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Can I assume the downtubes are welded directly to the neck and the gusset is just wrapped around them, or, do the downtubes "stop" inside the gusset and it's built as one big monocoque lump?
Anybody peel off this gusset? Pics?

 

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Thanks Slag Kustom and J.F.Byrd for the info and advice and pics. I was actually thinking of "dissecting" it and having a cleaner, lighter looking steering head without the factory gusset wrapped around it, just a couple of small gussets to keep it together. Still not sure if I want to rake it by cutting behind the steering head or by stretching the down tubes....have to figure out how much stretch = how much rake.

 

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I figured 2 hours, but 4 hours later I had the gusset off and mostly smoothed out. Grinder, sawzall, hammer and chisel + 4 hours! I got impatient and sloppy now I have a couple of nicks and one bad spot where I really dug through the weld that will have to be welded up before I continue.
Trying to get an Ironhead look to the frame, now I have to figure out how to move the shocks forward and still have room for an oil tank and battery. Thinking an old kidney tank hung on the side and remount the stock battery box after relocating the shock mounts.
So if anyone else is curious what an Evo Sportster frame looks like under the gusset....

 

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Hope you post updates as you make progress on this. I've been considering that same thing for my '92 EVO XL. The shock location on those frames has always bothered my eye compared to the proportions of an Iron Head frame.

Bob

It's just an idea right now, still thinking about how I will do it. I am keeping a file of pics as I go along, so if I do get creative I will post a build thread.

I do agree with you, the rear end of the late Sportsters just doesn't look good, whereas Ironheads look "right".

 

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Thanks, a few gussets will be going in and sitting here thinking about a 2" stretch to the down tubes to go with the 6" over front end.
I'd like to see the bike with the Ironhead rear section, or anything where the upper shock mounts have been moved to look like an Ironhead. I think it would look good with the later box section swingarm, and the shock mounts should be easy to relocate.

 

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Would some one with an Ironhead frame take a measurement from the center of the neck to the shock mount holes and post that dimension?

Bob

Good idea...there's a place to start.

 

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We've changed topics here but what the hell, here's something I found - I don't really like the way it has been done or the style of the bike, and I sure don't like the battery hanging down there. Looks like plenty of room to mount a battery across and a kidney tank on the side.

 

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bob, no problem, I was only joking - it started out about headstock gussets, and morphed into shock mount relocation. I agree with you about moving the seatpost (and extending the top tube) if a horseshoe oil tank was in the plans. I think a new triangular seat cradle terminating in shock mounts with 2 parallel 1" "seatposts" angling back like an Ironhead to support a cross member between the shock mounts would leave room on either side to mount a tank and battery, and still look convincing.
I'm going to finish up the work on the headstock and down tubes I've already started before cutting up the subframe.

 

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I noticed they put new upper front engine mounts on the frame - I lopped mine off with the gusset just because it was near impossible to work around it. I've been considering just leaving it off, Ironheads didn't have them and Evo Sportsters didn't have them until 2000(?). Also noticed quite a few aftermarket frames don't bother with it. The frame is much skinnier, open and cleaner looking without it.

 

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You said originally that you were trying to get an Ironhead look for your frame. I have no experience with this but I've seen Evo swingarms on Ironhead frames but how about the other way around? Is that even possible? I've never made a side by side comparison. I'm sure someone else has by now.

Just a thought.

I like the late box section swingarm, I would even put it on an Ironhead if I was building one.

 

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I think the Japanese site for the guy who changed the back end of his Sportster is this one.......

http://inuchopper.blogspot.com/

Have a look back to around the end of June 2010 to see what he did. You can translate the page using Google's translate facility.

I'd like to do this to my 2000 sporty, but you don't fall across the parts too easily in Normandy!!

Thanks. I had seen that before but haven't been able to find it.

 

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After thinking about it and staring at my frame, I ordered hardtail for it! Just decided that's the look I want with the stripped out headstock. So as it sits now, 2" stretch in the downtubes, 1 1/2" stretch in the top tube, 32 degrees rake. Nothing welded up yet and the hardtail arrives tomorrow, so I'll be at either a buddy's place for a day or two or at the welding shop next week. Pics up after it's welded up and maybe roller assembled. Maybe I should start a separate thread about the stretch, hardtail, etc?

 

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I got some more work done over the last couple of weeks. The downtubes are stretched 2", top tube 1 1/4" and a 1" tube added under the tank to strengthen the steering head. Rake came out to 32*. A Road 6 hardtail, battery box and oil tank have been installed, still more boxing to be done on the battery box/rear engine mount to clean things up and a bunch of brackets need to be made up and welded on, grinding and molding.
I assembled it with the 6 over front end but it just looked a bit too high in the front to me even with 32* rake and 2" longer downtubes - I think it's because the rear has been dropped so much with the hardtail. I slid the tubes up through the triple trees 6" to see what it would look like with a stock length front end and I liked the stance, sat level and not so low it's not practical.
In the pics I have installed the 5* raked bearing cups with the 6 over forks and really like the way it sits but I'm not crazy about the raked cups - should have raked it a bit more when I had the frame cut apart.
That's how it sits for now and I'm just going to stare at it and think about it for a while. Main concern is not to look like all the hardtailed Evo Sportsters out there, or any aftermarket custom frame.