti]

Here is a pic of the slight mod I made to the Yoshi to move the blinkers in to the edge of the tag frame.  A simple piece of aluminum as mentioned above and a few stainless botton-head screws (to clear the underside of the tag when installed).
 
[attachment id=295" thumbnail="1]