Comments on: DO IT YOURSELF XS650 HARDTAIL KIT – The ARDTAIL!

By: CryptoKnight

CryptoKnight — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 16:20:51 +0000

Has anyone built one of these, and can share pictures? I ordered a 4″ stretch & 2″ seat drop, and am looking to start sketches for fabrication, but can’t find pictures of Ardtail bikes. Anyone have a side-on shot, ideally both left & right? If I can project a side shot (90-degree) left & right on a wall, I can start to rough out my fabrication sketches, but until I know the dimensions, hard to start. 🙂

By: Calvin

Calvin — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 23:44:27 +0000

In reply to Q. I ordered one a few weeks ago they are about six to eight weeks behind on them. it took me a few weeks to get ahold of them also.

By: Q

Mon, 11 Nov 2013 20:25:00 +0000

nice product but i cannot ever get ahold of any one at this place im wandering if there going out of buisness i call 3-4 times a week for a couple weeks

By: David Williams

David Williams — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 11:17:05 +0000

In reply to David. I welded the ardcore rearsection with a 110 innershield fluxcore machine. Looks great rides great. Already put a couple thousand miles on it. No cracks no complaints

By: Daniel

Daniel — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 03:19:14 +0000

This thing looks AMAZING guys, GREAT JOB! My name is Daniel and I am working on a 81 XS400 and am looking for something exactly like this since I am removing the 2 frame rails that go from the neck to the upper engine mounts and only keeping the backbone. That being said will this kit mount up to my 400 (with some obvious modification)?

By: Curt

Curt — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:22:13 +0000

Does this hardtail fit every year of xs650?
Thanks.

By: Great Dane

Great Dane — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 21:13:17 +0000

I have a 1948 Indian Big Base / Verticle Twin Dispatch Tow Frame I Want to weld Your Tail Piece to For a Custom Build for a GR650X Suzuki Twin.

Great Dane @
Indian Creek Ranch
Southern California USA

By: David

David — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 04:01:08 +0000

So this can be welded mig? Is it available in certain stretch and drop?

By: Victory

Victory — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:52:52 +0000

Jon

quick question can the DIY fit a 250 tire ?

By: Victory

Victory — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:50:47 +0000

In reply to Jon. Jon quick question can the DIY fit a 250 tire ?

By: Nate

Nate — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 17:02:28 +0000

@nooch,yes.

By: nooch

nooch — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 05:16:28 +0000

is this tail designed to use the stock rear wheel and axle?

By: Nate

Nate — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:48:30 +0000

Guys,we are working on finding reasonable shipping rates overseas.. So far we aren’t having much luck due to the odd size of the tail section.

By: funnymachine

funnymachine — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:16:06 +0000

I can see a global shortage of stock XS650 frames in about ten years LOL

using this method it would be possible to save the back end

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:38:02 +0000

Yeah what’s shipping going to cost to get it to Australia?

By: funnymachine

funnymachine — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:12:48 +0000

tell me about shipping to the UK!

By: Codlitz

Codlitz — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:18:39 +0000

Mine will be in tomorrow, stoked on it. Will let everyone know how easy it is to install asap… And yes Jon is top notch nice guy!!!

By: Newman

Newman — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 15:22:15 +0000

Any ideas on what shipping to Canada would cost? The grinder is set up and the bike is on the lift…

By: mike M

mike M — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:47:31 +0000

just a slick looking frame.

By: j_wilson315

j_wilson315 — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 01:18:33 +0000

This sure throws a wrench in my plans. Was planning on a homebuilt hardtail but now…….. Hard to pass up the Ardcore name at this price and simplicity.

By: Nate

Nate — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:25:48 +0000

@tebo, on our builds we mount the seat pivot on the backbone where the seatrails join it.

By: matt

matt — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:01:55 +0000

good work, now everyone can get cool quick and easy! youll sell these by the truck loads. good price, good product and good people from everything ive read.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:14:09 +0000

Brilliant! That tail will make some nice looking bikes.

By: dex82

dex82 — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:37:34 +0000

guess what showed up by courier, my hardtail from g&l. took awhile but welds are beautiful. so i guess i won’t be ordering the ardtail this time, but she sure would be looking good if i build another one. will try to have some pics when she’s a roller

By: Tebo

Tebo — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:56:56 +0000

Ksdtoday, great catch with the flipped top tree. I was focused on the distance between the bottom tree and the dust seal on the lower fork tube.
Jon, where would I mount a seat pivot bracket? On the spine, or weld a gusset to the “Y” and mount it there to keep the seat in line with the spine? Or…what is your recommendation?

By: Ksdtoday

Ksdtoday — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:22:47 +0000

The Rolling Chassis pic the top stock tree is flipped upside down.

Ardcore is tough.

By: turdherder

turdherder — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:04:27 +0000

I posted a comment immediately after dex82 yesterday. All positive stuff or so I thought??????

By: Kolby Mullins

Kolby Mullins — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:36:42 +0000

@Nate thanks man i will be getting to you soon, i gotta get some cash flow.

By: Spades

Spades — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:57:38 +0000

Ardcore rocks!! This definitely raises the bar on DIY kits. Great work Jon and crew!!

By: MOMMYC

MOMMYC — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:41:00 +0000

Just so you know that I know what I am talking about I have done over 759 bikes in the last 10 days and this is a great step in the right direction for the garage builder. VERY NICE!!! Are you going to make different designs in the future. One design gets old after a while and it looks like this is a great way to go.Not to bad of a price will have to try one out. This has alot of good design for other bikes too. GOOD WORK GUYS!!!! I would like for you to do what I say and i know you wont cause Im a Douche bag.

By: Tebo

Tebo — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:06:22 +0000

Jon, how much did you cut down the forks (rolling chassis, 3rd picture) to make it sit almost perfectly?

By: dex82

dex82 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:15:57 +0000

hmmmmmmmmm…….been waiting 4 1/2 months for a hardtail from G&L that was supposed to be 4 weeks and i’m beginning to suspect i’ve been had. if nothing shows up in the near future might check these guys out as the concept certainly makes the job of lining everything up a helluvalot easier. winter’s blowin thru pretty quick and i’ve had this particular bike on hold for awhile. not big on the stance of the tcbros hardtails, the only reason i didn’t go with them in the first place, but this one seems to be right on the mark.

By: DADDYG

DADDYG — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:36:03 +0000

I have done over 26 bikes in the last 2 years and this is a great step in the right direction for the garage builder. VERY NICE!!! Are you going to make different designs in the future. One design gets old after a while and it looks like this is a great way to go.Not to bad of a price will have to try one out. This has alot of good design for other bikes too. GOOD WORK GUYS!!!! I would like to see different stretch designs and i know you got the market.

By: The Flying Imp

The Flying Imp — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:16:58 +0000

Ya man thats another thing. If it werent for guys like this we would have to do all this ourselves. lol. but seriously props to all the guys thinking of better ways to chop your xs.

By: Tables

Tables — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:27:10 +0000

Well having just finished a build I am alread looking for another..so I will also be droppin’ you guys a call. Said it before and will say it again, thanks to all you guys out there putting the effort into making us humble garage builders lives a tad easier.

By: Tebo

Tebo — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:24:16 +0000

It’ll make it lightweight, and bare-bones. If it ain’t essential, lose it. Think my ’81 is a good candidate?…

By: Nate

Nate — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:37:19 +0000

@Kolby, the tail is $325 plus $40 shipping. Shoot us an email to order.

By: Kolby Mullins

Kolby Mullins — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:52:28 +0000

hey man im 18 years young and i have been working on a 72 650 for about a year now. i was looking at a TC hardtail but its not what im looking for this tail is perfect for me plus my brother is a welder and i want to do it myself. i have looked online and cant find this unit so if you could throw a price and a link my way that would be great..

By: william triffitt

william triffitt — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:14:07 +0000

nice just whot i was waiting for but bugger i,min aus wounder whot shiping would cost ????

By: misfitskinny

misfitskinny — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:33:40 +0000

common John, thats just to easy. lol Nice enginuity!!

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:27:44 +0000

This is good to see. More options for our bikes are needed. TC bros does a good job keeping the shelves stocked from what I see, but in my opinion their lines are all wrong. This is a great looking hardtail. If I wasn’t so cheap and hellbent on building my own, I’d use an Ardcore over the rest.

By: Jon

Jon — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:14:53 +0000

Guys,
Thanks for everyones interest. Stretch and drop- They are a standard 4″ stretch with a 2″ drop in the seat. We can change this no problem but keep in mind altering these dimensions changes the angle of the seat rails from the backbone to the axle plates. Thats one of the things that most customers like about our hardtails and frames is the lines seem to flow a little better with the backbone. Let me know if I can help with anything else.
Thanks,
Jon

By: larocco

larocco — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:41:26 +0000

do you mind sharing the wheeel base

By: Newman

Newman — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:04:53 +0000

I’m sold. I was going to conjure a hard tail up but I ll spend that time riding. Right on!

By: Dogbones

Dogbones — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:45:09 +0000

Hi Jon long time admirer here. Now all you have to do is move the seat post back so a single carb can go under the seat.

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:20:06 +0000

Wow, looks like a game changer! Can’t wait hear the specs. Not going to chop off my tc tail but if I ever do another one.

By: ghostryder

ghostryder — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:26:01 +0000

would very much like to know stretch!! ive got my frame pretty much together, all pretty much scratch, but this looks structurally superior. im gonna have to gusset the hell out of what i came up with.

By: mike lytle

mike lytle — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:56:04 +0000

this frame looks like a nice way to go, but i used a TC bro’s hardtail frame and had no issues, none!! the bottom rails are pluged and by the time you weld in a gusset for the seat front hinge the TC bro’s frame is as solid as this one, nothing against new, but for the money you really can’t beat the TC bro’s………..just sayin

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:33:12 +0000

These are definitely going to take a chunk out of TC’s business. I’ve used the TC tail and everything you said about cleaning up the backbone is absolutely true. Any idea what the stretch/drop comes out to? Next build for sure.

PS.. I have talked to John at ardcore before and these guys could not be any nicer or more accommodating… they deserve your business.

By: puker

puker — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:52:25 +0000

Tits!!