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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: twowheeladdict on April 20, 2019, 07:47:56 AM

Title: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: twowheeladdict on April 20, 2019, 07:47:56 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67obOgZhcns

Sorry if this has been posted before.  Just came across this.
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: canuck750 on April 20, 2019, 08:21:28 AM
Hmmm...…. NO!
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: Cal3 on April 20, 2019, 09:10:29 AM
Thanx for sharing. I think its a nice Cafe job.....but, I think its still hard to beat the classic look of a stock LeMans.....I think a stock looking bike with a few period hot rod parts is the best look.
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: Huzo on April 20, 2019, 10:12:01 AM
Has the visual balance of a unicycle.
Should have started with the fairing, given the whole lot to someone else and walked away..
Garbage..
Fiddly style attempts to try to make up for a lack of substance.
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: tazio on April 20, 2019, 10:17:13 AM
I watched the video, would have loved to see the outcome if it had been done as a Trike conversion.


(.....the horror............. the horror)   
 
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: Huzo on April 20, 2019, 10:20:55 AM
I watched the video, would have loved to see the outcome if it had been done as a Trike conversion.


(.....the horror............. the horror)   
He made enough of a mess with two wheels.
Would have only gotten worse with three...
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: wirespokes on April 20, 2019, 11:00:46 AM
Sounds like it runs good.

Oughta be humorous first good pot hole and the seat disintegrates.

On the bright side, a future owner shouldn't have too much trouble putting it back to stock. Hopefully that character kept the original pieces. It's definitely an improvement over sitting in the back yard covered with a tarp for years. 

(better stop now before I say something I might regret)
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: Turin on April 20, 2019, 11:47:21 AM
Quote

On the bright side, a future owner shouldn't have too much trouble putting it back to stock. Hopefully that character kept the original pieces. It's definitely an improvement over sitting in the back yard covered with a tarp for years. 
quote]

This. It hasn't been hacked up or too screwed with. Looks like with the factory bodywork, you could have it looking somewhat stock over a weekend ( albeit with garish paint )

It would go over better if the paint was 2 tone. ( white and black would be cool )

My 1000 SE had the rear frame rails cut off at an angle, so there was no hope of replacing those.
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: wirespokes on April 20, 2019, 12:38:45 PM
My 1000 SE had the rear frame rails cut off at an angle, so there was no hope of replacing those.
Why not? Couldn't you cut some off a junk frame and weld them on? Seems like a relatively minor problem.
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: Petrus Rocks on April 20, 2019, 04:44:27 PM
Oh the horror!!!!!!! :whip2:n
You guys are harsh-don't look at my builds.  I think it's a nice job- I like it a lot.  Nothing he did can't be turned to stock.  Even LeMans are not sacred.  Your mother was a hamster...
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: Devildog on April 20, 2019, 05:16:13 PM
Oh the horror!!!!!!! :whip2:n
You guys are harsh-don't look at my builds.  I think it's a nice job- I like it a lot.  Nothing he did can't be turned to stock.  Even LeMans are not sacred.  Your mother was a hamster...
It's a nice bike, and it was built to please only one person. 
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: tazio on April 20, 2019, 05:17:01 PM
Yeah, but it was almost a Trike!
the horror.......the horror :boozing:
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: wirespokes on April 20, 2019, 06:15:55 PM
I prefer function over form, and along those same lines - form follows function. So when I see someone altering suspension for visual  reasons, it sets me off. In this case, the boof lowered the fender and seat, reducing rear wheel travel by half at least.

Hope he lives and learns after the accident caused by a bump in a corner that bottoms the suspension, scrapes the pegs, muffler and stands and forces him off the road.

Poor bike.  :sad:
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: twowheeladdict on April 20, 2019, 06:54:19 PM
I prefer function over form, and along those same lines - form follows function. So when I see someone altering suspension for visual  reasons, it sets me off. In this case, the boof lowered the fender and seat, reducing rear wheel travel by half at least.

Hope he lives and learns after the accident caused by a bump in a corner that bottoms the suspension, scrapes the pegs, muffler and stands and forces him off the road.

Poor bike.  :sad:

If he lowered the seat and fender instead of shortening the shocks the bike should have the same lean angle, just less suspension travel.  Now, if you are really saying that he put shorter shocks on the bike, then yep. 
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: Guzzistajohn on April 20, 2019, 08:56:10 PM
“Tried to keep it original as much as possible”  whaaaaaaaaaat?
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: wirespokes on April 21, 2019, 12:37:38 AM
If he lowered the seat and fender instead of shortening the shocks the bike should have the same lean angle, just less suspension travel.  Now, if you are really saying that he put shorter shocks on the bike, then yep.
You're right! Originally I thought he shortened the shocks, but then a closer look pointed to a dropped fender. Thanks for catching that!
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: Huzo on April 21, 2019, 04:45:37 AM
it was built to please only one person.
Looks like he almost succeeded.
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: blackcat on April 21, 2019, 08:29:02 AM
I think he did a nice job.

I don’t necessarily like some of his paint choices but that is minor, but the fairing is aesthetically better than the stock fairing, the rear sets, battery relocation, polished battery plate,etc. are all standard modifications. And yes, this bike could be brought back to stock if for some reason Lemans II’s would be worth a substantial amount of money in the future. He even kept the original button key and the voltage clock.
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: Stevex on April 21, 2019, 09:30:39 AM
Not my cuppa tea, don't like the chesterfield settee style seat and I hate bikes with the number plate over to the side.
Carbs seem to be drooping a bit, but I do like the end cans.
At least he didn't cut up the back of the frame.
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: Mayor_of_BBQ on April 21, 2019, 10:41:24 AM
You old coots are funny.... no customization is allowed unless its a huge ugly fairing or some wixom bags that look like yeti coolers.

It's a vintage racer... it doesn't need heated grips and a sheepskin seat cover. It's not supposed to be stock.

So funny when you guys cry about cafe racers and 'hipster millenials' like you've never seen easy rider, on any sunday, or ever heard of mods v. rockers
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: PeteS on April 21, 2019, 10:43:57 AM
You old coots are funny.... no customization is allowed unless its a huge ugly fairing or some wixom bags that look like yeti coolers.

It's a vintage racer... it doesn't need heated grips and a sheepskin seat cover. It's not supposed to be stock.

So funny when you guys cry about cafe racers and 'hipster millenials' like you've never seen easy rider, on any sunday, or ever heard of mods v. rockers

Amen brother.

Pete
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: wirespokes on April 21, 2019, 12:51:18 PM
I recall a time long long ago when the easy rider choppers looked super bitchen (non Guzzi exclamitive expression). I guess you guys are in a similar phase. Don't worry, it'll pass eventually.

It's not that I'm stuck on keeping things original, but there are some designs that are timeless and perfect as-is. The factory doesn't always do it right, so I can understand make-overs. I'm in the middle of one right now.

On the other hand, I like having something usable. It needs to be practical - if I don't/can't use it, there's no fun or pleasure there. It's like having a museum and after a while it gets old. That's what I see in this build - the thing isn't practical. And, yes, the front half of the bike looks pretty good, the back half - no. I'm also not a fan of the license plate hanging off to the side, the empty mid section and (practically) no rear fender. If it's going to be a race bike, then set it up to race, but to make it sort of look like a racer and ride it a few times a year on nice days to events doesn't make sense to me.

I recall reading something about Peter Fonda and he was saying how that chopper was so horrible to ride. It was so uncomfortable he could only stand it for a few miles shooting scenes. I think he rides beemers now. The cafe bikes aren't anywhere near as bad, but they're not holding true to the original idea. How could you ever win a road race (on public roads) in rainy old England without fenders? By the time the roads dried, the girl ran off with someone else.
Title: Re: Customized 850 Lemans
Post by: Stevex on April 21, 2019, 01:09:06 PM

It's not that I'm stuck on keeping things original, but there are some designs that are timeless and perfect as-is.

Hit the nail on the head, it's not about customisation per se, it's about whether you like this particular take on the subject. By it's very nature, customisation is a very personal thing, 99% of the time, you either love it or hate it. As a LM2 owner twice over I reckon the original is just about perfect.
I've made a few changes but on the whole I'm pretty much of the opinion that close to standard finish shows the bike off to its best.


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