Forum

[stinkwheel]

Honda maggots seem to be heavily targetted for "customisation" too for some reason I can't quite fathom. They are big, heavy, ugly, were never really all that good in any measurable way and most of them have been round the clock twice as DR bikes.

[Adrian]

The Bullet does seem to attract more than its fair share of inept customizing, though so do 70's BMWs for some reason.

A.

I don’t want to be sued for saying the wrong thing but..............

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-r65/3336 ... Swmh9e4nCU

Yeah, that sort of thing, though there are worse examples about.

As for plastic maggots, I did find one on a French forum that had actually undergone a really good-looking cafe racer conversion, though such occurrences are rare.

A.

[papasmurf]

My "maggot" is still going strong despite decades of abuse.

[PeteF]

The ones that make me laugh are the ones that have everything possible removed, including the mudguards (why) and described as custom.

[papasmurf]

The ones that make me laugh are the ones that have everything possible removed, including the mudguards (why) and described as custom.

My "Maggot," is a CX500C Custom (Factory Produced.)

[Adrian]

The ones that make me laugh are the ones that have everything possible removed, including the mudguards (why) and described as custom.

The seems to be a bit of a herd mentality passing itself off as an expression of individuality. You can repeatedly see yet another Bullet on ebay that has undergone the tick-all-the-boxes bobber humiliation, only to have the seller banging on about how unique his custom "build" is. Just like all the others.

A.

[black fingernail]

I don't see anything wrong in making your bike, car, whatever, your own, putting your stamp on it as it were.
If the bike is a ten a penny Chinese thing, do what you like, nothing is lost, but anything out of the ordinary or old, then you have a duty of care. customise it if you like, but make sure it is reversible, no cutting or drilling, and all standard parts removed should be saved. After all we are only custodians until the next owner takes over.
I suppose I am guilty of a bit of tweaking, but all parts swapped are saved and nothing is damaged.

IMG_20191124_121001.jpg (757.5 KiB) Viewed 1852 times

IMG_20200524_151634.jpg (466.24 KiB) Viewed 1852 times

She keeps changing as time goes on, (the Venom exhaust is at the platers as we speak).

[Adrian]

Surely the whole aim of customizing should not just be to personalize it but to make it (look) BETTER than it was, though we can come unstuck debating a hipster's view of what looks better compared with a dyed-in-the-wool classic biker's view of what looks better.

but anything out of the ordinary or old, then you have a duty of care. customise it if you like, but make sure it is reversible, no cutting or drilling, and all standard parts removed should be saved. After all we are only custodians until the next owner takes over.
I suppose I am guilty of a bit of tweaking, but all parts swapped are saved and nothing is damaged.

That sadly seems not to be the mantra of so many angle-grinder addicts. My much-delayed (groan...) Electra-X street tracker project has also kept any mods to the level of where all the original bits could simply be bolted straight back on, although I did carefully remove a couple of welded-on but rusty wiring harness clips from the frame, no great loss there. Work in progress. I'm waiting not for the platers but the local blasters/ finishers to paint the tank and front mudguard (not that one, but one of our hosts' 91486) white. Since lock-down started they've been awash with peoples' bike projects.

A.

[black fingernail]

I suppose just fitting a comfy seat or changing the engine cover bolts could be classed as 'customising'.
What goes on in the vacuous space between a 'hipsters' ears is not worth pursuing, they obviously know more about bikes than the manufacturers!

[Andy C]

And whats with those massive knobbly tyres some "customisers" like to fit - see exhibit A.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Bonn ... Sw6O9eXRQ7

Surley you must get a lot of vibration from these things.