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Maund Speed tail kit worth it?

9K views 24 replies 11 participants last post by  nickdastardly 
#1 ·
I'm looking for some feedback on the Maund speed fender eliminator and tail light kit from you guys that have one.

http://www.maundspeed.com/_p/prd1/1069108361/product/fender-eliminator-thunderbird,-legend-tt

Is it worth the money? How is the quality of the casting? Any issues with riding in the rain and not having real underseat coverage? Any issues swapping seats around for example going from stock seat to King and Queen or a solo seat? I'm having a hard time coughing up the money for it. I'm either going to get one of these or find a spare rear fender to cut down and after paint work they'll probably be about the same cost. This work will be getting done on my 1998 Thunderbird which I told myself I wasn't going modify, so a bolt on part would be a better idea rather than trying to match 20 year old black paint.

Opinions please!
 
#4 ·
The cast aluminium looks nice. I just did a fender cut and used something similar, but could only find chromed steel light units at sensible cost (for me). I was disappointed at the weight of the steel unit, and its electrical and lens parts are very cheap quality. (I had to make my own ground wire connection as well iirc.) It works, but I now wish I'd spent more and got a nice alloy unit, with hopefully better quality all round.

With the fender cut approach, including the no. plate, rain spray off the wheel is very contained, little different to a stock full mudguard. With a full FEK like Burren's I don't know what's it's like in rain? (Or if that matters to you?)
 
#5 ·
I copied another inmates idea and added 2 instead of 1 led strips. Bent and fabricated the Aluminium bracket (from Home Depot) bought a second rear fender ($60) and cut it down so its barely visible yet completely spares my under seat all the dirt.

Also now ended up adding the brake light modulator for $22







https://vimeo.com/191484667


Zee

2000 Triumph Thunderbird Sport
2015 BMW F700GS
 
#6 ·
Nick: the turn signals they use in the kits are 31$ a pair the tail light is probably the 20$ eBay special. The cast mount is very nice I must admit, it fits really well back there and the turn signals placement is spot on. I tried making something similar from flat sheet aluminum but I can't get it to look right.

Burren Boyo: I made two different mounts myself and I'm not happy with the results, I am my own worst critic.

IrlMike: I am concerned with the rain, it does rain here, I swear it does! That's why I was considering a fender cut in the first place but after adding everything up, spare fender, good paint, tail and turn signals it'll be pretty expensive.

Zee: That looks good, I didn't even realize you had a fender back there!



I've been keeping my eye on eBay for a cheap slightly damaged rear fender to cut up. I have a spare that's in excellent condition I don't want to hack up.
 
#7 ·
I have a maund unit, really nice quality cast piece and stainless plate under tray. No issues in rain, I run a Joker led rear light on it, had to modify it a bit for it.
Crimping pliers are not a must but it does make it super easy to make a very clean wiring harness, I got mine and some bullet connectors with waterproof housing from cycle terminal.com
 
#9 ·
I am of the opinion that the Lucas tail light unit shown is only suitable for genuine early sixties and earlier bikes. It just looks so dreadfully dated, although I do accept that there are very few options available for tail lights. Anyway, in Britain that unit is illegal on bikes later than around 1990 as from then on part of the tail light must have a reflector. I came away from one MOT test with a silly little one inch round reflector stuck on the side of that light. I'm sure the testers knew it wouldn't stay on the bike for five minutes once I got home.

I have Jaguartvr's excellent rear guard, but I made my own tail light mount and put on the late sixties Lucas 679 light which I think is better, although still not ideal.

I would prefer a larger light - it's just that the factory light provides no lighting for the plate, requiring that ghastly little worm of an afterthought light to be fixed at the bottom of the guard.

So I feel it's sad to see a lot of effort put into a kit which is based on a tail light I feel is wrong for the bike.
 
#11 · (Edited)
RollingSlow84,

I'm using it on my bike. The casting is top notch. Easy to install. I felt the quality is great. I've improved on it by adding an LED light to replace the stock bulb. I also mounted the turn signals independently to the frame rails not to the taillight casting.

 
#12 ·
Have you had it out in the rain yet?

Do you have the info for the LED bulb you installed?

Does the casting have mount holes for the signals? I'd keep the signals on the casting so I can still use the back rack if needed.
 
#13 ·
I've got the Maund kit on my TBS... I like it with the exception that 1.) the light blew after like a week, and 2.) my solo seat no longer fits. I need to add some spacers and longer bolts to make the solo seat fit. The problem with the solo seat is that the plastic part at the back hangs down too far, and hits the light... keeping it from clicking into place.

https://goo.gl/photos/zKGXwYiR82XTBgwi6
 
#19 ·
Looks pretty nice for a bolt on product! For those of us that cant swing the price its pretty easy to make a complete fender eliminator. I made this out of aluminum sheet and the smaller parts are turn signal mounts. It also helps having a massive powder coating oven! I did have to go back and add a thick piece underneath to keep it from bouncing during bumps. I also added some holes where the king/queen seat latches go.




 
#21 ·
I am glad some one posted about this I am thinking of making it my tax return present to myself.

I haven't seen any other options out there and I do not have access to much metal working equipment (if we wanted to make kitchen cabinets on the other hand I could do that no problem)
 
#23 ·
Yea finally! I looked for 2 years, usually get sold before i can get there. Scored this one up in Metuchen for $999 the day they listed it. I was gonna start a thread to find some good riding areas around here. I usually do a yearly trip to Deals gap but its a hell of a drive. Philly has some nice roads close but if anybody knows some good riding out here let me know.
 
#25 ·
Yea the catch is the high mileage (40k) but hey, I work on french helicopters so none of the maintenance on this bike is very intimidating lol.
I guess the previous owner brought it in and had a bunch of work done to it and couldnt pay so he had the dealership sell it to make up for the cost of the repairs. What a ding dong...
 
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