Sugar Bear Front End on a K9
- Thread starter avatharv
- Start date
1 B.M.F.
Well-Known Member
Trumpy Bear looks good sugar bear should tooI don't know, having one on the front of the bike just might not look right...
View attachment 80867
1 B.M.F.
Well-Known Member
That looks like an 05 BIG DOG it looks great on there.
Jersey James
Jersey James
The eBay sellers ad says it's an 2007 Big Dog Chopper. The Springer front end is listed as an "American Suspension~Dragon Style". It also looks like the owner used his original BDM front wheel and brake. The ad is still up on eBay, with addition photos of the New Jersey bike for sale.
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avatharv
Member
That is kinda my point. It would be pretty much, one of a kind. I will not be running a 21 front wheel either.
Jersey James
Jersey James
Understood. Bottom line, and I've always believed, that's it's your bike & you build/change it your way. That's the beauty of choppers/motorcycles, and what makes them individual. Best of luck with your project. JJ
FrankBDPS
Well-Known Member
The lack of a front fender and brake reverts back to the day of the advent of the "chopper". Bare bones and as naked as possible. And keep in mind back in the day if you wanted a front brake it would have been a ugly,heavy drum brake. No disk brakes in the 60's.
Like a previous poster said it's your bike do it like you want. I wonder what Sugar Bear will say about a fender and brake. If he is a true old school chopper guy he ma say not on my springer.
Like a previous poster said it's your bike do it like you want. I wonder what Sugar Bear will say about a fender and brake. If he is a true old school chopper guy he ma say not on my springer.
Minuteman
Well-Known Member
It does look great, but in some states, they say if the bike is newer you must have a fender and brakes. I did have a mini drum brake on my front wheel on the 57 and it looked fine, never hooked it up but had it if I needed to. Ride with no fender except during an inspection., as I had a fiberglass tiny fender that I could bolt on and take off in 11-15 minutes. Police never really said anything back in the day, but now I have to put on DOT blinkers and so on. Northeast sucks, love states where you can do what ever you want to do.
Jersey James
Jersey James
Back in the day (early 70s) they made a cable and clevis that ran from the normal front handle bar brake lever, down to the rear brake pedal. What this would do is when you were running a spool wheel (no front brake) and stopped on a hill, you could hold your bike from rolling. Especially useful for the guys who had a jockey shift, and spool front wheel. I also remember the "mini brakes" most thought weren't very useful, I personally don't know, never ran a mini brake, but did have a 21 inch spool wheel, and juice rear brakes, didn't stop very well....lol
avatharv
Member
Very good points.
Sugar Bear front ends can def have good disc brakes. I am not sure any recent ones would NOT have them. And legally, you are probably right, that safety mandates there will be brakes.. unless it is a unridable show only bike.
Jersey Big Mike
100K mile club
Having had several incidents over the years with brakes, I can tell you I wouldn't want a bike without a front brake.
I had a trip to FL one year where with no warning a bolt snapped on the forward controls on the right side.
since it sheared flush with the frame, at6pm at night there wasn't much we were going to d o about it. Had 70miles left to get to our hotel.
Me -- no worries - I still have the front brake.
Fixed it the next day but it would have been tow or another hotel right there without the front brake.
mjsk9
Well-Known Member
I think you already pulled the trigger on the Sugar Bear, but here is another springer that was on a K9 and seems reasonably priced for anyone else following this thread and interested in the springer front end..... Brake set up is in place as well.....
Jersey Big Mike
100K mile club
He's always needed to get caught up!
I can't wait to see this.
mjsk9
Well-Known Member
No reason given... I think the guy that posted it, Andrew Barnes was the mechanic who did the wrenching and was one of his customers bikes.
avatharv
Member
Yeah, I realize that, but I had hoped that they might have chit chatted about it. It could have just been that the customer wanted a different look.
I am just a bit scared that mine is gonna ride totally different and after spending all the money.. I may not like it. It is unlikely, but just wary. I do know I can’t wait for the look!
Jersey Big Mike
100K mile club
What I'd consider is having an adapter made that would allow you to bolt the handle bars/controls onto the springer.
There is a bolt center difference I believe between springers and wide glides triple tees. A block shaped and tapped for both distances could allow you to retain your controls/handlebars and might actually save some coin.
There is a bolt center difference I believe between springers and wide glides triple tees. A block shaped and tapped for both distances could allow you to retain your controls/handlebars and might actually save some coin.
avatharv
Member
Hey, guys!
Does anyone have any current information on Sugar Bear? I bought one of his front ends shortly after I posted this (12/2020) and have heard a little from him and even a few phone calls, but nothing in recent months.
This December I will have been waiting 4 years for my springer front end for my 2006 K9. Is it really this difficult to get this built?
I know it is custom work and there have been mitigating circumstances, but I think 4 years is getting excessive. I had even offered to drive out to pick it up. I have since just asked for a refund.. since no word.. and no product seems to be coming.
Has anyone else had a similar experience? Am I being unreasonable? I would appreciate your feedback.
If I can't have his what is the next best with a similar look?
