Modifying bikes - do you do it?

[baptist]

How disgusting are they? They're a hella cheap way to get on a Cruiser. I've been thinking of getting a cruiser, but, for a little more coing you could get an old XV535 on VL7/8/900 thing

Too true... but as a student I had a budget, went over it by a couple of hundred as it was and got a 2005, I would love an 800 twin far more but pragmatism has to come into it (not just purchase price but insurance, reliability, servicing and fuel costs all had to be looked at. I'm lucky not to be on a moped) ...so I will until I get back into full time work middle of next year and see what happens... hopefully soon after she who rules the purse strings will allow me a Trumpie if not then a V twin cruiser.

[ducatilover]

Too true... but as a student I had a budget, went over it by a couple of hundred as it was and got a 2005, I would love an 800 twin far more but pragmatism has to come into it (not just purchase price but insurance, reliability, servicing and fuel costs all had to be looked at. I'm lucky not to be on a moped) ...so I will until I get back into full time work middle of next year and see what happens... hopefully soon after she who rules the purse strings will allow me a Trumpie if not then a V twin cruiser.

How asthmatic is it to ride? I wonder as a commuter....

[Brian d marge]

Now Fking things up , does that count as modifying?

Ive fked

the wife

The car . the bike

Work ,

one or two relationships

the girlfriends sister ...that was one BIG fk up

a few skanky ho s

myself ( at least 3 times a day , more if the wife is out )

the goat in Blenheim

the same goat in Kiakora .....

the goats brother

oh yes and an American



Stephen , the world best modifier upper

[The Pastor]

Have a 250cc bike, so absolutely no point in customising it.

Lol, you wouldn't like my bike then

[baptist]

How asthmatic is it to ride? I wonder as a commuter....

Not a bad commuter, at the top end though not sure, after I get to about 95km the vibration is to much to go faster!!!!!!!!

[ducatilover]

Not a bad commuter, at the top end though not sure, after I get to about 95km the vibration is to much to go faster!!!!!!!!

I must ride one for a giggle

[Chancebmx25]

Why not? I had one of my 250's for 3 and a half years, poured countless hours into it making it what I wanted from a 250. Achieved that and sold it. I still want it back.

what was it? sounds good? 3 n a half years is solid for owning a 250.

[ducatilover]

what was it? sounds good? 3 n a half years is solid for owning a 250.

Was only a VT250 Spada, treated me well though and was a little bit different to the average Spada.

[DrunkenMistake]

Was only a VT250 Spada, treated me well though and was a little bit different to the average Spada.

Wasnt a wheelie fun bike I take it?
You made those cans on it too ae?

[ducatilover]

Wasnt a wheelie fun bike I take it?
You made those cans on it too ae?

Wheelie great bike
Yup, made the whole exhaust system. Equal length headers

[Conquiztador]

Four boxes arrive in the mail,they are fitted to the bike the next day....now it is a customised bike. Is this classed as customisation? Modified by TradeMe or Ebay....with no owner input.

Probably depends on what was in the boxes. If there was a set of malteser mirrors, a fluffy dice, some heated handgrips and a "FUCK I'M BAD" sticker, then I would say no.

But if the boxes had a 21inch s/s frontwheel with 120 spokes, a set of 18inch apehangers, a solo seat and a small square pillion seat and a set of straight drag pipes, then I would consider you as having modified the bike to your taste.

If you have cut the frame and stretched and raked her, extended/shortened the forks, fitted a set of tanks that you have spent a month in the garage building and replaced the brakes with some modern discs and multi pot grippers, then you have, in my opinion, customised. Add a tasty paint job and you could park here anywhere and she would be a one off customised bike.

But that is clearly my view of it all and this might differ for others.

[banditrider]

Only simple stuff I can do myself. Have never done any performance (can't count rowdy mufflers on the VTR can I?) or suspension mods. I've fitted luggage systems, horns, a centre stand, hugger, radiator guards, screens, heated grips, gps mounts and other electrical doo dads. That's about the limit of my skills but I really enjoy working on the bikes.

[shrub]

Only simple stuff I can do myself. Have never done any performance (can't count rowdy mufflers on the VTR can I?) or suspension mods. I've fitted luggage systems, horns, a centre stand, hugger, radiator guards, screens, heated grips, gps mounts and other electrical doo dads. That's about the limit of my skills but I really enjoy working on the bikes.

That's the key mate, work within your limits and enjoy the process. You have looked at your bike, seen things you'd like to be different and done the work so now the bike is YOUR bike. I have sold a few bikes that I had done a lot of work to, and some of them were (IMHO) very tasty and well improved, then I have seen some of them months and years later only to find half my mods had been binned and new stuff done. The first couple of times I was mildly pissed off, especially as I didn't think the bike had been improved, but now I feel stoked because the new owner loves the bike enough to make it their own.

[Conquiztador]

That's the key mate, work within your limits and enjoy the process. You have looked at your bike, seen things you'd like to be different and done the work so now the bike is YOUR bike. I have sold a few bikes that I had done a lot of work to, and some of them were (IMHO) very tasty and well improved, then I have seen some of them months and years later only to find half my mods had been binned and new stuff done. The first couple of times I was mildly pissed off, especially as I didn't think the bike had been improved, but now I feel stoked because the new owner loves the bike enough to make it their own.

Yep. Been there too. You have spent hours and money to get that brilliant paintjob done. Then the new owner gives it a spray can black one... Or that tricky setup you had done using nights and weekends to sort is gone first time you see the bike with the new owner. Makes me almost cry (almost... not good for my image). But you soon come to the realisation that the new owner likes the bike enough to want to put his/her own mark on it.

The only time I get a tear in my eye is when I find that the bike has been stripped and the parts used on another project.

[shrub]

Yep. Been there too. You have spent hours and money to get that brilliant paintjob done. Then the new owner gives it a spray can black one... Or that tricky setup you had done using nights and weekends to sort is gone first time you see the bike with the new owner. Makes me almost cry (almost... not good for my image). But you soon come to the realisation that the new owner likes the bike enough to want to put his/her own mark on it.

The only time I get a tear in my eye is when I find that the bike has been stripped and the parts used on another project.

I cried a river when I saw a bike I had poured my heart into parked outside a pub with the flawless pearl paint scratched and dirty, the chrome covered in shit, bits missing and the polished alloy badly corroded. I just about stole it back.