Those chopper bikes

[Rubycon]

Inspired by the motorcycle thread. 🙂

Those bikes don't have a suspension it seems. No springs or shock absorbers. Doesn't that make for a bumpy ride?

 

[I Saw OJ]

GET TO DA CHOPPA!!

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Some do, some don't. Many purists like hardtails because of the look at the feeling of being part of the road/machine and the simplicity.

 

[JulesMaximus]

The fork usually has a damper in it. The rear may or may not but the seats on a hardtail are sometimes on springs.

 

[trmiv]

Yes, it does make for a bumpy ride. Although it seems OCC does use a lot of spring mounted seats, so that helps a bit.

 

[MisterJackson]

I think the whole swing arm deal helps with that.


<____Chopper n00b, just started liking them because I watched American Chopper due to Jr. and Sr. being just like my Dad and I.

 

[BAMAVOO]

OCC will be here in Nashville this weekend building a bike and giving it away to someone in the audience on Sunday.

Kids will love the show. 🙂

 

[aircooled]

I got to sit on the OCC "Liberty Bike" last year when the owner brought it to town. It was a cool looking bike.

 

[CVSiN]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
I think the whole swing arm deal helps with that.


<____Chopper n00b, just started liking them because I watched American Chopper due to Jr. and Sr. being just like my Dad and I.

Hard tails dont have a swingarm... its just part of the frame unlike other kinds of bikes that have a swingarm and shock.

 

[Amused]

Many of their theme bikes are suspended in the rear. The suspension is hidden in a "Softail" configuration invented by Harley Davidson.

Examples:
http://www.orangecountychoppers.com/occweb_ver2_theme1.php

Firebike: Softail
POW bike: Hardtail
Black Widow bike: Softail
Commanche bike: Hardtail
Statue of Liberty bike: Softail
Old School Cody: Hardtail
NYJets: Softail
Mikey bike: Hardtail
Jet bike: Hardtail
Christmas bike: Hardtail


Here is a picture of a basic harley clone softail frame:

http://www.demonscycle.com/catalog/images/frame_softail_13_1.jpg

Note the rear swing arm. The shock (when installed) would be under the bike and the swing arm would have 4-5 inches of travel at the rear wheel.

Another softail frame. This time a custom for a chopper:

http://www.r-r-racing.com/aluminum_300_frame.htm

Again, the shock would be hidden under the frame.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: Amused
Many of their theme bikes are suspended in the rear. The suspension is hidden in a "Softail" configuration invented by Harley Davidson.

Again, the shock would be hidden under the frame.

The FIRST rear suspension with twin centerally located dampers was the mighty Vincent.
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/15october02vincentmotors.html See the dampers under Rollie's nipples 😀

Yamaha came along and used this design and called it MonoShock. It was first used on dirt bikes, then street bikes.

Then Harley Davidson came along and flipped the design over, placing the dampers in the worst possible position.
Tucked under the engine in a high heat area with little real cooling air flow... But it looks kewl because it can't be seen.
Too bad it has little travel and no damping once hot.
Harley did not invent this design, just reworked an existing one. 😉

Just keeping it real Amused.

MS Dawn, hardtail bikes (no rear suspension) are for bar hopping or <20 mile rides. Only the real hard core would do 200~500 mile days.
In the olden days a Volkswagon sized radial tire would be run on the rear, slightly under inflated, it would provide some degree of suspension/comfort.


...Galvanized

 

[MisterJackson]

Originally posted by: CVSiN

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
I think the whole swing arm deal helps with that.


<____Chopper n00b, just started liking them because I watched American Chopper due to Jr. and Sr. being just like my Dad and I.

Hard tails dont have a swingarm... its just part of the frame unlike other kinds of bikes that have a swingarm and shock.

I didn't know the OP meant specifically "hard tails".

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

MS Dawn, hardtail bikes (no rear suspension) are for bar hopping or <20 mile rides. Only the real hard core would do 200~500 mile days.
In the olden days a Volkswagon sized radial tire would be run on the rear, slightly under inflated, it would provide some degree of suspension/comfort.


...Galvanized

Holy chiropractor bill batman! :laugh:

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

Originally posted by: Amused
Many of their theme bikes are suspended in the rear. The suspension is hidden in a "Softail" configuration invented by Harley Davidson.

Again, the shock would be hidden under the frame.

The FIRST rear suspension with twin centerally located dampers was the mighty Vincent.
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/15october02vincentmotors.html See the dampers under Rollie's nipples 😀

Yamaha came along and used this design and called it MonoShock. It was first used on dirt bikes, then street bikes.

Then Harley Davidson came along and flipped the design over, placing the dampers in the worst possible position.
Tucked under the engine in a high heat area with little real cooling air flow... But it looks kewl because it can't be seen.
Too bad it has little travel and no damping once hot.
Harley did not invent this design, just reworked an existing one. 😉

Just keeping it real Amused.

...Galvanized

Do me a favor and take your anti-harley hard-on somewhere else. You NEVER see me trashing other brands as I understand things like this are as much subjective taste as they are technology.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

Originally posted by: Amused
Many of their theme bikes are suspended in the rear. The suspension is hidden in a "Softail" configuration invented by Harley Davidson.

Again, the shock would be hidden under the frame.

The FIRST rear suspension with twin centerally located dampers was the mighty Vincent.
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/15october02vincentmotors.html See the dampers under Rollie's nipples 😀

Yamaha came along and used this design and called it MonoShock. It was first used on dirt bikes, then street bikes.

Then Harley Davidson came along and flipped the design over, placing the dampers in the worst possible position.
Tucked under the engine in a high heat area with little real cooling air flow... But it looks kewl because it can't be seen.
Too bad it has little travel and no damping once hot.
Harley did not invent this design, just reworked an existing one. 😉

Just keeping it real Amused.

...Galvanized

Do me a favor and take your anti-harley hard-on somewhere else. You NEVER see me trashing other brands as I understand things like this are as much subjective taste as they are technology.

Nothing anti-Harley in my post. Harley just played with an existing design, then tucked the very limited travel dampers in a very high heat area. It was done for form NOT function.

What anti-Harley sentiments I have were generated over 4.5 decades 😛 Should I link the whitewall tire thread 😉

You have a lovely,albeit loud Harley Amused. I doubt anyone could/would want to ride it from SoCal to Sturgis.

 

[Rubycon]

Hippy Fight! 😉

:laugh: