STWT: What does your bike say about you?

[Andy M]

Carrying on from the cruiser/chopper thing and Smudges post with the Goldwing outfit/carnival float, do we think a bike says anything about the owner? I see a lot of Harleys with definate custom features the owners have picked for the look, but what about all those Sportsbikes and tin-boxed BM GS's? Can you stamp your personality on a bike even if it looks like Rossi's or Ewan McGregors?

Personally, even with an exception of details like the ****tail cabinet (that's drinks cabinet to please the ****ing swear filter!), I think it's unavoidable. How people interpret hammerited mudguards and my gadget wiring is IMHO nothing I can control and hence nothing to worry about. I plan/hope for function and don't worry about the look. Maybe that's the difference between guys who's bikes represent them by default and guys who want their bikes to represent them?

Anyone actually got a bike that's as Honda/Yamaha/Enfield/Triumph etc, intended?

Andy

[tj63]

My Fazer 1000 was just about standard when I got it, but now has a long list of mods, running to about 20 items.  It was interesting at the last Fazer 1000 meet - every one was recognisable as a Fazer but no two were alike.  Mine's set up mostly for touring, but there was one which was much more of a streetfighter.

The SRX 400 is definitely not as Yamaha intended having had a complete rebuild and custom paint.  I'm not sure if it says anything about me - I just wanted something different and more of a plodder than the Fazer.

The only mod I've made to it since I got it in April is to add on an LED as a sidestand warning.  We nearly had a serious accident on the last bike I had without some sort of sidestand warning, so I now regard it as essential.  Plus, I'm a lot older now so even more likely to forget! 


Trevor

[niblue]

Anyone actually got a bike that's as Honda/Yamaha/Enfield/Triumph etc, intended?

I'm not far away with my bikes, as I tend not to make many mods:
CBF1000GT: Mods are fittings for GPS, Airhawk seat cushion. Probably says "does long distances"
CBR600F: Mods are heated grips, scottoiler, double bubble screen. Probably says "rides all year"
XBR500: No mods (yet). Not sure what that says!
Gas-Gas Pampera: Enduro tyres. Probably says "mostly rides off-road"

[KirriePete]

As I am too tight to spend real money on bikes, all mine from day 1 (back in the 70's if you must know) have been modded/customised/bodged away from factory spec.  All I do is to make sure that the functional bits .... errrr .... function and the ergonomical bits are comfy for me.

Hence Arfur now wears shiny pipes, a wavy disc with braided hose, Hagon shocks, mini indicators and has a hidden gel pad under the seat cover (squishy on my botty).  Future mods may involve a nose fairing of some sort (EMGO Viper sound familiar to anyone?), a halfway decent fork brace, Scottoiler, that sort of thing.  One day I may even wash it!  Too far?

[guest40]

Well, my Skorp is equiped with a few extras

Automotive 12" cooling fan.   Trait: thrifty, as it only cost a fraction of the cost of the original useless twin fan set.

LED tail brake light:               Trait: extravagance, the cost outweighs the benefit over the incandescent globe

Combo 55 watt driving lamp/LED sidelight mounted on lower steering stem.   Trait: distrust of what I cant see when turning sharply at night. The LED part is so I can find the bike after an extended pitstop at night without draining the battery.

Airhorns: Trait, I'm a noisy bastard in traffic.

Neon light bar under fairing.      Trait : cautious nature so the pedestrian peasants dont fall over the parked bike on the footpath in unlit areas.

Bicycle LCD speedo/ computer.  trait :   cos I like gadgets


Rear view wireless camera.     Trait: so I can see what is tailgating me cos I am paranoid. The infra red LEDs let me see who is around in the dark. Cos I'm paranoid.

Cigarette lighter socket.  Trait: So I can add more gadgets like CB, Pillion to rider intercom and GPS. 


and you all thought I was all there!! 

[guest7]

My CB500 is pretty close to standard (and,  , very clean). That's strange, I've just used an emoticon instead of a word in a sentence, ohhhhh... it's the death of the language

I have to say that I was riding it around recently and it felt a bit odd to be on a mundane ordinary -looking bike, especially after years of riding that ramshckle sidecar everywhere. The show-off in me didn't like it at all.

It can't last of course, it will be modded in some way very soon.

GC

[guest27]

Just dont do a Jethro on it to mod it 

R

[Andy M]

Just dont do a Jethro on it to mod it 

R

Now that's another thread entirely. How do you react to a bit of damage? Duct tape and call it a battle scar? Get something on there to make it 100% no questions legal? Straight down the shops for a bit of extra bling?

We should get some pics of GC on a clean, unmodded bike while we've a chance of doing it without resort to photoshop 

Andy

[niblue]

Now that's another thread entirely. How do you react to a bit of damage? Duct tape and call it a battle scar? Get something on there to make it 100% no questions legal? Straight down the shops for a bit of extra bling?

When I my CBR600 was about a year old I dropped it at low speed during a trackday at Cadwell Park. It picked up some scratches etc. on the fairing but I've never bothered to get that fixed. I like to keep my bikes legal and fully functional but I'm not too bothered about the cosmetics. My CBF1000 has done about 1500 miles in the month or so I've had it and is now completely filthy, but the chances of it actually getting washed anytime soon are pretty slim.

[squirrelciv]

The mods I inflict on my bikes tend to be driven from practical requirements, though sometimes my imagination gets the better of me. Think the basis is 'keep it simple' so I usually look to basic bikes with basic technology. Lucy is a bit of a diversion in so much as she is a shaft driven watercooled twin. But as a machine to fit the job description (12,000 miles/year, summer/winter commuter that can carry two people on camping trips in relative comfort) she is about as basic as I could get.

To summarise I think what my bikes say about me is... Simple

[Richard]

Beemer......says I'm a t**t who can't help impractical modifications. 

XT..........says I need longer legs

MZs............say I need to spend more time in the garage.

[guest27]

What does my bike(s) say about me.

Triton - Creative Plant (See Belbin) who cant leave well alone, runs out of money and leaves in boxes.

T500/250 - Creative Plant (See Belbin) who cant leave well alone, runs out of money and leaves in boxes.

RD500 - Creative Plant (See Belbin) who cant leave well alone, crashes , runs out of money and leaves in boxes.

TZRotax - Creative Plant (See Belbin) who cant leave well alone, runs out of money and leaves in boxes.

350 K4 - Creative Plant (See Belbin) who cant leave well alone, runs out of money and leaves in boxes.

Triumph Bonnie - Creative Plant (See Belbin) who cant leave well alone, runs out of money and leaves in boxes.

CG125 - Creative Plant (See Belbin) who cant leave well alone, runs out of money and leaves in boxes.


Can you see the theme yet.

Triumph 900 Sprint - Mrs Rog knows "Creative Plant (See Belbin) who cant leave well alone, runs out of money and leaves in boxes." so makes him give it to a mate to look after...

[guest18]

Black bike,
Black helmet,
Black gear....
??

or
 


Or maybe, just likes black 

[guest40]

I hope you are not suggesting you go "plaid" when you ride, Smudge

[guest18]