Building a rat

[fredintoon]

Hi List,
my thought of a rat bike is one that has lived a hard life and has been fixed up by an impoverished owner the best way he can over the years. Thus a broken headlight may be replaced with one off an old tractor, a rusted out muffler by a length of downspout held on with stove bolts and perforated strapping, a luggage rack would be home made from rebar, footpeg rubbers replaced by garden hose etc. etc. You gotta do what you gotta do to keep mobile, right?
All well and good and I raise my hat to these guys.
But what about those who DO have the money and resources to keep a bike in A-one shape but instead they deliberately build it into a faked-up rat bike?
Do they wish to be mistaken for skilled but impoverished shade tree mechanics?
Are their bikes the motorcycle equivalents of a paint-by-numbers Picasso?
Or can deliberately building a rat bike possibly be a genuine art-form?

[DiverRay]

Fred,
My take on this is they are trying to build the bike they want. I know my "daily ride" would turn into a "rat" quickly as I don't wash it much, just ride it and do what I NEED to keep it running. The MNS, on the other hand, is kept clean and wiped down after the rides. I am trying to put everything back to what it should be, with my limited resources. As for the "bobbers", they are a different bike, and have their own style that some love and some hate.
I like ALL bikes, just not all the owners. I think I'm just young at heart, and still forgiving of those trying to find their own vision.

[Geezer]

Fred I think you have a much more trashed idea of a rat bike than most people. The bike you describe is even beyond a redneck bike.

I've seen not bad conversions to use small car glass packed mufflers on big bikes but they don't muffle much. Mix matched bike parts are part of a rat... On the other hand, a tractor seat is a good start to building a touring saddle.

Geezer

[dentat2]

I consider my XS11 spec. a rat. Alot of my friends ride big twin choppers. Now I really cant afford to build a 30,000 dollar chopper, really wish i could but i cant. What I can do is make my 80 XS as chopper as I want it to be. Now I know some of the die hard never change a stock XS cause its sacreligous guys hate it and want to gripe about but hey its mine ill play with it if I want. I think the rat style is getting really popular because it doesnt take alot of cash. Nowadays thats what people need. What they dont need is someone raggin on what they think is cool.

[bgrubb7]

Different Strokes for Different Folks...thats. my motto.

Bike building is an art form, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Damn, I'm really throwing the cheap cliche's around today.

I think some people try to conjure up Road Warrior/Mad Max type looks on their rat bikes, some go for the redneck look simply for sh!ts and grins. Whatever trips your trigger is OK by me, 'cause it's your bike. I personally wouldn't want to be seen on one, but there is a lot of creativity in some of them.

Now Rat Rods, is another story. I am a huge fan of a rat rod bike. My bobber project, when finished, will be flat black, red wheels, white walls, wrapped pipes, the whole works. Even cherry bombs have their place and can look good if done properly.

[Geezer]

My 79 Standard is a rat too. The engine is grimy, the pipes are rusted and the paint is in bad shape. Also the tank, side covers and tail section are different colors. The tanks is the stock blue, faded and the clear coat is flaking off. The side covers are and eBay find and are light blue and sliver. The seat is another eBay find and has a black tail section that looks to have factory paint but I don't remember a factory black XS11 standard.

Other than a recovered seat, one of my reg/rec units and some crappy aftermarket pipes, this bike is stock. I'm slowly deratting it but that's going to take some time... Yesterday I replaced a broken headlight side reflector. It was a small improvement in the looks but every little thing helps. The next thing is going to be a good washing and a set of take off Harley mufflers.

Geezer

[fredintoon]

- - - Now I know some of the die hard never change a stock XS cause its sacreligous guys hate it and want to gripe about but hey its mine ill play with it if I want. I think the rat style is getting really popular because it doesnt take a lot of cash. Nowadays thats what people need. What they dont need is someone raggin on what they think is cool.

Hi Den,
cool is in the beholder's eye, you may see a fat old man riding a sidecar rig but I KNOW I am cool. What I rag on about is mods that lessen a bike's safety. If you want to see real hatred and griping, check the list's opinion of those who part out working or easily salvageable XS11s on E-bay.
The vitriol just drips off the screen sometimes.

[dentat2]

Oh im sure of it. I run with hard core v-twin chopper guys. I've heard more "jap bike" "rice burner" comments. I think i could write a book about it. I do plan on putting my front stoppers back on tho, they were locked up when i got it so i just need to find some. Plus im fixin to do the jockey shift mod soon so ill definatley need them.

Heres what the black rat looks like

[Geezer]

Oh im sure of it. I run with hard core v-twin chopper guys. I've heard more "jap bike" "rice burner" comments. I think i could write a book about it.

The next time you a Harley rider says that to you, remind them of the Japanese, carbs, forks, rear shocks, gauges and switches on their bikes. You can get into it with them about the German pistons later on...

Geezer

[Ivan]

Well, I have never understood this either. I have a good friend at work that rides hard and is always trading and wheeler dealer for his next scoot. He buys stuff from insurance auctions and uses parts from anywhere he can scrounge them. Rides them for two or three months and then trades it off on another. I call him the original rat fink, because he just wouldn't be happy on something that has all the parts from the same manufacturer. It must be something in his blood...

[bgrubb7]

If you want to see real hatred and griping, check the list's opinion of those who part out working or easily salvageable XS11s on E-bay. The vitriol just drips off the screen sometimes.

Part of me is irked that they are dismantling a perfectly good bike, but part of me says they are serving a needed purpose. Especially when I need a part! However, there are more parts that buyers right now on ebay...

[Geezer]

I have no problem with crossing brands when customizing a bike. I think all the Japanese bike companies use a lot of the same subcontractors so it's not all that bastardized.

There are some strange parts interchangeabilities I've found over the years. For example a 1978 CB750 Honda uses the same caliper seals as the XS11 standard. The Honda seals come in a kit for 2 calipers but the Yamaha sets are one per caliper. I can't remember if the Honda ones are cheaper or not.

The the earlier SOHC CB750 disks have the same bolt pattern as the XS11 but are 2mm smaller in OD and have more offset. The early wing has the same bolt pattern but the OD is way smaller. I guess that's why the XS11 stops a bit better.

I know of many more but I can't usually remember them all at once.

Geezer

[Pat Kelly]

I do love to tease (without malice) the Harleybots.
I had a pick-up with a Harley in back pass me yesterday on I-40 in AZ. A few minutes later the same 'combo' was on the side of the Hwy with a DPS officer behind them.
I jumped on the CB and said "That's the only way a Harley can get a speeding ticket, when it's being towed".
Other truckers piped-up defending the Harley.
I chimed in again that "maybe it wasn't speeding but cited for hauling garbage without a permit".
That fanned the flames and they started talking about "Jap-Crap".
I stated that I do have a stock 30 year-old Yamaha that I paid $60 for and I would put it up against any $20,000 Harley for accelleration, top speed, long distance comfort, or longevity (last one is obvious).

They just won't listen to reason.

It was a nice looking Harley

[GARTHXS]

rat

My 78 is a rat and I don't mind making mods on it as you may see in my signature. But it has been more out of necesity rather than design I started with a bobbed frame and no fender, rusted out pipes and bad carbs and mx style handle bars now I have a bike that is reliable and comfortable to ride . I guess function over form. But the latest addition to my stable the 79Fer is as stock as possible except for much neede upgrade like stainless lines fork brace and new shocks and an oil cooler

[MaximPhil]

[
They just won't listen to reason.

It was a nice looking Harley[/QUOTE]

Thanks Pat,
I almost wet my pants from laughing at: It was a nice looking Harley. I bet none of them realized you were pulling their chain.
Phil