83 Suzuki GS650 bobber

Not at all. But they certainly handle the road and ride much better with modern suspension components.

My point is that hardtail frames are 1930's technology and don't belong mated to a 1990s technology engine.

 

At the age of 11 in the 70's, I rode a Honda QA50 all over the neighborhood and nearby fields. It was a hardtail, never did I wreck it on the street or in the fields despite it being "unsafe".
Is a soft tail, mono-shock or spring loaded swingarm better for handling? YES
Will riding a hardtail get you killed because it is unsafe? NO, not any more than the others, as long as you know the limits and handling characteristics. Which is something everyone has to learn no matter what you ride.
If I could ride one at the age of 11 (first bike) without accident, then it's a good possibility anyone else can do the same.
Don't misunderstand, I'm not on a rant here. Just trying to get the point across that hardtails aren't as unsafe as some may think.

 

How much did that QA50 weigh? How much horsepower did it have? And how fast could it go/how fast did you ever go?

No comparison.

Hardtailing a ~500lb streetbike with a 73 HP, 9000rpm motor IS as dangerous as I think it is; probably moreso.

 

no worries, I was just asking.

CN

 

I see your point that they are more dangerous than a modern bike with full suspension. I'll agree to that but I won't agree to the fact that you think every hardtail is a death machine and everyone that rides one must be suicidal. I built an XJ 650 hardtail for my cousin and we've put over 500 miles on it between the two of us on Illinois roads which are pothole filled, cracked, terrible roads that go through extreme hot/cold temperatures and neither one of us have felt unsafe on it. I respect your opinion and you are certainly entitled to it. Trust me when I say I'm going to ride safe, always have and always will.

 

It's like drum brakes they work fine,even great based on their design parameters.
Ride them with that in mind and they are perfectly acceptable.
Lets face it most of us ride within the envelope our bike is good for, some don't but that's the origin of the saying "There are old riders and bold riders but there are no old bold riders"
I suspect a hardtail is a self maintaining system in that as speeds and distance rise the more uncomfortable it gets so the rider self regulates.
I rode a borrowed XR75 for a while when I was a kid it had no rear brake pedal I just rode it to suit had one off with locked front wheel and went from there.
Wouldn't recommend it and wouldn't allow my kid to do it but I was fine.
Best safety device in the world is your brain.
And as far as our old fashioned bikes if you ride a newish bike it immediately becomes obvious that early 80's motorcycle brakes just don't cut it against contemporary brakes we can improve them but they wont work as well as built to a budget commuter bikes brakes nowadays.
Does that make them dangerous? No just ride with those limitations in mind.

 

Fitz, The comparison would be an 11 year old on a QA50 and an adult on a 650. Pretty close if you ask me. If an 11 year old can ride his first bike without killing himself, then I'm sure a grown man with experience can ride a 650 without killing himself.
Now, let's talk about pods. Bwwaahhahaha

 

I have to disagree with this. Yes, the original brakes that came on our XJs were nowhere up to today's brakes, function-wise.

But you CAN improve them to be the equal of contemporary bikes, certainly equal to "built to a budget commuter bikes" just like you can improve the suspension.

 

"It's like drum brakes they work fine,even great based on their design parameters"

I've got double disk on the 'Zuki, wouldn't know about the drum problems the XJ's have ; )

 

How did you make the hard tail of did you get a weld on kit

 

He hasn't been around in 5 years. You might not get a reply.