Yes, I thought I'd quick buy a new bike while you were looking the other way. How was the Red Sea??!! Steve and I are heading to Cozumel a week from Saturday for a week of diving and swimming with the fishies!
Started the 900ss Ducati to make sure it still runs - hasn't failed me yet. Moved the Honda CT90 from under a tarp at the side of the house to where I cleared some space in the garage at my other house. The Honda will be a winter project.
I have been exceptionally busy this week working, but have sourced a replacement upper right OEM fairing for my Fireblade which should arrive next week. (It was cracked when I bought it from the fairing bolts being overtightened and then a month or two ago I had a mishap putting it onto the paddock stand which cracked it further ). I am going to have all of the fairings custom painted. I cannot decide between just as it currently is, but with paint replacing the decals and just a very bright, lovely red shiny paint or having something different done to customise it. Sadly, artistic talent is not something I possess, but I am toying with the idea of some sort of tribute (not a copy of) to one of the 900RR colour schemes as I like them. I am going to go to the man who did @Helmut Visor's Aprilia tank as his work is incredible and he will I am certain have some great ideas…but any input welcomed, appreciating that the old Blade colour schemes are very much not to everyone’s taste . I do like the bike red, so thought something using some of the old tricolour combos:
Of the 2, I prefer the bottom one as it a more modern design. The top one is very late 80's early 90's.
My normal inclination Mrs V is to keep things original. But, a bit of what you fancy does you good or so they say. Go wild.
Sorry to hear of the miss-hap Mrs Visor, happens to us all, I dropped one into a drum kit once , of the 2 pictured, I like the 2nd better. But I'd be torn between the keeping it original dilemma.
At least it was the fairing that was already cracked....the crash bungs would have saved it if it hadn't been near to the kerb, it caught the edge. I was devastated but actually it came off pretty lightly thank goodness - probably better than your drum kit fared . It is a dilemma for sure as it's a lovely bike as it is but the idea of something a bit different also appeals!
This morning Helmut and I went along to The Piston Club at Stag https://thepistonclub.co.uk who have started to hold a bike meet every Sunday from 0930 - 1130 to have a look as it’s a nice ride out for us. I took my Fireblade and he took the Multistrada. It was absolutely packed but we had got there towards the last half so some people were starting to leave. There’s plenty of parking, it’s well marshalled and organised and although the queue for food and drinks was big they got through it really efficiently and it was tasty too. Most importantly, there was a great atmosphere and there were loads of bikes and cars to look at; it’s definitely somewhere we’d return .
So, today was a decent day and managed a good ride round Cheshire and then up to Southport before home. Bike clocked over the 10,000 miles and still good as ever. Got back and gave it a proper clean and polish, as usual, but this might be its last outing this year (though with global warming who knows). Mind you if it’s only half decent I’ll be taking the Tiger out
A mate had a slight mishap in the days of Kawasaki GPX 750. He decided to go down the custom paint route and matched his white boots with coloured flecks ( pinks and yellows etc IIRC) and it looked ok, he loved it. When it came to sell it that was a different kettle of fish. Nothing screams out "previously crashed bike" more than a one off paint job to most folk and I'm in that camp I'm afraid. Think about it very carefully! Long term keeper and not bothered about the residuals - go for it
Not sure that I agree with the above. The advent of social media influencers, IG, Tik Tok, etc make it much more common for bikes to reflect in individual's brand and image, and there’s also a proliferation of customised paint jobs these days. I don't see the problem.
Not sure about that nowadays. 20 years ago maybe, but as bikes have become more of an expensive toy these days, there's a lot more custom paint jobs around now on non crashed bikes. Even Triumph dealers sell them, done by people like 8 Ball. My local Triumph dealer uses Triple C regularly for custom jobs (they've got one for sale currently), they did my Street Triple and , I think, @joe mc donald bike, probably some others on here as well.
At the end of the day the choice is yours @Mrs Visor, as is shown above, there's two different camps of thought and everyone has an opinion. Think about it very carefully! How long you plan to keep it may be the deciding factor.
That is one of my main reservations...BUT I think I will turn into a long term keeper as I have fallen for it far more than I actually thought I would. I am erring on the cautious side at the moment but it's nice to have the opportunity to ponder it too!!
We also went on to Doms Bike Stop and watched while someone tried to take a picture of a woman (his buddies pillion) on his GSX-R in front of the welcome sign. We knew it wasn't going well when he took it off the side stand and she couldn't hold it up without his help. Sure enough as soon as he stepped away to take the picture it toppled over to the right
And, although it would require a bit of work and money, it's not like you couldn't get it painted another time down the road if it turns into a "forever bike" for you. A paint job is a paint job and not "set in stone".
Early morning ride to the office with a bit of rain. The BMW was followed by my wife and her Tiger 900.
