Top Ten Boneheaded Novice Builder Mistakes

AlphaDogChoppers said:
Those two bikes are truly horrifying.
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We have lots of that sort of thing around here. The bikes usually are around for a few months and are ether crashed, sold or given inspection notices. I know several shops that will not touch bikes modded like the Honda suspension special.
 
I certainly wouldn't have anything to do with them.

Man, guys are so fuckin' proud of some of the monstrosities they throw together, too. I've done some things that didn't turn out well. I ain't posting any hipsterish "artsy" photos of that shit, I can tell you...
 
I like modding bike, but usually modestly and in my own unique way. What I don't do is I don't try to re-engineer the bike. It most cases, the factory did a credible job with suspension geometry. I might change damping rates in the front (somewhat thicker for oil and, sometimes, a stiffer spring) and I will upgrade the springs, but I have never changed the mounting points. I don't know what the welded shock people were thinking. Thus far, the only brake mods I have done were to improve braking (mostly through better pads and braided brake lines). Do some people cut, weld and THEN consider the consequences or ar ethey just plain stupid?
 
Somehow, I forgot the one where the bike gets all torn apart, and the wiring harness simply chopped up with wire cutters and thrown away. "I'm going to re-wire it anyway." Then, of course, they have no fucking clue how to read a schematic or wire a bike, and now they have no wiring harness to start with.

What a joy it is wiring a bike with the four colors of primary wire you can get at Radio Shack.
 
hey if we warn the newbs about all this how are we going to buy up all the cheap

half baked bikes any more
 
AlphaDogChoppers said:
I already have too many half-baked, fucked up stalled projects I have gotten stuck with. :)
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That would in my oppinion be a luxury problem ;)
 
No joke.... I have learned a ton from this thread. Also, I love resurrecting old threads!! Thanks for all the very useful advice...

The only thing I would dispute is the one about the running engine... and only where a particular bike was very common and available. I got my 77 gs750 in a box... or several actually. I immediately sought out a running engine and found several for less than 300 bucks... and I don't live in a major metropolis. With rarer or older bikes I can totally see how this makes sense. I want to rebuild my engine bc part of my reason for building my bike was to spend time with my dad, who is a great mechanic, and to learn as much as I could from a more experienced mentor...

HR
 
LOL at #8.

I bought my bike for $300 with no title. I can't get a title for it until it goes through a $120 inspection. I can't get the inspection done until everything on the bike is back to a point where it will pass a inspection.

In order to do that I have to buy a bunch of stuff off ebay and other sources to get the back to the place it should be.. Thus taking at least a year or more.

Then I buy a $200 scooter and sets me back further LOL.
 
Actually, before reading this thread.... I don't think it even occurred to me to put everything back together BEFORE taking it apart again to get it painted! What a great idea!

Make sure it is ready to go.. then disassemble and powder coat. Sage, sage wisdom.
 
If you've ever watched any of the builder shows, like American Chopper, they ALWAYS do a full mock up, then tear it down for finishes. The tear down and reassembly goes quickly. Sometimes they might use a few substitute parts for the mock up phase if the final parts are not available, yet. I have seen that cause problems for them, too.
 
HolyRoller said:
Actually, before reading this thread.... I don't think it even occurred to me to put everything back together BEFORE taking it apart again to get it painted! What a great idea!

Make sure it is ready to go.. then disassemble and powder coat. Sage, sage wisdom.
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Nothing is final until your on the street riding the thing... and even then something STILL won't be complete
 
Well, in the interests of full disclosure... and I think this could be another point to consider with regard to stupid mistakes made by noobs.

GRINDING OFF CENTER STAND MOUNTS instead of just removing the center stand. Once those mounts are gone... no more use of the very useful center stand when fixing things.

This was the very first thing I did to my GS and I have regretted it ever since. SO STUPID. (Someone here on DTT actually alerted me to my stupidity so props to them!)

HR
 
HolyRoller said:
(Someone here on DTT actually alerted me to my stupidity so props to them!)
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Coulda been me. ;)
I LIKE centerstands for a daily driver. The bike takes up less space in the garage/shop on a centerstand than it does leaning over on a sidestand. More important, is the ease of chain and tire service. I tend to ride long distances, so my chain needs service while I am away from home. Here I am, installing a new tire before heading 3,000 miles back home from Utah. (I rarely take the shortest route.)

KanabWrenchinLaundry.JPG
 
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