Bikes Racers versus the Queens

[FAT-TOY]

  When we think about our old bikes, do you ever wonder about the choices of others?  Do you ever look at your mates bike and think, what the hell got into him to make him actually spend money on that heap of shit. They were no good when they were new and now they are still no good and old.
  Well obviously I have or you wouldn’t be reading this. To me all bikes should have a purpose, be it a Race Bike, (which would appeal to most of you),  a Road Bike for transport to work or touring or just to take the missus to the coffee shop on a nice summer evening. They have a purpose and so do Garage Queens as some describe them. They might not be used for what they were made for back in the day, but they still have a use.   They become a source of memories, conversation pieces with friends, family and also visitors in many cases they become the reason for the visit and I think this is important to the older owners, collectors, hoarders  what ever you want to call them.
   They also allow you to work on and rebuild a bike back to its former glory as a show piece which is very satisfying to someone who is no longer able to race for whatever reason.  I think that some people are of the opinion that when you can’t race any longer then you should sell all of your bikes to others who can and then just become a spectator at the meetings you can still get to.
   In saying all that there seem to be some bikes that to me at least have never really had a purpose.( that Chinese thing in Nabiac Museum comes to mind)  I won’t suggest any others because I don’t want to offend any members who may be closet collectors of these others.  I will leave that to the members on here who don’t mind offending.
   I suppose you could draw an analogy  between bikes and dogs you have your racing dogs, working dogs, hunting dogs, guard dogs even your lap dogs, the pretty little things that you sit on a cushion they all have a purpose  BUT then sadly you also have the Pug dog  (which I think also has it's origins in China) sorry in advance to any owners on here but I can’t think of any real purpose for it unless is for wheezing like it has asthma and blowing bubbles out of its nose.
  So we all know the bikes that make the best racers and the best road bikes but what bikes do you think can be compared to the PUG. 
                                                   

[bullmad24]

I take offence to your comments about pugs !

[Taka 100]

thats not a pug that a greyhound pulling up from 300kph with disc brakes 

[Curly3]

That's a dog that chases parked cars.

[albrid-3]

THats a man in Black

[Marc.com]

Yes my pugs say you can derelict my balls

[Marc.com]

Anyway back on pugs they are the ultimate dog breed if you want a companion dog.... they are a constant shadow everywhere you go and are the perfect old persons, kids or women who want total babies of dogs.

As for bikes that are garage queens, cappuccino bikes etc, I am totally OK with VMX bikes being both riders and shed art .... my Matchless 600 makes complete sense as a Cappucino bike, my mint TM250 is always going to stay that way. Best solution is to own heaps of bikes that cover all possibilities, I think that is written in the bible some place.

[worms]

I think half the blokes on here are garage queens, but thats another story.




bikes with no purpose would be any trike, what a waste of space

cheers worms

[Marc.com]

building bikes is just as interesting for me as riding them these days so it totally has a purpose, it keeps me amused.

[firko]

building bikes is just as interesting for me as riding them these days so it totally has a purpose, it keeps me amused.

Me too. Since I retired from the workforce building bikes has become my surrogate job as well as my hobby. A couple of hours (or more)a day in the shed gives my routine a bit of structure and keeps the old trade skills alive.

I've got garage queens, race bikes and garage queens that I'm turning into race bikes such as my Cheney Yamaha. All bikes have a purpose even if that purpose is to look good sitting on a milk crate in the mancave. I've retired my old Maico squarie from racing and it's now enjoying itself as the queen of my garage queens. That old bike still gives me immense pleasure even though it hasn't fired a note in anger in over a year,` I can't walk past it without twirling the throttle ot giving it a fond pat on the seat.

[Hardo]

OMG Firko !! 

I now feel normal ....  (sorta)

I also do the throttle twirl and seat pat on a few of my Garage queens ... 

I must admit - I laughed a lot at the PUG metaphor ....   those pugs are kinda cute though, in a weird sorta way ... 

[VMX60]

One mans junk is anothers Treasure

That means I sold all the junk and kept the other  RIGHT 

Trouble is selling all the AC124 FIATS and the shit load of bikes road/vmx have now turn into  Treasure I think old age has arrived 

Cheers

[odd1]

As the owner of many bikes which I have lusted for over, the last 30 years I am also the owner of 2 PUGS! which I have never lusted over but at a weak moment relented and let the kids have them well low and behold the kids have now lost interest and mum and dad are now the sole cares and it is like having two year olds in house again however the little buggers have grown on me when they look at you with those googly eyes what can I say VERY CUTE.