Some time ago I was doing design work on some clothes to the people at Icon. They have a facility in Portland, Oregon, where they worked on the design of clothing (if you have not already, check out their motorcycle jackets.
When they need some fresh inspiration, they head out to the garage and work on their bike. This, of course, will their "creative juices" flowing again, and they marched back inside, ready, well, create. I have some wonderful memories from the trip, but one thing that sticks in my head is a 1976 XS650 bobber that one of those built.
He has taken the bike that he would only pay a few hundred dollars for and turn it into a daily rider is really cool. He continued to share the bicycle seat, repainted the frame and add some drag bars. He was also turned out a bunch of parts even make much of him. This is a bare-bones bikes, but has seen a cafe-style great for that.
Seeing the bike that sparked my interest, and since then I've taken it upon myself to build up quite a few of these cheap bobbers metric. If you are on a budget, and you like being creative mechanically, this is something you might want to try. All my bikes are built sold for profit, and for the most part, I enjoy building them. It has developed into a regular hobby, and now I find myself happy to bounce from one project to another.
If you take the time to check out your local Craigslist site, you can usually find a bike that is listed for under $ 500. I usually look for something that has a mechanical problem that I know. In other words, something I can fix. Which will include a bad clutch, starter or chaotic problems that might fly. All of this is fairly easy to fix, and can be done on a tight budget. In addition, it is challenging to find the bike that I do not know too much about, because at the end of the project, I usually know the bike well.
While I figure out what I want to bike to look like, I'll go a mechanism to make sure everything is working properly. This is a good idea to check everything out while the bike in its original form. That way, if you add a section or take them out of, easier to track your progress. I used to help repair bikes on off-road events, and the first thing I would ask people to bring my bike with the problem, "What's the last thing you worked on?" And it will be the first place I go looking for trouble. This step will help you quickly track down the problem you run across while building the bike.
Once I had an idea in mind, I just get started remembering to keep things simple. If the work is too complex, a cheap little project turned into one big expensive. For example, I have never any good at painting, so I tend to take a black tin toy for my bike. I build parts out of my most memo and, on occasion, I use the component is removed from the building before. I then pour my J & P catalog to find parts for motorcycles metrics such as turn signals, handlebars, lights and chairs.
Without fail, you will experience problems as you go along, but if you remain flexible and let the bike develop naturally, usually turns into something you can really enjoy. Little things can change the look of the bike. Simple tasks, such as modifying the fenders, lights and relocation of turn signals, or use a different motorcycle seats and a bar. Try to get creative with a unique source of foot pegs for motorcycles. Surprisingly, all the small changes can have dramatic effects on the display bike. Just make sure to take the time to check the clearances on all of your modifications. You do not want to end up lying in a hospital bed because you're hitting your tank handlebars while making a sharp turn at high speed, or your new fender rub a hole in your rear tires. Check your modifications before heading out on long journeys!
If you want to be creative and play around with motorcycles, it may be a hobby for you. You are bound to increase the mechanical expertise and best yet, you get a new bike every year. And that beat hands down stamp collecting.
