advise on converting 94 sporty tail to mount seat without fender

[Ms54Coupe]

Hi guys,

I am looking at different options for dropping my tail on my 94 evo. I don't want to go to a hard tail on this bike. I am looking at 10" drop shocks but then I want to incorporate a small bobber style fender...my thought is to mount the fender to the swing arm so that it can move up and down relative to the frame but remain the same distance at all times relative to the tire (thus allowing me to mount the fender very close to the tire. The challenge with this setup would be the seat mounting...currently the seat mounts to the frame in front and the fender in back...with the new design it would need a custom mount in the back as the fender would no longer be an option. Have you guys seen a setup similar to this? Any builds which demonstrate mounting options for a non spring seat but still drop the tail and mount a bobber style fender?

Current pic for reference...

[FMB42]

I have a '94 XLH with a solo seat that is attached to the frame in the front and to the fender towards the rear. However, this seat actually rests on four separate seat mounted rubber bumper/grommets that, in turn, rest on sections of the frame (i.e. these rubber grommets take most, if not all, of the rider's weight. You might be able to make up a steel "U" shaped bracket that mounts to the frame via the inside of the shock bolts (if your seat uses the same rubber grommet support design). Such a bracket would, of course, need to clear the rear wheel/fender throughout its suspension travel. This bracket would also need to be designed in a way that keeps it from pivoting both backwards and forwards.

Btw, that's a good looking machine (and dog) you've got there...

[Ms54Coupe]

Thanks...I don't think this one sits on that many contact points...I'll take a closer look...I have only had this bike for 2 months and have changed the seat, risers, tail color, removed mirrors-speedo-front fender-front turns.

This is how it arrived...the pull back low risers must have been setup for a 4 foot tall person...I'm 6 foot and they were killing me

[Stinky Pete]

FMB basically said it - you need a seat which will rest on your frame. Sounds like you probably will need to invest in another seat.

If you search around you should be able to find a thread on mounting the fender to the swing arm.

Typically with these types of things, I usually start with what I want to use and figure out how to make it work. If that's the seat you want to use, you'll probably need to rework the mounts for it, which could be cut and weld or just a bracket that goes over the existing studs. If that's the fender you want to use it will probably need to be re-radius'd to get the look you want.

[Stinky Pete]

https://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/s...ender+swingarm

https://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/s...garm&showall=1

https://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/s...ender+swingarm

[Ms54Coupe]

Thanks man! I don't want to use that fender and am up in the air on the seat...it works great with the current setup but probably out of place on the design I'm looking to move to.

[M.O.Ther]

Here's a traditional solo seat mounted on a '96 evo Sportster (same frame as your '94.) Some people will tell you that sprung seats are just wrong on swingarm bikes. Dick Hirschberg didn't think so in '69 on his iconic shovelhead. If you do, you could use rubber bumpers instead of the springs.

[Stinky Pete]

Originally Posted by Ms54Coupe

Thanks man! I don't want to use that fender and am up in the air on the seat...it works great with the current setup but probably out of place on the design I'm looking to move to.

You'll probably want a standard solo seat, turned up at the back to keep you from sliding off. You'll end up with a pretty decent gap between your seat and the rear fender, esp if you get a seat with a high turn up. Depends on how you prioritize form and function.

A flatter seat, like a bates will probably look better, but you'll be sliding back towards the fender.

Personally I'd start with the fender I wanted, get it mounted and them figure out how to make a seat work or make one.

[Stinky Pete]

Originally Posted by M.O.Ther

Some people will tell you that sprung seats are just wrong on swingarm bikes. Dick Hirschberg didn't think so in '69 on his iconic shovelhead.

Pasted over from the Nostalgia on Wheels blog:

[knallert]

maybe something like this?
scroll down alittle....

http://www.bikeexif.com/sportster-bobber

cheers

[Larry T]

[QUOTE=Stinky Pete;856774]Pasted over from the Nostalgia on Wheels blog:


Irish Rich posted the same article here, along with Hirschberg's rigid pan. Both of em killer bikes.

[Stinky Pete]

Yes - Hirschberg's rigid pan is one of my all time favorites.

[Ms54Coupe]

Originally Posted by knallert

maybe something like this?
scroll down alittle....

http://www.bikeexif.com/sportster-bobber

cheers

Thank you!!! This is exactly what I'm looking to do!!

[[email protected]]

i found this corbin seat on e-bay used for $50 - supposedly to fit any sportster - apparently it is for a newer model - the mount nut on my fender was a half inch off - so after i got instantly pissed off - i just drilled a new hole to move it back and the new seat covers up the old mount - replaced the stock shocks with 11" progressive's - seat fits nice to the frame and you don't see anything under it -
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[Akeemking]

I think your bike looks fine as is...
but if an alternative is what you want: