Why is it called a "build" when someone repairs/paints/modifies a bike?

concours

concours

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I can see if you start with a bare frame, and start designing, fabbing & welding bits on, but so often now, it is credit card contest involving damn little skill.
Or, like some 5 year olds got hold of the plasma cutter & MIG gun, and made a mess.

Is this my transition to Grumpy Old Manhood?

Why is it called a "build" when someone repairs/paints/modifies a bike?
 
I don't believe there has to be any welding involved to call it a "build", but I do believe it should be down to a bare frame and opened up engine.

I mean, I don't have the skills to hand-bend and weld up my own exhaust, and I don't even do any painting. I consider all my former projects "builds" nonetheless...
 
I think motor building takes some skill and attention to detail.

I don't hand fabricate anything I can afford to buy though. All things considered yeah, it's mostly bolt on a little thinking and some tedious labor for me when I have to modify something, but I will continue to use the word build to keep it simple. I've been grumpy since birth.
 
concours said:
I can see if you start with a bare frame, and start designing, fabbing & welding bits on, but so often now, it is credit card contest involving damn little skill.
Or, like some 5 year olds got hold of the plasma cutter & MIG gun, and made a mess.

Is this my transition to Grumpy Old Manhood?

View attachment 103253
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So, Norton didn't build motorcycles since they assembled them from sourced parts? I don't rebuild motorcycles, I reassemble them? AFAIK, I rebuild bikes when I start with a (nearly) complete one and I build bikes when I start with very little like this one: https://www.gregmarsh.com/MC/Norton/Norton_1974.aspx

I do get your point but when someone builds a house, rarely do that cut down the trees, dig the limestone and gravel, make the water pipe, make the wire, and so on.

Sounds to me like you're mixing up building and designing. I don't design bikes, Norton, Triumph, and BSA did that part for me; but, I do much more to build a Norton than Norton did since I have to restore in some way many parts and source others, not just stick them together.
 
It all depends on exactly what you mean by "build"
That Harley in the photo just has bolt on bits as far as I can see
It's not exactly a custom bike if that's what it's trying to be
Here's a bike I "built" a few years ago
It was a brand new Suzuki 1200 bandit
Last of the carburettor models
I fitted a tl1000 front end
A 595 black end (had to widen the frame to get that dammed single sided in!)
A buell seat frame with a Corbin seat
I made new side panels and a stainless flat underseat can
Plus a host of other things that I can't remember
 

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Schwany said:
I think motor building takes some skill and attention to detail.

I don't hand fabricate anything I can afford to buy though. All things considered yeah, it's mostly bolt on a little thinking and some tedious labor for me when I have to modify something, but I will continue to use the word build to keep it simple. I've been grumpy since birth.
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It's me being stuck in the past, I guess.

The terminology is what I was calling into question. I had always referred to it as "rebuilt" and "repaired" and "fully restored" or, in the case of the purple bike above, "customized" or "modified".

Sure meant NO disrespect to you gentlemen who restore or "build" bikes. 🤔
 
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baz said:
It all depends on exactly what you mean by "build"
That Harley in the photo just has bolt on bits as far as I can see
It's not exactly a custom bike if that's what it's trying to be
Here's a bike I "built" a few years ago
It was a brand new Suzuki 1200 bandit
Last of the carburettor models
I fitted a tl1000 front end
A 595 black end (had to widen the frame to get that dammed single sided in!)
A buell seat frame with a Corbin seat
I made new side panels and a stainless flat underseat can
Plus a host of other things that I can't remember
Click to expand...
I love the engineering, creativity & craftsmanship!
 
concours said:
It's me being stuck in the past, I guess.

The terminology is what I was calling into question. I had always referred to it as "rebuilt" and "repaired" and "fully restored" or, in the case of the purple bike above, "customized" or "modified".

Sure meant NO disrespect to you gentlemen who restore or "build" bikes. 🤔
Click to expand...
Guess maybe you now have a G badge 👍👍👍
 
Same controversy exists in the ham radio world. Whether putting together "modules" counts as homebrewing. (It does.) I don't mine my copper.

Russ WQ3X
 
concours said:
It's me being stuck in the past, I guess.

The terminology is what I was calling into question. I had always referred to it as "rebuilt" and "repaired" and "fully restored" or, in the case of the purple bike above, "customized" or "modified".

Sure meant NO disrespect to you gentlemen who restore or "build" bikes. 🤔
Click to expand...
I am able to rebuild a bike
I'm able to modify a bike
I can build one from scratch and have done many times
But I am not able to restore one
I don't have the patience for that! and the blokes that drag mint looking bikes around on a trailer wind me up
I would never own a bike that I couldn't go out in the rain on
So to me a standard bike that's built from parts or a restoration is a "rebuilt bike "
 
To me a build is when you build the bike by your own hand from scratch from wheels up except things do need others to do the work like machining work and painting but full build like making your own engine plates and fab mounting brackets etc.

It the bike was completely built by someone else is really a restoration and not built by your own hands so not really classed as being built.

I worked with a old fitter who restored od Sunbeam cars, he told me once he built his old car but I turned around and said to him "no Kev you paid someone to restore that car, so no you didn't build it, you paid a big bucket of money for someone else to build it", he didn't like me saying that but to me building it by your own hands and getting someone else to restre it for you is 2 different things.

I converted my near new Commando to the Featherbed frame back in 1980 I did most of the work myself except for maching work a paint, everything else was done by my own hands, it was the first bike I built from scratch so to me I built it, not a restoration as it was never a show pony but built for everyday use, by my hands and for me.
 
baz said:
I am able to rebuild a bike
I'm able to modify a bike
I can build one from scratch and have done many times
But I am not able to restore one
I don't have the patience for that! and the blokes that drag mint looking bikes around on a trailer wind me up
I would never own a bike that I couldn't go out in the rain on
So to me a standard bike that's built from parts or a restoration is a "rebuilt bike "
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AMEN.
 
To be clear, I wasn't judging the purple Harley, nor the kubota pictured below.

Just the phrase "build".
Turns out I built a lot of bikes, but didn't know it.
5D2701F7-24F4-4849-8E92-E44CD3F2BAF0.jpeg
 
concours said:
It's me being stuck in the past, I guess.

The terminology is what I was calling into question. I had always referred to it as "rebuilt" and "repaired" and "fully restored" or, in the case of the purple bike above, "customized" or "modified".

Sure meant NO disrespect to you gentlemen who restore or "build" bikes. 🤔
Click to expand...
Sheesh. I don't restore 'em I destroy 'em. I agree on the rebuild or rebuilt as far as a motor is concerned, or really all the rest of it. I keep using the same cases, so it's definitely not from scratch. I just add stuff to the old thing.

I can't remember 20 minutes ago. I live in the moment, if I can remember what I was going to do a minute ago.
 
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