How many of you lot have 'rat' bikes

colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

i think thats quite ironic, the bit about added shining bits that do nothing. As rat bike owners add non-shiny bits that do nothing.

To me a true RAT bike is just a functional tool, but the rat bike aesthetic is more about embracing mad max chic. DIY styled inventive touches.

I quite like the look if its not too forced.

I think one of my bikes was ratted before I got it. Its got a black tank where stock tank would have been white I think. And the frame has been clumsily painted black. The purple still shows through though.

Rat bikes can be just as tarty as shiny bikes, its just a different look which is more about DIY than paying a few hundred quid for a new bit of plastic.
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McGee · O RLY? Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Karma :

To quote Titz.

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

To me it seem like rat bikes are just the grungers of biking, but instead of the whole "I'm an indivual" thing, they have the I dont care etc. attitude, which is fair enough, but most of the rat bikes I have seen have gone out of there way to be rat. I.e. if you don't care and just want a bike on a shoe string why do you spend money on black paint and army surplus.

I declare my Bike a true rat bike, It has nothing done to it I have never cleaned it and I spend as little as possible fixing it. The only things I have bought are consumable and muffs.

Tada,

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/chris-red/my%20pics/08042008061.jpg

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/chris-red/my%20pics/08042008060.jpg
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Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
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thx1138 · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Karma :

I've had one, and one only. It wasn't great when I got it.

It was an MZ-250etz. I was working lots of overtime, working 7 days a a week, and just bodge my bike to keep it going.

Kick start snapped off, so I just bump started it, didn't bother fixing it.

Exhaust fell in 2, so an ugly bandage was cut for it at work, and welded on, basically the whole exhaust was welded back to a single exhaust from 2 broken pieces(cos I got it done for free, cheaper than replacing it)

indicators stopped flashing properly, so I just removed them,

etc etc

Carried on like that for most of a year. Banking the overtime. Took a week off, sold it, bought a bigger bike.

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Odie · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Karma :

Why do you need to know?
Doing some sort of survey?
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virus · World Chat Champion Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Karma :

to be honest if your gs is a rat then so is my 250, and every bike ive ever owned, its been bodged as cheap as possible to keep it running, the master cylinder died the other day so me and a mate bodged a ktm remote resi front brake on it.

the cg is a survival bike, its designed to be useful and last long, there's only a few things on there that are for looks, but to be honest, i don't care.

cheers
John
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own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

I was trying to find out what a true rat bike is, mine meets all the criteria, it seems so do all bikes that aren't really cared about and are just cheap transport.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

b-f-c · Traffic Copper Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Karma :

I'd say you have the beginings of a rat.

They take a hell of a long time to evolve into full bore - the makings of one are there. Mr. Green

Its not a case of not cared about, I'm precious about any of my bikes, rat / survival or not. And if it needs somthing to keep it legal / safe / running it will have it, or if I can make it, then all the better. Or if it doesnt need a part it was built with then I'll happy ditch that, one less item to go wrong Very Happy

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

I reckon what makes a true ratbike is not so much appearance as a certain bloody-minded attitude towards the maintainance.

For example you would never buy new parts from a dealers, even if the cheaper alternative involves a great deal of time and effort.

Like one of the frequent posters on the ratbike forum recently rewound his alternator by hand using reclaimed wire.

So. My VFR, I don't spend much time washing BUT I do buy proper parts for it. My Jawa on the other hand gets whatever I can bodge on or make fit.

Of course, at the annual ratbike show, there are several categories. The winner of the 'ratbike' category is generally something which truly has been maintained on the cheap with whatever is available rather than a decorated/fabricated machine.
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map · Mr Calendar Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Karma :

sakashitti ratter · Scooby Slapper Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Karma :

I'd class my gpz as a rat. It was the first bike I bought after I passed my test. I binned it the very next day and had no money whatsoever to fix it coz I'd spent it all on the bike and the test. Started begging and borrowing stuff off friends to get it sorted to go the a rally 2 weeks after that.

Then crashed it into a hedge (lol) and twisted the forks. oops. Tried to get hold of more but couldn't afford the ones I found on flea bay, so I swapped some stuff with a mate of mine for an rgv250 front end. So it was back up and running again - I was amazed this front end fits but hey it passed the MOT so I guess it does.

Recently had to take the back end out as my shock is now non-existant and the swingarm is slowly rusting through so picked up a vfr400 back end for cheaper than a gpz one! Laughing

I know a very lovely man with a lathe who has made it a perfect fit as of yesterday for feck all (such a lovely man) and now will be back on the road in a week or so WAHOO!

One day I may actually spend some money on my bike but at the moment to "bodge" it option is working very well for me.

(Oh and its not matt black its purple and I did it myself too, much cheaper)
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Timmeh · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Karma :

I've never cleaned or polished my CBR in the two years that I've owned it. Every bit of fairing is smashed, scratched to fuck or missing. The clocks are wonky and the mirrors are bent. The tacho doesn't work properly. The indicators aren't stuck on, I just drilled a hole and shoved them in.

In fact the only shiny bit of it are the fork stanctions.

Does this count?
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Andy C · Tree Seeking Missile Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Karma :

Wheres the 'Four? it still not on the road?
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The Tot · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Karma :

I RIDE MY BIKE ALL THE TIME, but i take pride in maintaining it and keeping it clean - hence why i have my philosophy which mcgee stated. It's the A-Z of bodges, some innovative, some dangerous, some just plain weird. I saw a K4 Gixer thou painted in blackboard paint - i mean WTF?! - his reasoning was that it would prevent it from being stolen - was down at hastings for that. It was horrendous!
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G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

McGee · O RLY? Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Karma :

Barker-CBR 600 · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Karma :

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

what bastards, they have held onto it for 7 months ?why ?
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mr.z · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Feb 2004 Karma :

Different people go about it different ways..

I've never owned something that would be called a rat bike by people who have proper rat bikes but would be by anyone who hasn't.
If something fails i don't see why you should be paying way over the top prices for something that shouldn't have failed in the first place, fit something better that will last longer and cost less.

Its also about using your initiative. eg Honda thermal fan switch £40.. Small Japanese car thermal fan switch exactly the same part made by the same people £8

The matt black thing.. there is a big advantage to this.. say you accidentally make a 15cm long scratch in the tank (throwing a screwdriver at the cat, which was about to take a poo on your bike) , spoiling your £3000 paint job. bit of a bugger.. so after 20minutes of screaming you fall to the floor, during your epiplectic fit your bike lands on you, the expensive and very sharp rearsets puncture your spleen and you quietly bleed to death on the floor. The cat then eats your face.

On the other hand

If its painted matt black (or any colour quickly slapped on) you simply pick up the tin of paint or spray and on it goes. No rotting tank. All is well. And you haven't wasted thousands of pounds for no reason (on a paint job that was tbh a bit ghay). Or devalued your bike, because it only cost you a box of beer anyway.
You get to devote your time to something other than cleaning a two wheeled doylie, and spend your money on going touring, or just being smug about not spending it.
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chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

binge · Emo Kiddy Joined: 03 Jul 2004 Karma :

A rat bike is nothing to be proud of. Laughing

I see the whole "rat bike" thing similar to the "Street fighter" thing. It seems like its a big "ooh ahh" rule.

People saying "Renthals and dominator lights dont make it a street fighter".
FFS, If you want your bike to be your street fighter, then so be it. Its a street fighter.

Same as a rat bike, If you want to paint it black and call it a Rat. Then its a rat. Well done.

You don't need to prove yourself to the forum regulars who think that a Street fighter or a Rat bike needs to be approve before you can class it as a streetfighter/rat.

Its a bike at the end of the day. Its got 2 wheels, Not 4. So respect all round.
Thumbs Up

colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :