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I don't go to AMCA events or classic motorcycle events very often because I get sick and tired of hearing my 35 Chief is the wrong shade of red, wrong headlight,spokes are not cad plated etc. The real pisser is when I ask what they are riding I get," mine are 100 point or survivors and they are in the garage". The last one ripped me and then got on his Ural and rode away. I have had mine for 36 years, I find it quite stunning and more importantly to me, my wife loves it and is ready and waiting in the sidecar before I have finished my preflight. It attracts a crowd at car and motorcycle show and I can preach old bikes and collecting and tell people to get involved in antique bikes, American or otherwise.
But what really chaps me is when they rip my beautiful but not 100 percent correct bike, then swoon over a bobber, often a restorable classic that was chopped and stripped and that is o.k. Holy crap! I get the art form and history but really?
I bought my bike from an old gentleman from our antique car club when I was 23. It was beat and ugly but I rode it hard. I started restoring it and met my wife to be. She was not sure about motorcycles. As I prepared to paint it I was struggling with what colors. I understand Indian red and if building a red show bike, to be judged, it better be. I personally wanted red and have had a 36 ford fire engine. I was prepared to go Indian red and my wife said, it is yours, paint it the shade you want! She chose Viper Red and I loved it. I know, shock and awe, but it is a stunning red. As far as things like cad plating, finding the proper headlight, proper side car springs, it came down to money. I Wanted to buy a house, have a child and want to retire someday so those items are on the back burner. So I built a rider, a beautiful rider that can win motorcycle shows, just not AMCA shows and I am ok with that. I will repaint it and do a cosmetic restoration in a couple years, and I will take it back to original colors, likely blue or green and likely cad plate spokes and such in that I can afford it now. But I Would still never AMCA show it. In the mean time what you see is what you get. I ride it, pull the sidecar body and haul lumber, take trash to the dump, Get groceries and enjoy it.
So do you all go through the same thing? What do you feel about customization to your likes vs 100 point original? Prefer a bobber to a less than original restoration?
But what really chaps me is when they rip my beautiful but not 100 percent correct bike, then swoon over a bobber, often a restorable classic that was chopped and stripped and that is o.k. Holy crap! I get the art form and history but really?
I bought my bike from an old gentleman from our antique car club when I was 23. It was beat and ugly but I rode it hard. I started restoring it and met my wife to be. She was not sure about motorcycles. As I prepared to paint it I was struggling with what colors. I understand Indian red and if building a red show bike, to be judged, it better be. I personally wanted red and have had a 36 ford fire engine. I was prepared to go Indian red and my wife said, it is yours, paint it the shade you want! She chose Viper Red and I loved it. I know, shock and awe, but it is a stunning red. As far as things like cad plating, finding the proper headlight, proper side car springs, it came down to money. I Wanted to buy a house, have a child and want to retire someday so those items are on the back burner. So I built a rider, a beautiful rider that can win motorcycle shows, just not AMCA shows and I am ok with that. I will repaint it and do a cosmetic restoration in a couple years, and I will take it back to original colors, likely blue or green and likely cad plate spokes and such in that I can afford it now. But I Would still never AMCA show it. In the mean time what you see is what you get. I ride it, pull the sidecar body and haul lumber, take trash to the dump, Get groceries and enjoy it.
So do you all go through the same thing? What do you feel about customization to your likes vs 100 point original? Prefer a bobber to a less than original restoration?
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