Why Install a Hardtail? O.o?

[desmodromic]

****Before anyone gets offended, please know that I am NOT trying to bash on your bike(s) if it has a hardtail. I just want your opinion****

So I rode my first hardtail the other day, and I will not be doing that again. I went around a few blocks, hit a bump and a manhole cover and called it a day. Can someone explain to me why would someone do that to their bike and body? When I hit that manhole cover it felt like I was about to sit down and I missed the chair and sat on my ass. Not only does it hurt when you hit a bump but it handles poorly, it breaks traction very easy. I think they look cool and have great lines but I can't imagine people riding these, especially in NYC streets.

Again, I am not bashing or making fun of hardtails, just want some feedback.

Thanks

 

[itrguy]

I grew up riding Motocross and still do, however My XS is a hardtail, and have ridden close to a dozen various Hardtails. I experience none of the issues You experienced. Except maybe once on a raked out springer My buddy owned for a minute. I think it gives a solid feel to the road. Thats just my opinion though. To each their own.

 

[Gheorghe]

I think it depends on the bike and the set-up. I have a hard tail XS with a pretty nicely suspended seat and I have never experienced those issues which you describe and I ride it a lot. I also own a sport bike and I think the XS is a little more comfortable than the sport bike. With that being said I think it also has to do with your personal levels of comfort, for instance ,I rode my old sport bike, a Yamaha R1, from Detroit Michigan to Johnson City Tennessee in one day about 620 miles and could have easily done more. It all depends on the person.

 

[retiredgentleman]

****Before anyone gets offended, please know that I am NOT trying to bash on your bike(s) if it has a hardtail. I just want your opinion****

So I rode my first hardtail the other day, and I will not be doing that again. I went around a few blocks, hit a bump and a manhole cover and called it a day. Can someone explain to me why would someone do that to their bike and body? When I hit that manhole cover it felt like I was about to sit down and I missed the chair and sat on my ass. Not only does it hurt when you hit a bump but it handles poorly, it breaks traction very easy. I think they look cool and have great lines but I can't imagine people riding these, especially in NYC streets.

Again, I am not bashing or making fun of hardtails, just want some feedback.

Thanks

Why install a hardtail? In my opinion, its done for one reason. They want to have that "badass biker" image, that they saw in a magazine.. They are willing to sacrifice riding comfort and handling in order to get that image.

If they want to have the badest "badass biker" in the neighbourhood, they remove the front brake. Sacrifice safety, to get that "look".

Interesting how there are two ways to go with these bikes. Some of us do everything to improve safety and handling...............better brakes, better suspension, better steering, better lighting, etc. Others choose to go the other way; perhaps its the rebel in them.

OK, hardtail guys, let me have it with why you enjoy your bikes. I'm not bashing hardtails either...............diversity makes a better world.

 

[sseres]

I'm 44 and I have 2 kids and I've been married 19 years. I'm not sure I can apply badass to anything about me, even if I did have a hardtail.

 

[Irish_prick]

desmodromic it's all in how you set them up. i ride mine down some pretty messed up back rodes around here and im fine. the seat on mine would make most people cry just look'n at it but it's set perfect for me. but i know NYC is no real joy to ride in traffic, potholes. and if a hardtails not your thing there are other options. maybe brats are more up you ally

retiredgentleman the badass biker image has been done by everyone. the nice thing about xs's is there is so many diffrent ways to do them. i hardtail most of the bikes i do now cuz they sell better. the lines are cleaner and there are less things to where out. now im not just a hardtail guy. im get'n ready to redo my xs2 with shocks and a swing arm. and im not go'n for the badass look more like the hardass look...lol here the seat on my bobber

 

[3Deuces]

^^^ What he said. I think forward controls and a hard tail contribute to the abuse that your back and ass take. When I built mine, I recognized this and went with mid controls. With you feet under you, your legs absorb alot of the shock. Also, when you get lucky enough to see a big bump coming you can raise up off the seat slightly. I have to explain this concept to every commoner that looks at my bike and asks " How can you ride that thing?"

 

[jd750ace]

I had it explained to me this morning: QUOTE

I know alot of you guys are young on here and some of you got some real talent on building bikes BUT! most of you were sperm when i built my first couple bikes and you are missing the whole deal on building a CHOP. Has nothing to do with the RIDE/HANDLEING/FENDERS/TANK/SEAT..... ITS a BAR HOPPER and THE WOW!!!!! FACTOR. When you pull that rat or custom up to the bar and it empty's out to see what you build thats all there is. All the years i did shows with my bikes and there were some $40,000 harleys that i showed i didn't have the chains around it or the big body guards that told you that you can't take pictures. I let all my bikes open for you to sit on it or your girl or you kid take pictures GET NAKED if you wanted and i always had a group around my bikes just getting ASS SILLY. Great for shop and cool to get some numbers. Thats how i got my 2nd wife HAHA. Guys and GIRL bulider need ideas for there next build and if any of you build a cool bike and its copied FEEL GOOD.
I am going to be 61 and i started on a hardtail and i will DIE WITH MY HARDTAIL thats life for me. Harley/Honda/Yamaha does't matter what hardtail when you ride and people are hanging out of cars or turning around to see where the noise is and pointing at you and your bike. YOU DID IT!!!! CLOSE QUOTE

So actually, if I read this correctly, if it will hap-hazardly make it to the show-off hole, it's good enough. It does not have to be comfortable, safe, or even stable!

Right.

 

[bbillington]

too much geritol on this site.

 

[Hairyblackdude]

I did mine for looks.

Its the same thing that drives a lot of people to customize a lot of different things.

Try not to let it bother you & just do your own thing.

 

[Marvelicious]

Its all taste. If I ever got a screaming deal on a pre-evo HD motor, I'd probably hard tail it, but it wouldn't be my first or even second bike. I think all the "Wild Hogs" type guys buying HD have pretty much killed the "Badass" image no matter what suspension the thing has.

 

[Irish_prick]

too much geritol on this site.

thats what makes this one of my fav's sites the older guys and the young guys come 2gether and chat it up about the motors but then give out alittle friendly rib'n on the way they do the rest

 

[ontherocks]

Doesn't matter when you have good roads. TN has great roads. However, I would not ride my hardtail if I still lived in New Orleans. The roads there are just a bunch of pot holes and sink holes patched up and linked together.

 

[member3480]

I lived all my life in big cities and lived in the pot hole capital of the world STATENISLAND NY for 12 yrs and i rode my hardtail and my shock bike there and yes sometimes its hard but if you ever rode a hardtail on a good straight road and feel the ground below you.... you would know what most HARDTAIL GUYS LOVE. If you want comfort drive your car or go buy a Goldwing thats the closest i have felt to a car. Everyone is not a badass biker or wanting to be one and what is a badass biker could someone explain that one to me. I have gotten over $500.00 in ticket for riding my chop in Manhatten in one day for noise/handlebars/lights and when it was all said and done one of the cops said can i sit on you bike it looks unconfortable and had the other cop take a picture. Does that make me a BADASS BIKER ...... I was never able to get there HAHA!!! JD Sorry for screwing with you head but it has nothing to do with safety when you build a CHOP ITS LOOKS.If you had double brakes on both wheels and the bike lighted up like the sun. Worry about the guy next to you in the car with the air on and the radio blasting because he sure as hell will run you over in a min.

 

[livingdeadmc]

Uhhhhh...

 

[osteoderm]

Doesn't matter when you have good roads. TN has great roads. However, I would not ride my hardtail if I still lived in New Orleans. The roads there are just a bunch of pot holes and sink holes patched up and linked together.

Exactly! I was really stoked to build a hardtail bobber, but after a preliminary season riding the local New England roads on my stocker, I knew I'd want suspension. If I lived somewhere with better roads, I might have ended up with that hardtail after all.

Hugh mentioned in some thread here the importance of correct ergonomics, which I agree is often overlooked. With an ergonomic riding position and a sprung seat, a hardtail doesn't have to be a pain machine. Also, IMHO, mid-controls are a fine idea; you can get your weight off the seat and onto your feet when you see an especially shitty patch of road coming up.

On a related note, I watched a tube vid last night of one of those insane stretched-swingarm air-ride huge-tire nitrous airbrushed Hayabusas... Completely, utterly not my style whatsoever, but the owner of the bike was obviously so stoked and enthusiastic, and had done so much excellent custom work, that it was hard to find fault overall.

The real pity are the owners who buy/build hardtail bar-hoppers, who have them for a few months and realize it just isn't really their thing. But, instead of admitting it, they just pose more, ride less, and substitute bad-boy attitude for embarrassment.

 

[Purplezinger]

Different strokes for different folks. If you like 'em ok, if you don't ok. My take is this, if you have the skills and ability (and funds) to complete a project like this, go for it. However, most of the posts go something like this: "I just got this great XS650, can't wait to cut off the back end and weld on a hard tail, BTW how do you weld? Also the starter don't work, what's wrong with it?" What usually happens is a good 650 gets cut up, the ability is not there, the bike eventually gets scrapped or sold for parts and another potentially restorable bike is lost forever. Personally I hate hard tails and won't give a advice or encouragement for those reasons.

 

[jd750ace]

Different strokes for different folks. If you like 'em ok, if you don't ok. My take is this, if you have the skills and ability (and funds) to complete a project like this, go for it. However, most of the posts go something like this: "I just got this great XS650, can't wait to cut off the back end and weld on a hard tail, BTW how do you weld? Also the starter don't work, what's wrong with it?" What usually happens is a good 650 gets cut up, the ability is not there, the bike eventually gets scrapped or sold for parts and another potentially restorable bike is lost forever. Personally I hate hard tails and won't give a advice or encouragement for those reasons.

and "now that I got the look, the motor won't turn over and stinky brown mud came out when I tried to drain the oil. NOW WHAT? The answer is, make the motor look pretty and look at it, because it's all about the look!

 

[FrkyMnky]

First, IMO if you cannot ride a hard tail bike through rough roads, you did something wrong when the bike was built. Either the ergos and seat wasn't thought out enough or the front suspension wasn't taken care of. Again, this is my opinion after building and riding my own hard tail. Honestly my bike is more comfortable than any of the sport bikes I have owned and you don't seen people asking how you can ride that through NY.

That being said, I decided upon the hard tail because I liked the look and the simplicity. I like steel and carburetors and working on my own vehicles. I also love being able to feel everything in the road. As for all of the negatives I had read about, I'm able to brake just as well or better than any modern cruiser as the bike is now a lot lighter. It also handles just as well as any modern bike even with the bias Firestone replica tires I am running. I don't have any plastic on my bike, and all of the pesky electronics and wiring I no longer have. To me a hard tail is the most basic and simple form of a motorcycle and that is exactly what I wanted.

 

[ippytattoo]

All I can give is my own opinion on why to build a hartailed chop. It brings back alot of memories of the first xs I owned which was also a hardtail. Granted I did things a bit different on this one and the ride is definitely better. My first one had no springs under the seat, was a drop seat, had a wide rear tire, had no front brakes and just a disk rear, no turn signals. Basicly it was just the absolute minimum that I could get away with. Where as this one does have a sprung seat, a higher seating position, standard rear tire, dual front brakes and disk rear, BRIGHT turn signals, and I must say, even though my longest ride since putting on the hardtail is only about 60 miles, that the ride and performance is much much better than the original based on the fact that a 60 mile ride on my original made me feel like my back was in a permanent spasm, my nerves were shot and I was ready for a 2-3 hr break. Where as after 60 miles on my newest one I was ready for lots more but had to get back to the house so my son could go to work. I think that there is a big difference between a good chop and a bad chop. A good chop is very comfortable and easy to ride. That is just my opinion based on 2 different chops.