Hard tailing

[alexcb360t]

Hey guys,
I've been toying with the idea of hard tailing a 360. When I brought the idea up to a friend of mine that welds he told me it was a bad idea because the bike wasn't meant to be hard tailed and the amount of vibration from driving would make parts fall off at random.

My question is, if anybody has hardtail'd an older japanese bike, do you need to mount the engine and all other pieces with rubber risers or is there anything else that you can do to insure you don't lose anything?

 

[derant]

Japanese bikes have been hardtailed for a long time.
Check out early Denver Choppers for CB750s that have been hardtailed in the 70s.
Here is a pic of one built in the 70s as well. One of the best looking CB750 chopers anywhere in my opinion.

Currently one of the most chopped Jap bikes is the XS650. There are lots of vendors making hardtails for these bikes.

If the the hardtail is built correctly, there shouldn't be an issue with vibration. The key is to proper fabrication techniques and materials. For instance, don't use a 110V MIG 90amp welder for welding on a hardtail.

Here is a resource worth reading: http://chopperbuilders.net/.

 

[spacejunk]

your friend is a know it all thta knows not much..
how many custom shops are building hardtails with big giant s&s motors. they beastly 113 cu engines will rattle.
and the xs is hardtailed all over the place. seems there is one on every streetcorner these days and that bike is known for vibrating uncomfortably. that 360 isnt gonna shake loose and fall out of the frame. id suggest rubber mounting your tank but that goes for any custom job. if you use the right materials, dom tubing, not blackpipe from the plumbing dept.
engineer it properly, look at the classic lines of a hardtail. dont think outside the box to build a frame. bike are built the way they are for a reason. and use proper welding technics. use plugs or sleeves when joining tubes, rosete welds, and such, gusset what need to gussetted. if all you can do is tack it in place then do that and have a real welder finish the job. hardtailing can be dangerouse and nobody wants to see anybody die.

 

[VonYinzer]

Until the 1950s almost every bike on the market had a rigid frame. Of course without rear suspension, the rides a bit rougher, but your main vibration issues come from not having the motor mounted properly, or the frame built incorrectly. Buy some loctite, torque everything down properly, and you'll be fine. I know guys who ride nothing but rigid bikes, and ride long distances all the time with no problems. It comes down to the quality of work, and making sure you put everything where it should be and the way it should be there. If a guy can run around on a rigid solid mount HD shovelhead, with a 10" over front end and not have anything fall off, a by comparison, much smoother old japanese bike will be no problem.

 

[tWistedWheelz]

I agree with the jury's ruling that your friend does not have a clue what he is talking about! I am only asking that you reconsider you choice of bike for the project. There are many motor/frame combo's on the market that would make a great chop/hardtail, however that 360 is just too good of a cafe/sport bike too put through that! I am all for self expresion/one off builds/and thinking outside the box, but there has to be some method to madness or you could be faulted with creating a mongoloid bastard! Good luck with whatever you choose to do!

 

[mrkil]

There are many motor/frame combo's on the market that would make a great chop/hardtail, however that 360 is just too good of a cafe/sport bike too put through that! I am all for self expresion/one off builds/and thinking outside the box, but there has to be some method to madness or you could be faulted with creating a mongoloid bastard! Good luck with whatever you choose to do!

mongoloid bastard sounds like an awesome name for your project

 

[tWistedWheelz]

touché!..........and that would make a pretty killer name! I still love those as cafe's though!

 

[spacejunk]

not running top mounts gets to be a very heated discussion on the chopper forum i frequent. kids say its ok crusty old pros strongly disagree...
i am neither kid nor crusty old pro but i dont think its ok to do so..
use your mounts...

 

[DrJ]

I'm all for top mounts, if the motor was designed with them, use them. Also, don't top mounts keep the top end in a vertical line?