'Splain the hardtail thing to me

I see people doing this all the time. I get that at least some of them are trying for an old-time look. Aside from looks, is there any actual benefit to tossing the suspension?

Maybe it's just that I'm living in a place where there is winter freeze and thaw that messes up pavement...

 

Short hop riding?

 

It is purely for an old school look. It definitely is not for a smoother ride.

 

Or handling, or safety, or the ability to stop.

It's simply mechanical de-evolution.

 

Juuusssstttt wait. Someone will come in here saying that it makes them go faster or something.

 

(off topic) Andrew, you were the guy who figured out the embedding of youtube right? looks like youtube shut that off

Anyways, someone i know put flat bars on his eliminator, rode for two hours and couldn't walk for two days! even with a sprung seat that gotta be hard on the a$$/lower back.

 

yeah, it's all about style.

But whats with the speedway-frames?

 

What's a speedway frame?

 

In one word, insanity. If i'm speaking broberg's language.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_speedway

no brakes, one speed, flat out

 

Interesting, looks like some of my videos that were posted on here aren't working any more. YouTube must have changed something. I just tried a couple different methods and it's not working properly.

We might have to get in touch with SnoSheriff so he can add a YouTube module/plugin. Not sure why that plugin hasn't been added already...

 

Yupp thats correct

 

links work for me.
stu

 

A lot of people don't like the look of rear shocks on a bike(my self included). I personally would love to have a soft tail(hidden shock or spring) cause of the hard tail look with the benefit of shocks.
Bigfitz Wrote:

Or handling, or safety, or the ability to stop.

Handling is better with rear suspension.
I think safety is a stretch since motorcycles were made so long without them,you just have to know how to handle one.
The ability to stop??? Even hard tails have brakes unless someone removed them, which is defiantly the wrong thing to do.

 

One of the many purposes a suspension serves (the main one actually) is to keep the wheel(s) on the ground. A wheel that's hopping under heavy braking doesn't help you to stop or handle your bike. This has a direct correlation to safety.

 

It makes you go faster.

 

It's to keep their sperm count down so they don't make any more rugrats-and the bike kicks their ass so the misses doesn't need to.

I use every inch of my suspension, wouldn't want it to go away.

 

Ahh, but the back wheel can do that with any setup if you apply it enough. Granted there would be better control on a suspension setup, but just because someone converts to a hard tail doesn't mean it's a death trap.

 

No not a death trap for sure if you know how to ride, but they do kinda remind me of the time my brother and I took his Nissan p/u on the motocross track and reversed his leaf springs after launching over a big jump. For some reason upside down leaf springs don't have much dampening. It was a wee bit jumpy all the way home, and it looked like a 70's hot rod attitude wise.

How about the chopped rear fender? what's the reason?

 

I almost started this exact thread the other day. I don't get the hardtail thing at all. Now converting to a monoshock for the "full floater" look, that is awesome. But I'm a dirt bike guy at heart. I'm jealous every time I see one of these "dual sport" or "enduro" type bikes. I also like the "apocalypse survivor" bikes. But having a Japanese motorcycle that wants to be a Harley or Indian, meh, I don't see it.

 

JPajanel,

Ahhhhh....and the "School of Human Psyche" enters in yet once again. And I quote..."For every action there is at least ONE equal but opposite reaction". Conclusion: For every member who thinks certain aspects of these bikes are "stock cool", there will be at least ONE who will disagree. That's why we learn to "Agree to Dis-Agree". Some prefer Seca's, some prefer Maxim's, some have no preference...we all like XJ's.

Gary

 

they do make you go faster. . just to get the ride over with after hour 4 lol they do look absoloutly sick! imo. but i must say i personally love the look of my maxim from stock. not saying there arent some sick builds out there. but not for me.

 

You get to play with a welder... that's why

 

dragsta, that's a pretty sweet ironhead

To each their own, but I'm curious just how many of you hardtail bashers have ever ridden a rigid bike that has pegs & bars properly setup for the rider? Sore after 4 hours? You're doing it wrong.

My current project is a hardtailed xj550 sporting a rigid mounted seat that I'm hoping to finish in time for a 4 day, 600 mile run south through San Felipe then Ensenada Mexico in May.

 

I've only ridden on two hardtails, they were both very cool looking and both bikes sounded posiitively mean so I see the appeal. The low posture and the feeling when you take off is pretty cool too. My only complaint was the unsteadiness I noticed in turns over any rough surfaces. It seemed like the rear tire was more willing to 'cut loose' and hitting potholes was a bit of a butt smack.

So stock is great, modified is great, customizing is very cool and always interesting, but I have a hard time taking functionality out of it and hardtailing seems to do that to a degree. I suppose a much fatter tire would help make the bike more stable and absorb the road more. Anyway modify to your hearts content, after all if it suits you then go for it.

 

I have 2 hardtailed bikes and working on a 3rd. I put around 5K miles on the VLX this summer. 1400 of which were over the course of a 4 day weekend. I have forwards and bars that fit me, a sprung solo seat, and run a few pounds light on the tire pressure in the back. A lot of it is what you're used to. If you're riding a HD all the time and jump on a crotch rocket, it's gonna feel different and unstable to you. This is the same thing.

Just the new guy's .02

 

X2!!!

skillet

 

cant we all just get a bong? lol i have to say ive never had a hardtail set up properly for me. so i guess my opinion is out. but screw you HD riders.. . .. bwahahah.