Soft Tail

[BuddhahoodVato]

http://cyrilhuzeblog.com/2014/10/29/did-you-know-the-story-of-the-harley-davidson-softail-frame/

[pan620]

Thanks!

[Taverner]

Thanks for posting this... always interested in this kind of history.

[BuddhahoodVato]

Thanks for posting this... always interested in this kind of history.

My blessing.............

[docmel]

Here's a flash for you. The HD softtail frame is really an offshoot of a japanese design and actual implementation from the mid-late 1970's, and it wasn't used in a street bike. It was in a motocross bike, made by Yamaha, and the system was called called the monoshock. Although the monoshock mounted a single shock near the rear down tube of the frame, on which the swing articulated on, the Softtail basically uses the same mechanics, except the shocks are mounted under the frame for sake of appearance

[JBinNC]

Here's a flash for you. The HD softtail frame is really an offshoot of a japanese design and actual implementation from the mid-late 1970's, and it wasn't used in a street bike. It was in a motocross bike, made by Yamaha, and the system was called called the monoshock. Although the monoshock mounted a single shock near the rear down tube of the frame, on which the swing articulated on, the Softtail basically uses the same mechanics, except the shocks are mounted under the frame for sake of appearance

Sorry, Vincent beat that by about 30 years.

Jim

[thecarfarmer]

A thread from El Pinché Buddha that doesn't have a choice in a bikini.

"Hi, Reverend Costa, did hell just freeze over?"

[TriNortchopz]

Sorry, Vincent beat that by about 30 years.

Jim

Found a pic while reading through '50 most iconic motorcycles:

https://gearpatrol.com/2013/08/27/50-most-iconic-motorcycles/

[farmall]

Monoshocks go back MUCH further than any of the above examples.

https://occhiolungo.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/the-first-mono-shock-rear-suspension/

Twin underslung shocks as used on the first gen HD softails are not the same thing as anything other than similar underslung shock arrangements.

There isn't much unique to be done with motorcycle suspension but it's too bad monoshocks didn't take off early enough to be "classic" since twin shock, short travel suspensions are inherently inferior.

[crashlann]

Love those curved struts, why the hell did HD not stick with that it looks so much cleaner.