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Driving that train, high on cocaine
Casey Jones you better, watch your speed
Trouble ahead, trouble behind
And you know that notion just crossed my mind​Comment
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Right, Just making sure everyone's paying attention.Comment
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Quite alright. People seem to love it or hate it.Comment
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Agreed. As a unique custom build project it has potential. But if it was an attempt to look like an Indian Chief, just for argument's sake, it would be a fail because the proportions are all wrong. How the builder wants the bike to be perceived can make or break the build.Comment
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Very odd looking custom and not to my taste but then its from the 70s by the look of it....it still reminds me of a child's bike with the handlebar tassels.....wont bother with the pic this time as i dont want my post deleted like on the other forum....some people have no sense of humor.
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The point of the thing was never being graceful like the lines of a Chief, the point was funk and it is funky indeed, like the Mustang. It has more of a period scooter flavor than stock motorcycle or even chopper and that's what makes it interesting.
It needs a light color to show off the lines. Black and orange look great on a classic Bonneville but this bike has far more surface area and the only reason to put it back running is that custom bodywork, Dark colors over large areas make bodywork disappear so they should be used sparingly. as in two tone car paint of the era.
Pink and black like a vintage Ford Fairlane would work as it does for the car. So would the right blue. The styling is straight from the pastel car color era which is why it looks odd on a motorcycle. It's incomplete without the right paint job and a healthy dose of chromed parts.
Another period paint job that would work is to Union Jack the fuck out of it. The UK retro scooter scene have plenty of art to copy or decals to use like flags, aircraft roundels etc. That's more in your face than a period pastel and would stand out at events. Image search "union jack scooters" then ignore the crap and look for the kool. Some have that style wheel cover painted with roundels and it looks right.Last edited by farmall; 11-11-2019, 4:11 PM.Comment
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It's different alright. I kinda like it.Comment
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See there you go - love it or hate it.
I appreciate the paint suggestions Farmall and welcome any others.
I'm thinking two-tone. The large flat area on the rear fender is problematic.
I've given a couple color suggestions to my sister to Photoshop.Comment
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Google rainbow Chief for some vintage custom paint ideas.
DustyDriving that train, high on cocaine
Casey Jones you better, watch your speed
Trouble ahead, trouble behind
And you know that notion just crossed my mind​Comment
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The large flat sides of the fenders are deliberate choices by the designer. He wanted that real estate enough to fabricate that scooteresque look and chose the chunky rather than graceful lines. If he wanted classic lines and to accentuate them with a paint job he'd have fabbed differently.
To make it work it's probably a good idea to get in that same head space and look at as many similar Brit customs of that era as you can find photos of. Painting it like a Chief would just look like a pathetic, stumpy, ugly, imitation of a Chief no matter how good the paint job but there are many ways to use two-tone paint. Just because it's got a (small, cheap at the time, not visually imposing which is deliberate) 500 in it doesn't mean that's more than a way to move the artwork. The engine is the focus of a chop while the bodywork is the focus of a mod scooter.
Best to suspend all traditional chopper thoughts because it isn't even close to a traditional custom and not quite a chopper. Triumph/Norton/BSA chops tend lean and slender which the builder deliberately avoided. This custom isn't a Rocker bike, it's a Mod bike. I suspect the builder had fun crossing traditional lines and wanted a reaction which is the point of show bikes/scooters. Mods uses two tone paint and stripes differently than traditional motorcyclists, often with darker central colors and lighter sides but both were common. The scooters used in Quadrophenia were influential.
Of course scooter engines are hidden but they're fan cooled and that 500 isn't. The front fender is exaggerated Vespa, not Indian. Any seat should probably avoid black and go for a medium or light brown/beige or any of the common 1960s two-tones. Check out custom Vespa pics for examples of how they cut the vinyl.
For any shiney bits I'd look at how mods used accessories, but I'd not drown it in lights because that blocks a clear view of the bodywork from all angles.Attached FilesLast edited by farmall; 11-15-2019, 12:38 PM.Comment
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Many good points. A wannabe anything would be a mistake. I'm trying to let what I have be the unique inspiration.
The safe bet would be a simple two tone, blue or orange and pearl white maybe. I don't want to go with the Union Jack thing - too nationalistic
for my taste. (I did stars and stripes on my other bike but in gloss black on flat black - a statement?)
But I dig the roundels and wouldn't have thought of that. Maybe a two tone black and white seat or- as in photo above, leopard skin?!
Photoshop will help a lot here.
By the way, its a 650 not a 500. No rockers gonna outrun me.
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