Just How 'Unrideable' is a Hardtail Chopper?

[easyricer]

On the point of a rigid suspension, with an "Old School" or just plain OLD chop or bike, the tires you choose are your suspension. With that, you have to keep in mind how soft the compound is and how heavy the side walls are. If you run Dunlop 401 or 402 series tires, even with no air in them they will beat you and your bike to death. (too hard of a compound and to heavy of a sidewall). If you run Avon Gangster or Venom tires, you'll get a much smoother ride. The best ride I've ever had on my rigid was with Shinko Classic Wide white wall tires. They flex with the road surface and don't jar me or the bike very much at all.
EASY

[DrSpencer]

Does anyone even make a DIY 'Easy Rider Style' kit?

Seems like all the ready made Choppers, and bolt-it-together-yourself kits, only offer modern looking bikes.

Are old school Choppers so far out if fashion that there's not even a viable market for them anymore?

Thanks

[Admiral Akbar]

All the parts are available through the catalog if you want to build one..  IMO it's better to build a softail that looks like a rigid.. and have 'lectric start..



Max

[panic]

In my experience, a rigid frame with a factory plunger-mounted (seat post "pogo") seat is far more comfortable than a swing-arm frame with a conventional seat.

[slo-poke 03]

I don't think anyone would deny that a bike with a swingarm is smoother, by a long shot. But the OP asked if rigids are "unridable" which they clearly are not. They are not for everyone though.

-Craig

LOL you are right, I stand corrected. Going with the OP, yes of course it rideable, the debate was just starting to tilt towards would you want to, not all progress is bad IMHO. I like Max's idea or suggestion although it pains me to admit he had a good idea. Get  soft tail create the look and have a comfy ride.

[Mailman]

All the parts are available through the catalog if you want to build one..  IMO it's better to build a softail that looks like a rigid.. and have 'lectric start..



Max

  Nice scoot.  What are the details of the engine ?  Looks different than most pans somehow.

[Admiral Akbar]

  Nice scoot.  What are the details of the engine ?  Looks different than most pans somehow.

That cuz the motor is and EVO.. Has Xzoitc pans on it.. Motor is pretty much a circa 99 113 SnS EVO competition motor.. Only diff between this motor and a crate 113 at the time was that it had 107 heads  (same as 113 but smaller chambers to bump the CR to 10.8  )  Better rods on the crank, SnS631 cam, choice of a D or G carb and it comes in pieces.. Motor is pretty much stock except I cleaned up the heads a little (no flow bench) , cam changed to a SnS640 and the G carb is bored with 1 Tjet.. Bike has about 33K on it...

Max

[Mailman]

  Nice scoot.  What are the details of the engine ?  Looks different than most pans somehow.

That cuz the motor is and EVO.. Has Xzoitc pans on it.. Motor is pretty much a circa 99 113 SnS EVO competition motor.. Only diff between this motor and a crate 113 at the time was that it had 107 heads  (same as 113 but smaller chambers to bump the CR to 10.8  )  Better rods on the crank, SnS631 cam, choice of a D or G carb and it comes in pieces.. Motor is pretty much stock except I cleaned up the heads a little (no flow bench) , cam changed to a SnS640 and the G carb is bored with 1 Tjet.. Bike has about 33K on it...

Max

  Thanks for the info.

[Dresser]

Years ago I rode a buddies hardtail with 10 over forks ( no fork brace) across town for him when he was moving to a new house. It cured me of ever wanting a hard tail chopper. The ride was brutal. The unbraced forks sine waving from the bumps were causing the front wheel to wobble.

Scared the s**t out of me. Suddenly my 74 FX didn't seem so bad. I've helped build 3 or 4 since then. They can be set up to be safe stable rides. I like the look but shock absorbers are for me.

[Brrrap]

They are not un-rideable, It's my ride of choice. I have had a hardtail since my early 20's. I'm 54 years old, 160lbs. I don't have a bad back, I don't have bad knees, I have never been thrown over the bars kick starting. Currently I don't have forward foot controls or pegs, I have boards that allow for standing up on when the bumps are coming or at hand. I have drag bars that I reach forward to and that gives me a "Bent at the waist" posture that works for me in dampening the rough roads. LePera seat. I ride AVON back tires, air pressure reading anywhere from 12 to 15 psi. Front 35. I'm physically tired at about the 300 miles mark.
   Two weeks ago a coworker said my pic was posted on a facebook page, some guy snapped this from his vehicle:[attach=0]

[attachment removed after 60 days by system]

[CraigArizona85248]

Brrrap,

When I repainted my bike back in late 2011, I welded on the tabs for the floorboard mounts (they had been shaved off back in 1970).  I gotta get around to fabing up some mid controls for my chopper.  I put some floorboards on there to see how they looked, and they just didn't go well with the rest of my bike.  They fit the look of your bike perfectly with the fatbobs and the springer.  Getting your feet underneath you (or at least not out in front of you) helps a lot when it comes to riding a rigid long distances.  When I rode across the country in 2011, I spent most of the ride with my left foot on top of the bulge for the clutch on the tin primary.  My right foot was square on top of the brake pedal using it like a mid mounted peg (you can see what I mean on the photo I posted earlier).  Made the long days (500miles +) a lot more tolerable.

I also notice you use drag bars.  I do the same (z-bars today but my hands are in the same place as when I had my drags).  In your picture you can see how you have just a little bit of curve in your back.  That makes all the difference in the world.

That is one Sa-WEET ride you've got.  Love the way it's setup!

-Craig

[Quicksilver]

Years ago I roade mine from Prince George, Canada to Missoula & back.  No problems & if I'd had the time I would have done it again.  Most important is 15 - 20 PSI in the rear tire. Prolly couldn't ride one for a 1/2 mile now 35 yrs later.

[hbkeith]

I think everything is rideable , its how do you want to ride . try riding them hardtails on these Michigan roads daily. I did it when in my 20's . not now

[Ohio HD]

Another thing that effects how well a ridged is for riding, is your physical size. I'm 6'5", used to be 6'6",     and when I was 19 I weighed in the neighborhood of 250 lbs. Now, many many years later am closer to the 3 bills mark. Point is, I have always looked like I was trying to hide what ever I was riding..      

And honestly, the Twin Cam FL bikes have a much better foot to seat to hand layout for taller dudes. My '87 FXSTC was hard on me to run a full tank of gas, even with extended length forward controls. My FX Shovels that I owned were hard to ride too, didn't fit tall guys well. My '52, it was just hard on me... 

[SE Road King]

It's really about how healthy your mail bag is. Young and well conditioned they can take more of a daily pounding. Lower altitude, abused and a bit of grey, well you may want to stick with the air ride swing arms.

[Brrrap]

CraigArizona85248,
   Before this thread plays out. Craig, I seriously can't compliment your bike properly. It looks so close to the Panhead that my brother in law (as he later became) was riding back in the mid 70's, and he was packing it and traveling everywhere. He still has it in mothballs.(pity) I was helplessly destined to own Harley Choppers because of that bike.
       :::::::Now back to the thread:::::::
   Prior to 1958 (Harley timeline) would one believe that the roads were constructed better? Or that owning a Harley among the United State's roads would be thought not possible unless you were in your youth still? You simply can not have it be a dreamy experience when all the factors are played in. Generally they leak "a bit", vibrate "a lot", parts break at their mounts "sometimes" and somebody always has (read: BLAH BLAH BLAH ,,,,,,)something to say about them good or bad wherever you park.
  Of course they're ride-able, They're not for everybody, but try one if you're ever allowed and hear this clearly: a 3 or 30 mile test ride and a 300 mile day are not comparable.  Mine fills my pride on a level that is personal to me and I'm happiest out alone

[ThumperDeuce]

Otto has a new custom built hardtail for sale:

http://enginesbyotto.com/forsale.htm#EnginesByOtto

[One4Tone]

..my first harley was a 56 pan rigid frame.(1978).it was a beautifull bike and at 24 years old I got more women riding that scooter than I care to remember. The bike had a springer raked out, a diamond coffin tank molded in rear fender with a snakey round steel welded and molded for reinforcement. It was a dark green colour with a blacked out pan motor with chrome hardware and a shiny pan covers on top, linkert carb, mouse trap, chrome horse shoe  oil tank tank. I could start it first kick some times while holding it up, not even on the side stand. But soon I bought a kidney belt..and it helped a lot on long runs...but within 2 years it was time to teplace it  with a 1972 fl popo , hand shift model..(still own it)..that was 33 years ago..i have never missed riding that old pan...but the ladies..that's another story..one of them spit out a baby girl..and now i am a grandfather of 2 boys and a baby girl...probably all due to that hard ass ride cusom hardtail pan

[Hossamania]

The appeal and success of the softail was that it mimicked the hardtail look while providing a suspension. So I never understood why someone would chrome the swingarm. It's made to look like a hardtail, then attention is drawn right to piece that shows it is not a hardtail. You wouldn't chrome just the back half of a hardtail frame.