No. Sportsters don't have tensioner pullies, although, a spring loaded tensioner pulley would prevent having to tighten or loosen the belt if you consistantly make rear height adjustments.

My Nightster has struts and I would have it no other way but I have a few other Sportsters that still have rear coil overs. I love the way my Nightster handles and rides and I also love the way my other bikes handle and ride...It's definitely an acquired feeling but I would say that I appreciate the benefits of being able to have it either way. I think the ride is a bit stiffer but I have pretty short seat springs and only 1/2" padding on the seat itself.

I guess I can't answer the question of how much better or worse one is than the other. All I can say is that I was going for a specific look and didn't care what it rode like but was pleasantly surprised.

 

Someone is going to have to explain this to me. With shocks in place, the unsprung weight is the wheel, swinging arm and pulley etc. With Struts in place the unsprung weight is now the the wheel, swinging arm, pulley and the rest of the bike.

So now with a fixed rear end the acceleration force that causes the weight transfer onto the back wheel now becomes a rotational force around the rear axle causing the front end to go light at lower accelerations. Also, doesn't the rear wheel have a tendency to skip?

I can see doing the struts for the look but does anyone really think they improve handling?

 

You just about had it. Try to imagine standing on a cement floor and jumping straight up. All of your energy is directed much more accurately than if you were to simulate the same jump while standing on a soft bed...and I mean the initial leap. Not after a bounce (pre-load).

Just try it for yourself...you seem to want to do the research, and as inexpensive as they are, it would be a good weekend experiment. Btw, I only did it for the look. Lol.

 

I think you missed my point. The bike squats because the power has transferred to the road. The squating of the bike is a consequence of acceleration not a precursor.

 

No, I didn't miss your point. I just feel like it's such a simple theory you could just try it instead of overthinking it. Set it up, try it out & put it back the way it was in 30 min.

 

hey hey hey, back to me and my bike looking so damn good lolol come on guys I was just askin a simple question, so NO jumpin on beds, you may split your wig open on the Fan!!!! I'll do the swap out consistently for like a month and let ya'll know how it turns out and if its worth doin back and forth

 

Ha ha...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like a dick.

When I thought about running struts I made a simple set to see how I liked em.



I decided that it was the way I wanted it to be but was concerned about how low the bike was. Nightsters don't have much ground clearance. So the next set I made were a little more slim and adjustable. I can adjust them up to 3" higher on the side of the road if need be, although I haven't needed to run them any taller.





Good luck! Btw, struts with the stock seat kind of suck.

 

the unsprung weight increases to 98% of the Gross vehicle weight. unsprung weight is bad.

having lost a pair of rear wheel bearings, i'd say anyone running on struts had better check their bearings every week. they aren't designed for that kind of impact. nor are the swingarm bearings.

dropping your rear means decreasing the lean angle. if you ride in the mountains, heavily laden coal trucks are going to be riding your *** around the curves. you'll be holding up traffic everywhere you go.

rake/trail increases, making the steering slow and crappy. you shoulda got a fat slow big twin to ruin instead of a sportster.

plus, if you ride with any old-school bikers they're going to make fun of your bike. struts are the stupidest idea in the world. they always were and they always will be. if you want a rigid frame get a rigid frame and do it right. its your choice: half-*** it OR make a sweet ride. the rest of the world doesn't care about you feelings. its your right to be a cheap-*** and its our right to point and laugh. if you don't like it, try doing things right.

you can get a fair ride out of the old firestone bias ply tires if you run em a little low. the thing to keep in mind with those is the sidewall is REALLY THICK so you must mount the tire before putting a fender on it. and, you will absolutely need a 21" front wheel in order to match the diameter of the rear (otherwise it looks like your rear tire is a giant while the front is a midget).

riding a modern tire on a rigid is a lot like being a bitch: you want everyones attention but haven't thought anything through. go back and look at old choppers and you'll see a lot of garbage bikes (cause a lot of people are stupid) but if you look close you'll begin to see what works and what doesn't. i bought my old chopper for $250 because no one wanted it. it has struts and all sorts of wrong-doings. we put a lot of work into re-engineering the rear end and fixing the neck to match the front end and rear. when it was finished it rode great and looked right.

everyone likes a rigid but if you're going to do it at least do it right.

 

I don't know any "old school" bikers that point and laugh or make fun of anyone elses bike.The guys that do the pointing and laughing are usually the guys who know the least.Besides,who gives a f@ck what anyone else thinks.I know a few old timers that rode around on chopped motorcycles w/ struts in the sixties and seventies.They were pretty popular back then.........especially on the drag strip......find some old pics.

If you wanna try struts, try 'em and f@ck what anyone else says .I agree, a rigid frame is the way to go because struts will ride harder than a rigid, but, running around on struts can be alot of fun and gives you the option of switching back if you don't like 'em or you wanna bring along a passenger.

By the way ,I rode around on struts for several years and NEVER had a wheel bearing issue

 

i agree 100%.....if that's the look and ride you want then go for it. i don't even know what to make of certainteed's scientific/condescending response. however, i do agree with one thing he said about the bearings being that the ride in the rear is a bit stiffer but just keep an eye on them and you'll be good. point and laugh gimmie a break? i remember doing that **** in the schoolyard at recess but remember, he's a "real biker"..............