'Poor Man's' Watch Forum'

Forget Jesses James, the Teutels, et. al.

Posted By: Ricky Lee McBroom
Date: Thursday, 9 November 2006, at 11:58 p.m.

THIS is my idea of a Custom Motorcycle!

From the new issue of Cycle World;

Click to Supersize

I've always felt that the CBX engine was ahead of it's time - the chassis technology it so richly deserved didn't exist in 1979. Problem solved!

Scanned from a double-page spread & stitched together. Please forgive the half-baked Photoshop job..

-Ricky

p.s.: if you'd like to see the entire article, here's the links:

Page 1 of 3

Page 2 of 3

Page 3 of 3

More Honda photos

Messages In This Thread

Forget Jesses James, the Teutels, et. al. (views: 250)
Ricky Lee McBroom -- Thursday, 9 November 2006, at 11:58 p.m.

Pretty cool! I prefer custom sportbikes to the extreme cruisers. (views: 4)
Robert Martin -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 2:12 p.m.

Or at least sport-ier bikes. I like the idea of combining stuff across manufacturers and time periods, too.

For example, if I had the resources, I'd build a BMW R100RS with a Harley Davidson engine. (I first had this thought maybe 25 years ago, so I was thinking Sportster motor, but these days I'd go for the Porsche-engineered V-Rod lump.)

-Rob

Re: I'd build a BMW R100RS with a Harley Davidson engine. >> (views: 5)
Ricky Lee McBroom -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 9:36 p.m.

Interesting concept. Closest thing I've ever seen was a bloke in the UK who shoehorned a Sporster engine into a Norton Commando rolling chassis. Pretty slick!

} ..these days I'd go for the Porsche-
} engineered V-Rod lump.

Even better! I'll never understand why the V-rod engine hasn't already been fitted to a Buell. Simple corporate incompetence, I reckon. "Why worry about manufacturing a leading edge product when we're already making tons of money?" It has to happen eventually, though. It's just too obvious a match not to!

BTW, from what I've read, Porsche's contribution to the V-rod is actually nil. 'tis true that they were consultants on the VR1000 roadracer's engine, from which the V-rod motor directly evolved. But even there, the Porsche factor is usually overstated. I mean, give the H-D engineers their due! It ain't like the whole development project was farmed out to Porsche, and turnkey motors showed up on the docks. It was very much a collaboration!

-Ricky

The V-rod's Daddy

Okay... If we're doing Bikes, here's mine. (views: 76)
Danny S -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 2:57 a.m.

Watch is Okay too.

Great s (views: 20)
John N -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 10:03 p.m.
Nice Ducati indeed! Mind you.. >> (views: 9)
Ricky Lee McBroom -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 9:54 p.m.

..I don't have that much room left for tattoos, so I'd go for this one instead;

But I do love the concept of the Monster!

BTW, my very first motorcycle, at age 10, was both Italian and a Harley-Davidson!

-Ricky

My First Bike

Nice Ducati! They look great in giallo .
Robert Martin -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 2:29 p.m.

I don't think it's big enough. (views: 1)
John N -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 2:49 a.m.

I'll stick with my Yamaha (views: 60)
Bill J. -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 2:40 a.m.

32 valve 3.4L V8 in my Ford Taurus SHO...

Actually I have a couple of 2-wheelers also, Tesch 101's, but they only motor they have is ME, and my horsepower is down a bit these days.

I don't know Ricky...I am more of a traditionalist (views: 10)
TMK -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 2:20 a.m.

What could be more traditonal.. >> (views: 20)
Ricky Lee McBroom -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 2:27 a.m.

..than an engine of 1979 vintage, which harkens back to an early-60's GP design?

Err.. right. A pushrod V-twin which pays homage to a 1920's design.

-Ricky

My back and neck hurt just looking at it. (views: 8)
Robmks -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 2:13 a.m.

Look closer! >> (views: 11)
Ricky Lee McBroom -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 11:32 p.m.

While the footpegs are rearset a bit more than I consider optimal, the bars look spot-on.

I'm not a fan of the modern sportbike's 'crouched over enough to make a Proctologist's finger twitch' riding position, either. But know what's worse? The 'watching TV in the La-Z-Boy' ergonomics of the average cruiser. Not only does it negatively impact my control of the motorcycle, it is, to me, just downright uncomfortable.

Some describe the riding position of a Standard as 'sit up and beg'. That's not far off, but I consider the perfect riding position to be 'sitting at the dinner table with an upraised knife and fork in each hand'.

IOW, I like my bars just a bit lower than Standard. Put another way, I consider my ST1100's ergos to be spot-on perfect!

{rant}

I've had a lot of folks give the ST a lookover, then say "Doesn't it hurt your back to ride all hunched over like that?" This always amazes me! I can only conclude that the fact that the package includes a fairly swoopy fairing that is vaguely reminiscent of a sportbike's addles some folks brains. When this happens, I always insist that they sit on the bike, then repeat what they just said.

Most realize their mistake, but some (read cruiser riders ) don't get it. At that point, I usually give up. I can only conclude that the Weekend Warrior Cruiser Culture has warped the general perception of what a 'normal' motorcycle should feel like beyond any hope of redemption.

It's like all of a sudden the average auto driver became convinced that the 'normal' mode of driving is to recline the seat so that you can barely see over the steering wheel, hang fuzzy dice from the mirror, and circle the nearest Sonic all night. I don't get it, I truly don't.

{/rant}

In a few (very few! ) cases I've insisted that the doubters actually ride the ST. Know what? With only a couple of exceptions, that's always done it. Argument over.

-Ricky

I'll indulge you a m/c on the , you'll drool... (views: 13)
Chris King -- Saturday, 11 November 2006, at 3:00 p.m.

At Bradsbikes.com -1999 Laverda Ghost Strike 750 - Excellent original condition with only 1200km, fast bike, hard to find - $5500. Brad's a nice guy in Marietta, GA.

You're right! I dig it! >> (views: 1)
Ricky Lee McBroom -- Saturday, 11 November 2006, at 9:41 p.m.

And $5500? That's only a few hundred bucks more'n I've got into the Miazda!

But, alas, that pretty much blew my discretionary funds for a while.. quite a while.

-Ricky

Never I gonna forget me ole Norton >>> (views: 114)
ENSIGN -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 1:20 a.m.
Owned on of those once - 2nd Hand, more on the Vintage side.
My old Mechanic called it "Poison" - some re-built
alterations from racing-use.
He was kind of right - our last ride ended in a field.
To be exact - on its mark-stone.
But no probs with coming home -
I took the ambulance, and the farmer the heap of junk
But I still miss that old love of mine,
and sometimes I scratch the little scar,
it let me as a reminder and polish my lucky charm.

Nortons are Irish, you know.. >> (views: 12)
Ricky Lee McBroom -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 2:31 a.m.
Really!

Now I understand.... There runs a bit of ancient Celtic Blood in my veins >>> (views: 9)
ENSIGN -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 3:28 a.m.
And now its time to turn Bhuddist, to get reincarnated.
Cause I want to ride that Banshee again.
Nothing beats a breakfast with a Banshee anyway.
If you live through the nite, spoken literarily and of experience.

I had a 750 Norton Atlas for about six months....... (views: 20)
Jimmy50 -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 1:31 a.m.
Traded it in on a used 650 Triumph Bonneville I rode for six years.
The Norton was quirky but unique.

I do remember the Sound - of Bike & Name "Bonneville".... (views: 6)
ENSIGN -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 1:41 a.m.

Looks like a Pissed-Off Insect (views: 11)
Paul December -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 12:44 a.m.

It looks a little like a Roland Sands design...... (views: 71)
Jimmy50 -- Friday, 10 November 2006, at 12:41 a.m.

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