Motorcycles
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Not just budget, more it’s my first bike and I’ll probably drop it or some other dumb shit! Plus it’ll be a little “all the gear and no idea “ won’t it?
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@goosehd thanks Goose! Something to keep in mind for sure! There’s a few 883’s by me that are up for half decent money, I’ve got a Harley friend who’s adamant I’ll be riding on soon so I’ll go for the test ride and see where we end up! Good to know I’ve got folks here I can ask silly questions of and not need to worry! Appreciated mate
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@WhiskeySandwich Airbrushing is a lot of fun once you get the hang of it. I ended up painting a bunch of my friends bikes after I did mine just for an excuse to keep doing it haha
Those gasbox full frames are so nice! It’s sweet that there are options for the rubber mounted engines now
And yep I’m still running the stock CV carb on mine.
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@EvoChoppin hell yeah! Pics if you got em pls!
Yeah I’m not psyched about trying to fit the aluminum mounts where rubber used to be, or trying to figure out the EFI wiring harness but I’ll be sure to post progress once I begin. Just have about 5 home improvement projects to knock out first lol
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@WhiskeySandwich ahh yeah that’s gonna be a job and a half for sure. Figuring it out is half the fun of building customs though! Plus you don’t see nearly as many 07+ sporty chops around so it makes it even cooler.
Pics don’t do much justice to these but here’s a few of the custom tanks I’ve done
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@BenBWH the Triumphs are a good shout, but so are the Enfields and the 883 you've mentioned above. Quick notes, and all just my opinions/experiences:
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Triumph - I have owned a 1200 Thruxton R for 8 years and still love it. A 900 Bonny or Street Twin would be a great first bike, enough power but not too much. I've ridden a 900 Street Twin and really enjoyed it. Reliability and build quality are both top notch on current Triumphs
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Royal Enfield - slower and cheaper than Triumph, and not as well made. Still a really good bike (I have an old Bullet). One of the 650s would make an excellent first bike
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Harley 883. My father in law had an 883 for years. Viewed against Triumph the 883 is slow, heavy more difficult to ride and less reliable. However it's a Harley and has all the heritage and image that comes with that. I would love to have one, but not as my only bike. If you decide to go for one then I'd probably aim for one with mid controls rather than forward controls as a first bike
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Kawasaki z650s - they are a completely modern bike with a retro look over the top. Competent, reliable, well built. I've never ridden one, but I know people who own them and really like them.
I hope that helps.
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@NickD Hey mate thanks for the info! You've just described exactly how ive been feeling about it tbh. The Harley would be super cool but maybe once ive got the hang of riding a bit more, a RE 650, either interceptor, bullet, super meteor or maybe even bear seem like they'd be perfect for a beginner, plus they're budget friendly too so more in reach!
The Kawasaki was an outlier suggestion from my dear old dad. He was a biker for 40 years and swore by Japanese bikes, has a few kwaka's himself. When I looked up the z650rs I'm seeing similar to the RE but much better quality, reliability etc for not much more money. I think in order of preference right now, ill be looking for the z650rs, then an RE,Ill be leaving the Harley for now! -
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@EvoChoppin holy shit bro those are good as fuck. where are you located, I'd rather pay you to paint for me lol
"The whole future lies in uncertainty: Live immediately."
-Seneca -
@Denimhead-0 That’s one that’s pretty high on my list dude! There’s a triumph dealership around 15 miles from me, my plan is to test ride as many as they’ll let me and go from there!
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Dropped some pennies today but hopefully I’ll be warm, dry and safe for my first run out! Helmet, jacket and gloves secured. Anything absolutely imperative that I’m missing or do you guys reckon I’ll be ok to get going with the course?
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@WhiskeySandwich thanks bro! I tried to turn it into a little business a couple years ago but I live in a fairly small city on the east coast of Canada so there isn’t a big market for custom paint jobs here haha
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@BenBWH You’re off to a good start and should tie you over until the cooler weather arrives. I would also suggest some decent rain gear because you will get caught out eventually. Heated grips are a game changer when riding in colder temps and can be installed on any bike if they don’t come with the bike you decide upon. Where about are you located?
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@EvoChoppin Nice build and tank paint jobs
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@Denman-John hi mate, I’m on the south coast of England (10 mins drive from IHUK)
So it’s pleasantly warm most of the time tbh, even in “winter” it doesn’t really get that cold, just wetter. This heat today is just the first batch needed for my course next month. I bought the best helmet I could afford and then the wax jacket and gloves. Water proofs are on the list, along with armoured pants of some description but I hadn’t got as far as heated grips! Added to list! Thanks brother
