Rigid frame swap
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 7
From: Junction City, KS
Rigid frame swap
Ok, so after a plague of maint problems (small) and a little research, and setting a budget...... I'm trying to find a rigid bobber frame for my 90 FLSTF. I'd like to keep some of the same geometry, and certainly want to keep my wheels and rear pulley. Who makes/sells a rigid frame that will be a near even and easy swap?
I'm not a bike builder, but I've put together a bobber in a box before, and required very little fab work, but I've never done a complete driveline swap..... Need some help please?
I'm not a bike builder, but I've put together a bobber in a box before, and required very little fab work, but I've never done a complete driveline swap..... Need some help please?
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 7
From: Junction City, KS
Any recommendation for brand names? I. Sure as hell no welder, but I can certainly pay a certified welder! That does seem like a cheaper option, and with the fewest question marks for continuity of geometry and driveline.
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 7
From: Junction City, KS
Lol..... The worse part...... It's gonna be a 2 up bike! I'm considering just bobbing it as is, that's the beauty of a softail.....! It gives you that clean straight look without the pain. We've considered actually buying one of the ACM rigid choppers, but this is gonna be a husband and wife project..... She wants to get her little German hands dirty with me!
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 691
Likes: 4
From: H-TOWN TEXAS
If I were you I would just bob the current bike , and keep the Harley title. A lot of insurance company's will not insure assembled/builders titled bikes anymore , and the ones that will cost out the anus.
Rigid frames and two up is very possible for some people , but it damn sure gets old quick. Unless your doing it for the simple fact to keep her off the bike haha
Rigid frames and two up is very possible for some people , but it damn sure gets old quick. Unless your doing it for the simple fact to keep her off the bike haha
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 7
From: Junction City, KS
If I were you I would just bob the current bike , and keep the Harley title. A lot of insurance company's will not insure assembled/builders titled bikes anymore , and the ones that will cost out the anus. Rigid frames and two up is very possible for some people , but it damn sure gets old quick. Unless your doing it for the simple fact to keep her off the bike haha
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,187
Likes: 8
From: Montgomery, AL
Here is an example. Panhead though. I'd go with a new frame myself rather than chopping my softail frame. jmho
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 856
Likes: 9
From: North Carolina
Santee makes a weld on hard tail but, for earlier models. A decent shop could easily modify one of those to fit or manufacture one. I have ridden one rigid and I must say I didn't really like it very much. One small pot hole jarred me in ways I didn't know were possible. It hurt from my azz to the top of my head. My buddy built an iron head sportster rigid frame chopper that looked awesome. He wore a kidney belt when he rode it. He once got a warning ticket for loud pipes. Took a couple of those small orange juice cans and punched some holes in them and shoved the cans up in his exhaust. He rode gently and found the officer who wrote the ticket and got the warning ticket signed off. As he was driving away he nailed it and blew those juice cans out of the straight pipes.. Funny guy.
My brother built a hard tail Yamaha XS650 and used the existing swing arm as part of his design. But, he's an HVAC guy who welds a lot and I would trust his welds. I weld both MIG and ARC but, I wouldn't ride on my welds when he lives 30 minutes away. I have never had a weld that mattered fail but, for that you really need a pro-welder so that it will look good and be permanent. The equipment matters too. Some jack-leg shade tree welder like me with second rate equipment is not the guy you would want.
Anyway, I have seen guys build frames from the ground up and they really make it look easy. That usually means it's not. They use a jig to get everything perfect.
My brother built a hard tail Yamaha XS650 and used the existing swing arm as part of his design. But, he's an HVAC guy who welds a lot and I would trust his welds. I weld both MIG and ARC but, I wouldn't ride on my welds when he lives 30 minutes away. I have never had a weld that mattered fail but, for that you really need a pro-welder so that it will look good and be permanent. The equipment matters too. Some jack-leg shade tree welder like me with second rate equipment is not the guy you would want.
Anyway, I have seen guys build frames from the ground up and they really make it look easy. That usually means it's not. They use a jig to get everything perfect.