Hitchcocks Forum

Hi,

I'm new to here so hello!

I'm looking to start a rigid frame project making use of the hosts rear frame converter but I am slightly confused as to what frame it will actually fit as there seems to so many model categorisations; so any advice from anyone who has done this would be very welcome as I'm looking to and find a bike as a base for the project.

What I know is that that anything pre-mid late 90s is fine, what I am not sure about is that there seems to be transition between the 'classic' and the later Electra, as well as the shift from the old style engine (right foot gear change etc) to the later lean burn, left foot change, this also seems to correspond with the 350 to 500 engine. The advice I have to date is that the conversion is based on a classic models (Right hand shift, 350 etc) manufactured up to about the year 2000, but some of the later 90s bikes are 500s, still right shift etc, so are the frames basically the same up until the introduction of the later electra lean burn models?

I'm sure with a bit of fettling anything can be made to fit anything, but I'd rather make life a bit easier and but the right base bike in the first place!! As said, any advice welcome!

Cheers

Richard it will suit any Indian frame up till the introduction of the UCE motor, just check that the modification will get past your local registration first, out here in the Colonies we would struggle

I would echo Norm's comments, you could have fun getting insurance on a heavily modified bike and the cut-n-shut nature of the frame could get the DVLA over excited.

I would echo Norm's comments, you could have fun getting insurance on a heavily modified bike and the cut-n-shut nature of the frame could get the DVLA over excited.

Don't know what happened there with the double post!

Hi,

Thanks for the replies, that, I think, confirms what I thought; the conversion will fit anything prior to the introduction of the unit engine, which opens up a few more bike options.

Insurance will be an interesting one, I guess when it comes to it, front up and see what happens. I've got a modified Triumph and insurance on that is OK and I've seen other example not unlike what I'm thinking running so it must be possible to source somewhere. The issue at the moment is finding a bike, there a few around that almost seem to nice to chop up and are quite expensive given what I want to do and then others that look like they have been stored in the Atlantic...!

Your alternative Richard is to simply remove the shocks/dampers and replace with rigid struts. If you do it right, some clever fabrication will fool a lot of people and it will cost you little! And no problems with the Ministry either...

Because the Bullet was one of the first bikes to have rear suspension the profile of the pre 1956 (and Indian) frames is similar to rigid bikes anyway, especially when a sprung saddle is fitted. Not sure it is worth the effort of fitting a rigid rear, however if I ever find a cheap Model G frame I may change my mind.

Thanks all!

I think I have come to the same conclusion... I think I can do what I want to do leaving the rear as is but doing something to the rear mudguard, lights and seats to create the look I want. Coupled with that, it gives me a slightly wider range of bikes to choose from.

The 1948 Bullet frame was designed from scratch to be swinging arm so it is simply not true to say it is a rigid with a swing arm, possibly implying that therefore the geometry is the same. The frame does however, have a very short shock absorber at the rear (probably a result of lack of availabilty of "off the shelf" units so Enfield made thir own,) which keeps the rear frame lower which aids the conversion to a rigid. Personally I've never understood why you'd do this but then I've never seen one on the road so I think it's mostly a tinkerer's toy! REgards, Mark