Home made hardtail

Big J

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This is my first build sorry will get photos on soon and I am after a bit of guidance. I would like to hardtail my xs650 my self and was thinking if I could use the original swing arm and make a new top section of the frame like a hard tail but weld them to the swing arm. Would the swing arm be strong enough to handle having no springs or would it just break throwing me to the wind? Any other ideas would be grate to have onboard open to all.
 
i wouldnt think it would be to weak, i know my couzin bought hard tail struts for his honda 750 "is just a piece of flat stock that bolts on instead of the shocks". but in my opinion it doesnt look good. i think it would look pretty good and not need any jig work if you welded on the upper bars like you said, then weld lower bars in place, cut the swing arm and remove it.
 
It's been done that way many, many times before. Once you have it where you want it, weld the swingarm to the frame. You can find many examples of this method over on TCU.
 
Has anyone got any picks of this done to a bike be nice to see if it looks right etc.
 
I did it once to a Honda CM400, was my first time "chopping" .. haha.. it was a fun project, but I would never do it to anything again. Doesn't look nearly as good as a true hardtail.

Do it right the first time.

n632360295_4017575_9711.jpg
 
i think it would look pretty good and not need any jig work if you welded on the upper bars like you said, then weld lower bars in place, cut the swing arm and remove it.

I realize this is an old thread but thought I'd update it with some photos for anyone looking to build their own hardtail.

I used this method and think it worked quite well for a no-stretch build. It took me about 6 hours starting with a 10ft stick of thick 1 1/8th tubing and a couple of slugs to rolling down the driveway with a push from my shop mate (making vroom noises, mind you).

The last photo I've posted is from a build journal on the old Jockey Journal Board from a few years back before they clamped down on the 'trad. brit and US bike only" guideline. It was the bike that first got me into XS's. His build journal was damn detailed and inspiring. If I recall correctly, the builder had only your basic home wrencher's setup, nothing too specialty in his tool quiver and showed it can be done well with a little bit of clever design and focused execution. Too bad the thread was thrown out with the ousting.

Also, I think Hugh used this simple home-shop method for his design school thesis bike.

I see the value in a pre built bolt-on/weld-on hard tail but find it much more gratifying to make your own. And of course, you get to draw your own lines with one built at home.
 

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