Shaft drive hardtail question

Wondering if anyone knows if the entire shaft-tube/swingarm can be removed as a unit leaving the bare shaft (no jokes) because the swingarm won't be doing anything structural with the hardtail structure locating the rear.\\ \\\" />

My concern would be lubrication. The joints are designed to be submerged, aren't they? If you can figure that out, I don't see why you couldn't

I have seen it done. No idea what was required to do it. Looks like rubber seals over the universal joint.

In reply to Appleseed:

No, they're not.

None of my 'Guzzis or my Hondas have had submerged joints. There are grease fittings on the swingarm. When you remember that they are there, put a shot of grease in them.

The rear has a drain plug, that's staying. The front (engine end) of the shaft has a boot.

My build will turn out like this still I took from YouTube. You can see he retained the swingarm and shocks.

I have been considering hardtailing it but this design is much simpler.

Thoughts? I actually have the struts, they'll need to be shortened because I lowered the bike. New top studs will need to be welded on and the horizontal seat section will be cut out and replaced with two sections that aim toward the axle.

That is the worst of both worlds. The crap ride of a hard tail, yet doesn't look good.

The other hard tails shown look good, as do a lot of bikes. Especially Triumph hard tails.

Putting a strut in place of a shock is just lazy.

I don't understand people building hardtails.

My bikes are faster and handle better when I'm done.

That being said, if you're working with a Virago or a Maxim, it can't really get much worse.

Suzuki GS850L. Struts will be temporary and new top mounts placed to actually have the shocks connect the top of the frame and the lower stud on the swingarm. These will be roughly 9" until the 230mm shocks are procured.

Plans are to retain the swingarm/shaft tube because like above, I can't get the look to be right using them.

These things will both lower the bike significantly, retain some suspension travel and make room for a properly sprung solo seat.

(And I'm the guy that drove Samurais with loud Super Swampers, no doors/top/tailgate on plastic racing bucket seats with thin vinyl covers even while it was snowing so I'm ok with roughing it.)

Drag bars will replace old-man buckhorns Saturday

Trans_Maro wrote: That being said, if you're working with a Virago or a Maxim, it can't really get much worse.

I guess "worse" is in the eye of the beholder. I mean seriously. You use that line here where people build Yugo's and have multi-page builds on Saturns?