[TKDmasterZ]

How do you feel when you see a late model bikes with scratched up plastics and dented tanks? Do you have more respect for the owner with a mint bike?

I have somewhat-of-a beat up bike. Seeing my bike from 20 feet away, it looks good, but as you close in, you'll notice that my fairings endured some low sides at the track. I ride like that because it doesn't affect the performance of the bike. But I love my bike like it's my body part, and know from the heart that I am a true motorcyclist. Just don't care for flashy stuff that much.

I have a friend at work that I ride with sometimes. He owns a Ducati from late 90's and has less than 7K on it. It's in perfect condition. He hardly rides it, and would never take it to the track. He considers himself a motorcyclist when I see him having a toy to just show off.

Of course, if I had all the money in the world, I'd keep my bike prestine with the latest gadgets and parts that make it shine. But for now, I am all about performance, and being able to ride as much as I can.

What do you think? Do I deserve more respect as a motorcyclist than my buddy with the Duc, or am I disrespecting my bike for not dressing it up properly?

[Twincam]

Originally Posted by TKDmasterZ

How do you feel when you see a late model bikes with scratched up plastics and dented tanks? Do you have more respect for the owner with a mint bike?

I have somewhat-of-a beat up bike. Seeing my bike from 20 feet away, it looks good, but as you close in, you'll notice that my fairings endured some low sides at the track. I ride like that because it doesn't affect the performance of the bike. But I love my bike like it's my body part, and know from the heart that I am a true motorcyclist. Just don't care for flashy stuff that much.

I have a friend at work that I ride with sometimes. He owns a Ducati from late 90's and has less than 7K on it. It's in perfect condition. He hardly rides it, and would never take it to the track. He considers himself a motorcyclist when I see him having a toy to just show off.

Of course, if I had all the money in the world, I'd keep my bike prestine with the latest gadgets and parts that make it shine. But for now, I am all about performance, and being able to ride as much as I can.

What do you think? Do I deserve more respect as a motorcyclist than my buddy with the Duc, or am I disrespecting my bike for not dressing it up properly?

Hey,

Dont believe what everyone else thinks. He rides his bike how he wants to, and if he doesnt get it out much, so be it. If he calls himself a real true motorcyclist, then let him.

You ride your bike how you do as you enjoy it. I ride mine the same. I bought it salvage (smashed up - see my gallery) but ive restored it to a presentable condition and i love it how it is. It has 17,700 miles on the clock and is no way near concours condition - maybe because i thrash it.

I believe that a motorbike is there to be enjoyed, but different people have different views about how a motorbike should be kept and enjoyed.

I would love to have money to spend on it, but then whats the point in spending so much on it and being scared of driving it or getting a scratch on it. If thats the case then you might aswell park it in a glass wooden box and send it to a museam.

Anyway, sorry for the lesture.

Everyone deserves respect, and dont forget its earnt, not given.

[jhonda41]

but you've both wasted to much energy thinking/typing about this topic... you should be out riding.

[HCCAFan]

I really don't understand the clean, polished, chromed out bikes. I mean yeah I think it looks good but it really does make you wonder if they ever take it riding for real. Why is there always 100 bikes on E-bay with 30,000 dollars in upgrades and pretty stuff with 120 miles on them? Do people really like making the bike look all pretty or do they just buy someone elses dash?

[Twincam]

Originally Posted by HCCAFan

I really don't understand the clean, polished, chromed out bikes. I mean yeah I think it looks good but it really does make you wonder if they ever take it riding for real. Why is there always 100 bikes on E-bay with 30,000 dollars in upgrades and pretty stuff with 120 miles on them? Do people really like making the bike look all pretty or do they just buy someone elses dash?

Erm, yeah i can see what you mean. Especially when they go for the street fighter look, polished everything. Then they chop the rear off to look like its been hit by a bus, spray it in colours that either cost more than the bike is worth or which they can never match perfectly again...

Like eh. Hmm, ah i think if thats what they like, let em. They are not affecting me

[TKDmasterZ]

You guys are all like me...that's cool.

[dattaway]

The only thing I see in a bike is if its in good mechanical condition. A responsible rider is what I hopefully see.

Chrome and glitter may look pretty, but this isn't a fashion show to me.

[Surffrog]

Same here, basically. I like to keep my bike in good all round condition, but the way other riders park and ride here in Thailand, there's really no point in even trying to make my bike pristine. It won't stay that way for long. Having gone for dinner with my brother last night, I came back to my bike to find a family of holiday-makers sitting on my bike taking photos - grrrrh!

[slickwill]

I like to keep my bike very clean, chain lubed, tires aired up properly, all fluids topped off, tasteful mods that offer a performance benefit. I don't see any point to mods that are only for looks. I appreciate other bikes that are the same but that's me. Others have different ideas. You have to choose to be offended or feel disrespected. If you are confident in your choices and opinions then that is all that matters.

[Twincam]

People these days dont have a clue, its like how would they like it if i came and sat on their car and started taking pictures.. My old GPZ500s was scratched and dented as a result of someone i didnt even know sitting on it. Then they wouldnt even pay?! ARGH!

[TKDmasterZ]

BTW, the title 'disrespect' was meant for the bike, not me. I wanted to see if anyone felt that I am disrespecting my bike by letting it run with imperfect cosmetics.
On a side note, I ride on the track and the canyons as often as I can, and mechanical failure can mean long walk home or a trip to the hospitcal. So I make sure I keep my baby mechanically sound. I do, however, need a valve adjustment...my baby's got 21K miles already... poor thing.

[giza]

Originally Posted by TKDmasterZ

How do you feel when you see a late model bikes with scratched up plastics and dented tanks? Do you have more respect for the owner with a mint bike?

I have somewhat-of-a beat up bike. Seeing my bike from 20 feet away, it looks good, but as you close in, you'll notice that my fairings endured some low sides at the track. I ride like that because it doesn't affect the performance of the bike. But I love my bike like it's my body part, and know from the heart that I am a true motorcyclist. Just don't care for flashy stuff that much.

I have a friend at work that I ride with sometimes. He owns a Ducati from late 90's and has less than 7K on it. It's in perfect condition. He hardly rides it, and would never take it to the track. He considers himself a motorcyclist when I see him having a toy to just show off.

Of course, if I had all the money in the world, I'd keep my bike prestine with the latest gadgets and parts that make it shine. But for now, I am all about performance, and being able to ride as much as I can.

What do you think? Do I deserve more respect as a motorcyclist than my buddy with the Duc, or am I disrespecting my bike for not dressing it up properly?

If you maintain your bike to your best/financial capabilities,then you are a true motorcylist.
If you love dressing it up your machine and polishing the foot pegs & valve caps then your a true motorcyclist,just in a different way.
Nothing looks better than a bike cleaned to the max with trick bits,top paint job.
Its good to know that someone has had their bike for years,its a bit beat up,fairing damage,engine cases a bit damaged,but they love the thing,they love riding,would ride, rain ,hail, or shine.
All these people are true motorcyclists.
No,you dont deserve more respect than your duke buddy,but i would say you love riding more than him,and he loves a pristine bike.(isnt owning a duke about"LOOK WHAT I GOT??")
But all and all....riding the thing is more fun than looking at them.
NOTE:I went riding with a group once and one bloke had a duke 996 yellow,all the top gear,and i had my old 250rr,and he rode like a sunday driver,we were up the twisties and he was back of the pack,maybe thats his style,loves his bike..but,ride the bloody thing.
ps.post some pics of your bike.

[TKDmasterZ]

Giza, liked what you said. I should not care about whether I am a more motorcyclist than anyone else. I know exactly what I need to do to be one. Ride the ****** thing!

Here is a picture from one of the very first track days with my 954RR. I had just gotten off from an R6, and couldn't believe how agile this monster was!

http://www.fireblades.org/gallery/sh...0&userid=23132

I never took a picture of it since I crashed it. Perhaps a bit shy of its looks...

[giza]

Originally Posted by TKDmasterZ

Giza, liked what you said. I should not care about whether I am a more motorcyclist than anyone else. I know exactly what I need to do to be one. Ride the ****** thing!

Here is a picture from one of the very first track days with my 954RR. I had just gotten off from an R6, and couldn't believe how agile this monster was!

http://www.fireblades.org/gallery/sh...0&userid=23132

I never took a picture of it since I crashed it. Perhaps a bit shy of its looks...

Looks good to me,looks like a regular track macine too.
Nice lean angle also,almost scrapping the pipe!!

[denzee]

Personally I won't ride my bike unless its perfect. That's the way I like it. Wheels clean, chain and sprocket clean and lubed. I ride quite hard and put on lots of miles each year, for a sportbike. All you have to do is look at someones tire wear to see what kind of rider they are. If you do a lot of track days and on a budget as most of us are, then that's different. Your extra cash must go to good mechanical components and crashes are going to happen. Bottom line seems to be that everybody does their own thing and at least we're all riding. No disrespect here, as long as the bike is maintained.

Dennis

[TKDmasterZ]

Denzee, no disrepect for anyone or any bike, as long as we are riding! And for those bikes that sit in the garage, nice and clean, they make great used bikes for purchase.

[m0nSteR TwIn]

My first bike was a 82' GS400L in 1991. It was very used but I loved it and tried to take good care of it. Some guys would look down at me like I wasn't quite on their level...but I was ridin'.

If another rider passes judgement on you because of your ride, I think he's missed the point. But by the same token, if you pass judgement on your buddy for shinin' up his Duc and babying it all over town, you've missed the point too. In the end I think it's about the passion for bikes, however it works for you. As long as you ride you're part of the team.

[SpikedLemon]

I often had mud streaming up the side of my 929... I hate washing it and I often find myself on some messy gravel/mud/dirt roads.
i'm like a little kid sometimes.

[slickwill]

Originally Posted by SpikedLemon

I often had mud streaming up the side of my 929... I hate washing it and I often find myself on some messy gravel/mud/dirt roads.
i'm like a little kid sometimes.

I don't think any less of lemon for that as a rider but it is something I would never do. Just shows the difference in people. My friend was watching me put mayo and mustard on a sandwich a while back and commented that he could tell I was going to be a surgeon. He said it was the "most carefully and uniformly applied mustard and mayo he had ever seen." I love having a clean bike, clean car, clean house. I wash the bike every week. By washing it every week it never really takes more than 15 minutes to do it. I vacuum my car every week. If I come to a gravel/dirt road on my bike I turn around, and there are a lot of dirt roads in Iowa.

[SpikedLemon]

Dirt road, gravel road, light off-road trails, fire road... It's all good. I try and avoid soft ground and sand though; that's just a recipe for cracked plastics.

My truck's interior is always clean... but I've not washed the outside in months.

[slickwill]

I didn't say anything about my '77 Chevy 4x4. Spotless interior (custom done by me). Perma mud exterior. I'm not afraid to use my truck as a truck.

[TKDmasterZ]

Not directly related to the topic but I thought it is interesting to note that there seems to be a huge growth in custom sportbike market, mostly with extended and chromed swing arms, 300+ width tires, and amazing custom paints. I think we are seeing a new breed of sportbike enthusiasts. Even the BozBros (Bostroms) are getting into it.

Apparently this is an American phenomenom according to SPEED TV's bike show 'Superbikes'. Those guys in Japan were amazed at the custom stuff from the states.

This article from SuperbikePlanet.com shares my sentiment about these bikes:
Soup :: Two-Wheeled Heroes On Two Wheels :: 07-31-2007

[playwme]

They're meant to be ridden in my opinion. I'm not into fanatical cleaning, in fact I've had comments about how I got a sportsbike that dirty. Bought my 1000RR brand new, ran it in before registration was even paid and 2 days later did a mountain trip with around 200km of dirt and mud. Motorbike Cops in town were laughing cause the 1000RR had only been released the week before. First one they saw looked like a dirt bike.

Fanatical owners are handy when buying used though. Got my motard, 2 yrs old with 1000miles on it for half retail cost. It's got 15,000 on it now and looks a little sorry, but its still fast and fun.

[soupnazi]

Originally Posted by giza

If you love dressing it up your machine and polishing the foot pegs & valve caps then your a true motorcyclist,just in a different way.
Nothing looks better than a bike cleaned to the max with trick bits,top paint job.

It depends on how you define motorcycling. If it consists of riding a bike for the enjoyment and thrill and the lifestyle implications involved, then you're a true motorcyclist.

If it ultimately boils down to you polishing fairings in the garage, chroming rims and exhausts and every once in a while taking out your sports bike for a mediocre putt putt (perhaps to clean cobwebs out of the cylinders ) then you're not a motorcyclist per say, you're a motorcycle cleaning technician and, first and foremost, a poser.

There's plenty of blokes who pamper their bike but not many who pamper it and trick it up whilst still getting the most out of their chosen weapon. It's easy to spot real riders versus posers on HD's and it's equally easy to spot posers on super sports riding in their jeans and sneakers.

[kiai]

Originally Posted by TKDmasterZ

You guys are all like me...that's cool.

no when it comes to the streets I'm a champ

[TKDmasterZ]

kiai, howz the riding scene in Egypt?