Soft tail into hard tail?

[chuck]

Hey guys,
so I am kinda new to here and i was searching but couldn't find anything...
So I have recently brought a Honda Rebel 250 to make into a sort of bobber style, now I am trying to do everything in my own garage but just had questions on the frame.
If I cut and weld a soft tail to make it a low hard tail do I need compliance for a wof? what is the best way about doing this modification? Just the do's and don'ts or if you could direct me to a thread discussing this.
Thanks guys.

[hayd3n]

um......................why?

[chuck]

I just like the look and feel, unless there is a way to harden the back sus and cutting the back part to replace with a smaller rear fender.

[FJRider]

Have you ridden a hardtail before ... ??? far .... ???

[Hitcher]

Suspension is overrated, particularly on 250cc cruisers. Weld up the rear and put the shock on Trade Me. While you're at it, weld the front up too. It will handle like a sheep on an ice rink, but it will look cool and that's all that really matters.

[FJRider]

Suspension is overrated, particularly on 250cc cruisers. Weld up the rear and put the shock on Trade Me. While you're at it, weld the front up too. It will handle like a sheep on an ice rink, but it will look cool and that's all that really matters.

And the cost of Certification for the welding isn't much anyway ... and you wont get a WOF without one ...

but hey ... it will look cool ...

[scumdog]

And book an appointment with your nearest chiropractor a.s.a.p. if you get this beast going.<_<

(If you stick to riding around netball courts you won't hurt your back to much)

[Urano]

Suspension is overrated

true.
i'd weld the steering too.

after all stoner seems not to need it...

[jonbuoy]

Great that you want to customise your bike but not sure about the hardtail bit, replace your shocks with some steel plates and try it for a ride around the block over some pot holes and see what you think before you cut the frame. You´ll be wanting a springer seat for sure. :buggerd:

[Road kill]

There's a number of Bobbed Rebels running around now.
Most of them have just replaced the rear shocks with struts and are running fat rear tyres an hairclip sprung seats which can be bought from a number of sourses in NZ now.
You don't need compliance just to run struts in place of shocks.
That also goes for weld or bolt on hardtails so long as their done well.
Do a google search for "Greasemonkeys NZ".
Their an NZ based site/club that Home builds Chops,Bobbers,Cafes ect ect,and have advice on building your own frames,hardtails,Springer front ends,gas tanks,seats ect ect.
Plus links to people that can help or teach you,,,and suppliers of some custom bits.
Don't expect much more than shit from this crowd here,,,that's all most of them do.

Good luck.

[BIG DOUG]

why don't you make some struts up replace the rear shocks and ride it around a bit to see if you like it and as for riding a hardtail I have ridden my ridgid shovel to invercargill and back and to taupo and new plymouth and have had no problems

[popelli]

its a lot of work for not much result

you are modifying a 250, chances are within a couple of years you will flick it for a larger bike, you will not recoup the time or money expended

easier to either fit struts or shorter / longer rear suspension to get the look you want

search on the internet somebody will make bolt on lowering kits

for modified bikes check out the jockey journal, they don't do jap bikes but there is loads of great threads and great ideas floating around for inspiration

[The Lone Rider]

Talk about a load of bullshit replies at the beginning of this thread.

Use struts.

Harley Sportster hard tail struts will fit, but you will need one end drilled slightly larger, and a bush made to fit the other end. You won't need anything else, although maybe get the bush painted or powder coated.

Struts won't need certification and you can keep the rear suspension to put back on.

The moment you cut the frame, you will need certification.

You can also attach a new, and presumably shorter, fender straight to the swing arm and get a similar look that you'd get from lowering (since you can hug the tire with the fender)

Greasemonkeys is average. But there is a number of "average" NZ customizing websites that cover such things.

[chuck]

Thanks for the helpful advice, while some are less than helpful it was great hearing the ideas, what i am now looking at doing is getting some struts or look for something similar to lower it with out cutting the frame to reduce cost as i will be getting a bigger engine/bike in a year.
I will be in the shed over the next month so I will post some pics when i am done.
Thanks again.

[Paul in NZ]

Good luck to you mate....

When we were young we had access to a supply of $200 rigid triumphs and build all sorts of horrible things which became less horrible as time went by and we improved. We had a great time and learnt a lot.

Having said that - not sure ChCh is the place for a rigid at the moment ;-)

Go for it.... Be keen to see how it turns out.

[admenk]

I rode a hardtail for over 10 years in the Uk (as well as trips around France) with no serious problems. Sure, you have to ride it accordingly and use a bit of common sense, but I had absolutley no problems with handling. Ok, I'll admit, some of the roads here in NZ wouldn't be great on one, but the main thing is to ride any bike sensibly according to it's own different limitations. I'm sure half of the negative comments you hear come from people who rode their mate's hardtail up and down the road for five minutes after just hopping of their own state of the art sportsbike (and then wonder why they don't handle the same) :innocent:
Whatever setup you go with, as long as it's safe, and you like it, then good luck to you.

[Paul in NZ]

Proof you cam make a decent custom from small / medium japanese bikes....

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/classic-vintage/auction-402799426.htm

Quite nice

[The Lone Rider]

Proof you cam make a decent custom from small / medium japanese bikes....

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/classic-vintage/auction-402799426.htm

Quite nice

You need to look at more magazines. Chopping jap bikes dates back as long as chopping harleys does.

Good find though - I might give the fella an email.

[AD345]

Proof you cam make a decent custom from small / medium japanese bikes....

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/classic-vintage/auction-402799426.htm

Quite nice

yeah very noice.

I often toy with the idea of doing something radical with my bike but my complete lack of mechanical ability (I once tried to change the bulb in my headlight and it ended up costing over $350 to get the mess sorted) means that the cost would be prohibitive

[The Lone Rider]

I often toy with the idea of doing something radical with my bike but my complete lack of mechanical ability (I once tried to change the bulb in my headlight and it ended up costing over $350 to get the mess sorted) means that the cost would be prohibitive

Thats why you get more than one bike.

Here's one of mine, work in progress (and slightly out date). I'm frequently adding new numbered creations from Rider Rides and Rubbish Bins. They don't meet any city council regs though, as far as rubbish bins are concerned.

245672


At one point one of the bundle of bins included a 1/4 finished dirt dragger, bindoon dirt drags style. But welding up the new frame fucked me off to much one day, and I biffed it out the workshops large utility door and smashed it with a forklift.

Actually I just had to relocate it - to many bikes and not enough space.