When building a dirt bike/scrambler

[jimson]

G'day viewers my heart is in twin shock bikes road & dirt. So my question is when one builds a bike does your mind go old school & keep it in the time frame of the period or does one go & put all the fancy bells & whistles on it & just keep throwing  money at it ? Jimson

[Rossvickicampbell]

I go original - but that includes the bells and whistles from the time - Fox Shox etc - if a show bike.

[smed]

Yep, love my hot rods with period correct mods or genuine or replica trick parts from back in the day black rims & pro taper hangers do not get a look in on my bikes   not even my modern one

[skypig]

When did alloy bars (stock size/style with cross brace) become available?

[pokey]

This is all personal taste as its you who is building it. this has been going on since they started making bikes as we all like to improve things or personalise it for our taste or performance requirements.

Some call them Frankenbikes but some see them as cool but they are the idea of the builder. I quite like keeping the bike to look like it was back on the showroom floor but have those period correct farkles just like i would have back then. I have also built bikes for others with a bit of modern technology in them to make them more reliable and better handlers but still retained the basic bike characteristics. Things like change the slab seat to a contoured version but keep within the flow of the tank and panels. change out the old style dampeners to modern units that actually work. Flow the engine and a decent ignition . A good set of brakes and you have a custom machine that looks old but will stick with and often outperform a modern machine.  Its all up to the builder to do what they want, how much they can afford to do to it and the time constraints and hope someone else appreciates  it.

[smed]

When did alloy bars (stock size/style with cross brace) become available?

I would like to know too, I started doing research a while back but got sidetracked , thinking it was late 70's

[smed]

This is all personal taste as its you who is building it. this has been going on since they started making bikes as we all like to improve things or personalise it for our taste or performance requirements.

Some call them Frankenbikes but some see them as cool but they are the idea of the builder. I quite like keeping the bike to look like it was back on the showroom floor but have those period correct farkles just like i would have back then. I have also built bikes for others with a bit of modern technology in them to make them more reliable and better handlers but still retained the basic bike characteristics. Things like change the slab seat to a contoured version but keep within the flow of the tank and panels. change out the old style dampeners to modern units that actually work. Flow the engine and a decent ignition . A good set of brakes and you have a custom machine that looks old but will stick with and often outperform a modern machine.  Its all up to the builder to do what they want, how much they can afford to do to it and the time constraints and hope someone else appreciates  it.

Agreed it's whatever floats the owners boat

[Nathan S]

Depends on what you're doing with the bike.

Race bikes need to work, but I try to keep them looking mostly original. The billet, anodised bling stuff looks awful on old bikes - and that includes Pre-95 bikes - it only became semi-common in the second half of the 90s, so it looks out of place on anything older.

[evo550]

Yep, love my hot rods with period correct mods or genuine or replica trick parts from back in the day black rims & pro taper hangers do not get a look in on my bikes   not even my modern one

Yep, same. Not real keen on vmx bikes dripping with anodized billet alloy and sticker kits. Period mods - Thumbs up, RHK bling kits and Nickel plated pipes - Thumbs down.

[shelpi]

Depends on what you're doing with the bike.

Race bikes need to work, but I try to keep them looking mostly original. The billet, anodised bling stuff looks awful on old bikes - and that includes Pre-95 bikes - it only became semi-common in the second half of the 90s, so it looks out of place on anything older.

Agree, I try to keep most of them original with preferable original patiena unless racing then function over form comes into play, No black rims, tapered bars or bling

[FourstrokeForever]

Yep, love my hot rods with period correct mods or genuine or replica trick parts from back in the day black rims & pro taper hangers do not get a look in on my bikes   not even my modern one

Yep, same. Not real keen on vmx bikes dripping with anodized billet alloy and sticker kits. Period mods - Thumbs up, RHK bling kits and Nickel plated pipes - Thumbs down.

That's the golden rule in my shed too 

[steve234]

Think far to many folks have the view that hot rodding involves adding a few pre manufactured alloy parts!. The real skill/Genius is in guys performing miracles with what parts they have to make a shit hot machine that actually performs well in its desired form.

Cheers,
Steve

[KTM47]

When did alloy bars (stock size/style with cross brace) become available?

I was using solid alloy bars (with no cross brace) in 1977.  They were said to be unbendable.  I bent them.  Just like the un breakable mudguards I broke.

[KTM47]

Really it depends if you want a period correct bike or a reliable race bike.

My Maico has alloy bits because they work better than stock.

1.  Alloy brake backing plates front and rear.  The front one is a twin bolt one that is safer than standard and the brake works better with soft shoes.
2.  Alloy rear brake pedal
3.  Alloy head stay
4.  New Ohlins shocks that are the same as the original.
5.  Brand new spokes and gold rims.

If I wanted a concourse bike I could but I wouldn't race it then.

[Richo52]

I believe its what ever floats the owners boat,for example I have a completely stock 74 Honda CR250M,ticks some peoples box.An FMF package racer Suzuki RM125B with period goodies,porcupine head,red hot pipe etc and a 74 440 GP Maico with yellow plastics ,alloy coffin tank,PFR pipe and alloy silencer,works performance shocks and shock horror BLACK SM PRO rims..........I can tell you it looks tougher than Hitlers Blitzkreig policy LOL

[Rossvickicampbell]

it also depends on what is available for the bike resto.  I know both Denton Engineering and Elderfields make awesome bling unobtanium bits for the CRs - and a lot of the parts they make aren't available so you don't have much choice.

[skypig]

it also depends on what is available for the bike resto.  I know both Denton Engineering and Elderfields make awesome bling unobtanium bits for the CRs - and a lot of the parts they make aren't available so you don't have much choice.

Ironically, it is probably easier, and maybe cheaper to build a period correct hot rod (the bike I couldn't afford in the day) than a concourse stocker (the bikes I bought and rode brand new in the day)

Allen bolts, DG pipes, aftermarket grips/bars/levers/rims/tires are easier to find than NOS parts.

If someone offered me a new stocker, or a new DG racer, I wouldn't be able to resist the DG racer. (Both for display, as I couldn't ride a NOS, or even concourse VMXr.)

I just remembered we had alloy bars available in the late 70's. Not that I could afford them.

[tony27]

I guess I lean more to the subtle mods.
My YZ465 has a alloy brakestay that I modified from a 490 to take a standard spherical bearing, unless you look carefully it isn't obvious unlike the billet ladder type units that are available, the V-force reed doesn't jump out at you either
My CZ runs mainly period stuff, the billet rear brake plate is the only part that will not be either period or replica of period apart from the bars. I have a spring loaded chain tensioner at the moment but as soon as AMS gets the Wheelsmith replica brakestays back in stock that will come off. The tall seat that matches up to the back of the tank to me looks better than the original & really is what should have fitted by the factory
I run standard type renthal bars in standard clamps on both bikes, can't stand the look of the billet sets available in the states for CZs

[jimson]

Yeah it's kinda funny, I build my bikes around what cash I have,so there kinda ruff like my head lol & that doesn't work that good so I suppose it's like my bikes lol I love pantinea weather it's an old car bike or building even people look better with it & the great thing is you can't buy it lol jimson

[LWC82PE]

Some aftermarket\/trick stuff is often too rare and expensive to fit to a bike you want to race or at least ride. I got some NOS Oakley grips but i am not sure about fitting them to a bike, even though i made sure i got double/a spare set.  Period Scott or Oury grips are much more readily available and cheap and not collectors items.  Oakley should start making the grips again and i mean not just a limited run of 100 pairs or what ever that get snapped up by scalpers and still end up costing a lot. By the way there actually was quite a fair bit of period annodized stuff in the 70's and 80's. Its certainly not just a 90's on wards thing. Perhaps not so much the purple/pink/bright reds we see today though.

[skypig]

By the way there actually was quite a fair bit of period annodized stuff in the 70's and 80's. Its certainly not just a 90's on wards thing. Perhaps not so much the purple/pink/bright reds we see today though.

I remember Peter Carneys RM80C had GOLD RIMS. (Sponsored by Alan Craig Suzuki) Trickest bike I'd ever seen this side of a "Minicycle and BMX Action magazine"!
Pretty sure that's why I couldn't keep up.

[Tim754]

Gees mate I thought you already had the keys in ya old brain. Just build what   +you+    like ! If somebody/somebodies don’t like it    well stiff to them. Cheers Tim754

[80-85 husky]

std is the way to go then work from there...if you can add the bits you always wanted..go right on and do it

[Boyracer]

Anything mint 81 to 85, when was the last time you saw an original 83 TT600K with black seat?
Plenty of people mod but factory is best.
Cost is nothing when you want it.