This is not another anti H.D. thread honest, but Hard-tails. Why?

I looked at a hardtail awhile bike. VERY cool bike, but at the end of the day the guy just wanted too much money. I would have preferred rear suspension, but this was a one off bike, not something you can go to just any dealer and pick out, so I had to take it how it came. I thought, if we could make the pricing work I'd give it a shot, and if I hated it I'd just sell it since there are a hell of a lot of ppl that like hardtails. I'm used to some form of suffering in all types of vehicles, so this was just one more thing and nothing, in my mind, to get worked up about. Would I want to DD it, I highly doubt it, but I have other bikes I use for DDs. I also don't do the bar hopping thing or group rides of any kind, but riding different bikes is fun and for me this would definitely be different!

Anyway, the guy still has the bike, so if he ever decides to cut his price in half I'll own me a hardtail and will report back how horrible and dangerous it is/or isn't for me.

Also, this wasn't a Harley and did have a front brake. I'm willing to give the hardtail thing a shot, but ditching the front brake is not an option for me.

Why drive a 32 Ford with transverse leaf springs? Why put 3 Stromburgs on a 55 Chevy?

Hard tails look nice. Look at a 36 Knucklehead. That bike (a hard tail) styling is still used today in the Softtail line. It just looks good. The softtail looks like a hard tail but has suspension in the back. If I was to get an additional bike, I would consider a Springer Softtail Evo. It has all the looks and an Evo motor. Or a hard tail Evo chopper.

I knew a guy with a bolt-on-weld-on hard tail kit on an iron head Sportster, back in the 80's. It looked good. A hard tail is the classic chopper look, like the Captain America hotlinked above. As FT said, it isn't all about traction and comfort.

Appleseed wrote: Why drive a 32 Ford with transverse leaf springs? Why put 3 Stromburgs on a 55 Chevy?

How exactly does a posi-trac rearend on a Plymouth work?

You're reading Stanceworks, and questioning hardtails?

Most original hardtails had spring-mounted seats. For a reason. And a lot of the hardtails I see now that are regularly ridden for long distances have spring mounted seats. My first bike was a hardtail and I've ridden a Harley chopper with extended front end & no front brake, sucide clutch and jockey shift. My opinion is the came up with rear suspension for a reason. Too old to deal with that rough-ride now, gimme a suspension. Doesn't matter if it's velvet ride, softail, mono-shock or twin shock. As long as it has a suspension.

RealMiniDriver wrote: You're reading Stanceworks, and questioning hardtails?

Yup, while there's a lot of crap on Stance Works, there are some incredible builds and amazing skill shown by some of they builders. But hard tails, no matter how much skill in building still appear worse than pointless to me, they appear stupid in concept.

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

RealMiniDriver wrote: You're reading Stanceworks, and questioning hardtails?

Yup, while there's a lot of crap on Stance Works, there are some incredible builds and amazing skill shown by some of they builders. But hard tails, no matter how much skill in building still appear worse than pointless to me, they appear stupid in concept.

Well at least you keep an open mind lol. Porsche got sued many times for the 911s handling characteristics back in the day, but that didn't keep me from buying one.

I guess you either get it or you don't Adrian. Here's an English hard tail:

German hard tail:

American hard tail:

In reply to Dr. Hess:

I've got nothing against any of those, they were built that way because that's how it was then. It taking a perfectly good bike and ruining it blows my mind

Adrian_Thompson wrote: In reply to Dr. Hess: I've got nothing against any of those, they were built that way because that's how it was then. It taking a perfectly good bike and ruining it blows my mind

Yeah, hardtailing a softail bike is analogous (to me anyway) to fitting mechanical rod operated brakes, hand operated spark advance, and acetylene lamps to a car from the 1980s, stuff undeniably better in every way has been developed.

Good grief..

A Vincent is NOT a hardtail.

Look closer, it's not even hidden.

Dr. Hess wrote: I guess you either get it or you don't Adrian. Here's an English hard tail:

Oh, OK, that Vincent has a shock. My bad. Here's an English Hard Tail:

Adrian_Thompson wrote: taking a perfectly good bike and ruining it blows my mind

It's called customizing. It's only ruined in your mind, not in the creators mind. Not really any different than the 4-wheeled destruction many here, including you, enjoy.

While it may not be your cup of tea, that doesn't mean no one will drink it and enjoy it.

And again, speaking from actual experience, hard tails are nowhere near as bad riding as folk with no experience pretend they know them to be.