Hey everybody!

Thinking about going with the AME Chopper kit front end. Anyone have one on here? I want the 14 degree kit with 6 inch over tubes to keep her low to the ground.

Joe

 

I don't have one but I have been looking at them online.

 

I'm running one of the AME 41mm kits on a 2005 1200C that I own.

It's 8" over stock, has chrome lowers, and I'm also running a chrome 4-piston front caliper (instead of the stock 2-piston caliber on the Sportster).

The kit add rake to both the neck and tree (which offset each other) so the trail dimension and geometry remains 'stock', allowing the bike to be rock solid and stable at all speeds.

The longer and firmer front end made a 100% improvement in ride quality and comfort over the short wheelbase on the Sportster (added 10 inches to the stock 60 inch wheelbase), and got rid of the choppy feeling of the stock setup.

I've put many miles on the bike since adding the 'kit', and I'm perfectly happy with the end results..

 

Looks very cool.

I've heard of the AME kits before (and am kind of interested), but wondered... Do they have the steering issues I've heard about with choppers? Or is that caused by messed up geometry in "home made" chops? I betmy Street Bobwould look cool as hell as a chopper, but I'd hate tospend a bunch of money and have it not turn easily.

 

I've owned a number of actual 'choppers' over the years, in fact I rode a rigid frame chopped '49 Panhead for quite a few years.

Most of the 'steering and stability' problems are caused by messing up the geometry and not having the correct amount of trail built into the bike.

If you only add rake to the neck it will increase trail dimension. Only adding rake to the tree will decrease the trail dimension. If you go to extreme in either case it could mess up the stability of the bike to the point of it being dangerous.

The AME kit is engineered to get around this problem, as they add rake to both the neck and tree. By doing this you end up with a cancelling effect, and the stock trail dimension and geometry stay more or less the same.

 

Weuse, sell and install them. Great kit great value.

 

What arethe differences between the AME and the Seeger?

 

So you're saying then, based on your experience, thata bike with an AME kit would still handle pretty much likea stock bike?

Not trying to beat the question into the ground. I love the look, and might seriously consider a kitin the future,but I really don't want something that gives me trouble in tight turns (on the road, that is. If it's just a matter of needing a couple extra feet for a U-turn due to the longer wheelbase, I could live with that).

 

The engineering is about the same, and I believe both kits are DOT and TUV certified, but the reason I went with the AME is that I wanted the heavier 41mm tubes with chrome lowers, and Seeger only had kits available with 39mm tubes for the Sportster.

If I'm not mistaken the Seeger kit used aluminum tubes, while the AME used chromed steel.

 

By retaining the stock trail geometry the bike with either the AME or Seeger kit will be rock solid and stable at speed.

In fact my Sportster is a much better cruising machine since the kit was added. The firmer front suspension feels much better, and the longer wheelbase got rid of all the 'choppy feeling' the bike had with the stock short 60.3" wheelbase.

Or course with the longer front end the bike will handle slightly different at very low (15 mph or less) speeds. It has a heavier feeling, but this feeling disappears once you get moving. It will take you all of an hour or so to adjust to the bike once the modification is made. I can roll up to a stop sign, come to a near stop, and make a 90 degree turn without even taking my feet off the highway pegs.