Restore or Ride? during a ride out on wor lasses blind side.

[ritchie-k1]

Just been out tonight and put another 50 miles on the old 750/4, such a nice night and a not too posh weather forcast for tomorrow afternoon, (my time out time usually and I really have been wet more than once to often to go out when it's raining!) Anyhow I slipped out on the bike on wor lasses blind side (she has a habit of winging as I'm getting ready if she sees me, wot a pain in the arse), and thoroughly enjoyed my ride out! I was stopped in a favourite spot looking over the bike and contemplating what to do next in the way of restoring the bike, (my bikes a rolling project), when I was hit by the concern that if I make it too nice I probably won't ride it so much. Why, well I'm not knocking anyone that has a beautiful classic bike that doesn't use it a lot for various reasons like "it'll get dirty and I'll loose the concourse look kind of thing" but there is a danger that that could happen to me if I made mine that way, and for the same reasons as others, I might not use mine as much, and what a shame if it didn't. The beauty of my bike at the moment is that it's mechanically sound and is running well, and is still tatty enough to use all of the time without me worrying about loosing the look or overtaxing it type of thing, also it's still desirable enough to draw a crowd at any bikers meet which let's face it is a part of what it's all about anyway. Restoring it further is not about me not wanting to put the money into the bike, it's more about me not wanting to take the 34 years of soul out of the bike that is defined by the tatty way she looks. I bet I can't get to sleep tonight for thinking about this one. I'm not sure why this bike has got to me in this way. I've had some fabulous superbikes over the years but when you're like I was tonight, mid corner on a 34 year old bike thinking wow I can see how this bike was the superbike of it's day all that time ago and it's still doing it for ya now well, that's defo special and I don't want to loose any of that.  Giz your ideas on this one fellas. 

[matthewmosse]

I just stick to the mechanical stuff on mine, if the frame rusts it's wire brushed and enamelled, i somit breaks it's repaired or replaced (good used. to resore it would loose charachter and be a waste of money. lots of wash and wax plus duck oil to keep the rust off. Enjoy riding it. I prefer to use good used parts over new.

[K2-K6]

I can understand when people do restore them to perfect and like looking at them but any bikes I've owned are used maintained and cleaned but not perfect.

I like them to run well and go anywhere I want without breaking so maintain them to that effect but always ride them whatever weather etc, usually spray with waterproofer in winter and clean it off come spring.

You know when you see an old racer that is absolutely perfectly maintaned but a little worn over the years just from hard riding, that's just perfect for me.

[florence]

I like to simply keep them going.  If you restore it you will have to take it off the road for ages and, more importantly,  you will remove all the wear and tear which has taken years to accumulate and makes the bike the way it is.  I love my bike because it is so tatty but works perfectly and that makes it unique.  If I restore it it will look like any restored 500/4 which does not excite me particularly.