Amen savior frame?

[james69]

Hey guys,

I came up on a bike with this wild plunger style frame. The guy selling it has no idea about it other than his step dad had it and it was put away in a storage container for a long time. He said it's titled as a 1971 HD. I am thinking it's an Amen SAvior frame but not 100% sure. Are these sketchy? Cheers!

[Tattooo]

Sketchy???? What do you mean by that???

They were very nice bikes...... With a little work that could be a great bike....... The seat needs some work in my opinion........

[james69]

Hey tattoo,

I showed a friend and he told me that he thought he remembered reading about those plunger style frames as being weird to ride/sktechy. I had no idea so that's why I came here to ask. I couldn't imagine it being much different than a regular rigid frame. I have never rode a frame like this :-)

[TriNortchopz]

Again, not Amen, as they got axle in middle of the springs:


Looks like Santee softail, or a plunger frame by The Machine Shop:

Santee




Check bronze bushings and replace if worn to keep the 'sketchy' at a minimum.

Did you buy it, nice.

Built and rode this hard for 10 years, you get used to the wiggles:

[james69]

thanks for that info tri! I am going to check it out tomorrow! I'll be sure to give it a good look over thanks for posting that information!!

[TriNortchopz]

Here is a link to that article: A look at 1970s Softail Chopper Frames by Andrew (Prof) from Choppers Australia: https://www.meatballsspringers.com.a...ers-australia/

Those axle plates could be modified to have a wider support - kinda just weld axle 'spacers' on the inside of each axle plate to provide more area of support for the axle to reduce twisting and help each side work together better. Thought about that, but never did it.

[ac72rat]

Lose the springs and install struts still looks good and no squirrely turns fwiw

[DustyDave]

The Amen Savior was the best of the duel spring rears but all brands I've ever ridden were quite rideable. They definitely have a different feel if you are used to swing arms But are in no way dangerous! Those kind of rumors get started and take on a life of their own.


I ride this sprung rear all the time, not as good as an Amen but a fine ride.

Dusty

[DoomBuggy]

Damn Dusty that is a sweet toy. What year did it start out as?

[DustyDave]

It's a 1950 vertical twin scout frame up 3" at 40 deg rake, with a military 741 engine bored and stroked from 30 cid to 42 cid, Sportster rear wheel. Yamaha duel leading shoe front, a 39 or 40 fork extended 12". Really neat frames ,0625" chromoly tube, feels about like carrying a bicycle frame.
Dusty

[Dougtheinternetannoyance123]

It depends a great deal on what you expect as well as what kind of riding you want to do. That bike is a period showpiece, time warp from the 70s. Would be fun to show off and ride around town. Long distance touring or a epic ride cross country? Not so much.
I never rode a big twin version but did ride a Triumph powered one many years ago, I did some work on it for a guy and did several test rides on it. He actually rode it a LOT and Seattle to bay area Calif at least 2x but it felt uncomfortable to me for even short rides so, I couldnt imagine riding it like that.
Over the years buying and selling thru my shop, I had a number of those frames made by different companies. You can still find old Jammer and AEE Chopper catalogs and old advertising, You could still buy them in the early 1980s & I debated buying one mail order in 84 but went another direction. (I bought a Santee rigid frame instead, still have it)
At one time, you could get them for CB750, Kaw 900, BSA & Triumph and both Sporty and big twin HD.
I have several original versions with that design. The choppers were copies of British and Indian frames from the late 40s & early 50s. Ariels, BSA, Norton and others all used these style frames but often were heavier and many cast iron frame parts. BSA & Norton usually were setup for Sidecars and the mounts were cast into the frame lugs.

I have a few old shop projects that have these type plunger suspensions. Two Ill eventually sell are both BSA, ones a single and the other a 650 twin. My wife has a 48 Norton 500 single with the same style suspension.
But even the British Factories didnt think they were a great frame design and only used them a couple years. They take a LOT of getting used to, I prefer Rigids, simpler, lighter and handle better.

BSA built a hot rod version in the 1950s called the "Superflash" and was a hopped up version of the Golden Flash. The GF had a cast iron top end and low compression, good for a side car. The point here is, the Hotrod version was frightening to ride, The stock GF was like 25-30 HP, and the SF was up around 50hp and that was enough to scare many riders. I have the parts to hotrod mine and build a "HOTFLASH". Here is an example...


Whats missing from the discussion on your Harley chopper plunger version is............... It a good deal? Does it run, do you have any idea of the the condition of the engine, trans & primary? The rest is cosmetic. Personally its got some weird but period correct styling, Id make changes if it were me, but its downright cool if the price was right.

Unless the seller has some really compelling info on it, then assume it needs everything and pay accordingly. If its in nice condition internally you are only out gaskets, seals, rings perhaps and some labor, But figure everything needs rebuilding & if not happy day. Look at it this way, You can buy a rigid frame for a shovel like that generally pretty cheap so, while its cool and funky, It might be worth it just for the parts to stick in a regular frame. That frame stipped of the motor and trans is rare, but not terribly valuable by itself dollar wise. Its a novelty and unusual but that does not always mean valuable $$$

[james69]

Thanks for all the information guys. I was not actually able to see the bike yesterday due to only having a narrow window to see it with the seller before he took off for vacation. I work 12 hr days so it was a long shot to make it happen since it's a drive to get to. I will hopefully be checking it out next week when he comes back.

After talking to him on the phone he really knew/knows nothing about harleys let alone old ones. I appreciate all the information. He took it to the harley dealership and they adjusted the clutch/cleaned the carb and then it fired up.