Racing is rough on a quad, no matter what brand it happens to be. Every different make and model has it things that just won't hold up to tough racing conditions. You can either recognize this and figure out a way to fix it on your own, purchase an aftermarket product to replace it, or you can be one of the many people that automatically says the manufacturer of the quad is all together bad because of that one piece.

There's not too many parts on the Yamaha YFZ450 that won't be able to hold up to the rigors of racing, but have no doubt, there are some. One of those happens to be the rear fender brackets. A lot of stress is put on the right rear bracket even more than the left, because of the rear master cylinder being mounted to it. This is one of those pieces that many people have found their own little way to fix.

For all of you who never took a liking to shop in high school, Haley Engineered Performance Products has come to your rescue. They know that not everyone has the equipment and ability to build their own custom parts at home. So they manufacture rear fender brackets from 3/16” aluminum and then gusset and tig weld them for awesome strength.

There are two models to choose from - race brackets and regular brackets. The race brackets have been built a little bit stronger because racers are a lot tougher on them. HEP has spent a lot of hours making these brackets the best possible way. Many Pro riders have put these brackets to the test going through multiple versions, so what you are buying is the ultimate design.

Haley is one of the very few who make these stronger fender brackets. Even fewer make strong brackets that include the re-location tab for the rear master cylinder resevoir. The original bracket pushed the resevoir way toward the rear and in a vulnerable position. The relocation makes it more accessible and more safe from the dangers of riding.

Installing these products is very easy but you do have to be a little bit careful. On both sides, the stock brackets are held mounted to the frame with two allen-head bolts. These bolts can become very tight and easy to strip the head of if you aren't careful. I'll admit, I have stripped at least one of these bolts, and believe me, you don't want to have to try and remove them with vice-grips like I had to. The other end of the bracket is mounted to the plastic. Be careful here also not to strip the philips-head screw.

On the right side, if you have any model other than the '06, you are most likely relocating the resevoir too. In order to do this, simply bolt the resevoir to the relocating tab on the new bracket. On the left side, the new bracket can go on without doing anything else. Make sure to apply some Loctite when installing the new bracket.

I have used these brackets for several races now, and they are doing their job exactly as they should. They've held the plastic securely for hundreds of miles blowing in the wind while hauling on an open trailer, aggressive riding with shifting weight from side to side, landing impact compressing the suspension and being banged into by other riders. Most importantly, they've provided a secure brace behind the plastic when I need maximum leverage from my legs. So far, with the abuse we put Wide Open YFZ through, it looks like we won't be having to replace these brackets.

As I said before, very few people make these quality brackets. Haley Engineered's race brackets, which are more expensive than their non-race brackets, are still less than half of the competitors prices at only $70 for the pair. Another thing that also makes their brackets unique, is for that price, you can either get a plain aluminum finish, or powdercoated in Yamaha red, Yamaha blue or chrome.

Check out their other products including battery boxes, reservoir guards, and warning label covers for the YFZ.

HaleyEngineeredPerformance.com

815-842-2002
Pontiac, IL

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