Anyone put a Sporty engine in a metric "sortail" frame?

[n8mandy]

I want the hardtail look but am pushing 50 with a bad back.

The Harley Softail frames have the final drive on the wrong side so it would be more work than if a metric cruiser has one on the right side.

I'm not even sure which metric have softails.

PS I'm crossposting this bc it has both HD and metric parts.

[farmall]

What is a "metric softail frame"? BE SPECIFIC. If we could read minds we'd be rich. What year Sportster engine? They're not all the same.

Are you attempting to put something together from leftover junk you already own? Sounds like it, but if so details will be needed including pics of the chassis you're working with. I assume you've plenty of fabrication experience as you'll have a lot to do. Does the frame have a title? If you own a complete running Shadow etc the smart move would be to customize that and ride it.

There have been and are plenty of softail-style aftermarket frames for Sportsters. Unless you get all the parts cheap or free and have the equipment and skill to pull it off plus serious incentive (like severe, extremely desperate lack of money for anything better) fucking with a metric frame designed for a completely different bottom end is unlikely to be worth it. Most of those frames look like shit with the bodywork off. Since the only reason to want one is appearance starting out ugly is questionable.

The shape and dimensions of a Sportster bottom end differ considerably from metric bikes. If you're a skilled fabricator building your own frame would likely get you a much better result. If you're not a skilled fabricator the best route to a Softail is beginning with a Softail.

If you have a complete running Sportster you can ride the best advice is forget the metric frame which I consider a recipe for a failed abortion. Not everything which seems good at first glance works out. Instead, compare and contrast real Softail frames (the metric frames are monoshocks, not "Softails") with aftermarket Sportster Softail style frames and either mod a legit Softail frame (with a title) if you absolutely have to have a Sportster engine in a Softail chassis or go aftermarket.

The classic chopper is an HD big twin and starting out with an Evo Softail would yield a far better motorcycle much quicker and with less thrashing. Trying to "big twinfiy" Sportsters usually ends up looking like ass, wasting all the effort for a project totally intended for appearance!

A motorcycle is X amount of $ on two wheels. Budget sets hard limits. What is yours?

A bad back at 50 will only get worse. Consider how important a mere toy is vs. your spine.

[Tattooo]

It will be a waste of time and money and it will never be finished....... At 50 buy something you and ride and enjoy and not work on the rest of your young life.............

[n8mandy]

Alright, you guys are right, thanks for the input.

[farmall]

Happy to save others time and money!

[Tattooo]

Anytime...........