Convert to rigid frame, or not?

[Kallep]

I´m thinking of converting my suspended Duoglide frame into a rigid rear end.
Pro´s and con´s with such a conversion, anyone?
The bike is not anywhere near original.

Why do it? Because it looks soo much better...
Why not? Ride comfort? Other issues that may emerge?

Thanks Folks!

[kitabel]

A rigid frame with a plunger seat is far more comfortable than a suspended frame with a fixed seat.
The only people who can tell the difference between a 1957 and a 1958 already own one or the other.
To almost everyone else, including H-D riders, it's an old bike.

[1951 adam]

Drop down duo frames are beautiful , nice lines. It is what it is. Instead of making it what it's not make it what it is.

[Cotten]

Kallep!

As long as you get a whole different frame, and don't booger a reasonably original frame, there is nothing wrong with the idea at all.

They are all just pieces'n'parts,...


....Cotten

[Huck]

Find a buggered HD frame nobody loves and have it. I hard tailed a buggered 69. 90% of folks don't know one frame from another, the other 10% take pause to figure it out.

[Bosheff]

Nuthin rides worse than a swing arm frame with worn out shocks, worn out star hubs, and a T-bar set up where the pogo stick wallows in the seat post bushings. Nuthin rides better than a rigid with -73 hubs, and a frame mounted seat....bosheff

[Cotten]

Bosheff!

You left out trashed swingarm bearings, perhaps the most important part.

And frankly, decently serviced star hubs are as fine as any modern assemblies. And I do not mean "updated"!

Riding a rigid sitting on the frame is for the very young.
And solo as well, which pretty much defeated a motorcycle's purpose from my perspective: It was alway about entertaining women as far as I was concerned. I could never sing, nor dance.

My sidehack served me well. (winkwinkwink).

....Cotten

[4pans1man]

WHY NOT MAKE SOME STRUTS FOR YOUR FRAME. YOU COULD INSTALL A SET, MAYBE EVEN MAKE SOME OF DIFFERENT LENGTHS, OR ADJUSTABLE. THAT WOULD CHANGE THE LOOK AND THE RIDE. THEN RIDE IT FOR A WHILE AND SEE HOW YOU LIKE IT?

......TONY

[Kallep]

Alright! -Lots of opinions! Good, because I´ve been thinking about this for a while and still really don´t know...

Reasons FOR chopping up the frame:
# It´s probably not original anymore, I think it has been slightly raked at some point and there´s more to it on that subject below.
# I live in Sweden. Any rigid frame that will fit the Panhead engine here, already have an engine in it.. I.E it´s tricky to find such a frame and even if I do find one, it will probably cost me lots of them £€$$$££€€$$.
# If I do get another frame to make a swap, I´d have to re-register the bike and that can be such a friggi`n hassle here.
Back in the early days, people could chop and weld to modify and transform their bikes more or less how ever they pleased. But through the years, rules and laws were passed to have all modifications written down in the registration forms.
If you own a bike with papers issued before 1950, you are exempt the MOT (US-DMV?) forever. These vehicles/bikes are classed as veteran autos and does not have to pass any annual inspections.
This does not mean that all pre- 1950 bikes on the road in Sweden are old heaps of junk, far from it.
Most modern high-tech choppers have pre -50´s papers.. Someone bought an old bike, chopped and sliced, ran it for a few years and then sold the bike as parts but kept the registration papers. He then bought all top end stuff, new frame, new engine + 250 rear tyre and built a brand new bike.
He then has his old VIN-nr imprinted in the new frame, and hey presto! New bike from 1950... All legal, all good.
He never has to pass any inspections anyways.
After 1950, you have to do the inspections, but older bikes still have much lower requirements and more or less all of the pre-70´s Harleys are rebuilt or modified.

I own one of these "rejected" bikes. It is a 1961 Panhead in (probably) it´s original frame, but has lost it´s original identity. Someone took the papers and built a souped up chopper.

However, my registration papers does not say if my bike has a rigid frame or suspended. So the cheapest and easiest way for me would be to have the frame rebuilt with a rigid-rear-end-kit.

Q:
¤ Are these rigid frames hard to find in the US, and how much would one cost?


@1951 adam
I hear you man, good point.

@4pans1man
Good idea, I just might do that.

@Cotten
You think I should get a replacement frame?
Is the geometry different or in other ways make a better bike with a original rigid?

@Huck
Those frames does not exist here unfortunately. They have all been salvaged and modified already.

@Bosheff
That´s my thoughts too. I have to choose between spending €$ on either new shocks, bearings + what not, or buying a rigid kit. And the money does not differ all that much.

@Cotten again
-Regarding the ladies.
I always thought these old bikes would be the perfect babe-magnet, but when you turn up with an old beaten up Panhead, the only ones coming up to you are men born in the 50´s, with something of a juicy wet look in their eyes, sayin things like "My second cousins neighbor had one of those..."

[Huck]

Check this site.http://www.fabkevin.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Call Kevin, super nice guy. He's rather an odd ball in today’s world as he does exactly what he says he's going to do. He hooked me up on tubing and slugs for mine, they were perfect. My request was a pain I’m sure, he charged nothing extra. If you have good roads it shouldn't be an issue. When riding rigid you'll find your attention to road conditions will be much more focused.

PS
you are exactly right, nothing cooler than an old rigid.

[Cotten]

..@Cotten again
-Regarding the ladies.
I always thought these old bikes would be the perfect babe-magnet, but when you turn up with an old beaten up Panhead, the only ones coming up to you are men born in the 50´s, with something of a juicy wet look in their eyes, sayin things like "My second cousins neighbor had one of those..."

Well, Kallep,..

Let me put this way:
First, you have to be where there are women.

Next,
Lots of pretty young things are on self-distruct. They would hop on anything with lots of chrome and shiny paint under the streetlights. That's okay for a minute.

But I found that ladies with any self-respect were choosy enough to look for the safest way to follow the pack.
Worked for me often enough, and seriously, they were least likely to be a liability in the long run.

But that was years ago. Yet it is hard to imagine women changing much. Being so perfect to begin with!

....Cotten

[1962FLH]

# If I do get another frame to make a swap, I´d have to re-register the bike and that can be such a friggi`n hassle here.

Old harley frames do not have registration numbers from the MO CO. In the USA, 1969 and earlier Harleys were registered with the engine number and you could put that engine in a different frame and keep same registration. How does it work in Sweden?

John.

[Kallep]

Let me put this way:
First, you have to be where there are women.

-Hehe, g´darn dammit! So that´s why? ...

But I found that ladies with any self-respect were choosy enough to look for the safest way to follow the pack.
Worked for me often enough, and seriously, they were least likely to be a liability in the long run.
But that was years ago. Yet it is hard to imagine women changing much. Being so perfect to begin with!
....Cotten

You might as well describe the relationship one has to a bike. Not too far apart, ladies & bikes.
-And both will bitch if you don´t spend enough time with them.
Major difference though: The bike will start to drip if neglected.
Women? Not really sure yet, but I think not so much.
We do learn a lot from all these hours in the garage, don´t we? Honing our social skills too...

[rocket ron]

WHY NOT MAKE SOME STRUTS FOR YOUR FRAME. YOU COULD INSTALL A SET, MAYBE EVEN MAKE SOME OF DIFFERENT LENGTHS, OR ADJUSTABLE. THAT WOULD CHANGE THE LOOK AND THE RIDE. THEN RIDE IT FOR A WHILE AND SEE HOW YOU LIKE IT?

......TONY

I did this many years ago to my Duo. Spent days making the struts to lower the rear, one short ride and took them straight off. They were VERY rigid. No flex at the rear like you get with a hard tail frame. And I didn't think they looked as good as I had hoped.

[rocket ron]

When I was at the Veterama market in Germany this year there was a company that makes Big Twin frames.
They'll manufacture any year or style to order. Frames looked good but I don't know anyone who has bought one. Don't know whether that's a route you want to go.
Their site is http://www.forthewheel.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;