So, any bike builders here?
 

I mentioned in another thread that I'd recently lost my mind and been having thoughts about chopping my Honda ('81 Nighthawk 750). I'm really spiralling down towards actually committing to it.

Tools and fixtures aren't a problem. What I don't have at home I can get to in my father's body shop. Money is always a problem, but as I won't be paying for labor, the project should be cheaper. The donor bike needs help in certain areas, but those areas are ones that would be getting replaced in the chop process anyway (tank, seats, certain linkages).

The dilemma is do I shop for an old Santee or Amen frame (hard to find, though I have a line on a semi-inexpensive Santee Swing-arm frame), or just set to cutting and welding on the stock frame? Another big concern is calculating trail. I've found a source for longer tubes for the stock forks, but haven't a clue as to how to figure out if I need to rake 'em or what, short of mounting them of course.

I'm looking to do a mild chop - 6-8" over on the forks with perhaps a few inches of stretch in the rear. I want it to look old-school, 60's-70's era as I don't really dig the modern bikes (West Coast Choppers, OCC, etc). They're cool, but not my thing. I really dig the choppers I remember seeing as a kid. I happened to be looking at the Honda working mentally on a simple repair of existing problems when I started to recall the old-school Honda CB750 choppers that were around in the 70's. This is where this (crazy damnfool) idea came from.

So, any chopperheads hereabouts?

do it, cut that frame, it's more fun that way anyways
and
chopping a stock bike is more fun too, rather than just buying stuff and putting it together
just make sure to make some sort of a jig to hold it together so it's straight
I'm sure there's somebody in here familiar with frame geometry, can't help you there........

just make sure to stick with your theme, changing your mind on shit really bogs down the process.........

Heh, gotta admit, I'm looking at the frame thinking it'll be more fun to cut. I'll certainly be more proud of it if I cut it. I hate using somebody else's work if I don't have to.

Forgot to add - your bike looks killer. Love the set to it. I have to admit that I saved the pic as a possible inspiration for overall set-up/geometry.

*thumbs up*

thanks dude
my bike is pretty much stock frame geometry, same length at least.
the hardtail lowered the back down so I effectively have more rake, which is cool
within the next couple weeks it'll be running

now
go cut your frame! let's see some progress!

Heh, gotta prep it first. It's a garage queen right now. I have some serious planning to do, then I will cut. I'll actually be making drawings, measurements and all that crap. Then I'll likely just bust out the cutter and wing it anyway.

I've never ridden a hardtail. How does it compare? I would guess that the ride is more rough, but is it significant?

Made some progess clearing off all the cladding and such. Without tank, seat, fairings, etc, the frame is starting to look really usable. Now I need to find a long Springer front on the cheap (yeah right) so I can figure how deeply I need to cut it.