Gregor wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:06 pm
I bought my BMW K100LT with the intention of customising it in some way, let’s face it it’s no looker.
But then after riding it for a few weeks I realised just how practical that enormous fairing was, how much storage there is in the 2 “glove boxes and “boot”, how bright that big square headlight is. Not to mention the radio/tape player, deafening horns.I got addicted to the way the faster you go the more stable it feels.
Wonderful as the bodywork is, it’s a fat old knacker and moving around in the garage was a squeeze and after the second time of knocking the fixed mirrors off when filtering I decided to lose it all.
The plan to do something a bit more radical is still there but for the time being it’s more of a street fighter look.That engine needs to be seen.....and tarted up.
Had a puncture on the Yaris the other day and rode the K to work in torrential rain, did I miss that fairing and headlight.
Oddball is the way I'd go. All sorts of possibities with that.
Lets face it, no one is going to build a supernaked in a shed that's going to compete with a factory bike, so don't try I reckon. Do something the factories don't do but that will still be rideable and sufficiently fun and quirky that you don't fret about performance. A cafe racer is out for me too because they've become like farts: sooner or later every arsehole gets one.
I'd build a big grunty but chilled roaster using something with a distinctive but proven engine that would work as an everyday bike.
A bit like the flying brick above, I always fancied having a go with a Honda Pan European. Unbustable engine, shaft drive and a usable bike that is so unlike anything you can buy off the shelf that you aren't going to be comparing it to factory bikes all the time. I quite like this sort of thing. Not keen on the perforated panels or the stubby cafe racer tail but that's just detail. The basic platform hangs together rather well and the star of the show is that great burly lump of industrial metal in the middle. And it would be a very easy bike to home service as well.
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I also quite like old Goldwing customs for the same reason. Admittedly a Pan would be far more practical but I think old Goldies can look great turned into Brit style retro roadsters. The seat isn't right on this one, colour or shape, and I'd have decent USD fork on it but otherwise I quite like this as a starting point. I'd go a lot further with this. Too much of it still looks standard and the original handlebar controls and instrument cluster look out of place, but it's got potential and has a hint of a Vincent or a Velo about it.
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