SUGAR BEAR……IF IT AIN’T LONG, ITS WRONG!!!………………
Originally posted by Buck Lovell on Sunday, 26 February 2012 in Buck Lovell’s – American Biker Blog
SUGAR BEAR SPRINGER MAN
FROM THEN UNTIL NOW……..
Sugar Bear’s Shop opened its doors as a commercial business in Los Angeles in 1971. The intent at that time, as it is now, is to produce street bikes like the chopper seen here and street bike products and components, not necessarily show creations. The belief that all bikes were meant to have scrapes, chips, burnt pipes, dents, style, and smiles-per-miles has, an always will be the goal here. In 1972, it was apparent that a quality Springer style front fork was needed to reflect our many customers’ desire for the long traditional chopper look, and it would need to be strong and stylish as well as safe to ride with. At a time when most Springer forks were manufactured from tubing, the Sugar Bear Springer was designed to be constructed out of solid steel, the triple trees were offset for greater turning radius, and both sets of legs (front and back) were to be made from round material only, resulting in a clean and simple design. Sugar Bears first Springer forks were manufactured in lengths up to 18 inches over stock (considered mild by today’s standards). As the demand for longer custom Springers grew, Sugar Bear e had to figure out a way to make his Springer forks handle well, easy to ride and above all safe for the street. Heavy flop, lack of front suspension, and or excessive pogo are totally unacceptable and take all enjoyment out of riding a motorcycle with a long fork. The cure was discovered with the use of different length rockers for different length forks to adjust for the rake and trail needed for long Springers. By 1974, Sugar Bear Springer style custom forks were available in lengths up to 40 inches over stock. Sugar Bear has been able to set up bikes with long forks that exhibit zero flop, have a smooth ride (no pogo), and handling thought only available with much shorter forks (ask the rider who has one). Also, at this time, Sugar Bear designed bearing cups for Iron Head Harley-Davidson Sportsters so the same forks used with Big Twins Harley-Davidson motorcycles could be bolted directly onto the Sportster’s smaller frame neck without any additional alterations to the fork or the neck. The same bearing cups are still in production today, allowing riders of the older models to take advantage of current forks and braking systems for their front suspensions. For all further information contact:
SUGAR BEAR CHOPPERS
12912 Normandy Avenue
Gardena, California, 90249
(310)768-4158 sugarbear@sugarbearchoppers.com
