My Completed GL500 Cafe Racer

[Redbird]

As stated earlier, Yes, motorcycles are dangerous. To make them more dangerous by knowingly using inadequate equipment makes one a fool.
Personal tastes and "cosmetic" decisions are one thing. Paint jobs, fairings, seat/tail designs, and yes, even tire choices, are just a few things that are subjective.
However, when one does something like removing the front brakes from their streetbike because they want that Dirt Tracker look, welds their shocks directly to the frame "cuz the angle looks cool", or in this case installs tires that "work ok" but are admittedly "afraid to test them in an emergency situation"... is a bonehead move.

To go back to the Russian Roulette analogy. There is always one bullet in the chamber (some days more) that you can't control... everyone else on the road. To purposely add more bullets by using equipment that isn't up to the situations that it may very well encounter, is again, a bonehead move.

And for the record, I never called anyone a Hipster or poser, nor have I bashed anyone for building whatever type of bike they like. But if you're doing something unsafe (to yourself or others around you), you should expect to be called on it.

 

[Killianf1]

point taken. I agree about safety, I have two kids, and I don't ride unless I'm confident I'll be back later that day. As soon as october hits, I drop the insurance and park it. it gets too cold at night to take a chance riding the bike home and hitting the one spot that froze up. And I always wear a helmet.

But I won't back down from the motorcycle as art/image/fashion point. moving electronics for ease of custom rewiring? Chrome as rust proofer? justify it how you need to, but those are pure asthetics. Stainless is cheaper, stronger, and more durable than chrome (but a pita to work with). The whole concept of Harley as a niche brand makes the exact point I was making. What do you think a Cafe racer is? Its a niche. How many thousands of members on this site alone? you think we are unique now? Got a t.v. show for gods sake. Accept that perhaps our rides have "jumped the proverbial shark".

I've never ridden on the tires in question. I probably wont hearing your discussion on them, and I thank you for that...saved me a couple bills...and maybe more.... I just don't like when people criticize others without knowing the whole story. And then try to puff themselves up as superior. its the making of eliteism that used to be vacant from this forum....

 

[VonYinzer]

Who in the hell is acting superior or putting anyone down? And yes, chrome is a way to protect metal. It just happens to look nice. That's why people use it. And no, stainless isn't cheaper than chrome. I'm not trying to justify anything. I'm not sure why you're so hot under the collar about people having a different opinion of you.

In the end, what anyone else is doing and why they're doing it doesn't fuckin' matter. Maybe you should be a bit less concerned with other folks reasons for building a bike and get busy on your own. Just don't run Firestones.

 

[Killianf1]

just trying to defend the choice of another, and renounce some of the negativity...which apparently got under some people's collar. I haven't been on this forum in a long time, as I was more busy riding (76 cb550 cafe'd, a 93 suzuki gsxr, a 04 kawa vulcan). just picked up a pair of gl500's, and was looking for inspiration....when I checked back here.

3 years ago, this forum was alot more entertaining and open....it has become something else....I guess that's where my "angst" is coming from. I hate to see a good thing go bad. seems like there are alot of people telling other people what to do and what not to do, weather its choice of tire, asthetics, safety gear, et al. In the past, users of this forum used to respect other people's attempts at a unique motorcycle or a knock off of someone else's work. That seems to have disappeared...there's always a "not my style, but nice" or something like that. alot of one upsmanship.

And my comments were aimed at someone else....go back in the thread and find out who. And tell me where you get your chrome done cause around here its at least twice the price of stainless. (in the frozen north...where old bikes go to retire.) haha...get it. re tire. ok. I'm done.

 

[teazer]

Killian,
What exactly is your point? Of course motorcycles are supposed to look good - and we just have different ideas of what that means. As to the old argument about performance and modern bikes, that's all nonsense. We can make the bike we have perform better than stock and be more functional. I don't have to have a 180 MPH bike for me to want more out of my old bike. It's not about the absolute performance and it is not about danger or any related BS.

It's about having fun - safely. For some people it's all about a look because they don't yet get what motorcycles are about, but they get that they are cool. They can learn to appreciate what a bike represents and that comes in different packages. Some of us want more performance than others and for some of it's about handling or power or some combination of both.

I don't expect that my 40 year old bike will ever be a more efficient means of transportation than a new bike, but that doesn't mean that it can't be improved upon.

It's too easy to generalize to the point of stereotyping and we should try to avoid that if possible. With growth in popularity there are more newbies making mistakes because they are following others that appear (erroneously) to know what they are doing. There are more people selling lifestyle and magazines and parts and in some cases, ill-conceived bikes.

 

[notlob]

Having agreed with teasers earlier post and with redbirds endorsements, what I was disagreeing with initially was redbirds over the top analogies.

I would not advise anyone, especially a fairly inexperienced rider to use these firestone tyres. I went for the coker diamonds because at least they have a round profile and water clearing tread pattern. The design as of these tyres maybe 80 years old but the rubber technology used in them is not the same age. Same as Avons old style with the familiar tread patterns but new rubber technology.
I've been riding long enough to know how to ride safely with what I have underneath me. My comments about not wanting to trust them in an emergency situation, could have been said differently. What I meant was that I have only ridden on them for 100 or so miles in the wet & greasy British winter, (how else would I get the carbs dialed in)which is not the time or place to practice emergency stops on any tyres until you know their capabilities in the dry. So I ride accordingly keeping my distance and braking progressively.

From what I see in the posts theres a consensus that a builder should be made aware that their tyre choice may not be the best one. But you cant berate some one for making a choice and then say anyone should be allowed to build what they like.
As redbird said tyres are a subjective issue, I'd say every choice we make is subjective which is why all opinions should be valued and appraised in respect of what the build is for, whether it be a motorcycle as a piece of art or fashion statement, a cafe racer, street fighter or race rep. All are motorcyle's with different purposes and none are mutually exclusive.

I made my choice of tyre on my build to suit what was needed for the look knowing their limitation and how I would be riding it. I'm old enough although some may say not wise enough to understand that choice and made it with my eyes open and in receipt of the opinions herein. Although I must say that from the comments of the OP he may not have been and may be wiser for having received them.
Respect the bike builds for what they are, what they mean to the builder and the skills applied in constructing said build. It may not be to your acquired taste in style or craftmanship but you dont have to ride it.

 

[Drewski]

just trying to defend the choice of another, and renounce some of the negativity...which apparently got under some people's collar. I haven't been on this forum in a long time, as I was more busy riding (76 cb550 cafe'd, a 93 suzuki gsxr, a 04 kawa vulcan). just picked up a pair of gl500's, and was looking for inspiration....when I checked back here.

3 years ago, this forum was alot more entertaining and open....it has become something else....I guess that's where my "angst" is coming from. I hate to see a good thing go bad. seems like there are alot of people telling other people what to do and what not to do, weather its choice of tire, asthetics, safety gear, et al. In the past, users of this forum used to respect other people's attempts at a unique motorcycle or a knock off of someone else's work. That seems to have disappeared...there's always a "not my style, but nice" or something like that. alot of one upsmanship.

And my comments were aimed at someone else....go back in the thread and find out who. And tell me where you get your chrome done cause around here its at least twice the price of stainless. (in the frozen north...where old bikes go to retire.) haha...get it. re tire. ok. I'm done.

Before you make such sweeping statements, I think you should hang around here awhile longer.

Sorry, but I don't think you "know" this place at all.

 

[Drewski]

I just don't like when people criticize others without knowing the whole story. And then try to puff themselves up as superior. its the making of eliteism that used to be vacant from this forum....

Again, I don't think you know this site or the people on it well enough to make this judgment.

You are actually dangerously close to doing what you accuse others of doing...

 

[shamus]

And tell me where you get your chrome done cause around here its at least twice the price of stainless.

I don't understand this at all. Chrome is a finish given to steel after the fact. Stainless steel isn't a finish, so this statement makes little sense to me.

Now, if you're talking raw material, a sheet of stainless is far more expensive than cold rolled steel that has been chromed.

 

[vintagegearhead]

I'm glad for the info about Firestone's not being a super safe tire. At least that seams to be universal. My only comment to someone who chooses to run them anyway is, "ok, don't ride behind me."

I think people are either form and then function, or function and then form. Everyone considers both. I personally wouldn't run an unsafe tire, but I don't feel responsible for the safety of other grown people who are making decisions for themselves. I also have a website that is entirely devoted to the esthetic sense of custom bikes because I like the way custom bikes look, especially cafe racers, so I'm a total hypocrite.

I take offense to America having "flat boring roads". :'( I may be taking it out of context, but personally I live near the mountains and in between several lakes. I'm surrounded by twisty mountain roads, lake frontage roads, mountain highways...I can find any type of riding I would care for within a 30 mile radius. Like America or hate it, we do have some varied terrain. It's kinda like saying, "I don't like riding in Europe because of the wet English weather." There are other areas.

Never ridden in Bangkok, but it doesn't sound very fun. Perfect bike choice: Honda Trail 90. Lightweight, does great moving slow, and would handle the potholes like a champ. Don't like it? Oh well, ride your awesome bike that you built yourself however you want. Sounds like the tires you chose aren't great in crap weather, so maybe park it and take the train when it rains.

Going back to the start, that bike is killer. Great Job man. ;D

 

[Qawls]

That's an awesome build! Everything seems to work, I can't see anything I don't like. Good work.

 

[nixon]

That's an awesome build! Everything seems to work, I can't see anything I don't like. Good work.

second that! Amazing bike