[oldschoolchopper]

Looking for an old school springer chopper front end. Chrome preferred.

 

[hogcowboy]

Looking for an old school springer chopper front end. Chrome preferred.

That might a tough one. Even if you can find one it liable
to be very expensive. At least that's the way it is with springer
bikes as a whole. So good luck. I know there are bike salvage
sites so that's where I'd start. Maybe someone knows of one
that might have springer frontends.

 

[Retired Guy]

Try the after market manufacturers. I thought about this as I like the looks of a springer front end. I found cheap ones in the $500 - $600 range and supposedly better ones in the $2,000 - $3,000 range and up.

Also check ebay. On "other" forums I read some bike owners got their front ends there. Good luck.

 

[hogcowboy]

I forget all about eBay when it comes to scooter parts. Good idea!

 

[oldschoolchopper]

Thank for the tips. I will be looking far and wide. This is what I bought for 400.00 and the second picture is where I want to go with it.(except the paint) This is the front I am looking for.

 

[Retired Guy]

Looks like a good project. Also looks like you got a real hard tail for $400.

 

[johnnyvee]

You might want to consider a girder fork instead of a springer fork. A girder looks kind of the same, but pivots at the head instead of having links at the bottom, and moves as a unit. At the extreme rake like on the "Capt. America style" bike you pictured, and with the long front extension, springer forks lose some effectiveness and the long levers on the leading links can give some front wheel wobble, as the two spring rods get out of sync. A fork like that can be pretty rigid, even totally rigid and still give some spring. It's so long, it will flex.

Those things will make a man out of you at low speed, especially with the short straight bars pictured. You might have to put considerable force into the bars to keep the front wheel pointed where you want. Ape hangers can help, or wider bars, anything to increase the torque you are putting in with a given amount of force.

My buddy has a long girder fork, hard tailed XLCH. I tell him it's the safest kind of bike he could possibly own, because it spends 98% of the time in the garage.

Another issue that comes up with a long fork, and the tiny hub like in the "Capt. America bike" picture, is front brake effectiveness. My buddy's bike has a teeny little 4" drum, which looks to be about what is pictured. With the small size of the drum, and looooong cable (and proportional compression), he doesn't get much braking action at all out of his front brake. 60 mph to zero stopping distance on the order of 100 feet. It is better than what he had before though, ... which was rear brake only.

Is that a plunger suspension on the rear of the "Capt. America bike"? If so, can you post any detail shots?

 

[oldschoolchopper]

Thank you for the reply and information. As far as the CA bike pictured I got that picture off the net (I don't know the bike). I just like the looks of those that were built that way. My bike (the red one) I think has an extended front end and don't look all that bad. The custom frame has some what of a rake(I think). I am an old man so would probably kill myself on that CA bike. I just want an old school look and it will be mostly for display. I joined here for just this purpose. To gain knowledge and opinions from you guys in the know. I rode when I was younger but not in the past 10-12 years. I will be looking into this girder front end.
Thank you

 

[Critter]

If you absolutely have to have a springer front end, then Sugar Bear in California is the man to contact. He isn't cheap.