Streetfighters Extinct, Where are we heading?

[WATEVR]

Hi all bare with me here as i pose a question.....or three

i have been fairly quite in these parts as i sold my fighter June last year as i moved to Kalgoorlie and road bike are an absolute waste of time and i got into dirt bikes.

this is the thing,i feel like something is missing and want to start a project bike and from someone looking in at modified bike scene i am wondering whether there is a place for fighters? are we being policed out? with quite a few guys getting dragged over the coals and receiving minor and major defective notices of late, it has got me thinking.

now i know that when i repaired my previous bike i started with essentially nothing so remaining under cover and avoiding situations where it may get un wanted attention was just part of the fun and should it have got a canary, so be it. but to build a bike from ground up to then get done for a fender that isnt at the right length, mirror size etc..........is it worth it? last thing i would want is to be building a bike that lives on a trailer/ or lookslike a factory naked.

now it all comes to what we want to do as individuals,but is the days of shed builds being killed off?

what does everyone think?

[HOS]

The issue is oppression and state control of everything, it aint just bikes ;)

Even worse oppresive shit over here in UK.
The more shitty laws, people rebel, so more petty laws come in, people rebel more, they tighten the petty laws up, people rebel.... end result ? No one gives a fuck.

My bikes are not technically legal in several key areas, but they are taxed, insured, MOTd, safely constructed and well maintained.
Those are the important things.

Do I worry bout getting pulled? Fuck no ! [:p]
The police are a bunch of small dicks..... Tools of the fucking state and nothing more. Yeah tools ! :D

[Jockney Rebel]

^ what he says ^^

[hyofighter]

Western Australian cops and modded vehilces dont seem to go together , wa cops seem to be the hardest of any state and just defect vehicles coz they can

build a bike how you want it and be smart about where you take it and how you ride it , dont shit in your own nest and usually your alright

[sharky]

I'm gonna be working carefully to keep mine within the law but not compromise on the design.
Its going to stand out as it is so the less things they can find wrong the better.

[rock hard]

Its a numbers game Whatever..always been that way.you pay your money and you take your chances..ive been riding road bikes since the early seventies (old bastard) coppers have always been the same it just depends on where their particular focus is at the time..whether its Noise the perenial favorite or the current fasion rear fenders and stuff. as Hyo says do it sencible and dont be a dick whlie joe public is watching and you will generaly be fine.and fuck it building and riding is a thousand times more pleasure than not.build your project ride it and stand proud!thats what streetfightin is all about..by the way hows that tall blonde barmaid at the exchange hotel in kal..shit man the way she looked i was ordering two of everything...

[geesexar]

yeah chris what they all said...I dont ride my fighter every day so im (i hope) under their radar and as for the sensible thing to do is...buy a factory bike..keep it standard and...fuck that...do your own thing an just try and stay outta their sights. What did neil young say...its better to burnout than to fade away

[Hillsy]

Ever since H*nda released the CB750 people have been saying that motorcycles are death machines and surely will be banned at any moment........we're still waiting.......

A couple of fines won't deter the kids from having fun and building their own bikes.

[old gsxrr]

i've got a cousin thats a cop, when i asked him about how the police would view my illegall
chev into datsun he said it's like this- iff you drive dangerously speed excessive noise
and the public complain the police try to put you off the road as a punishment , he said do it where no-one cares , so even though the local cops were aware of my car, i never got pulled over
to ride a stocker is not acceptable it should be made illegal

[MDM]

quote:Originally posted by old gsxrr


to ride a stocker is not acceptable


Well said that man. ;)

[MDM]

quote:Originally posted by HOS



Even worse oppresive shit over here in UK.


Nope. Not as awkward here as it is in Aus, nor as it is in various parts of Europe with their type approval laws.
Essentially, we can do whatever we want as long as it passes an MoT, isn't too noisy and has a big number plate. We've got it easy in Blighty. Which makes it all the more frustrating when we hear whining (yeah, who'd have thought it, English people whining!) about how bad it is in the UK when people should be putting all their efforts into building radical, world-leading bikes, and then riding the shit out of them...;)

[alfiestorm]

Spot on MDM, was thinking how to word a reply about the aussie rules compared to the uk


alf

[fimpBIKES]

last time i got pulled over the cop didnt even know what he was looking at

i say go as radical as you want, but try to make it look factory
9 times out of 10 its your attitude thats going to determine if the cops pull you through the ringer or not

[HOS]

MDM it depends what county you come from when talking about
obsessive police targeting of bikers.

Spend some time round Warwickshire ? or West Mids ? [xx(]
The bill are given higher quotas each year for nicking bikers.
Warks bill in particular are fucking mental about bikes.

Our local police arent bothered, ridden past then, ridden with them following me, as long as you keep it real they ain`t bothered.
Breath of fresh air compared to Warks Taliban !

But yeah I have heared that Aus is getting tough against bikers.
I thought one of the main reasons is because of the actions of a small minority of biker groups ? ? ;)

[HOS]

Couple of our mates went to Aus on hol two years ago and got treated badly by many establishments, like cafes and bars because they were wearing biker T-shirts, got refused entry too many times.

[Fight_fan]

Yeh Hos! A lot of hotels/pubs wont let u in if ur wearin a 'biker' shirt n they suspect u of wearin colours!

[HOS]

quote:Originally posted by Fight_fan

Yeh Hos! A lot of hotels/pubs wont let u in if ur wearin a 'biker' shirt n they suspect u of wearin colours!


I have never been turned away myself anywhere here for wearing bike gear but heard of people who have.

Been in a couple o pubs with biker mates where its been like walking into a saloon in an old cowboy movie. Where the piano stops playing and the place goes deathly silent. :D
I`ve never been refused though ;)

The old prejudice against us alive and well though. Worlds full of haters :( Bikers are an easy focal point for the publics hatred and thats been well promoted by the media and police.

[sen]

quote:Originally posted by fimpBIKES

last time i got pulled over the cop didnt even know what he was looking at

i say go as radical as you want, but try to make it look factory
9 times out of 10 its your attitude thats going to determine if the cops pull you through the ringer or not


This.

It's all about perception. If you give them a reason to be suss, they'll drag you over the coals.

Plus modified vehicles have been copping shit off the police since the 50s.. the hobby never dies, it just adapts. You learn to work around (or sometimes regrettably WITH) new laws and whatever the cops are focussing on at that point in time.

[BillyWhizz888]

Having a duo of canaries at present ;)
I reckon go for extreme, but ensure you are able to bolt back bits for compliance at the end of the day its usually about noise, fenders, lights and mirrors [^]

[Azrael]

They have to catch you to sticker you

[HOS]

I agree with the sentiments above, that its how you ride and come across on the road.

If you look like a prat a ride like one, you will get pulled.

Avoidance is a good procedure to adopt, your observation skills are a large part of that.

Keep off roads the police target, ride like a nun near biker meets and venues ;)

Learn your local police`s WMDs and where they hang out any day of the week. Know the enemy ;)

Its about you and how you come across. If you large it everywhere trying to look like a dogs dinner [:p] your gonna get tugged :(

Thats my honest :)

[80s freak]

An interesting read here gents, If I just go to and from work, I ride 550k's a week. Rain, hail or shine. My bike would be considered illegal (loud, undersize mirrors, non engineered changes) by the "people who protect us from ourselves". So far I haven't been hassled on it because of noise or the way it looks. Got pulled the other day tho riding a 'Busa. After the copper found out I was on a road test and relaxed. He made a comment about all the useless "wogs" that ride 'Busa's, GSXR's, R1's etc, like "cocks" without licences. Making it hard for real riders.
Which I thought was actually a pretty honest acessment. I think we might be safe for a little while longer, just be aware of what you do, and where you do it.

[Weaselman]

It will always be the minority that stuffs the majority simply because when it goes wrong it goes wrong i a big way. Modified bikes can and do fly under the radar mostly (Anyone whos seen my gixxer can attest to that) But when some knob does something dumb and it makes headlines (As it always does nowadays with our cunt media) The cops put on a show and we all suffer.

As far as the original question of shed builders, yes i beleave they are on the way out. Bikes are complicated computer controlled pieces of fast that usually give you some kind of major drama when you try and change something. (Just ask jim about his clocks on his triumph) So people dont normally bother with anything more than the bolt on wank.
The dark arts of carbs, DIY wiring and making square pegs fit round holes which defines what makes a fighter a fighter ARE loosing ground in the face of Technology and thong wearing yobbos with disposable incomes.

But hey thats progess isnt it?
Face it were all backwards and fuck me its fun

[Tony Nitrous]

Its just a game.

Sometimes I ride like an arse, and ride an illegal bike.

Sometimes they catch me.

It's like footy/rugby/cricket/etc.
If you have a true love of the game, you dont stop playing
just because the other team's on a winning streak.

Them v Me, just a game.

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/5413/copw.jpg

[HOS]

The "art" of self taught spannering has died away amongst recent generations.
I`m not sure why. I don`t thik its just because of the complexity of modern bikes although that has to be a factor.

But I have bike "mates" who can`t even change a 3 x bolt exhaust can or change a headlamp bulb. They have to pay main dealer prices for that work.

Faced with that level of lack of skill or even the desire to learn, what is the future for modified bikes?

Likewise I think standard bikes are a crime !

Stock bikes at bike meets do`nt get a look at all from me, I can sense they are stock by instinct, do`nt need to actually look at them. [:p]

If you are going to have a bike you should at the very least be able to adjust the chain and change the oil and brake pads?
There are so many who can`t even do those basics. [xx(]

How did you learn ? Self taught like me ?

[HOS]

What I`m saying is that more and more bikers can`t spanner like we do.

Technophobic ?

Even basic spannering is a dying art ?

Without that basic ability, people will not build "modified" bikes.
Its the fear of what if it goes wrong becasue its not standard !!!!
[:0] panic ! panic ! :D

[HOS]

Tell you guys now..... in the 70s we had a joke about those people who didnt ride bikes because they do`nt want to get their nice soft clean hands dirty.

Same old ?;)

[Hagarr]

Evolution and Marketing

I bought my Harris because of Jap flexi frames,swingarms,forks blah blah from late '70s early '80s era.

Stuffed some cams and a big bore because it didn't go fast enough (pffft I think I only have found the throttle stop a handful of times in 30 years+ of road riding!)and away I went

Today I own 4 x registered bikes from Harris '82 technology through to B-King

I don't reckon I'm going to need any engine Mods to B-King, Too Smooth Too fast and Too Good, all I'll be doing is bling which is what 80% of you guys on this site are doing.nothing wrong with that but not what I would call "Proper" modding or 'fighting. but then again the base model is so good there is little need to change anything other than your personal preferences and tastes in style.

Engine mods are a thing of the past,unless you include electronic gadgetry.

Exchanging more modern gear on to your gixxer or WHY is not required if you choose the right base model in the beginning so the evolution process is brought on by the manufacturer saying, hey these guys aren't buying my product what do I need to change to make them buy one and keep buying them.

Yes I believe the revolution of 'fightering will eventually change (hasn't it already?)but it is only an evolution of how and why we turned our Beezas and Trumpys in to cafe racers before that.

I believe it is in Human Nature to change things and 'fightering will succumb to the same process !!!

[Tony Nitrous]

quote:Originally posted by Hagarr

I don't reckon I'm going to need any engine Mods to B-King, Too Smooth Too fast and Too Good,


B-King could easy cope with another 20 pony's and would be a better bike for it.
Run against a new GSXR/R1 etc on the open road or at the drags and a
few extra horsepower would be more than welcome.

[Hagarr]

"Too Good" for me Tony!

I'm sure there are plenty of younger pilots out there willing to twist the throttle harder and further but I'm over the flat out thing!

Just trying to make the point that compared to what I HAVE owned that the quality, in its base form, is pretty darn good and for me not much point looking for any more power as I wouldn't be looking to use it anyway.

[Tony Nitrous]

I know what your saying. Even out of the crate everything work's well, the days of
Dyno kits and braided lines are past, sure there's powercomander etc but now your
trying to improve, not fix a problem. Most of the mods I see are just the normal
bolt on useless Carbon or Bling.

The down side to it is they are so easy and tame to ride, my Mrs passed her test
and within weeks of riding her 1st bike, rode my B-King. Perhaps a few more ponys
would turn them more like the nasty bikes of old.

[80s freak]

I have about 1/2 a dozen customers at work who come in and pay us to adjust and lube their chains for them. Honestly it makes me cringe knowing that there are people that just get on there bike and put petrol in them. Never checking oil or tyre pressures even. So it doesn't suprise me at all to here that shed builds on dropping off. Having said that, there will always be people who want to play with their rides. You only have to look through streetfighters mag to see how many bikes are very trick looking with standard motors, maybe a jet kit and that's only because of pipes and pods. It is a shame but hey it keeps me in a job.

[fimpBIKES]

as far as the technology side of it goes

i tinker with the efi, add electro-gadgets etc
whats the worst that'll happen

sure, i might have to do some roadside spannering every once in a while
but im more than happy to pay that price to say that its mine

[bladehunter]

Do you wanna rebel or just be a Rebel ?

[Tony Nitrous]

Apart from there being LOT'S of Turbo Busa's about,
Im suprised at the amount of Guy's on the BK forum running NOS
or fitting Turbo's or Superchargers. They cant all be show-pony's.
Still plenty or racers and nutters out there.


http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/996/sf1h.jpg

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/2867/sf2e.jpg

[HOS]

Well you know woodsy, he`s hiked his turbo B.King up to 550 bhp.


http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1261364602.jpg


http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1261379573.jpg


Might be a bit lively ?

[old gsxrr]

there's quite a change in public perception of bike riders , when the movie the wild one came out iff you wore a leather jacket, you were a thug,now there are that many bikes on the road we have a voice and political leverage on things that effect us ,i'm just glad that we're in abundance now that we're not noticed as being thugs and harassed like the good old days

[HOS]

quote:Originally posted by old gsxrr

there's quite a change in public perception of bike riders , when the movie the wild one came out iff you wore a leather jacket, you were a thug,now there are that many bikes on the road we have a voice and political leverage on things that effect us ,i'm just glad that we're in abundance now that we're not noticed as being thugs and harassed like the good old days


When you had to carry the purchase receipts for the parts on your bike when you got stopped by the bill? Which was fairly often.

[old gsxrr]

and it would take them hrs to check to see iff your lisence checked out, ha! good old technology