SuzukiSavage.com - Hard tail conversion

littlefights Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 54 Gender:	Hard tail conversion 08/14/09 at 07:54:43 I'm kind of kicking around the idea of doing a bolt-on hardtail on the ol' savage. Is this particularly hard to do? And how does it affect handling? Do you have to remove the rear tire to do it? I did a search, but didn't come up with much. Thanks.
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mikestrikes Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 236 Decatur, AL Gender:	Re: Hard tail conversion Reply #1 - 08/14/09 at 08:33:24 If you are talking about struts then NO you wont have to remove the rear wheel.
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Toymaker Serious Thumper Offline Dragon Rider Posts: 1534 Granite Falls, NC Gender:	Re: Hard tail conversion Reply #2 - 08/14/09 at 09:27:29 but you will want a sprung seat then....otherwise you will need chiropractic treatment.
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kevinphan Full Member Offline Posts: 220 Dracut, Massachusetts Gender:	Re: Hard tail conversion Reply #3 - 08/14/09 at 10:04:02 I have seen a few hardtailed Savages here and there. I'll be having mine hardtailed by the Tigman come winter.
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littlefights Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 54 Gender:	Re: Hard tail conversion Reply #4 - 08/14/09 at 10:14:41 Yeah, I was definitely going to switch to a sprung solo seat. I'm a little worried about the bumps, but I'm also concerned about handling - does the switch make a big difference (+/-) in the way the bike rides?
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Hard tail conversion Reply #5 - 08/14/09 at 10:43:56 I never rode a hard tail,but I would think when you hit a bump the wheel is going to come off the ground that would be bad in a curve.Years ago a harley guy in town had a hard tail he put 12 pounds of air in the rear tire.That seat will help you but not the bike. It was a bar hopping bike,like most harleys
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rigidchop Serious Thumper Offline don't feed the drama llama Posts: 1105 ravenswood wv Gender:	Re: Hard tail conversion Reply #6 - 08/14/09 at 10:45:48 being that there is no springs to soak up the bumps, they just bounce. so yeah, handling is affected. if you learned how to ride a motorcycle, surely you could learn to ride one without shocks. its the same, but different.
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Duane Senior Member Offline Creatively Maladjusted Posts: 335 Terra Plane Gender:	Re: Hard tail conversion Reply #7 - 08/14/09 at 11:43:30 Sounds like a bad idea to me if you plan to realy ride the bike. I have seen a couple on the forum though.
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Charon Serious Thumper Offline Posts: 1811 Harvard, NE Gender:	Re: Hard tail conversion Reply #8 - 08/14/09 at 11:54:40 If you are a rear brake user, it will have bad effects. When you hit bumps the rear wheel bounces up and clears the ground. That allows the wheel to lock, and it will skid when you land. The rear springs force the wheel down more quickly than gravity, so the tire stays in contact with the road.
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rigidchop Serious Thumper Offline don't feed the drama llama Posts: 1105 ravenswood wv Gender:	Re: Hard tail conversion Reply #9 - 08/14/09 at 12:45:28 without trying to start a debate, i'll just say i ride the crap outta mine. no its not the savage.
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Online OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28726 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Hard tail conversion Reply #10 - 08/14/09 at 16:13:34 If your mechanical abilities leave you concerned about removing the rear wheel,.. I wouldn't recommend trying to hardtail it... Give yourself a little time to gain experience....
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clueless-FSO Senior Member Offline Posts: 454 Birmingham, Al Gender:	Re: Hard tail conversion Reply #11 - 08/14/09 at 19:16:51 I still have the stock shocks on mine and swear it's a hard tail. You gotta have a hard tail to deal with the stock shocks.
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Demin Serious Thumper Offline We need more chlorine in the gene pool Posts: 2435 Warren,Ohio Gender:	Re: Hard tail conversion Reply #12 - 08/14/09 at 19:52:58 Depends on where live on how bad it is.In Texas,not too bad.In Ohio not good.
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littlefights

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SuzukiSavage.com
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Posts: 54

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Re: Hard tail conversion
Reply #13 - 08/14/09 at 22:43:35

I'm not doubting my mechanical abilities so much as I just don't have a good place to work on it. I live in an apartment and don't have a lift, so getting the rear wheel off would be a pain. But your point is well taken.

Seems the consensus is that this is probably a not great idea. I think I'll hold off until I get a chance to ride a hardtail and see how it feels. Thanks for the input all.

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Demin Serious Thumper Offline We need more chlorine in the gene pool Posts: 2435 Warren,Ohio Gender:	Re: Hard tail conversion Reply #14 - 08/15/09 at 05:55:48 A regular jack will work to get one wheel or the other up.
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