Why Install a Hardtail? O.o?

[mrtwowheel]

I'm not hating anyone. I thought about building a hardtail and then eventually decided against it, not because I hate someone but because it's not for me. Hell, I'm just trying to understand all of this because I am not familiar with these styles of bikes at all. The first time I saw an unraked hardtail at a rally I thought it was a motorcycle that had been custom built for a midget. I hung around the bike expecting a very short person to come and ride it away. Still trying to understand what a "Brat" bike is, or is it "Bratz"?

Scott

 

[1974jh5]

Never owned a hardtail but have ridden a couple, nope not for me. I am also a function over form kind of guy which I know puts me in the minority. Function over form means the ones I rode handled atrociously and for that reason I won't have one. You guys that like/love 'em, knock yourselves out.

 

[Irish_prick]

I like me shocks. And I live on an island, with really shit roads..

And truthfully, Im pretty tired of having to talk to every dude that likes my bike everytime I come out of a store, or pull up to the gas station, and its a close to stock frame..

I can only imagine how annoying it would be riding a hardtail with a wassel..Not only do you have to talk to the old guys who like to bring back old memories, but you would have to talk to all the bros who think your bikes "sick".

The latter tend to avoid me..which im quite happy about.

That being said, I WILL own a hardtail shovel. No doubt about it.

im look'n for a slab side shovel rite now for a custom but i want it lowerd with shocks

I'm not hating anyone. I thought about building a hardtail and then eventually decided against it, not because I hate someone but because it's not for me. Hell, I'm just trying to understand all of this because I am not familiar with these styles of bikes at all. The first time I saw an unraked hardtail at a rally I thought it was a motorcycle that had been custom built for a midget. I hung around the bike expecting a very short person to come and ride it away. Still trying to understand what a "Brat" bike is, or is it "Bratz"?

Scott

"brat" to keep people from bitch'n about hardtails.... it just gives the bike the "chopper" look without back pain

 

[BruceDeuce]

Its all about liking motorcycles and all the cool stuff you can do to them, period.
I love all bikes, doesnt mean I want to ride em all. And for those who ask what a real biker is "I am one"!

 

[Irish_prick]

Its all about liking motorcycles and all the cool stuff you can do to them, period.
I love all bikes, doesnt mean I want to ride em all. And for those who ask what a real biker is "I am one"!

 

[Tron]

im look'n for a slab side shovel rite now for a custom but i want it lowerd with shocks



"brat" to keep people from bitch'n about hardtails.... it just gives the bike the "chopper" look without back pain

You going for the look they have been rockin in japan with their shovels? (due to the frame mod laws). I love all shovels...

If you have seen the purple one that a jap girl rides with the springer..

 

[ZeroDistortionNow]

In the end, if extreme comfort is what the rider is looking for then there are so many more comfortable, better handling, better braking, faster and cooler bikes than the XS.... Cafe guys are going for their desired ride and look just as much as the rigid rider or the restorer type. If it was that much of a hang-up for any of us, we would all be riding goldwings and full dressers.. or buying brand new state of the art BMW's and Guzzi's. So for a chop guy to bash a cafe lover or a vintage resto guy to bash the chop, it makes no sense. We all march to the beat of our own drum.. some question the intentions of others or try to reason and rationalize what makes a bike lover tick... that's what makes the love of the ride and the bond between the rider and his machine so free to be free.... $.02

Posted via Mobile

 

[Grinder]

While not everyone has more than one bike, it sure is nice to have choices. I have a 77XS and a V Star 1300. The XS is fine for short rides on nice days but would I take it across country....no way in hell, suspension or not. After about 50-75 miles I'm ready to get off. The V Star isn't great for cruising around the city but 500 mile days on the interstate are no problem. I like having my two wheeled lazy boy, but I'm from the geritol generation.

 

[Scrambled]

The main reason people give for building hardtail choppers is to get attention. I guess if I want people to stare at me I could always ride naked . At least I would be riding, not standing around waiting for people to admire my bike.

 

[mrtwowheel]

The main reason people give for building hardtail choppers is to get attention. I guess if I want people to stare at me I could always ride naked . At least I would be riding, not standing around waiting for people to admire my bike.

Ha, If I build a hardtail, do I have to get tattoos or can I just ride naked?

Scott

 

[Irish_prick]

You going for the look they have been rockin in japan with their shovels? (due to the frame mod laws). I love all shovels...

If you have seen the purple one that a jap girl rides with the springer..

im think'n of a slamed stocker with a classic paint and a few trick to make it more rider friendly with a few mod's, like clean up the stock gaps from the fenders to the tires

 

[teflon97239]

Double post - odd.

See below.

 

[teflon97239]

I vividly recall the first bobber I saw up close, probably in 1965-66. It wasn't a long chopper with ape-hangers. It was a cut down Harley hardtail with a tiny bicycle seat, straight pipes, and a short, flat broomstick handlebar. Rude and to the point. My mind caught on fire.

Working my paper route, I got a Wren mini bike with a Tecumseh mower engine that same summer. I've owned and/or ridden pretty much everything made since then, and I still feel excitement in my gut when I see a primitive bike that smells like gasoline and hot paint. The cruder the better.

Would I take a long trip on rough roads on a hardtail? Hell no! That's what my shocks are for. Would I add a jumpy, dangerous, uncomfortable little bobber to my collection for a short commute to the cafe'/bar/work? You bet! Presently looking for a really simple one without all that generic JC Whitney "custom" crap on it. Just a loud, obnoxious, badly painted little beast with 30 psi in the rear "suspension."

 

[jamesgs4]

Ever notice how everyone always says that the roads are shitty where they are? Is there a good road anywhere?

 

[pristic]

Wow people get touchy ay!
I built mine as a rigid, I just finished a 200km ride with a pack of 15 guys to a show. It was actually fine (was it as comfy as the massive beemer type bikes, nah, but I dont like those anyhow)
I have forwards and a solo seat. The holes in the road are here too... but dunno about you lot, I generally AVOID going through them... wether in a car, rigid or sprung bike...
I love riding and have no issue on the rigid... could it be better - probably... do I care - no.
At the show there were a few harleys (full suspension) and the owners brought them there on trailers. I rode my rigid all the way there, entered the show with the dirt and dust still on her. THATS what it was about for me, not just a show pony.

Do I get more looks than my Brat and sprung mates? Yeah actually I do. Do they care? Not really.

Also, I call bullshit on the hardtails just for appearances.
Unless you are concourse or 100% looking like a stock bike - then you are as 'vein' as every rigid out there. You modified it for appearance. Yes, some little things are done for performance but generally you cant see that...
ALL of the styles (Brat, Cafe, Rigid, blah blah blah - you built you did for how it looks to you... period)

 

[pcoumbe]

Ever notice how everyone always says that the roads are shitty where they are? Is there a good road anywhere?

I have noticed that and often commented on other forums about how much I love fanging the Lemans on their POS Australian roads which in my mind are of a pretty high standard, but if you want to see bad roads, come and take a ride where I live.
In general if you have suspension and good tires they are ok for short bursts of warp 5 to warp 6, but a large percentage of them being hand laid cement for years before being covered with bitumen, the surface sucks and a hardtail would be painful in the extreme and a handful if running combined with a springer front end I would think.

 

[jefft]

No, we can't spend the money on good roads but we can probably fire a volley of missles on Syria at a million dollars a pop. Anyway, I have seen very few hardtailed XS's that I found appealing. They all seem to look alike and forward controls look awful on them. The best of the lot was the "thug life" build that was eventually sold to someone in Australia I believe. I think the XS lends itself more to café style but to each his own.
jefft

 

[DIRTY DOG]

I'm with JD and Daddy I love hardtails (just like my women haha) I have road over 10,000 miles on one so far and I'll prob. die on one I had a HD soft tail my hardtails ride better,
hell even my wife rides a hardtail.I'm 50 years old with a real bad back and I still ride one
IT"S LIKE AN ADDICTION !!( I LIKE IT I LIKE IT ALOT!!!! AS MOE WOULD SAY)

 

[ogh11756]

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

I agree and have seen good advice given to all aspects of the xs650.
To each his own i say, it's all about self expression.
The only thing i can do without is the flamers, if your comments are not constructive in any way keep them to yourself.
Peace

 

[TheBooger]

All these guys saying they're all about function are a bit silly. no matter what you do to it, a 30 year old parallel twin 650 is not all about function. it will not go, stop, or be as comfortable or safe as many many many modern bikes that can be readily purchased for less than cost of buying, repairing, restoring an xs.
one way or the other, it is at least some about looks, nostalgia, owning something with soul. otherwise we would all be on sv650s and honda shadows.
I have hardtail bikes. I have swingarm bikes. none of them are justifiable when you look at reliability, safety, comfort vs cost. but they all put a bigger smile on my face than pretty much anything on a showroom floor today.
I can find something I like and something I would change on almost any bike on this site, its all about finding the combination that makes you happy