I'm Sure Some Purists and Trolls are going to hate this.
 

So, as you can tell by my one post, I'm new to the forums.

Brief description, grew up working with my hands, got a office like job in the Navy. Feel the need to create and build stuff. Right now I ride a 09 Sporty 883 .. say what you want, but I love the little bastard. I want to start a build. I've worked on cars before and I have good friends that are willing to fill in the gaps on what I don't know when it comes to bike building.

However, I need the vast knowledge of the forums here to really get some input on the design aspects. Let's pretend money isn't an issue (it is, but if the bike(s) take three years to build they do) I'm looking to do a vintage bobber style Harley. It's been done 1000 times before so that's not really that hard. Basically an internet search and doing some research. The hard one is this:

I've been following the guys at www.classifiedmotos.com for a while and love their work. The functional and outside the box thinking always interested me. I'm not a street bike fan so this might sound contradicting. I'm looking to do a cafe racer or cafe-esque frame with a modern street bike front end, and a single sided swing arm tucked in the back. I want that to be powered by a Evo era power plant. I found an image of something "close" to what I want to do on google (see link at the end) but it's not quite the look. A little too cafe racer for me. What would be a frame in the style that I'm hoping to go for that'll be sturdy enough and big enough to house the engine and trans? From what I could tell, I would go with a Norton Featherbed or the XR1200 frame. Both of which aren't the easiest to come by so maybe there's one that I'm missing?

See the links below for my inspiration.

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/mwbiFBxUU3I/hqdefault.jpg
http://www.classifiedmoto.com/motorc...ghthawk-dubai/

Sorry if the links don't link.. still figuring out the posting guidelines.

These are the inspirations behind what I'm trying to do.

I like the cafe style bikes and both of your inspiration links look really cool to me. I think you will find a lot of help on this forum. I am more a reader than a writer here but have found a lot of really excellent vendors and ideas on hdforums. There are some trolls but you'll find them everywhere on the inter web.

Good luck with your build.

I know. That's why I usually shy away from forums, but despite the old lady's happiness, I'm dead set on doing these builds. What's a decent frame that can hold the Evo engine and transmission that fits what I'm looking for?

Looks like a softail frame in the first pic.

I'd start with the FXR frame to build an Evo similar to the second pic.

Thanks a lot. You're the second person to say it was a softail frame. The FXR frame is nice but still has that Harley angle to it and wouldn't it be a hell of a time to modify it to have more of a "flat" backbone?

I would modify the tank tunnel instead of the frame top tube. The cafe' look without major frame modification... find a tank you like, mount it as flat as you like.

I have a friend who use to make custom frames. He doesn't do that any more, but if I wanted to do what you are doing, I would have shown my ideas to him and gotten a price. Maybe you could find a good frame builder who could set up the whole frame/swing arm/suspension and nothing would be modified. My friend built his with chrome molly (guess that's spelt rite?) steel, and they were strong and safe. Just a thought

Yeah, I have a few people I know that could build the frame for me, but I think the "fun" behind this build isn't so much the instant, "let's make this frame" but trying to find the parts and either getting them to work or modifying them to work. Makes it more of a rat build or frankenbike feel for me at least.

kenny boyce frame works out very good for the low sleek look and its rubber mount FXR flea bay usually has parts and pictures also a gooogy search will get you to him - the FXR is lighter and handles way better then a softail and if your not tall 6 and over its really a mid control ride

welcome to the forums...

your sporty frame will be your cheapest route to achieve the look you're going for. It already has a tall seat position and center or gravity. It's what you choose to do with it that changes the looks
http://motorivista.com/wp-content/up...Speed-Shop.jpg
http://silodrome.com/wp-content/uplo...cer-Custom.jpg