Choosing A Springer

[muskallunge]

I'm working on my first chopper with my '78 xs650. Looking to put a springer fork on 'er with a rake of at least 6-10 over (70's style buy not extreme denver style). Anyone have any advise? Are there frame modifications that I need to think about or hardtail geometry to match? Thanks.

 

[fredintoon]

I'm working on my first chopper with my '78 xs650. Looking to put a springer fork on 'er with a rake of at least 6-10 over (70's style buy not extreme denver style). Anyone have any advise? Are there frame modifications that I need to think about or hardtail geometry to match? Thanks.

Hi muskellunge and welcome,
OK, you want to replace your bike's stock tele-forks with a springer fork.
But do you want to increase the steering head rake from it's stock 27º to between 33º and 37º or increase the fork length by between 6" and 10"?
Whatever your plan, the thing to watch is what happens to the front wheel trail after the changes are made. Stock trail is about 4 and a bit inches. More trail slows down the steering. Less trail speeds it up. More than 6" trail and it'll just hate going round corners. Less than 3" trail is OK for sidecars but makes a solo bike frighteningly skittish.
Note that longer forks (any style) lift the bike's front end to automatically increase the frame's steering angle and increase the steering trail.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

You may want to spend some time in here, read up on rake/trail and springers:

http://chopperhandbook.com/