Author Topic: Hideous Modifications From Your Past  (Read 2398 times)

Offline Andrew-S

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Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« on: December 09, 2018, 12:22:59 PM »
Well, it sure seemed like a good idea at the time!

I dug out these photos of my old 71 K1 from back in May 78 after I fitted a fairing and ace bars to it - Rickman or a Dunstall I think?  It didn't match the candy gold but looked great (well I though so anyway), especially after I fitted some Yoshimura stickers even though it was a bog-standard K1..........with a rack.  ::)

BUT, those ace bars gave the turning circle of a London bus, so it all came off after less than 2 weeks!  ;D

So I wondered what hideous bike modifications others are willing to own up to?





« Last Edit: December 09, 2018, 01:12:21 PM by Andrew-S »
1972 UK XL250 K0 Motosport
1976 UK Z900 A4
2018 BMW R1200 GS

Offline SteveD CB500K0

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2018, 01:05:19 PM »
I don't have a photo but I fitted Fiamm air horns in an attempt to make myself heard..

The compressor was fitted (bodged) onto the old horn mount - with associated exhaust heat and road spray...

The horns were mounted on the fairing brackets on the outside of the Rickman fairing (see avatar)

They were loud OK, but the delay between pressing the button, the compressor whirring into life and the noise coming out made it impossible to "beep" the horn. Only a sustained blast was possible.

And then the compressor faided due to being continually wet :(

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Offline SteveD CB500K0

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2018, 01:07:16 PM »
... also, fitting a K3 seat and tank to my 500.

The mountings didn't line up and the rack meant I couldn't open the seat anyway!
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Offline Andrew-S

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2018, 06:17:12 PM »
I don't have a photo but I fitted Fiamm air horns in an attempt to make myself heard..

The compressor was fitted (bodged) onto the old horn mount - with associated exhaust heat and road spray...

The horns were mounted on the fairing brackets on the outside of the Rickman fairing (see avatar)

They were loud OK, but the delay between pressing the button, the compressor whirring into life and the noise coming out made it impossible to "beep" the horn. Only a sustained blast was possible.

And then the compressor faided due to being continually wet :(

Can't match the compressor driven airhorns, but these things I fitted in 79 to my Z750 twin when I was a dispatch rider in London and needed to send car drivers a little warning, just got waterlogged and were totally useless. Later, I fitted a big clear screen - clearly I'd been watching too much CHiPs on TV! 

1972 UK XL250 K0 Motosport
1976 UK Z900 A4
2018 BMW R1200 GS

Offline SteveD CB500K0

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2018, 06:57:23 PM »
I remember going to the bike show when the Z750 was launched.

You’ve got a 900/4 and a 650/4, why on earth would you make a 750 twin?

Not quite a modification, but my room-mate at uni bought a CB500T. Again, why?




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Offline Rozabikes Tim

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2018, 08:02:37 PM »
I don't have a photo but I fitted Fiamm air horns in an attempt to make myself heard..

The compressor was fitted (bodged) onto the old horn mount - with associated exhaust heat and road spray...

The horns were mounted on the fairing brackets on the outside of the Rickman fairing (see avatar)

They were loud OK, but the delay between pressing the button, the compressor whirring into life and the noise coming out made it impossible to "beep" the horn. Only a sustained blast was possible.

And then the compressor faided due to being continually wet :(
Did that horny bit to my 500/4 too .... and ace bars. I was so cool  8) 8)
One day I'll have the time to restore it, not just talk and dream....

Offline matthewmosse

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2018, 10:38:09 PM »
My 550/4k3 had some 'lovely' modifications when I bought it. Wheel spokes, crashbars a rack with black luggage box bolted on all generously embellished with badly applied gold paint to match the gold silencer on the Motad Neta exhaust silencer. Oh and a gold skull on  the back of the black top box. Needless to say they all stayed until I spotted the rack was so tight onto the tops of the rear shocks that they had bent damper rods thanks to not being able to articulate at all as the suspension moved, oh and it leaked oil, badly. Still have it in the form of a flatpack in the loft, waiting for the kids and house renovation and the rest of life to give me enough of a break to rebuild it, without the gold paint to hide rusty chrome or the rack that bends the damper rods. Not all modifications are that bad. Several of my 500 and 550/4 bikes came with fiberglass rear muddies. Ace modifications, since the chrome items don't like to live in the weather at all. Same goes for exhausts, I dont care about anything as long as it's legal. Original pipes dont last and one set would cost what every 500 or 550/4 I own or have owned have cost me put together. Does having a Watsonian Palma sidecar bolted on count as a modification? If so I make no apologies as it rocks!
Got a 500/4 with rust and a sidecar and loadsa bits. nice and original and been round the clock

Offline AshimotoK0

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2018, 09:33:00 AM »
These twin open megas on a 175 sloper ... attracted much attention from the police and annoyed the neighbours.
Shortly afterwards I fitted some silencers from an SS125 ..God knows what it did to the engine running those twin megas. SS ones were much nicer. Orcadian ... those mega's came from Jack Richie's yard in Hull.  The SS125 ones came from 'Croft Motors' I think in Derbyshire... sad that I remember these details I know  :-[ :-[ :-[

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Offline Rozabikes Tim

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2018, 09:40:27 AM »
Those look like megaphone flares too Ash! ;)
One day I'll have the time to restore it, not just talk and dream....

Offline SteveD CB500K0

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2018, 09:58:26 AM »
Ash -  Dunstalls on my CB175.

My mum always said she could hear me coming home from two valleys away!

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Offline Sgt.Pinback

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2018, 11:17:52 AM »
My 500four with Tommaselli bars, Giuliari seat, Suzuki GT rear light and Moto Guzzi blinkers
cheers, Uli

Offline Laverda Dave

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #11 on: December 10, 2018, 11:52:52 AM »
I modified my CB160 and fitted one of those hideous elasticated, reflective orange Honda headlight covers. I also fitted a huge top box complete with stickers of bikes I didn't own and fitted indicators. To add to my new found 'coolness' I modified my hairstyle a few weeks after this photo was taken with the addition of a perm.....
Neither 'modification' lasted for long and I reverted back to standard... 🤔
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Offline AshimotoK0

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #12 on: December 10, 2018, 01:04:53 PM »
Those look like megaphone flares too Ash! ;)

Not my flares...  the Mrs's... do you remember Croft Motors Tim ...Derbyshire I think.
“Alright friends, you have seen the heavy groups, now you will see morning maniac music. Believe me, yeah. It’s a new dawn.” Grace Slick, Woodstock '69 .. In the year of the Sandcast.

Offline AshimotoK0

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #13 on: December 10, 2018, 01:08:29 PM »
Ash -  Dunstalls on my CB175.

My mum always said she could hear me coming home from two valleys away!



Was that a K5 175 Steve ? .. I have one still but mine if gold ... my son still continually wears shades like those on your seat BTW  :D
“Alright friends, you have seen the heavy groups, now you will see morning maniac music. Believe me, yeah. It’s a new dawn.” Grace Slick, Woodstock '69 .. In the year of the Sandcast.

Offline AshimotoK0

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Re: Hideous Modifications From Your Past
« Reply #14 on: December 10, 2018, 01:16:03 PM »
Ash -  Dunstalls on my CB175.

My mum always said she could hear me coming home from two valleys away!



Was that a K5 175 Steve ? .. I have one still but mine if gold ... my son still continually wears shades like those on your seat BTW  :D

Just answered my own question ..yours was a K4 175 only has a single black pinstripe on tank ...K5 has two black stripes  ;) Talking of another hideous mod ..how about the handlbars?
“Alright friends, you have seen the heavy groups, now you will see morning maniac music. Believe me, yeah. It’s a new dawn.” Grace Slick, Woodstock '69 .. In the year of the Sandcast.

 

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