"Rat" bikes.

[TheCafeKid]

Thats a rat bike...just missing the black paint heheh tho boys ive seen a few pics...its on its way to beautiful!

[KiwiGS]

A bit of black paint


The PO did ride it like this. I have taken it around the block and it goes well. Now it is having a makeover and a wee rest!

[Headphase]

looks good, another 5 years outdoors, and it'll be a proper ratbike.

Alternatively, get a big brush, a tin of black lumpy hammerite, and you'll have a ratbike in a matter of minutes.

I've gone upmarket, my old yam is getting treated to blackboard paint.

[Jethro]

Here is a good example of a ratbike:

[PAULYBOY]

If Rat bikes are like Rat rods, then crusty and old, a little unkempt and definitely altered are prerequisites.

[cvmgtwowheels]

Jetho: has the true idea of a rat bike so unkept that a rat won't go need it.

[emjay]

When I think of a bobber, I think of a bobcat - short stubby tail. I think that's where the term came from originally.
So the fender gets yanked, the seat shortened, etc ... you get the picture.

[Headphase]

it's easy to be dismissive of rat bikes, but some of the bikes on that ratbike site are unbelievable feats of engineering, and the owners deserve recognition for their skills.
http://ratbike.org/docs/2006winner.php for example, is a Suzuki RF900 (I used to have one , lovely bike)


Course, most of them are piles of rubbish that should have been incinerated long ago :-D

[tkent02]

Well I HAD a nice ratbike:



Unfortunately I messed it up:

[xDUKEx]

here is my rat bike !!! all the work that was done was for function only. turns out that it also looks pretty sweet too !!! no gauges at all. nothing extra, only what is needed !!! this bike was built to handle and preform. so much better than the stock version!!! it has gsxr parts, honda parts, gsx parts, bandit parts.

[xDUKEx]

and now has moto x bars

[TheCafeKid]

and now has moto x bars

See thats more of a street fighter to me...its too pretty to be a rat bike...Nice work BTW looks great...betcha it runs like a scalded dog!

[spdjunkie]

See thats more of a street fighter to me...its too pretty to be a rat bike...Nice work BTW looks great...betcha it runs like a scalded dog!

Gotta agree, that's definitely more Streetfighter, Duke. I've seen it before, and I still love it! Trying for something along those lines myself, only mono-shock (Busa) rear end.

[spdjunkie]

definately symantics here...alot of what ive seen i would more consider a cafe or a streetfighter..."rat" bikes by classic definition are what was said earlier...its just a crusty old beater that still runs and runs good...the owner is more concerned with riding than polishing....bobber, chopper, cafe streetfighter whatever...they usually dont involve alot of mods..when it rusts..it gets painted with rattle can..more often than not..flat black..

my bike started out as what one could consider a rat bike i guess...but when its done it will be a cafe bike...fine lines..and some people get pi$$ed when you call thier bike something that they think its not.

by my definition:

Bobber: rear has been cut much like a chop, but little rake to the front, usually a rigid or semi rigid suspension

Chopper...see above, but add lots of rake..

Cafe...Vintage UJM (usually based on standard models, not LTDs or Ls in this forum, or Customs in a Honda forum) OR a REAL cafe roots bike being something from Europe, usually a Triumph or Norton or BSA, stripped down and modded for speed and handling...no perks no frills

Streetfighter...see above except based on a modern sportbike using modern tech and parts


Thats basically how i break it down...just my view...

I whole-heartedly agree with your descriptions here, but again, just someone's 2-cents worth.

[Ludeykrus]

Can I play?

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=110653