Got any guilty pleasure hobbies?

[850 Combat]

I wanted those pipes when I had my first CBX.

Can gardening be considered a hobby?
I love being outside and although it sounds corny working with soil/plants brings me peace of mind.

[850 Combat]

That is a lot of cool stuff. Your bicycle you posted here is incredible.

I've got too many hobbies to list but most center on building/restoring mechanical stuff.

- Restoring old motorcycles of course. Not just getting them running, but full restoration (check my KZ build thread for an example.)
- Bike riding and building my own frames.
- Custom keyboards. My kid got me into this and it's fun. I've been a mechanical keyboard guy forever and my son took it to the next level which is fun and gives us something to do together.
- Building desktop computers. Both my kid and I have full customs, and his in particular is high powered with a killer video card (for gaming) along with a really nice CPU
- An offshoot of the motorcycle thing is restoring carbs from the GS era. Not just cleaning them, full restore so they look and perform like new. (this provides extra $ for the other hobbies)
- Golf, including building custom clubs.
- Audio equipment. No building here, but I've got a nice theater system plus headphone/dac/headphone amp setup.

I know several guys getting ready to retire only they don't know what to do with their time. I don't have that problem!

[850 Combat]

I still love slot cars. Other than brief episodes when my parents threw them out, after I moved out, I've always had slot cars. Learned a lot from them. Finding and fixing dead spots on home tracks, and they were not plug and play when I started. Figuring out why one worked better than another helped me learn to optimize. Even the simple math of making a track with parts I had made mathematics real for me. I think it was helpful over all. Probably have well over 100 cars though, and since I love to modify them, they are not collectors items for the most part. I have lots of sets and lots of track. Every few years I'll set a little of it up.

I don't restore or build bicycles, but I do work on them and fix them up. I like to take Schwinn Point Beach beach cruisers and upgrade all the components and make them into fast rolling cruisers. Bottom brackets, cranksets, pedals, wheels shifters, seat posts, seats tires. They strongly resemble a classic Schwinn, but have an aluminum frame. 100 PSI tires, and they roll pretty well. 9 speed shift and they negotiate mild hills and headwinds. Most often, XT hubs and Mavic X17 rims cleaned and adjusted up and they roll pretty well. It started with throwing a cast off set od Specialized rims hubs and fast rolling tires on a 90 dollar wal mart bike. It was so transformed than I have built 7 of them to date on aluminum framed Schwinn Point Beach cruisers. It should be noted that these bikes were post final bankruptcy of Schwinn, and are Schwinn in name only. I also have a little collection of Schwinn Homegrown bikes, the last of the real Schwinns. I must admit to upgrading those too. I have bicycles at locations in three states. All of the Point Beach have been gifts to family and friends except three. Getting halfway competent at truing rimes, but I have a way to go.

This is an older photo of the first one:

https://i.imgur.com/TxX2Kwy.jpeg

I don't feel too guilty about it. Its kind of a mindless activity that I feel kind of good about later. I should feel guilty though, as I have many much more important things I should be doing, like fixing up and selling RD400, Lotus 7, and Norton Commandos which are only needy from disuse. Don't want to sell them for nothing, and don't want to take the time and spend the money to do right by them. Most of them have 100 psi tires and roll really well for what appear to those who spend a lot of money but don't know the difference, wal mart cruisers that they expect to easily dispatch. They are sleepers.

[Burque73]

I think this GSR forum is about my only guilty pleasure these days. Logging in from just about anywhere on my phone a few (who am I kidding, several) times per day. I don't always post, just enjoy reading about what's being worked on or whatever. Can't begin to total up how many hours I've wasted, um I mean invested here.

I swear I saw a post from rustybronco about ref'ing soccer games. It doesn't show up now. Anyway, I did that for many years. Sometimes 5-6 games in a weekend. Stayed in good shape and made some pizza money. Played one season in the over 40 league and got my a$$ handed to me by much older guys. Best seat in the house to watch a game for sure.

[wacky941]

I swear I saw a post from rustybronco about ref'ing soccer games. It doesn't show up now……...

It’s in the Coronavirus Craziness thread, just read it a couple minutes ago,

[Burque73]

It’s in the Coronavirus Craziness thread, just read it a couple minutes ago,

That's good to know. Thought I was losing it.

Long days and nights caring for elderly parents. Maybe mom's dementia is rubbing off on me. Thought I was losing it.

[alke46]

I guess my guilty pleasure would be seeking out the best BBQ joints where ever my travels take me.

If anybody reads this and happens to be anywhere near Piedmont, Mo. just drive through town, on the north side of downtown will be one of these best places. It goes by the name of Hercules' BBQ. I don't think you will be dissappointed.

[Buffalo Bill]

Repairing some, building some

I'm a better craftsman than a guitarist, so I started repairing and selling electric guitars just to learn about all the ways and sounds they have. About 10 years ago I started building my own electric guitars and bass' from my own designs.
Here's some soon to be listed for sale.

[GS1150Pilot]

Jesus. The talent displayed here is stunning.

[steve murdoch]

Beautiful work, Bill.

[Buffalo Bill]

Thanks a bunch!

[Baatfam]

Very cool!!!!!!

[dorkburger]

Bill, you are a true craftsman. As a music fan and a person with only rudimentary woodworking skills, I find your blending of both incredibly cool.

[Buffalo Bill]

Bill, you are a true craftsman. As a music fan and a person with only rudimentary woodworking skills, I find your blending of both incredibly cool.

Thanks a bunch from you too Glenn!
We all admire good work shown here, I think having a "Like" button on this platform would enable a lot more people to express their appreciation.

[Rob S.]

Blonde guitars rock! My current stable:

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