XS Build - A Father and Son Project

[Griz]

Hi army,
it's great that your father and son project has worked so well and at a reasonable cost too.
Choppers ain't my thing at all but if that's what you and your son want, OK.
However, I do hope you realize that your build is strictly for slow rides in parades.
Anyone riding a bike with no front brake on today's highways is gonna effin' die.

I haven’t used a front brake in a long time. Ever since I went down in a small dusty patch of gravel making a right turn. Luckily it was my roommates bike and I didn’t spill the gallon of milk I was carrying. Remember your old huffy days. Just slam on that rear brake and get side ways. See how long a skid you can do!!

 

[59Tebo]

When I was a kid, my Schwinn Typhoon was like a kid's 'Harley'. The road wasn't the only place I left skid marks! A front brake on a motorcycle, however, is going to have a better chance of saving your life.

 

[gggGary]

I haven’t used a front brake in a long time. Ever since I went down in a small dusty patch of gravel making a right turn......

I went down in seal coat gravel at a corner about 30 years ago. The lesson I took away was watch for gravel. NOT don't use the front brake.

 

[army85harley]

Hi army,
it's great that your father and son project has worked so well and at a reasonable cost too.
Choppers ain't my thing at all but if that's what you and your son want, OK.
However, I do hope you realize that your build is strictly for slow rides in parades.
Anyone riding a bike with no front brake on today's highways is gonna effin' die.

Thanks for your comment and yes, I understand what a front brake does and it’s importance. I also know there are guys that have been running without a front brake for decades.

Nevertheless, this bike we are building will be ridden. Not only in and around town but actually ridden to wherever. Not long distances because my back won’t allow that and nor will the small peanut tank.

I respect your opinion and I’m grateful that you gave it to me so honestly since I’m a complete stranger to you. I want this build thread to be a place to document a fun adventure between my son and I and not necessarily focused on no front brake.

Just watching the excitement in my son’s eyes or hearing it I’m his voice when him and I talk about the motorcycle or when he is telling other people about it makes it all worth it. He is genuinely enjoying this process and loving learning about tool.

 

[army85harley]

I haven’t used a front brake in a long time. Ever since I went down in a small dusty patch of gravel making a right turn. Luckily it was my roommates bike and I didn’t spill the gallon of milk I was carrying. Remember your old huffy days. Just slam on that rear brake and get side ways. See how long a skid you can do!!

I honestly hope there isn’t too much skidding. Reading your comment made me think of some of the crazy stuff my friends and I used to do on our bicycles growing up.

 

[army85harley]

When I was a kid, my Schwinn Typhoon was like a kid's 'Harley'. The road wasn't the only place I left skid marks! A front brake on a motorcycle, however, is going to have a better chance of saving your life.

Thanks for your comment. I was eating breakfast when I was reading your comment. In fact, I actually almost spit my food out from laughter when I read about the other places you left skid marks!

 

[army85harley]

I went down in seal coat gravel at a corner about 30 years ago. The lesson I took away was watch for gravel. NOT don't use the front brake.

I rode a 1940s Police Edition Indian sometime during my senior year of high school. I bought my first Harley (a Sportster) from the owner of the Indian and I was shocked when he let me take it for a ride. Everything was setup so that the right had was free and you were able to shoot and ride at criminals. It had a left hand throttle, foot clutch and a bump shifter on the right side of the gas tank. To make all that worse, the guy’s driveway was only half concrete. The other half was gravel still since it was a new construction. I’ve never ridden anything to this day that was more cool and unusual as it was.

 

[Griz]

ThAt faring and saddle bags are cool! what a score! Also, That hard tail is gonna be harder on your back than not having a front brake! All that being said, your son is what? 10? Since when do ten year olds care about safety or comfort? Chop that tail, toss the front brake, ride it without a helmet. Just don’t get caught at a red light going up a hill! It’s about having fun and making some memories with your son. When he is old and thinking back on these days what will be a better memory and story? “We chopped that frame up and tossed the front brake and painted it purple, what a crazy fun bike that was!” Or “we spent a week looking for the correct gauge cluster. Oh and don’t get me started on how hard it was to track down those turn signals!” Every time I see a bike with no front brake there is always someone who feels they should point out to everyone how dangerous it is not having a front brake is. Like no one has ever thought about that concept before. What kinda wheels are you thinking? No front brake calls for at least a cool front wheel. I had a midnight maxim that I ran with no front brake just because I loved the stock gold wheels so much.

 

[gggGary]

SOMEONE who feels they should point out to everyone how dangerous it is not having a front brake

Yup old story, new riders that have been sipping the kool-aid. You ride what you want, we comment like we want. No problem either way. I do know a rider that is crppled for life 'cuz he believed the no front brake line of sheet. Not much fun spending 40 years gimping around on the mangled remains of a leg. Front brake would easily have stopped him before the back of the truck that finally did.

 

[Griz]

Yup old story, new riders that have been sipping the kool-aid. You ride what you want, we comment like we want. No problem either way. I do know a rider that is crppled for life 'cuz he believed the no front brake line of sheet. Not much fun spending 40 years gimping around on the mangled remains of a leg. Front brake would easily have stopped him before the back of the truck that finally did.

This is a dangerous hobby in general. Nothing like upping the ante a little bit! Hey I know I guy that crashed and died. He had a front brake. The problem was he also had a CBR 1000. Also he didn’t have much sense but that was one of his attributes. Miss you buddy!

 

[army85harley]

ThAt faring and saddle bags are cool! what a score! Also, That hard tail is gonna be harder on your back than not having a front brake! All that being said, your son is what? 10? Since when do ten year olds care about safety or comfort? Chop that tail, toss the front brake, ride it without a helmet. Just don’t get caught at a red light going up a hill! It’s about having fun and making some memories with your son. When he is old and thinking back on these days what will be a better memory and story? “We chopped that frame up and tossed the front brake and painted it purple, what a crazy fun bike that was!” Or “we spent a week looking for the correct gauge cluster. Oh and don’t get me started on how hard it was to track down those turn signals!” Every time I see a bike with no front brake there is always someone who feels they should point out to everyone how dangerous it is not having a front brake is. Like no one has ever thought about that concept before. What kinda wheels are you thinking? No front brake calls for at least a cool front wheel. I had a midnight maxim that I ran with no front brake just because I loved the stock gold wheels so much.

Surprisingly the saddle bags and fairing were two of the items that sold first. A local guy bought the fairing and the saddle bags went to Michigan if I remember correctly.

 

[army85harley]

Some more parts came in today. We got our handlebars, two fender mounts, a fender strut kit and some bungs to mount the gas tank (all from TC Bros). Also in the photo is our new 4.75” fender from Lowbrow that came in a few weeks ago.

 

[army85harley]

My son loves our new handlebars! So before bed we ran out to the garage so he could put them on really quick.

After he got out of the shower he asked my wife and I if he could skip school tomorrow so him and I could stay up late and work on the motorcycle. It took everything in me to not say yes. My wife on the other hand, quickly said no.

 

[59Tebo]

Really, man... where does the summer go? Seriously, talk about motivation! Tell him the better he does in school, the more you guys work on the bike. He'll be Valedictorian before you know it!

 

[Griz]

Nice pics. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pretended to ride a project in my underwear before bed. Nice progress

 

[Beags64]

Judging by the grin on that young man's face, safe to say he's HOOKED!

 

[army85harley]

Really, man... where does the summer go? Seriously, talk about motivation! Tell him the better he does in school, the more you guys work on the bike. He'll be Valedictorian before you know it!

No kidding. The summer flew by. Both of my boys didn’t want it to end Luckily we got a lot of bicycle riding, swimming, regular fishing and bowfishing in.

Our motorcycle took a back seat for awhile but it is slowly becoming our primary focus again.

 

[army85harley]

Judging by the grin on that young man's face, safe to say he's HOOKED!

You are exactly right! Right before I took this photo, he said, “I’m 10 and these are taller than me!”

 

[army85harley]

Minor update: Yesterday, I caught a sale at Lowbrow and picked up a new throttle assembly and grips for $27.78 (shipped)!

 

[army85harley]

Last night and this morning most of the electrical was removed from the motorcycle. Then my son got to cut the back half of the frame off. We then slid our hardtail on, set the gas tank on and put the rear wheel on the lift to get an idea of what it will look like. We are hoping to get it all welded up in the next few days.

My son said he can’t wait to tell his friends and teacher on Monday morning.