Hey guys.I have been checking into the forums here as much as possible,and have noticed some interesting comments on the question of custom versus original stock. Now Mick,whom I greatly respect as one of the most knowlegeable and helpful guys on here,and a truly good guy,and I have exchanged our views to each other on another posting,but it brings to mind what are everyone else's views on this?While it really doesn't matter to my opinion,I am curious.
So,my opinion:I have owned most breeds of bike over the past 40 years,and the ones that I loved the most(and I have loved them all),are the ones that I customized,and made a part of me,from the little changes to the radical. I like a low rider/chopper style bike,and nothing feels so good as to be riding on a one of a kind ride,whether I am the only one who appreciates it or not.
I could care less as to the dollar value that I could sell any bike for,and would rather give one away to a needy friend(as I have a couple in the past),than to worry about whether or not it is maintaining the best resale value.
So,thats my rant,,what are your preferences?

 

i think you re a wise biker

 

My opinion, and i do not expect everyone or anyone to agree, is ...

The original IronHeads, especially the frames, are becoming more and more scarce. Unmolested frames should be left unmolested. If you want to chop etc then you should work with an already molested frame - there are lots of these out there. Likewise any original unmolested parts, especially original paint tins, should be left unmolested.

Sell the good stuff on eBay where a restorationist or refurbisher will happily pay top dollar.

The second part of my opinion is ...

Original bikes are far better looking and more exciting to see than any other. A crowd of people on the street will always gather to gawk at one of these more than any other. Especially unwelcome to my eyes is the kind of stuff they have done over the years on "that" TV show [you know the one]. Any so-called chopper that is made up of simple chrome bolt-ons from a catalog is not, IMO, a work of art.

If a guy has the eye of an artist, if he has a vision, a personal interpretation of a traditional style, whatever, then it could be very good, but still not my preference.

 

Again Mick,I can't disagree with what you say,,But I do have several images running through my brain,for each bike I've had,lol

 

as far as Micks opinion i cant disagree, get a aftermarket frame to customize, I personally love to basterdize my bikes BUT it will be an issue in the near future with totally originals becoming more scarce, i just wish i had the money to do BOTH

 

It depends!

For instance, if I buy a completely stock Harley from a dealer today it won't survive until tommorow before things begin to change. I'd also have no limit on what I'd want to change but money and good sense force some limits.

The 10 to 20 year old that's lost it's newness and has become very common but not terribly collectible. Rip it up! Mix parts. This is the ideal bike to chop, be creative, have fun. Show that great biker spirit that make this lifestyle so wild and unpredictible. And it doesn't matter whether rat, show, or something in between.

Once bikes hit that golden age and are no longer common they come in two flavors. Maintained stock (rare) and should not be altered. It wouldn't even make sense to pay the highest value for that model and then spend more money on it to make it less valuable. Altered come in all states from mostly stock to fully chopped. I wouldn't want to ruin any valuable parts but I want to make the bike MY bike. However, if it was mostly stock I'd probably want to see it restored. So, if my goal was something radical I wouldn't chose a mostly stock bike to start with.

Currently I'm rebuilding a 1960 XLH. The guy who owned it in the 60's altered it to look and run like an XLCH. He also raced it, so that's how I'm restoring it. I love the idea of making it the bike you wanted it to be in the 60's and not the bike everybody with enough money owned.

 

I like to mildly customize my bikes. These days, I generally don't do anything to one that can't be easily undone, though. Not so in the past, as I've hacked up a few along the way. As for Ironheads, please don't buy a nice, surviving stocker if you want to hack one up. Buy one that's already been customized and turn it into what you want. As for riding something really different from the crowd, a 30+ year old stock bike will accomplish that pretty well...

 

I will put mine in and I agree with most of you on keeping stock. I love my Ironhead and I was a gift from my father-in-law. I will never chop, cut, weld anything on my frame or modify my Ironhead motor. but I will change my fenders, tank, blinkers, mirror, update the braking system so I can stop on time ect... I ride my over 70 a day and want to please my father -in- law with what we talked about doing to the bike when he gave it to me...

But yes if you want a complete custom with ironhead motor buy a new frame and use your original parts to give or sell to someone that is doing restore to put to good use

 

My stance on this subject is that I don't like to see people chop or hack original Harleys, if it were me, I would try to keep it as original and functional as possible..

The upside to this is that since I am not the president of the historical society I don't feel the need to tell others what to do with a rare, or becoming rare Harleys. When someone does chop up a good example of history, it just makes my original worth more money..

 

all very good opinions.Mine personally didnt come with a stock frame,sorry to say,it was already in a custom frame,so...I love what I have.Thanks for the input.