Hardtail 550t

[blmiller8]

rode it yet?

Yep took it for a ride yesterday. Bike barley made it home on battery power though I didnt realize that I hadnt tightened down the charging system wire all the way. Today I had to tear the electrical system back down and while dooing this cut my ignition wire on something. LOL. I feel like I have been just running in circles with this build everytime I try to fix something I brake something else in the process. Homefully crossmy fingers this is the last little bug to work out.

[briyenkieth]

what a feeling though,huh? Jetting on mine is crap but it didn't stop me from riding up and down my block for an hour or more. Even snuck over to my pops house about a mile away. The ride wasn't as hash as I expected and it turns the tightest circles I've ever managed on a bike. Seat gave me the greatest bruise on the inside of my thigh from kicking it over.

[blmiller8]

what a feeling though,huh? Jetting on mine is crap but it didn't stop me from riding up and down my block for an hour or more. Even snuck over to my pops house about a mile away. The ride wasn't as hash as I expected and it turns the tightest circles I've ever managed on a bike. Seat gave me the greatest bruise on the inside of my thigh from kicking it over.

I feel ya man i didnt have any lights on my bike when i was building it but I got it to start somehow at one point and rode it around the block like 10 times. While my girl watched me and laughed every time I rode by.

[Hammered]

Looks so much better than it did. Nice looking ride.

[Zooks]

Having been in the auto trade and done a lot of fabrication I really love seeing the creativity of custom machines. I must say however, that I will never understand the 'hardtail' thing. Why would you want to make a motorcycle as uncomfortable as hell and handle like a piece of sh1t???

No offence intended, truly, I just don't get it.

[briyenkieth]

have u ever rode a rigid frame? I hadn't till the other day when I got mine up and running. Suprisingly not as rough of a ride as one would expect as for handling mine corners just fine, went around a few curves in the nieghborhood and not a twitch.

[po-boy]

Frame looks much better now, likin it Bro...

[blmiller8]

Having been in the auto trade and done a lot of fabrication I really love seeing the creativity of custom machines. I must say however, that I will never understand the 'hardtail' thing. Why would you want to make a motorcycle as uncomfortable as hell and handle like a piece of sh1t???

No offence intended, truly, I just don't get it.

Have you ever ridden a hardtail. Myn aint that bad even on the hwy.

[atb1998]

hardtail 550

Looks a LOT better than before! Congrats. I have absoulutely no problems riding my rigid frame. I handles fine, doesn't ride any rougher that any other bike i have. I have 6" springs under my seat that really cushion the ride. Solid monted seats on the other hand can be very unforgiving. But the common myth that rigids are hard to ride is just that a myth. It all depends on the wheel base, forks, tire size and seat set up.

[briyenkieth]

agreed. I have five or six inch springs on mine and am playing with air pressure a bit. I was purposly hitting every pothole I could on one of my laps around the block and didn't think it was all that bad. I did stand up going thru the big dip at the bottom of the hill. (this thing eats car bumpers kinda dip) I allways assumed a rigid frame would be this ruff hard to tame beast that wouldn't be any fun past ten mph.

[Zooks]

I just can't imagine hammering into a bend at 100km/h on a bike that I wasn't 'at one with'. The idea of my arse floating about when I want to really lean is not all that appealling. I like to feel that the tank is truly sandwiched between my legs and I am holding on good and firm. The shocks and springs are there to absorb the bumps, not my saddle - that should keep me firmly in place and never move.

As I said, no offense, it's just different strokes for different folks I guess.

BTW - I am very interested to watch this bike progress.

[briyenkieth]

So the answer is no then? you do realize that these aren't meant for that kinda riding, don't you? That's what proper sport bikes are for. Also why I own of them as well. I have to admit I never got it myself, but felt like I could build something cool and after riding it I was wrong about this type of bike. Maybe I am biased since it's my creation but the ride isn't what your picturing. The seat don't move side to side or nothing stupid like that. As for the tank....mine at least is more positivly mounted than stock and on the bike in this thread I think it's stock. Different strokes sure but don't damn what you don't understand. Btw in the states 100kph ain't very fast. Matter of fact you'd get killed on our freeways at that speed.

[atb1998]

rigid

No offense taken here. Up until the 1950's 99% of the motorcycles were rigid frame. Some of them were very fast bikes. And could easily break the 200 kph mark (120mph). The crocker for one, brough superior and most indians could. with a little tweaking most harleys could. I have thrown my suzuki into turns a lot faster that 60 mph. Actually i like tossing my suzuki rigid into turns more than my gs 1000. It is light, nimble and easy to ride. My gs 1000 feels like i'm steering a couch in comparison. My rigid only weighs about 350 lbs wet. My gs 1000 weighs in excess of 600 lbs. Of course my buell smacks em both in the ass on turns.

[briyenkieth]

which buell? I have an xb12cg. The damnedest thing happened today on it. Coming of the freeway it died, first thought was gas, as I was deep into reserve. Pushed down to the gas n go and it wouldn't idle for crap. Had to make it to work so I gave it a bit of throttle and it fired and I was off. Had a minute to pull the airbox off only to find why I lost all abilty to turn the grip. The shaft running thru the throttle body snapped! Spit half the shaft out and left the rest. Never seen anything like this. Warmest ride home in months. To bad in a tow truck.

[atb1998]

mods

i have a 99 x-1. That throttle body shaft breakage thing has happened to me. iT SUCKED. Call buell, it should be under warranty. It is cause by a weak shaft and hammering the throtte to hard to much