Back to the basics

Clayon

Clayon

#1
#1
I dunno, lately I am losing motivation. I'm not having as much fun as I used to building bikes. When I first got into it, I built POS bikes that ran, and you know what I had more fun with them then the nice and shiny ones I'm building.

Don't hear me wrong, there's no way I'm leaving OldMiniBikes or even stepping out. I couldn't, not matter how hard I tried, I'd miss you guys. :laugh: I just came to the realization that once I finish my build off bikes, and get the green Keystone all finished up I'm done building nice bikes.

No, from then on I'm going the rat rod route without all the effort to build a rat bike. I'm still going to work on building some nice hopped up motors with the billet parts, etc. but the bikes are going to left as they are. I'll just bolt a strong motor and clutch in them and go have some fun. :thumbsup:

I'm not 100% sure the point of this rant, but I think that the shiny bikes just aren't the same a bike that has scuffed up paint, scratches, dents, etc. those bikes have character and you don't worry about riding them.

Anybody else feel the same? :shrug:
 
Curtis66

Curtis66

Member
#2
#2
I am with you on this, I have way more fun working on my running bikes than I do about worring if I scrach the paint on a freshly painted ones.
I guess it is sorta like this,when I go to the car show I usally spend way more time looking at the cars in the parking lot more than all the finished trailer Queens.:laugh:
 
M

metal man

New Member
#3
#3
hahahahaha its the ive worked to hard to make it nice to use it . been there a few times with my old car do all kinds of work fixing holes painting it then didnt want to drive it as i mite wreck the paint job .:doah:

it happens to everyone when you put alot of time in to something . a old running beater ya dont give 2 shits about becomes more fun then the prize one in the shop . :scooter::scooter:
 
bigrob

bigrob

#7
#7
Clayon, my friend , there is nothing wrong with having a change of heart and wanting to have riders instead of garage queens.
The thing about this hobby that makes it so cool is that every one has different tastes needs and ideas
To me the passion is building , restoreing , and creating yet I very rarely ride my bikes ,when I was younger it was all about riding the wheels off lol
I think you are wise beyond your years and have the skills that most off us have taken a lifetime to learn
My advice is to finish your restorations on the Skeeter and Keystone they will last you a lifetime , and may not be readily replaceable in 10 , 15 or 20 years time , in the meantime build and thrash your other bikes maybe you need a change.
Allways here for you bud :thumbsup:
 
Clayon

Clayon

#8
#8
Thanks guys. :thumbsup: Ya Rob, I used to hardly ride my bikes and spent more time building them but now I am looking for bikes that I can ride and have fun with. The Keystone just needs a motor at this point, and the 'skeeter is getting restored as it should because it is to rare to beat on.

Right now I am trying to learn about building hopped up flathead Briggs motors so that will take up some time as well.
 
Clayon

Clayon

#10
#10
Ya that's right, that's one of the good things about riders, you can actually let guests who haven't rode much or at all ride them without worrying about the bike, their safety on the other hand.....:doah:
 
leathernun666

leathernun666

New Member
#11
#11
I will be honest with ya Clay... I build them , make them look all nice and pretty, ride them down the street a couple of times and then they sit in my garage covered up till next summer when I get bored and ride them for 10 minutes.. Then I either get bored or mad because I dont have any room and I sell them :eek:ut: I have one bike over at my parents house that I ride the piss out of. And it is my Heathkit Boonie. My kids have their 4 wheelers over there and thats my ride when we go over. It has a clone on it and it flies and never gives me trouble. Lately I have been thinking about resoring it back to original , but then I know I wont ride anymore....

To me the fun is building them and having some guy and his kid show up to buy it and seeing the look on the kids face when I start it up. Thats what makes it worthwhile. Do what makes ya happy while you still can. :thumbsup:
 
H

Havasu Dave

Moderator
#12
#12
You're not alone Clay. Another member posted something like this a month or so ago, and I've been feeling it too.

As far as making them nice, I "used" to think I shouldn't ride them, but that is changing now.

I've got a decent old Dodge sitting there that I can't work on. It aint broke, but it's numbers matching, original. What the hell am I going to do with it? For the bucks I spent, I could have got a T bucket or other hot rod and busted knuckles on it. So I work in minis instead.

It's taken me awhile, but I've decided to ride them, no matter how pretty they are. Sorry for the long winded response, but yeah, I been where you're at with every hobby or job I've ever had. Seek the warm fuzzy, and don't bum when it ain't tickling your fancy.
 
old-timer

old-timer

Scamming Member
#13
#13
I just enjoy working on them :thumbsup: Old or new it doesn't really make any difference to me. I work on them when and if I have the time and money. If a week or 2 goes by and I can't get out to the shop, no big deal. This way I don't get sick of messing with them. I hope to actually do some riding in the spring :laugh:

We have a state trail system just down the road from us, and I want to try out my new Baja :smile:

Vic
 
toomanytoys

toomanytoys

Well-Known Member
#16
#16
I have more fun building riders than restoring.

I have my heath kit hill topper restored to the T. Everything on it is perfect. Powder coated, everything but the TAV is correct, I used a 30 instead of an old 99 just for ease of replacing stuff. Orginal tires, new tank, orginal chromed muffler, orginal lighted motor. There isn't a part on it thats not 100%.

I road it 100 yards down the alley, turned around, pulled it in the garage, drained the little gas that was in it, drained the carb, and put it in the shed.

What us is that bike to me? I just look at it.
 
leathernun666

leathernun666

New Member
#17
#17
toomanytoys said:
I have more fun building riders than restoring.

I road it 100 yards down the alley, turned around, pulled it in the garage, drained the little gas that was in it, drained the carb, and put it in the shed.

What us is that bike to me? I just look at it.
Click to expand...
I can sooooo relate to that .:laugh::laugh:
 
YOOP

YOOP

#18
#18
we have redone many bikes.only one that really doesn't get riden much is our chrome roper.it does get rode just try to keep it off the gravel.all the rest get rode hard.don't care if they get scratched up or dirty.that's what they are for.i'm not one to have something just to look at.no fun in that
 
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