Customized 850 Lemans

[twowheeladdict]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67obOgZhcns

Sorry if this has been posted before.  Just came across this.

[canuck750]

Hmmm...…. NO!

[Cal3]

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.

[Huzo]

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.

[tazio]

I watched the video, would have loved to see the outcome if it had been done as a Trike conversion.


(.....the horror............. the horror)   
 

[Huzo]

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...

[wirespokes]

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)

[Turin]

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.

[wirespokes]

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.

[Petrus Rocks]

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...

[Devildog]

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. 

[tazio]

Yeah, but it was almost a Trike!
the horror.......the horror

[wirespokes]

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. 

[twowheeladdict]

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. 

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. 

[Guzzistajohn]

“Tried to keep it original as much as possible”  whaaaaaaaaaat?

[wirespokes]

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!

[Huzo]

it was built to please only one person.

Looks like he almost succeeded.

[blackcat]

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.

[Stevex]

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.

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

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

[PeteS]

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

[wirespokes]

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.

[Stevex]

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.