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So here goes...
I've read through every thread I can find on the subject and think I have a fair idea of what I want to do, but I want to use this as a forum for constructive criticism as I go through my process. I have a 76 bonneville bored out to a little over 800 cc that started as my uncles bike, became my mother's, and has been mine for a couple years now. It's already a jumble of parts from when my uncle used to street race it and wrecked it years ago. Cerriani front end, chopped rear frame loop, cut and moved forward fender, battery eliminator, and about four inches of the rear of the tank is bondo from where my uncles crotch crushed it in (ouch), to name some of the work and fixes. Recently I've been breaking brackets and racking up a list of parts needing replacing, so it has me wanting to limp it through the summer and save up for a winter hardtail and overall chopper project.
Here's where I need advice. I've been checking out as much as I can on frames and hardtail kits, and I've decided I want to go the route of eliminating the bulky OIF backbone and downtube. Living in NH I don't think I need to have matching frame numbers so I'm basically between getting a David Bird slimline weld on hardtail, or a factory metal works frame. I'm probably going to go with 4" stretch and 2-2 1/2" drop because that seems to be the most balanced standard look I'm seeing. I want to run a king and queen seat more than likely for riding with a passenger hopefully fairly often (I've never done this because my fender is not even close to strong enough to hold someone).
Kind of looking for advice on the frame first, and will be posting here more as I make progress and even maybe tomorrow to show pictures of the bike and how it's been getting all fucked up on me, and from me like when I dumped it on the exhaust when I took it out this spring and hit slush on my mile long mountain driveway... I've been learning how to work on the bike as I go, and am new to any sort of metal fabrication. I plan on learning how to weld asap, and I'm eager for any advice on what to aim for or avoid in a first build. Thanks in advance!
I've read through every thread I can find on the subject and think I have a fair idea of what I want to do, but I want to use this as a forum for constructive criticism as I go through my process. I have a 76 bonneville bored out to a little over 800 cc that started as my uncles bike, became my mother's, and has been mine for a couple years now. It's already a jumble of parts from when my uncle used to street race it and wrecked it years ago. Cerriani front end, chopped rear frame loop, cut and moved forward fender, battery eliminator, and about four inches of the rear of the tank is bondo from where my uncles crotch crushed it in (ouch), to name some of the work and fixes. Recently I've been breaking brackets and racking up a list of parts needing replacing, so it has me wanting to limp it through the summer and save up for a winter hardtail and overall chopper project.
Here's where I need advice. I've been checking out as much as I can on frames and hardtail kits, and I've decided I want to go the route of eliminating the bulky OIF backbone and downtube. Living in NH I don't think I need to have matching frame numbers so I'm basically between getting a David Bird slimline weld on hardtail, or a factory metal works frame. I'm probably going to go with 4" stretch and 2-2 1/2" drop because that seems to be the most balanced standard look I'm seeing. I want to run a king and queen seat more than likely for riding with a passenger hopefully fairly often (I've never done this because my fender is not even close to strong enough to hold someone).
Kind of looking for advice on the frame first, and will be posting here more as I make progress and even maybe tomorrow to show pictures of the bike and how it's been getting all fucked up on me, and from me like when I dumped it on the exhaust when I took it out this spring and hit slush on my mile long mountain driveway... I've been learning how to work on the bike as I go, and am new to any sort of metal fabrication. I plan on learning how to weld asap, and I'm eager for any advice on what to aim for or avoid in a first build. Thanks in advance!
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