I watched this last night, it was framed as a film about motorcycle
people and not motorcycles; which was sorta right but there were
still enough bikes to look at.

Frankly the whole modern 'hipster custom scene' has sort of passed
me by, people turning CB250Ns into something I'd expect to
see racing at Chimay, or the 'Brat' and Bobber scene.. or just putting
a set of TKC80s on a bike and calling it a scrambler... I'd probably go
a little further and talk about nailing people to trees when they take a
perfectly respectable bike[1] and take a hacksaw to the frame and
basically wreck it[2].

The film did make me stop and think a bit, the people obviously
have a lot of passion about what they're doing and maybe my
reaction to it is just an age-related irritation; I didn't give much of
a shit about the damage done to sports bikes by the 'Streetfighter'
scene in the 90s or so, in fact I quite liked it if I'm honest.

Still... I'd rather they hadn't pushed the price of shite old BMWs
above a grand...

However the film was entertaining and I felt I learnt some stuff
from it.

Now where's my angle grinder?

[1] 1980s BMW R65 or similar
[2] Cafe racer it.

Stephen Packer <stephen.packer@gmail.com> wrote in news:1aedb3d9-4747-45a4-
8f75-7a64e3b41334n@googlegroups.com:

[snip]

> However the film was entertaining and I felt I learnt some stuff
> from it.
>

trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDm7C8_hPNY

"brought back the soul of motorcycling"

poppycock

> Now where's my angle grinder?
>

careful with the sparks, that beard oil is very flammable

On 01/02/2023 16:06, wessie wrote:
> Stephen Packer <stephen.packer@gmail.com> wrote in news:1aedb3d9-4747-45a4-
> 8f75-7a64e3b41334n@googlegroups.com:
>
>
> [snip]
>
>> However the film was entertaining and I felt I learnt some stuff
>> from it.
>>
>
> trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDm7C8_hPNY

Something of an homage to On Any Sunday about that sand dunes clip.

--
Moto Morini 2C/375
Gilera 175 Sport, Husqvarna 401 Svartpilen
"Do not adjust your mind, there is a fault in the reality"

On 01/02/2023 15:46, Stephen Packer wrote:

> Frankly the whole modern 'hipster custom scene' has sort of passed
> me by, people turning CB250Ns into something I'd expect to
> see racing at Chimay, or the 'Brat' and Bobber scene.. or just putting
> a set of TKC80s on a bike and calling it a scrambler... I'd probably go
> a little further and talk about nailing people to trees when they take a
> perfectly respectable bike[1] and take a hacksaw to the frame and
> basically wreck it[2].
>

Guilty as charged, though in my case it was a question of function over
form and it wasn't a 'perfectly respectable bike' - though some might
argue a Morini 250 is.

In any case, the frame I took the hacksaw to had already become
separated from the rest of the machine by someone else.

On the next Morini special I built, I was careful to preserve every last
lug and bracket. I sold the 'rolling chassis' (of the Forgotten Era
speed hill climb machine) to an MRC member last year who sold it to
someone else. As far as I can tell from the MRC forum, some
exceptionally optimistic soul is hoping to resurrect it as a complete
machine of some kind.

--
Moto Morini 2C/375
Gilera 175 Sport, Husqvarna 401 Svartpilen
"Do not adjust your mind, there is a fault in the reality"

On Wednesday, 1 February 2023 at 16:06:29 UTC, wessie wrote:
> Stephen Packer <stephen...@gmail.com> wrote in news:1aedb3d9-4747-45a4-
> 8f75-7a64...@googlegroups.com:
>
>
> [snip]
> > However the film was entertaining and I felt I learnt some stuff
> > from it.
> >
> trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDm7C8_hPNY
>
> "brought back the soul of motorcycling"
>
> poppycock

Yeah, I'd agree with that.

'Moved interest in motorcycles to a different demographic' is
closer to it. I've seen this at first hand, someone I know bought a
triumph bobber and it was all because of 'style'.

On Wednesday, 1 February 2023 at 16:17:51 UTC, Pete Fisher wrote:
> On 01/02/2023 16:06, wessie wrote:
> > Stephen Packer <stephen...@gmail.com> wrote in news:1aedb3d9-4747-45a4-
> > 8f75-7a64...@googlegroups.com:
> >
> >
> > [snip]
> >
> >> However the film was entertaining and I felt I learnt some stuff
> >> from it.
> >>
> >
> > trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDm7C8_hPNY
> Something of an homage to On Any Sunday about that sand dunes clip.

Not sure, watched in isolation possibly but the film didn't have the same
'vibe' as On Any Sunday at all.

Stephen Packer <stephen.packer@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Wednesday, 1 February 2023 at 16:06:29 UTC, wessie wrote:
>> Stephen Packer <stephen...@gmail.com> wrote in news:1aedb3d9-4747-45a4-
>> 8f75-7a64...@googlegroups.com:
>>
>>
>> [snip]
>>> However the film was entertaining and I felt I learnt some stuff
>>> from it.
>>>
>> trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDm7C8_hPNY
>>
>> "brought back the soul of motorcycling"
>>
>> poppycock
>
> Yeah, I'd agree with that.
>
> 'Moved interest in motorcycles to a different demographic' is
> closer to it. I've seen this at first hand, someone I know bought a
> triumph bobber and it was all because of 'style'.
>

I half considered an Indian Scout, just because I fancied something a bit
different. I started joining the relevant groups and quickly came to the
conclusion that they were shite and said so. Apparently, I didn’t
understand the concept of the bike and they’re supposed to be uncomfortable
and ill-handling.

On 01/02/2023 16:50, Stephen Packer wrote:
> On Wednesday, 1 February 2023 at 16:17:51 UTC, Pete Fisher wrote:
>> On 01/02/2023 16:06, wessie wrote:
>>> Stephen Packer <stephen...@gmail.com> wrote in news:1aedb3d9-4747-45a4-
>>> 8f75-7a64...@googlegroups.com:
>>>
>>>
>>> [snip]
>>>
>>>> However the film was entertaining and I felt I learnt some stuff
>>>> from it.
>>>>
>>>
>>> trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDm7C8_hPNY
>> Something of an homage to On Any Sunday about that sand dunes clip.
>
> Not sure, watched in isolation possibly but the film didn't have the same
> 'vibe' as On Any Sunday at all.

Oh sure, I meant just that sand dunes shot. The OAS poster is, dare I
say it, 'iconic'.

Not much 'lifestyle' motorcycling in OAS.

--
Moto Morini 2C/375
Gilera 175 Sport, Husqvarna 401 Svartpilen
"Do not adjust your mind, there is a fault in the reality"

Stephen Packer <stephen.packer@gmail.com> wrote:

> Frankly the whole modern 'hipster custom scene' has sort of passed
> me by, people turning CB250Ns into something I'd expect to
> see racing at Chimay, or the 'Brat' and Bobber scene.. or just putting
> a set of TKC80s on a bike and calling it a scrambler... I'd probably go
> a little further and talk about nailing people to trees when they take a
> perfectly respectable bike[1] and take a hacksaw to the frame and
> basically wreck it[2].

This prompted me to enumerate my personal menagerie of pet bike
modification/butchery hates, in no particular order.

* Straight pipes.
* Wrapped pipes.
* Mini apes.
* Maxi apes.
* Flat homemade seat (and looks it) w/ minimal padding.
* Airbox removed and replaced with pods[1]
* Mudguards removed.
* Vertically mounted (but not using vertical text[2]) number plate.
* Knobbies on a street bike.
* Bikes painted in WWII military livery that are not from WWII.
* Fat front tire equal in size to rear tire.
* Milk crate on a KLR650 rear rack "because KLR!!![3]".
* Shonky old 70s - 80s Honda CB-anything offered for $5k and up.
* OEM Hitachi/Mikuni/Keihin/TK carburetor discarded & replaced with
a Chinese $30 wonder[4] carb.
* Shorty anodized aftermarket clutch/brake levers that invariably
cause problems with clutch interlock and brake light switches.

I may have a few more...

[1] And rare-as-hen's-teeth airbox no doubt thrown away.
[2] A legal option here.
[3] Variant of "I'm mad, me".
[4] As in "I wonder if it will work[5].
[5] It won't.

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

Anonymous <the.best.names.are.gone@gmail.com> wrote:

> I half considered an Indian Scout, just because I fancied something a bit
> different. I started joining the relevant groups and quickly came to the
> conclusion that they were shite and said so. Apparently, I didn’t
> understand the concept of the bike and they’re supposed to be uncomfortable
> and ill-handling.

"A brotherhood of pain"

Not my own work, but I think it describes it to a "T".

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

On Wednesday, 1 February 2023 at 17:34:21 UTC, Mark Olson wrote:
> This prompted me to enumerate my personal menagerie of pet bike
> modification/butchery hates, in no particular order.
>
> * Straight pipes.
> * Wrapped pipes.
> * Mini apes.
> * Maxi apes.
> * Flat homemade seat (and looks it) w/ minimal padding.
> * Airbox removed and replaced with pods[1]
> * Mudguards removed.
> * Vertically mounted (but not using vertical text[2]) number plate.
> * Knobbies on a street bike.
> * Bikes painted in WWII military livery that are not from WWII.
> * Fat front tire equal in size to rear tire.
> * Milk crate on a KLR650 rear rack "because KLR!!![3]".
> * Shonky old 70s - 80s Honda CB-anything offered for $5k and up.
> * OEM Hitachi/Mikuni/Keihin/TK carburetor discarded & replaced with
> a Chinese $30 wonder[4] carb.
> * Shorty anodized aftermarket clutch/brake levers that invariably
> cause problems with clutch interlock and brake light switches.

Preach on.
> I may have a few more...
>
> [1] And rare-as-hen's-teeth airbox no doubt thrown away.
> [2] A legal option here.
> [3] Variant of "I'm mad, me".
> [4] As in "I wonder if it will work[5].
> [5] It won't.

On [4] / [5] Heh.

Having said all that I suppose I ought to be happy others are getting
enjoyment from bikes and I have done a *bit* of modding putting different
front ends / brakes on bikes in the past.

Somewhere in the film someone said 'if the scene doesn't exist and the
number of riders continues to reduce bikes will be off the road in ten
years'. I'm not sure that's completely true but I suppose there is a grain
of truth in it.

Stephen Packer <stephen.packer@gmail.com> wrote in news:ec9ebf21-d04e-4457-
af14-3a76ec3947d8n@googlegroups.com:

> On Wednesday, 1 February 2023 at 16:06:29 UTC, wessie wrote:
>> Stephen Packer <stephen...@gmail.com> wrote in news:1aedb3d9-4747-45a4-
>> 8f75-7a64...@googlegroups.com:
>>
>>
>> [snip]
>> > However the film was entertaining and I felt I learnt some stuff
>> > from it.
>> >
>> trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDm7C8_hPNY
>>
>> "brought back the soul of motorcycling"
>>
>> poppycock
>
> Yeah, I'd agree with that.
>
> 'Moved interest in motorcycles to a different demographic' is
> closer to it. I've seen this at first hand, someone I know bought a
> triumph bobber and it was all because of 'style'.
>

AB & Gyp have descended into hipsterdom

Stephen Packer wrote:

> [2] Cafe racer it.

I have very fixed views on cafe racers. Brown suede seats, wrapped
exhausts and no front mudguard are not cafe racers.

Basically there are three acceptable cafe racers.

[1] Triton
[2] Norvin
[3] My Guzzi.

--
Simon

Mark Olson wrote:

> I may have a few more...

* black pressed aluminium number plate on anything after 1968 [1]

[1] I know of one vehicle I will make an exception for but it is the
only one - as I know it came from the dealer like that, but it is a
very fucking rare exemption.

--
Simon

On 2/1/2023 7:46 AM, Stephen Packer wrote:
> I watched this last night, it was framed as a film about motorcycle
> people and not motorcycles; which was sorta right but there were
> still enough bikes to look at.
>
> Frankly the whole modern 'hipster custom scene' has sort of passed
> me by, people turning CB250Ns into something I'd expect to
> see racing at Chimay, or the 'Brat' and Bobber scene.. or just putting
> a set of TKC80s on a bike and calling it a scrambler... I'd probably go
> a little further and talk about nailing people to trees when they take a
> perfectly respectable bike[1] and take a hacksaw to the frame and
> basically wreck it[2].
>
> The film did make me stop and think a bit, the people obviously
> have a lot of passion about what they're doing and maybe my
> reaction to it is just an age-related irritation; I didn't give much of
> a shit about the damage done to sports bikes by the 'Streetfighter'
> scene in the 90s or so, in fact I quite liked it if I'm honest.
> ...

Funny coincidence. I was given a book at the cafe this morning:
American Chopper * Orange County Choppers * The Fine Art of the Custom
Motorcycle.
Apparently, it was a TV docuseries that covered the history of choppers
and this one company and the bikes they made. I have no desire to own
one, but some are truly creative. Almost all are Harley Davidsons and
there is a serious culture around them.
UKRM shows the variety of motorcycle people. We have collectors, racers,
mechanics, off-roaders, and just plain riders, like me. I like going
down interesting roads on 2 wheels. Give me a sport-tourer and a country
road and I'm happy. But it takes all kinds and there's a bike for all of us.

--
The erstwhile Thomas
FJR1300, R1200GS & ST1100 (in memoriam)

On 01/02/2023 16:49, Stephen Packer wrote:
>
> 'Moved interest in motorcycles to a different demographic' is
> closer to it. I've seen this at first hand, someone I know bought a
> triumph bobber and it was all because of 'style'.

I'd consider one because you don't have to lift your leg over the seat,
just sort of shuffle over it from behind in an awkward mating ritual.

On Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 11:34:21 AM UTC-6, Mark Olson wrote:

> This prompted me to enumerate my personal menagerie of pet bike
> modification/butchery hates, in no particular order.
>
> * Straight pipes.

Agree with all. Plus "Ducati 916 seat units".

On Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 2:17:23 PM UTC-6, sweller wrote:

> [3] My Guzzi.

I desperately want a Guzzi like yours. But, curiously, don't want any other Guzzi.

On 02/02/2023 02:40, Ben Blaney wrote:
> On Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 2:17:23 PM UTC-6, sweller wrote:
>
>> [3] My Guzzi.
>
> I desperately want a Guzzi like yours. But, curiously, don't want any other Guzzi.

Me too.

Sadly, I suspect decent ones are unaffordable, and affordable ones are
are anything but decent.

--
Eddie eddie@deguello.org

Eddie wrote:

> > > [3] My Guzzi.
> >
> > I desperately want a Guzzi like yours. But, curiously, don't want
> > any other Guzzi.
>
> Me too.
>
> Sadly, I suspect decent ones are unaffordable, and affordable ones
> are are anything but decent.

TOG had a fairly tidy LM3 - the slightly less desirable square barrel
type but the same Tonti frame. It was blue, which is wrong.

What happened to it?

--
Simon

On 1 Feb 2023 at 17:35:52 GMT, "Mark Olson" <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote:

> Anonymous <the.best.names.are.gone@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I half considered an Indian Scout, just because I fancied something a bit
>> different. I started joining the relevant groups and quickly came to the
>> conclusion that they were shite and said so. Apparently, I didn’t
>> understand the concept of the bike and they’re supposed to be uncomfortable
>> and ill-handling.
>
> "A brotherhood of pain"
>
> Not my own work, but I think it describes it to a "T".

Somewhat my feelings for the BMW R18 I had as a loan bike for a day last
summer.

--
jeremy

sweller wrote:

> I have very fixed views on cafe racers. Brown suede seats, wrapped
> exhausts and no front mudguard are not cafe racers.
>
> Basically there are three acceptable cafe racers.
>
> [1] Triton
> [2] Norvin
> [3] My Guzzi.

And definitely not the Z900RS Cafe[1] that I've just dropped back at
the dealer. I was *so* glad to get back on mine.

[1] Loan bike

--
Chris

On 01/02/2023 15:46, Stephen Packer wrote:
> I watched this last night, it was framed as a film about motorcycle
> people and not motorcycles; which was sorta right but there were
> still enough bikes to look at.
>
> Frankly the whole modern 'hipster custom scene' has sort of passed
> me by, people turning CB250Ns into something I'd expect to
> see racing at Chimay, or the 'Brat' and Bobber scene.. or just putting
> a set of TKC80s on a bike and calling it a scrambler... I'd probably go
> a little further and talk about nailing people to trees when they take a
> perfectly respectable bike[1] and take a hacksaw to the frame and
> basically wreck it[2].
>
> The film did make me stop and think a bit, the people obviously
> have a lot of passion about what they're doing and maybe my
> reaction to it is just an age-related irritation; I didn't give much of
> a shit about the damage done to sports bikes by the 'Streetfighter'
> scene in the 90s or so, in fact I quite liked it if I'm honest.

Not watched it yet, but will.

>
> Still... I'd rather they hadn't pushed the price of shite old BMWs
> above a grand...

I didn't feel guilty about chopping up my £300, 250,000 mile K75, But I
don't think I would do an R65.

There's more hipster in me (in the style of some things I like) than I
care to admit. But, I don't have a checked shirt, beard, or knowing
drink craft beer.
>
> However the film was entertaining and I felt I learnt some stuff
> from it.
>
> Now where's my angle grinder?
>

Warning, it can be quite a long road and a lot of expense.

--
/Simon

On 01/02/2023 17:34, Mark Olson wrote:

>
> * Mudguards removed

Guilty. Actually, more a case of not fitting any rather than removing them.

> * Knobbies on a street bike.

Sorry
> * Fat front tire equal in size to rear tire.

Sorry

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pvuQH8MaTpqtjVps7

The seat's finished. I did get as far as getting it all road legal, but
it doesn't run properly at all so I still haven't ridden it. Hopefully
motorhome fixing up won't be required this year and I'll get some time
to work out what's wrong with it.

I will admit it's 90% for looking at.

--
/Simon

On 02/02/2023 19:56, siwilson wrote:
>
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/pvuQH8MaTpqtjVps7
>
> The seat's finished.

Do you mean the seat's finished but you haven't put it on yet, or the
seat as seen is the finished article? If the latter, then

> I will admit it's 90% for looking at.

is entirely accurate, and possibly a low estimate.