Soft tail or hard tail? Need advice

[ducatilover]

Hello to everyone. This is my first of many posts to come.



After much browsing on the forum and reading about your minis, Im ready to take the plunge. Im looking at a 75 softail or a 69 or 70 hardtail and dont know which to choose. They both need work and thats expected. Here is what I want to accomplish and then you can give a new guy some pointers.



I want to restore and mildly mod the bike but I also want to make it street legal. I would also like to put in a 12v powerplant at some point but havent decided. I know there are many parts available for both so I dont know which to pick.



As far as prices, both cost the same. What input can you provide? Which would you buy? I might be able to buy both but then that would take a bite out of my mod money.



Here are some pics.









Thanks for the input.





Marco

[PlanetMinis.com]

[BAJAZBR]

The softail is more comfortable and parts are more plentiful.If you plan to ride alot you will appreciate the suspension.

[RAZZO]

Much easier to make the hardtail street legal. Has brake light switches in cables. Also old enough to get antique tags. Self-inspection! I rock two hardtails on the street. One with a 90cc and the other an 88 RH. Go hardtail! Much cooler.

[reynolds_brad]

Much easier to make the hardtail street legal. Has brake light switches in cables. Also old enough to get antique tags. Self-inspection! I rock two hardtails on the street. One with a 90cc and the other an 88 RH. Go hardtail! Much cooler.

Not to mention you can pick up a hardtail frame for about the cost of a nice 12 pack of beer.

[panic357]

Go with the soft tail- chrome gas tank-very niice

[shw911]

The chrome tank is worth at least $150 if in very good condition.

+1 on the soft-tail.

[Z]

If you want to be stuck with 8" wheels and speeds under 50mph safely, the hardtail is for you.



If you want to build a bike with good suspension and want to go fast safely, the softtail is for you.



It's a matter of preference, but I wouldn't build a hardtail for high speeds on 8" wheels and ride it in traffic. Hardtails are for cruising around neighborhoods siteseeing, not navigating through traffic and going fast.

[shw911]

The hard tail doesn't look like it has the stock motor.

[tt-r420]

Both look to be in pretty good condition. Just listen to your heart

Does the soft tail have ct70 forks? or are those stock for that year?

[RAZZO]

Real men ride hardtails! LOL! With forty year old drum brakes too!

[tt-r420]

Real men ride hardtails! LOL! With forty year old drum brakes too!

Damn that is gangsta! lol

[EddieNewYork]

Never rode a hardtail before... all I know is my behind hurts on long rides when crusing on my crf50 with the comfy RB seat. So for comfort and a little more safety... I'd lean towards the softail.

[supernes550]

they're both cool. pick what you like better.

but there are a lot of options with a softtail.

[ducatilover]

Much easier to make the hardtail street legal. Has brake light switches in cables. Also old enough to get antique tags. Self-inspection! I rock two hardtails on the street. One with a 90cc and the other an 88 RH. Go hardtail! Much cooler.

I was thinking it would be easier to make the softtail street legal since there are plenty of Lifan frames with titles?



One thing I didnt like about the hardtail was that it has the front and rear brakes on the handlebars as opposed to having a rear foot brake. I would really like to make it a manual clutch motor at some point and dont think that setup would work.



My heart says softail but I really like the tank and badges on the hardtail. I just think the softail would be the best choice.



Thanks for the input guys.

[Z]

I was thinking it would be easier to make the softtail street legal since there are plenty of Lifan frames with titles?



One thing I didnt like about the hardtail was that it has the front and rear brakes on the handlebars as opposed to having a rear foot brake. I would really like to make it a manual clutch motor at some point and dont think that setup would work.



My heart says softail but I really like the tank and badges on the hardtail. I just think the softail would be the best choice.



Thanks for the input guys.

You can purchase hardtail tanks that fit on 1979-1986 frames along with retro seats and have a hardtail look with suspension. Tanks aren't cheap, but building a quality bike never is.

[ducatilover]

I have decided that the softail is the way to go. This brings me to another question. Has anyone put HID lights on a 12v z50 or do the 6v healights provide enough light output? How about runing LED lights?



Thanks again for the input

[50minikid]

Hardtail! It also has a rear brake pedal, and it looks like it has motor mods. I can hook you up with a headlight if you want also. Just curious, how much are they asking for them?

[ducatilover]

Hardtail! It also has a rear brake pedal, and it looks like it has motor mods. I can hook you up with a headlight if you want also. Just curious, how much are they asking for them?

I didnt see a rear brake pedal on the hardtail. I saw two brake lines but they were cut. I originaly thought one was a clutch lever but I dont recall the hardtail being a manual clutch. Am I wrong?



$450 for the soft and $500 for the hard. Sounds decent to me.

[50minikid]

I thought that the ct90 was the only bike with the dual hand brakes. My 69 z only has one handbrake and one foot brake. It would be pretty easy to swith back to stock if someone changed it. Do any of the bikes have titles? It is your choice but I think a hardtail would look sweet rolling down the road.

[50ryder420]

I thought that the ct90 was the only bike with the dual hand brakes. My 69 z only has one handbrake and one foot brake. It would be pretty easy to swith back to stock if someone changed it. Do any of the bikes have titles? It is your choice but I think a hardtail would look sweet rolling down the road.

I have a 69 hardtail with 2 hand brakes.



I think the 70 hardtail had a rear foot brake