Posts: 355
Joined: 1/19/2011
Location: Spring, TX USA
There are a huge amount of finely detailed resto's being done and displayed here in this forum. Works of vintage rolling art.
My question is........do those who are building these bikes intend to race them?
With all the work and effort, it's got to be a tough decision whether to race or show.
Thanks for sharing your builds with everyone!
Larry Navarro - Spring,TX. Damm glad to meetcha!
Posts: 2665
Joined: 10/20/2011
Location: Marlborough, MA USA
Built this wr to race it, now i dont want to wreck it so i should sell it to somone and let them kill it, but most likely it will go in the line up, that would make 6 non riders
Posts: 845
Joined: 8/26/2007
Location: Monticello, GA USA
Would not think that you are referring to any of mine as I do not currently have a nice one under construction, BUT, I have been told that that several of mine had too much effort and are too nice to ride. I race them all anyway!
Ride'em don't hide'em!!!!
Posts: 3952
Joined: 3/21/2014
Location: Saratoga Springs, NY USA
I"ve been trying to do just mechanical makeovers so they are riders when done, but the OCD kicks in and then everything has to be perfect.....I enjoy the whole process of finding the bike, teardown & rebuilding them. I always envision riding them but they get ridden very little...
Posts: 3340
Joined: 8/3/2016
Location: CA, USA
You just have to ride slow to avoid crashing and apply lots of Simple Green when you are done.
Instagram: vanillaice782
Amateur helmet painter
Posts: 23466
Joined: 4/1/2008
Location: USA
Just how nice is "too nice"? I've always found that there's not much that can't be cleaned off with a little flat blade screwdriver and a wire brush. Stainless wire brush by the way, wouldn't want to stain anything...
Posts: 2665
Joined: 10/20/2011
Location: Marlborough, MA USA
Posts: 905
Joined: 6/12/2008
Location: Coopersburg, PA USA
Posts: 23466
Joined: 4/1/2008
Location: USA
Posts: 209
Joined: 7/29/2013
Location: Haslet, TX USA
I seem to never have either time or money for high end restorations. Which works out about right as I don't have enough skills to make them look that nice. I start out seeing them perfect in my mind and after 3 years they may roll and run, but they don't always look so good...
My definition of a restore is to buy the same bike for the fourth time, at a higher price each time, and putting it back on the stand in the same location in the barn!
Posts: 2298
Joined: 8/15/2006
Location: NJ, USA
Never a tough time deciding for me. Ride the damn thing. Take a picture if you want to stare at it
Posts: 968
Joined: 8/31/2012
Location: ქუთაისი, GEO
Not going to ride, race or even start this one, but I'll never build another one like it. Riders from now on.
04 KX125
94 KX250SM
75 Z1-900
Posts: 141
Joined: 9/7/2016
Location: Monrovia, MD USA
Beautiful. You ( or any of us-not saying youre a bad person) are gonna put that on a fireplace mantle, drop dead and your kids are gonna sell it to a kid w/ black paint & monster stickers. Look at all the joy you ( all of us?) are missing out on. Its not an orig 440 hemi cuda for Gods sake its a fkn dirt bike! A perfect one but a dirt bike! I got a 27 yr old 11k mile factory correct certified out the yazoo orig Corvette that I'm scared to drive to 7-11; so IM GUILTY TOO.
So my dumb azz is tellin you to ride your dirt bike and I should take my vette to tail of the dragon.
Both prob will never happen but we both (all of us) need our heads examined.
Kick starters are a bitch from a coffin. And the pearly gates don't care about equity..........
Posts: 141
Joined: 9/7/2016
Location: Monrovia, MD USA
Posts: 141
Joined: 9/7/2016
Location: Monrovia, MD USA
NEWMANN_ That pic of Linda Carter from the rear bent over in all her spandex OOOPS I mean the Elsinore on the rack and then you w/the sh!t eatin grin & a wire brush is priceless. That's the definition of all our hard work summed up in two pics. Its Good to be Newmann I see. Lead the way bro..
Posts: 968
Joined: 8/31/2012
Location: ქუთაისი, GEO
I'm going to be buried with that KX doing a nac-nac.
But seriously, I hear what you're saying, but that's the beauty of these bikes. You can have a "carpet cruiser" and a rider(s) without breaking the bank. It was built to be what it is. I did race it at Budds before the restoration.
04 KX125
94 KX250SM
75 Z1-900
Posts: 3952
Joined: 3/21/2014
Location: Saratoga Springs, NY USA
Posts: 2665
Joined: 10/20/2011
Location: Marlborough, MA USA
sandman768 wrote:
I"m going to ride this....first complete bottom end I did all by myself... I want to see if it stays together!
what are you going to do with my buddy Bennys 92?
Posts: 23466
Joined: 4/1/2008
Location: USA
The wire brush is a bit of an inside joke. I was over at Rio Bravo back in 1994 on a practice day when a friend of mine wheels into the pits on his brand spanking new 94 YZ250 after spinning its first laps ever. Track was a little wet that morning and he had a bunch of sand/dirt caked all over it. After a short rest, he grabs a screwdriver and a wire brush and just starts going to town knocking and scraping the dirt off. 
I sorta lost my shit over that and they've joked with me ever since. 
Posts: 141
Joined: 9/7/2016
Location: Monrovia, MD USA
Posts: 3952
Joined: 3/21/2014
Location: Saratoga Springs, NY USA
sandman768 wrote:
I"m going to ride this....first complete bottom end I did all by myself... I want to see if it stays together!
I cleaned & greased it all up nice..fogged it for storage. That is by far the cleanest old bike I ever bought...So for now it just sits in my garage, I did take the Boyesen rad valve, carb jetting & works connection frame guards off it & used them on this bike. I did"nt really need 2 92 rm 250"s, but I could not pass up Ben"s bike...
Posts: 534
Joined: 2/10/2014
Location: GBR
They are never 'too nice'. They are machines, beautiful and wonderfull machines that we all pour our hearts (and money) into..but they were designed for one thing. To be ridden! If they aren't ridden then they don't get be alive!
Have the most fun you can have with the most beautiful thing you can! Your girl, your bikes, your cars and your guitars!!
Finished on the friday...
Sunday....
Testing fresh builds
A week later...
Check out our website! www.phildentonengineering.com E-mail if you don't see what you're after!
The finest Titanium, Stainless Steel and Billet alloy components in the world!
Engine building, Race prep, Restoration
https://www.facebook.com/PhilDentonEngineering
Posts: 1640
Joined: 1/29/2015
Location: GBR
Ride them 100%.... Finished on Saturday evening, ridden on Sunday then raced the following weekend.
Posts: 79
Joined: 10/10/2016
Location: Friendswood, TX USA
Posts: 416
Joined: 4/1/2008
Location: Grapevine, TX USA
Posts: 355
Joined: 1/19/2011
Location: Spring, TX USA
Awesome collection guys. Keep those cards and letters coming!
Larry Navarro - Spring,TX. Damm glad to meetcha!
Posts: 968
Joined: 8/31/2012
Location: ქუთაისი, GEO
Posts: 79
Joined: 10/10/2016
Location: Friendswood, TX USA
Edited Date/Time:
Thank you, Here is another one, that I do not race. It is a "true" replica of Ake Jonsson's Maico that Karl Landrus built about 10 years ago. They actually went to Ake's shop in Europe to pull dimensions for making it a duplicate bike. Never been started, nor had fuel/oil since the build.
Posts: 79
Joined: 10/10/2016
Location: Friendswood, TX USA
Posts: 895
Joined: 6/29/2014
Location: Temecula, CA USA
