How do Springers Ride?

[BlackCloudSalvage]

Seen some decent priced nice looking springer front ends for sale lately online. Like old W&W and an old harley one. They look really cool but im curious how they ride? The ones I'd be interested in are short stock length style on stock rake rigid frame. Never been a big fan of really long sprinters but id like to try one out someday. Looks fun when people bounce that front wheel on a long raked bike.

Are they just for looks or period correct applications or is it a good fun ride?

[BlackCloudSalvage]

This one for $900

[Tattooo]

I love mine...... Both of them........

[AlbertaFarmer]

$900 seems like a fairly reasonable price for that W&W. It's a very nice front end.

I've yet to ride a springer, but I've got an OEM softail one squirreled away for my next project. Plenty of people put big miles on with them. I can't imagine it being too bad of a ride. I've even heard some people say better than tubes if properly set up and maintained.

Tattoo, I've said it before and I will say it again, beautiful machines.

[Tattooo]

Tattoo, I've said it before and I will say it again, beautiful machines.

Thank you!!!!!!!!

[TriNortchopz]

I love mine...... Both of them........

That Knuck of your's with the raked Harman girder is a beauty:

Original Harman girder patent drawing:

[TriNortchopz]

Never ran a short springer, just a +18 Jammer with a raked frame for 10 years; with the extra set of internal springs, it didn't pogo that much, and it rode pretty good on shit Northern roads they call highways:


Bought this A65 with +25 springer; never finished it; sold it to my bro and he ran it for a couple years - that was more flex than spring

[Tattooo]

That Knuck of your's with the raked Harman girder is a beauty:

I don't think he called it a girder as he made them also.....

But what ever it was called it's the BEST by far, front end that I have ridden, Ever!!! It has NO flop and no bounce what so ever.....

[Tattooo]

Bought this A65 with +25 springer; never finished it; sold it to my bro and he ran it for a couple years - that was more flex than spring
[ATTACH=CONFIG]97726[/ATTACH]

Man that was a beauty...... It's a real shame that you never finished it.....

[TriNortchopz]

I don't think he called it a girder as he made them also.....

But what ever it was called it's the BEST by far, front end that I have ridden, Ever!!! It has NO flop and no bounce what so ever.....

Couple of good reads here on Bill Holland and John Harman's internal sprung girder:

The History of Bill Holland and Executive Choppers
"John Harman and Harry Holland started a company called H & H Cycle where I, Bill Holland, was the only employee. John Harman came up with a design for an internal spring girder.
H & H started building the front end and I had a big involvement in making the parts and John doing the welding and my brother, Harry doing machine work. After working out all the details of manufacturing the front end, H & H started the procedure of patenting the front end and in May of 1973 the Harman Front End was patented. A year later..."

http://www.executivechoppers.com/about.html

John Harmon’s Legacy
The Holland and Harman connection
"...As many of you know the Harman frames and front end assemblies introduced to the custom market in the early 70's were some of the finest quality and most functional pieces ever offered. Frames including custom Harley swing arm frames were available for virtually any machine and the unique internally sprung girders were probably the best handling and shock absorbing girders you could buy..."

https://www.hotbikeweb.com/john-harmons-legacy#page-6

[TriNortchopz]

Man that was a beauty...... It's a real shame that you never finished it.....

I was running a shop, had lots of bikes and chops and custom builds for customers...he had another A65 chop with a twistrail Butts springer, so the fit was good.

[Hatchet54]

the pictures in this thread are making me sweat

[Tattooo]

Original Harman girder patent drawing:

You know something Tri, As long as I've had this front end and as a nice as it rides I can't believe it was never copied by someone?????? Hell they copy everything else.........

It is made incredibly well........

[TriNortchopz]

I did see one copy recently; I think it was on the Choppers Planet or the Longfork Choppers fb site...it was close, but the area near the trees caught my attention as just a bit different...guy in Europe built it himself.

[Tattooo]

I did see one copy recently; I think it was on the Choppers Planet or the Longfork Choppers fb site...it was close, but the area near the trees caught my attention as just a bit different...guy in Europe built it himself.

Glad someone tried..... I'm still astounded that is wasn't mass produced during the chopper rebirth...........