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Sister Sledge |
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Sister Sledge World Chat Champion
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Grubscrew |
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Grubscrew Scooby Slapper
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Easy-X |
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Easy-X Super Spammer
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Bhud |
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Bhud World Chat Champion
Joined: 11 Oct 2018 Karma :
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Posted: 19:05 - 25 May 2019 Post subject: |
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Remember all those cars with a blue tint across the windscreen with "KEV AND SHARON" in enormous white letters proclaiming the names of those sat in the front? Go-faster stripes, painted tyre walls, everyone choosing a car in a different colour, etc. Now everyone seems to drive an anonymous bloat-blob in grey (although the fashion is turning to white).
Even though it's changing and becoming a much more conservative culture, bikes seem to still be seen as a socially acceptable way of expressing individuality and personal tastes. You will still find, the further you get away from cities, all sorts of bizarre custom bikes. However, few of these get ridden.
People used to often do a really bad job when working on their cars, as they were all amateurs really, and it was seen as a manly thing to do so everyone had a go. Likewise in the world of bikes, back in the 70s it seemed to be common (going by pics and videos) to fit ape-hangers to whatever moped or bike someone had. And I saw a documentary on the beginnings of the custom chopper scene - the pioneers of that Yankee raked-out minimal chopper/bobber look were basically building deathtraps, and the frames would often collapse at the welds or even along the tubing. Nowadays if you built and sold dangerous bikes with dodgy welds and bits of pipe, you would get the book thrown at you, and there is no shortage of self-righteous and opinionated engineer types willing to jabber on and on on Youtube about "big debates going on in the world of physics at the moment" re: some properties of materials they just found out about, armed with their HNDs from the local poly. That whole customisation scene did in fact exist in the UK (Kent Custom Bike Show, National Chopper Club, etc.) but is becominng seen as socially unacceptable (as socially unacceptable as drink driving), and to young people especially, peer pressure WORKS. So we're seeing the end of that culture.
I always get a chuckle from photos of that guy with the Excalibur movie scenes airbrushed on his tank. Some part of me hopes he hasn't just sprayed over it in gloss black and clear 2-pack, sold it and bought a GS or Street Triple. Because if he has, that's another part of British bike culture that's died. So when I see someone has crudely welded some kind of hard tail to a Japanese IL4, I wouldn't follow in their footsteps personally, but I like their attitude and willingness to give things a go, uninfluenced by others telling them they need to have served half a lifetime as an apprentice or else they will die when their welds give way, and they have no right to make manifest what's in their heads until they've duly suffered and paid their dues like a good Yorkshire protestant. Those early chops didn't all collapse, but they were all a reflection of their creators' personality, and they were all a reflection of the esprit d'epoque, just as much as Kev's Ford Capri in the 70s. |
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Karma :
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Posted: 19:35 - 25 May 2019 Post subject: |
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Bhud wrote: | Kev's Ford Capri in the 70s. |
My brother had a purple metal-flake-painted Mk1 Escort with black synthetic fur seats.
One night, he came out of the pub to find someone had tipped it over into a ditch. Fair comment really.
Sorry, that's all I got ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE! |
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Sister Sledge |
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Sister Sledge World Chat Champion
Joined: 17 Aug 2018 Karma :
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pepperami |
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pepperami Super Spammer
Joined: 17 Jan 2010 Karma :
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Posted: 07:10 - 26 May 2019 Post subject: |
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It’s heartbreaking to see some of the abominations some people create.
They take a perfectly decent bike that could be saved and make it look like a junkyard bitsa .
On the other hand , how many of these bikes would just sit in a hedge in a garden or go rotten in the back of a damp garage if owners didn’t do something with them.? ____________________ I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now! |
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Easy-X |
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Easy-X Super Spammer
Joined: 08 Mar 2019 Karma :
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stevo as b4 |
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stevo as b4 World Chat Champion
Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Karma :
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Posted: 15:20 - 26 May 2019 Post subject: |
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I've (reluctant to admit it) been watching a YouTube channel recently where they have found a great example of the height of the late 90's Max Power era cars, and they are rescuing it from scrap and hopefully will re-instate all the period modifications and repair the substantial bodykit as a tribute to the era.
I was never into all the neon crap or the extremes of the fast and furious look, but it's funny where nostalgia takes people 20years later.
We actually had more taste with tame stuff like Angel eye and afterburner light clusters and relatively tastefull European bodykits and cars, than those crazy Japs. I wonder if anyone there was ever sent down for stretch for crimes against Japanese cars? |
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Grubscrew |
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Grubscrew Scooby Slapper
Joined: 23 Dec 2018 Karma :
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Sister Sledge |
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Sister Sledge World Chat Champion
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humbucker |
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humbucker Derestricted Danger
Joined: 27 May 2019 Karma :
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grr666 |
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grr666 Super Spammer
Joined: 16 Jun 2014 Karma :
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Posted: 23:41 - 27 May 2019 Post subject: |
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Mark II Escort 1.3L in orange with self filmed silver windows, furry seat covers and a pull out tape deck. I had some old
home hifi speakers on the parcel shelf with a roll of gaffer tape wedged between them to stop them sliding from
left to right. NRO 748V, I'll never forget that reg, we said at the time that it stood for Not Really Orange.
I was so tempted to roller it matt black but somehow resisted.
Looking back it was a pretty tragic car but it represented my independence way more than having a bike
ever did. @16 a ped just gave me transport, @17 my 125 gave me faster transport. @19 a car gave faster transport
still and somewhere to hang out and smoke dope, get girls on their own (a big shout to High Beech ) plus a means
of getting amps guitars and mates to rehearsal studios. True story, I got 17 producers in 1 week in that car in those heady
pre database days when the roads were still policed by humans and not ANPR. Fucking good job too, I knew a guy
who could get me hand written cover notes and blank but stamped MOTs. Fat lot of use they would be now. ____________________ Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off. |
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Sister Sledge |
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Sister Sledge World Chat Champion
Joined: 17 Aug 2018 Karma :
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Posted: 06:55 - 28 May 2019 Post subject: |
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grr666 wrote: | Mark II Escort 1.3L in orange with self filmed silver windows, furry seat covers and a pull out tape deck. I had some old
home hifi speakers on the parcel shelf with a roll of gaffer tape wedged between them to stop them sliding from
left to right. NRO 748V, I'll never forget that reg, we said at the time that it stood for Not Really Orange.
I was so tempted to roller it matt black but somehow resisted.
Looking back it was a pretty tragic car but it represented my independence way more than having a bike
ever did. @16 a ped just gave me transport, @17 my 125 gave me faster transport. @19 a car gave faster transport
still and somewhere to hang out and smoke dope, get girls on their own (a big shout to High Beech ) plus a means
of getting amps guitars and mates to rehearsal studios. True story, I got 17 producers in 1 week in that car in those heady
pre database days when the roads were still policed by humans and not ANPR. Fucking good job too, I knew a guy
who could get me hand written cover notes and blank but stamped MOTs. Fat lot of use they would be now. |
There used to be (deded now) an alcoholic MOT tester in Blyth. His place was the Oddfellows Arms. Need an MOT? Take your vehicle numbers to him, buy a few drinks and he'd write an MOT for you on the bar of the pub!
I guess a lot of this messy bike stuff we're seeing can be put down to yoof expression (shame on them if they're old!) and the easily available 'custom' parts that can be had online.
The car comparison of our youth is a good example of the expression and freedom we once experienced. ____________________ CCM 404 DS |
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grr666 |
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grr666 Super Spammer
Joined: 16 Jun 2014 Karma :
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Posted: 08:51 - 28 May 2019 Post subject: |
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*keeping very very quiet about mods to my Spacker* ____________________ Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off. |
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Karma :
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Posted: 09:47 - 28 May 2019 Post subject: |
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I don't mind seeing the odd abomination and expression of lack of taste. It's when you get a whole trend of it that it does my nut! ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE! |
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Easy-X |
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Easy-X Super Spammer
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 11:28 - 28 May 2019 Post subject: |
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And they all use those cheap, nasty looking seat units!
"CX500 cafe racer"...a contradiction in terms - "racer" implies a fast, sporty bike, ffs. ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE! |
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Easy-X |
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Easy-X Super Spammer
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 13:01 - 28 May 2019 Post subject: |
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I think the term "cafe racer" has changed its meaning. You could actually drop the "racer" bit and just replace it with "visitor". Then just use the bike to ride sedately from one overpriced High St. coffee chain store to the next ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE! |
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 13:12 - 28 May 2019 Post subject: |
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MarJay wrote: | Some *%$#ing c*&% did a similar thing to an NS400R recently... I could have cried. |
:sad shake of head: I wonder if he could be made to swallow it? Worth a try. ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE! |
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :
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redeem ouzzer |
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redeem ouzzer World Chat Champion
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 14:03 - 28 May 2019 Post subject: |
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On eBay, one less abomination (for now):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273859550017?ul_noapp=true&autorefresh=true
Quote: | THIS IS MY 1979 KAWASAKI KZ650 PROJECT, IT HAS A 750 ENGINE THAT WAS RUNNING WHEN I STARTED |
...but now...
Quote: | MY INTENSION (sic) WAS TO TURN IT TO A CAFE RACER BUT I DECIDED AGAINST CUTTING THE FRAME |
Phew!
It's like he knew it was the wrong thing to do, but was almost compelled to do it anyway ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!
Last edited by chickenstrip on 14:10 - 28 May 2019; edited 1 time in total |
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 4 years, 335 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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