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