Rat bike aren't built, they just happen.

 

you say you'v seen alot on here latley...can ya post up some pics of ppls rides so we can get an idea of what you call a rat bike? i can honestly say i have never seen a rat bike on any of the forums i'm on. this is a rat bike...

http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/fo...s-ratbike2.jpg

o and don't worry about offending anyone by putting there bike up as an example because in your original (or second) post you said it wasn't to offend anyone

 

http://www.ratbike.org/

 

Rat bikes have heart and soul. You can't build nor buy that.
I love seeing rat bikes.

 

well, it won't put itself together. Someone has to "build" it, or whatever you want to call it. Semantics.

 

They can call 'em what they want, I'll call 'em as I see 'em. In the big picture it really doesn't matter anyway. Live and let live on both sides of this argument.

 

They are "built" by the manufacturer. Then the owner takes and just straps something on here...ties something there..lets some rust get here and there..add scratches from miles riding..dents..dings..ripped seats..welded on railroad spikes for pegs...etc...not really built...but "evolved" like Zapps said. They just happen over time like Gypsylady said. The ratbike owners are a unique type of don't give a **** about what anyone else thinks of thier bike kinda people and I respect that. Rat bikes tell stories.

 

Rat bikes "happen", just like "s#!+ happens"! I have had one "happen" for me.

 

yeah i agree, you cannot just "build" a rat bike, as it is more of a compiliation of thigns done "to get it to roll down the road"
sometiems its taking years to get there a piece of this, sme tape, a peice of that, ooohhh that might work here, etc liek its been said a True rat bike evolves over time, and beyodn popular beilf they are true customs in my eyes, each one differnt and each oen with its own story. unliek some of the so called "cookie cutter customs" of late

 

Seamantics? Is that the study of Salmon and ticks?

I have a friend with a 70's FXS that got really upset when his shovel won peoples choice ratbike in a show. He entered it in custom shovel! He's been known as Rat ever since.
That bike got to that condition through over 100,000 miles of his ownership and no one knows how many miles from previous owners.