so, the ktm beaky blinder project continues, this week i have mostly been replacing rusty oem fasteners with stainless stuff, machined of course within an inch of their life, all grading marks and tapered for the 'factory' look, something that only those in the know would recognise, a little attention to detail that makes or breaks a bike build, all within the realms of a 'shed builder'. [you can buy a hobby lathe from machine mart, [or harbour freight for our american bro's] for a couple of hundred pounds [or dollars] a lathe will change your life forever, spacers, turning up bolts, screw cutting, the world is your oyster, yeah, you will make mistakes, you will leave the chuck key in the jaws, but you will only do it once i promise. it will open up a whole world of self satisfaction, save you some hard-earned and the feeling of pride that you did that.[and let's be brutally honest, it's more cost effective than buying shit off the cool kid's, [who source it from someone else anyway because they haven't got the skill's to make it themselves, mark it up three-hundred percent and pass it off as 'artisan' artisan? artisan my arse!] anyhoo, new renthal fatbars and grips fitted, new brake pads, calipers cleaned, new fluid and bled up for a stupid- fierce- brake, tyres ordered, [dunlop mutants] along with new chain and renthal sprockets, oh yeah, i'm keeping the pipes, you know why? because they just say fuck you............
On further reflection, the pipes are actually probably the result of some careful design consideration. They are tucked up in a way as to not impede cornering and curb hopping, and have the rearward high exit without causing the seat to be placed awkwardly high....and really are more graceful than a typical 16 wheelers...
ReplyDeleteyou know larry, the more i look at them the more i have to agree with you, sometimes we just get sucked in by fashion and what should work from an aesthetic point of view rather than function, a case i guess of form over function rather than what is more practical, sex sells motorcycles,i respect ktm because all their motorcycles are competition bikes diluted for the road rather than the majority of manufacturers who are trying to style their machines on a race bike for the road, the whole ktm mantra is 'ready to race' might not look good but you can't knock them for that surely?.....
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