Sportster Softtail Conversion
Novice
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 21
Likes: 4
From: Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
I know this thread spans a number of years but the information may still be interesting to some of you.
I have built a few Sportster softails over the years. I make everything from the engine cradle up/forward and rearward....I modify a big twin softail swing arm and custom make a brake caliper mount.
I say it is not hard to do but...I have been building racecar & racebike chasses for over 40 years.
The first one I built was over a bet....the drunk loudmouth know-it-all bike building expert at a local biker get-together stated as fact that I could NOT POSSIBLY build a custom Harley for under $25000 - much less the under $8000 that I stated....He had no idea to whom he was speaking but since I was planning on building one anyway, I took him up on his bet....the bike cost USD $6500 (about CAD $8200 at the time). I bought lots of items on ebay....
I have another on the go at this time but life keeps gettin in the way of completing it. I am going to try and post a few pics here....
Anyone who wants to try this at home, if you know how to build a bike frame, find a softail frame and duplicate the relevant rear section making sure that the offset is to the right hand side for a Sportster....Use 1/2" plate for the stanchions and 1/4" square tube out of which to cut the upper crossmember/oil tank mount. You will need things like a hydraulic press to bend some of the items. Personally, I invested $40.00 and bought a set of frame plans from someone on ebay....they were hard copies and I have re-used the plans a few times now....
oh...and....good luck....It helped me a bit.
I have built a few Sportster softails over the years. I make everything from the engine cradle up/forward and rearward....I modify a big twin softail swing arm and custom make a brake caliper mount.
I say it is not hard to do but...I have been building racecar & racebike chasses for over 40 years.
The first one I built was over a bet....the drunk loudmouth know-it-all bike building expert at a local biker get-together stated as fact that I could NOT POSSIBLY build a custom Harley for under $25000 - much less the under $8000 that I stated....He had no idea to whom he was speaking but since I was planning on building one anyway, I took him up on his bet....the bike cost USD $6500 (about CAD $8200 at the time). I bought lots of items on ebay....
I have another on the go at this time but life keeps gettin in the way of completing it. I am going to try and post a few pics here....
Anyone who wants to try this at home, if you know how to build a bike frame, find a softail frame and duplicate the relevant rear section making sure that the offset is to the right hand side for a Sportster....Use 1/2" plate for the stanchions and 1/4" square tube out of which to cut the upper crossmember/oil tank mount. You will need things like a hydraulic press to bend some of the items. Personally, I invested $40.00 and bought a set of frame plans from someone on ebay....they were hard copies and I have re-used the plans a few times now....
oh...and....good luck....It helped me a bit.
Novice
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 15
Likes: 1
From: Long Beach Ca
Sounds like a great idea softtail sportster,that would be cool to just switch out the swing-arm or purchase the softail swingarm and mount it on a sporty,
i was thinking of building a hardtail and just cut out a section in the hardtail and add a small
skinny shock or do a small center shock,and i thought i was the only one with the idea of a softtail sporty im trying to design and build one right now so doing research,studying the frames and checking kits if they have something like that,but building one now need for funds but in the mean time design the look and performance,paint color and creativity
all on tightest budget or on more time than money
other ideas instead of hardtailing it,angle the shocks with extenders,shorten fender ,put smaller taillight make swing arm longer,
i was thinking of building a hardtail and just cut out a section in the hardtail and add a small
skinny shock or do a small center shock,and i thought i was the only one with the idea of a softtail sporty im trying to design and build one right now so doing research,studying the frames and checking kits if they have something like that,but building one now need for funds but in the mean time design the look and performance,paint color and creativity
all on tightest budget or on more time than money
other ideas instead of hardtailing it,angle the shocks with extenders,shorten fender ,put smaller taillight make swing arm longer,
Stage IV
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Willis tx
http://www.infobarrel.com/Welding_A_Chopper_Frame this is the about your best betto Softail your sportster
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