Ups & Downs of building bikes

[Gsxar]

Professionally done Vs having a go, the results the dilemmas and the heartbreaks do you ever think why do you do it?

It kinda gets me down lately that modifications can take me forever & are not always perfect, and then I doubt myself & think should I just take it to a professional. Problem is I want my bike to look like it road off a magazine cover but I want to ride it often & do lots of K’s and of course have it stay perfect. ( if I ever get it perfect)

So as I take a break from toiling in the shed for what seems like days I thought I would see who else ever has down building days.

So I started out having a go building bikes, not only did I have no idea 95% of the time, but errrrkkkkk I’m a girl with only little muscles hahaha . My bikes have kinda always been more mine to me because I do most of the work myself, there is literally blood sweat & tears in them.
ASF is lucky to have members with various levels of knowledge who nicely share it, so by now I hope I have learnt a little bit with all trials & tribulations of my bikes over the last few years, thanks muchly to the guys here. My learning has had to include not only motorcycles but using tools, hands on with lots of things I had no idea about. From being given my 1st drill not long after buying a 250, I can’t deny I love not only to ride but to tinker in the shed.
Apart from the friends I have met through ASF most of the riders I know are not really into modifying their bikes, so I get a lot of responses from why the fuck? To…. STOP!!!!! It’s something people feel they can give me their opinions about over & over (maybe because I change the bikes over & over ;))

I started with bucket loads of enthusiasm, a desire for knowledge & of course a bike. I read new guys on here not wanting to have a go with the simplest thing, my problems the opposite I will generally have a go at anything from polishing, trying to make parts on the lathe to my fiberglass creations. Over the years there have been many failures, a few successes & lots of zip ties & love put into my bikes
I can spend hours doing something and then have a friend over to give a hand & make it look so easy, leaving me frustrated…..& swearing after an hour of trying to undo a bolt :(.
I have spent the last 2 days stuffing around with the front to move the headlight closer in on the 1000, of course 1 job leads to 10 more, then I spent hours trying to put the top triple clamp back on.

Good news is headlight has been moved in, brackets, bars etc etc changed and almost back together. I’m fiercely proud of my Gsxr babies, I look at photos when I got them pretty standard and look at them now – very different.
Everyone agreed I need a standard bike so I brought the 1000 , 15 months later - that plan didn’t last long lol.

Just when it was all getting me down a few bits & pieces on the bike stared to go right and make me wanna get in the shed & play again. Typical woman the more I do the more I want done, getting me out in the shed again & again. As my knowledge grows I change things & remake things, continually having a go – arguing with others & myself hmmm should I have a professional do it??? 9 times out of 10 I’ll have a go myself, sometimes over & over till I get it right or my version of right – now I’m getting to the stage where I stand back & it’s not a show bike & but I have to remember I tried & I will keep tying. So my rants is done :D:D & I’ll go back to putting the bike back together.
So do the trials & tribulations of building a bike ever get to you guys and do you think why do I bother??

I said almost back together didn't I ;)

http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp123/Gsxar-Jo/1000Jan2.jpg
http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp123/Gsxar-Jo/1000Jan3.jpg

[Redmohawk]

JoJo I have seen enough of your work and bikes to know your doing far better than alot of us "blokes".

How do you think those profesionals you refer to got there skills? Doing exactly what you are they just started earlyer than you is all.
I enjoy the time I tinker on my bikes almost as much as riding them, sometimes more when I'm in the zone and all just seems to go as planed. For the off days I have had many, and thats why I have many projects with few finished (well if there really is a finished lol) when one shits me I move to another or just wander off and return to the shed when I feel the call.

[Shadowzone]

I do it because I love it and it takes me away from my day to day woes.

I'm far from the best when it comes to it, but I know where my limits lie and while I don't mind pushing them I've had to pay for that on more than one occasion to fix my completely off the planet stuff ups.

[rock hard]

Hey Jo,your doing good,it only LOOKS easy but shit the hours you spend and it doesn't look different then all of a sudden it looks close to what you want,you get close and then as they say the devils in the details...keep at at you'll have a bike that no one else has..morry

[RevHead]

i find i grab a tinny or 6 and just go to it ,,its an interest i found on here all the guys n girls bikes on here inspired me to build my bike,i never get down on myself about what needs to be or is it going to work,hey your making it ,you can change whatever u dont like

thats why i love fightered bikes

[rod185651]

quote:Originally posted by Gsxar

So do the trials & tribulations of building a bike ever get to you guys and do you think why do I bother??



All the time, that is why when I have a win, it feels so sweet.

[Gsxar]

I made so many trial [xx(] bits playing with fibreglass & carbon I think that may have contributed to the arrrrhhhhhhh why wont anything look like I planned sulk :D:D
Back together & I'm pretty happy with it YAY :D the head light is about 2/12 inches closer and the wiring looks neat, keen again to start the next thing on the list [:p]:D

[sharky]

What you need Jojo, is a man to do it for you while you bring him food and beer...[B)][B)][B)][B)]:D

[Snaffler]

the best thing to do is have lower expectations of your quality of work and when you get a better higher quality job done then you will be more happy than just being happy with your work..

hats off to the girl in steel cap boots [:p]

[fimpBIKES]

worth every second from the look of that headlight jo!

[rod185651]

quote:Originally posted by Snaffler

the best thing to do is have lower expectations of your quality of work and when you get a better higher quality job done then you will be more happy than just being happy with your work..


But it Sucks even more when you set low standards, and still fail to reach them ;)

[Gsxar]

Sharky your such a modern man [:p] Would he let me wash the bike if I was really good [:0]:D

Thanks guys makes me feel better that not everything you make turns out perfect either ;)
I don't wanna lower my standards [8)] I just want the output quality better with less effort by me:D:D I get so proud after spending 5 hours to making a little bracket lol

[scotty]

headlight look good jo.

[sharky]

You know I luv's ya Jojo....

For the record I had a total FAIL attempt at carbon covering an airbox and 3 goes at the undertray 'til I got it right...

[TurboKat]

Maybe try a cup of cement to make you Harden The Fuck Up & get on with it Jojo. ;)
What are you? A fucking girl or something? [:X]

[ozzy1100]

jo at least u getting something done lol
and russ its worth it u freak btw have a look at the buell in lastest rapid
its a bike craft and looks tops great build but have a look at the under tail
its like we have both said looks like it was a after thought side by side
to what yrs should end up like.....

[BossMan]

i only get down when i realise i cant ride cos its all over the shed also if you do anything before drinking it turns out better i find

[Gsxar]

quote:Originally posted by sharky

You know I luv's ya Jojo....

For the record I had a total FAIL attempt at carbon covering an airbox and 3 goes at the undertray 'til I got it right...

3!!! damn just to cover something [:0][:0]:D


Turbs you always cheer me up lol Drank some cement- broke all my nails and didnt even care haha

[ralph]

For a 10 min job I allow 1 day
for something I think will take a day I give myself a week
If it should take someone a week to do.....
.....I dont know
......its not finished yet
All the time, the "to do" list gets longer, never shorter
It seems the more I do the more is needed.
And I dont give a shit what it looks like
For me its 100% function over fashion

[latheboy]

What sucks the most is building a bike and when your almost finished, you smash 3 tendons in you left elbow[V]

I might have to make mine an auto