Moderator Goff Posted March 19, 2009 Moderator Posted March 19, 2009 I always thought that the term Streetfighter was coined for the people who smashed their streetbikes expensive farings and just stuck a pair of Renthalls on to get them back on the road as cheaply as possible. People who like to mess about building "mini specials" then saw this and thought they could do a better job by doing it intentionally, and (most times) making a much better job of it than the "chuck a set of Rethalls on it" brigade. All well and good. But. They are all Streetfighters. Some are a lot better made than others, but they are all streetfighters. If they arent, how do you decide the criteria for deciding wether its a Streetfighter or not? How much work has been done on it, if so how many hours make it a streetfighter? Would one hour under NOT make it one? Is it how much money has been spent on it, if so how much makes a streetfighter, and would a pound under not make it one? Do you HAVE to use parts from another bike, if so how many and what proportion of the total makes it a SF, and would one point less not make it one? I see your point, you are trying to differentiate yourself from the "Chuck a set of Renthalls on it" crowd, because you probably spend a lot of time, money and effort on your SF, very understandable. But is doesnt make it any more of a SF than a smashed R1 with Renthalls and a push bike light. It does however make it better built, more desirable and nicer looking SF than an R1 with Renthalls and a push bike light. In my opinion, a smashed bike with a set of renthalls on it becomes a sreetfighter because of what it was ( a sportsbike), and what it is now (back on the road very cheaply with upright bars and no faring), thats what a Streetfighter originally was. No, in my opinion they are not ALL streetfighters. As i said - anyone can chuck a set of renthals on a sportsbike and call it a fighter - it isnt - it will never be like that. Im not trying to differentiate myself from anything - but a fighter is a bit more than the above, and not what it once was ie: a smashed up sportsbike! .....and i do believe i also said: A streetfighter is a bike which someone has built using different bike parts to their own liking. There is no specific criteria, but they can be classed as "muscle" bikes. They can be polished or powdercoated it matters not. Its the whole raw, aggressive look that makes a decent fighter...... A lot of time and effort goes into a fighter - and again as i already said - they are not always built from smashed up bikes. A la: Im not sure why people think a streetfighter is made up of a sports bike because this isnt the case there is a BSA which has been made into a streetfighter basically its what ever bike you have that you want to do up. As for how much time is spent on them well my hubby tends to take about a year and a truck load of cash but its his hobby and he loves it and might i add he is friggin good at it too Now THOSE are streetfighters - a smashed up sports bike with a set of renthals dont even come close. Our slabby has been 2 years on the go now..............
Billy Balthorpe Posted March 19, 2009 Posted March 19, 2009 Im not sure why people think a streetfighter is made up of a sports bike Because thats where the name originated, there was no such thing as a streefighter in the mid 70's because very few bikes had full (and very expensive) farings to get smashed. It wasnt until the early - mid 80's that bikes (usually sportsbikes CB900F2, etc ) gained the full "expensive to replace" farings, and therefore spawned the idea of not replacing faring and slapping some Bates and renthalls on it instead. Thats why they are usually deemed to be ex sportsbikes. The problem is nowadays (and for a few years now) lots of different classes of bikes have gained farings to smash to bits, not just sportsbikes. So streetfighters are made out of all sorts of stuff and the pre requisite of being a sportsbike is not so prevalent now. It wasnt prevalent then because really, the only bikes that were going to get badly damaged in a realatively "easy" crash (from a cash point of view) were sportsbikes coz they had the faring and the propensity for hedge hunting. I think its all about ownership of the name Streetfighter. The special builders want it exclusively for their bikes coz it sounds cooler than "Special". The bum basic SF builders dont care what its called, coz its back on the road cheaply, these people inhereted the name because of what the bike was, and is now.
Billy Balthorpe Posted March 19, 2009 Posted March 19, 2009 OK Goff, tell me how to tell if a bike is a streetfighter. If you mention time spent building it, say how long it has to take before it becomes one. If you mention money, say how much you have to spend before it becomes one. If it means having parts from different bikes, how many different bikes? I've got nowt against the Special Streetfighter builder, i've seen some cracking work in my time. I've also seen a lot of Tarts Boudoirs, you know the type, covered in glue and ridden through halfords. Hang on, how about that for a name, a Special Streetfighter? Says it all for me, its a Streetfighter but its not your usual streetfighter, its more than that, its a Special Streefighter, you know before you see it that there has been a lot of time effort, money, blood, sweat and tears that have gone into it. I reckon adoption of that term for the appropriate bikes and builders would kill this onging debate (this has been going for a good few years now) stone dead. Its either a Streetfighter (cheap and nasty) or a Streetfighter Special (Special Streetfighter?) that is quite a lot more than a simple Streetfighter.
Moderator Goff Posted March 19, 2009 Moderator Posted March 19, 2009 OK Goff, tell me how to tell if a bike is a streetfighter. If you mention time spent building it, say how long it has to take before it becomes one. If you mention money, say how much you have to spend before it becomes one. If it means having parts from different bikes, how many different bikes? I've got nowt against the Special Streetfighter builder, i've seen some cracking work in my time. I've also seen a lot of Tarts Boudoirs, you know the type, covered in glue and ridden through halfords. Hang on, how about that for a name, a Special Streetfighter? Says it all for me, its a Streetfighter but its not your usual streetfighter, its more than that, its a Special Streefighter, you know before you see it that there has been a lot of time effort, money, blood, sweat and tears that have gone into it. I reckon adoption of that term for the appropriate bikes and builders would kill this onging debate (this has been going for a good few years now) stone dead. Its either a Streetfighter (cheap and nasty) or a Streetfighter Special (Special Streetfighter?) that is quite a lot more than a simple Streetfighter. A streetfighter to me is a bike made from lots of other bike parts. As for how many different bikes - why would that matter? People seem to use the name "Streetfighter" loosely now for any bike that has a set of renthals on it and a loud can. Im no expert on fighters, but as i already said - they are a bit more than a set of renthals chucked on a sportsbike IMHO. Everyone has a different opinion on what makes a fighter - and a smashed in sportsbike complete with renthals just doesn't make the grade for me.
grandfatblanc Posted March 19, 2009 Posted March 19, 2009 You are better off asking that question in the tech help section Good point
Moderator Goff Posted March 19, 2009 Moderator Posted March 19, 2009 Good point PM me if you need a hand
Billy Balthorpe Posted March 19, 2009 Posted March 19, 2009 I would class my Blade as a "Basic" Streetfighter. To all intents and purposes it is just a smashed Blade with renthalls. But is has got a faring and lights from a Peugeot Speedfight II scooter, mirrors from a Z1000, a non standard belly pan, non standard bars (obviously) and cables, non standard brackets (knocked up out of steel and clamps from FWB in 20 minutes with a drill, vice and hammer) and non standard clocks. Does that make my bike a Streetfighter in your opinion? It did take me a long time to build, about 6 hours including going out to the shop to buy the clamps, having breakfast, making the brackets, putting it all together and wiring it up,, having the odd doobie and the occasional beer here and there , then rattle can spraying it with Halfrauds finest silk black. Maybe i shouldnt have put that last paragraph in, i thought i was doing quite well up to then.
wild foamy Posted March 19, 2009 Author Posted March 19, 2009 ... would it be possible to streetfighter my Jawa? set of RD350 forks all polished up and shiney, clean up the cases and engine block to make that all shiney and maybe a nice flip-paint job, some nice wheels, spotlights on the front, chrome dials, renthals, aftermarket cans, maybe a tail tidy, arrow indicators, some creative fibreglassing work, longer twinshocks on the back to jack the arse-end up a bit... ... ooh, the creative juices are flowing now...
Moderator Goff Posted March 19, 2009 Moderator Posted March 19, 2009 I would class my Blade as a "Basic" Streetfighter. To all intents and purposes it is just a smashed Blade with renthalls. But is has got a faring and lights from a Peugeot Speedfight II scooter, mirrors from a Z1000, a non standard belly pan, non standard bars (obviously) and cables, non standard brackets (knocked up out of steel and clamps from FWB in 20 minutes with a drill, vice and hammer) and non standard clocks. Does that make my bike a Streetfighter in your opinion? If you wanna class it as a "basic" streetfighter then you go ahead. You havent much changed the way the bike looks - you can tell a mile off its a blade. If you like - thats the main thing, there will always be the debate as to what is and what isnt as already mentioned.....but you seriously need to cut down that bloody headlight! It did take me a long time to build, about 6 hours including going out to the shop to buy the clamps, having breakfast, making the brackets, putting it all together and wiring it up,, having the odd doobie and the occasional beer here and there , then rattle can spraying it with Halfrauds finest silk black. Maybe i shouldnt have put that last paragraph in, i thought i was doing quite well up to then. Maybe "rat" would be a better class for it........... ... would it be possible to streetfighter my Jawa? set of RD350 forks all polished up and shiney, clean up the cases and engine block to make that all shiney and maybe a nice flip-paint job, some nice wheels, spotlights on the front, chrome dials, renthals, aftermarket cans, maybe a tail tidy, arrow indicators, some creative fibreglassing work, longer twinshocks on the back to jack the arse-end up a bit... ... ooh, the creative juices are flowing now... Anything is possible with a good imagination..........
Billy Balthorpe Posted March 19, 2009 Posted March 19, 2009 I tend to push on a bit when riding with me mates, i also do a bit of touring, the faring gives just enough protection from the wind when i need it. Some one said the same thing a couple of months ago, "cut it down", but this was someone who never rode his Tarts Boudoir style Streetfighter out of Stoke and so would never have the neck problems caused by a one hour "sprint" to catch the ferry at Bilbao. The faring stays.
Moderator Goff Posted March 20, 2009 Moderator Posted March 20, 2009 I tend to push on a bit when riding with me mates, i also do a bit of touring, the faring gives just enough protection from the wind when i need it. Some one said the same thing a couple of months ago, "cut it down", but this was someone who never rode his Tarts Boudoir style Streetfighter out of Stoke and so would never have the neck problems caused by a one hour "sprint" to catch the ferry at Bilbao. The faring stays. Nah - cut it down As for fairing giving you protection - i have none on my bike - not even a screen - was hard going at first especially tearing down the motorway - but you get used to it
Yamigirl Posted March 20, 2009 Posted March 20, 2009 Same here Goff all our bikes are naked bikes wouldnt have fairing dont like them. Once you ride naked bikes you soon see that the fairing isnt the issue its just what you get used to.
vic-fzr600 Posted March 20, 2009 Posted March 20, 2009 On the lookout for a GSXR750 oil cooled engine to go in my frame now. Goff, Know you seem to be a GSXR fan, but i recently found a 1994 ZXR750 which would be ideal for a project. Has been in a spill, but damage seems restricted to bodywork only. Frame seems undamaged, forks just need realigned, engine tunring over ok. Guy was asking £300 but i reckon £150 would buy it. Only prob being its over here in Norn Iron..... Thought i'd let you know just incase (part of me tempted to buy it, repair & flog to fund my own projects!!) P.S. I know theres been a lot of 'debate' on this thread about damaged bikes being fightered, but if anyone wants to kick off about my post/suggestion, dont waste your time or mine - the only response you'll get will be my size 12 boot.....
divster Posted March 20, 2009 Posted March 20, 2009 im very slowly in the process of building a bandit fighter because ive always wanted to do one but never had the know how and cash, but the way im doing it is how i want , my ideas its so far taken me 18 months of learning many new things in the process just taken the engine out cos im prepping everything for paint , and its now going to have a gsxr600k1 rear end , because the gsxr swingarm/zxr wheel isnt working so thats more work to do
Moderator Goff Posted March 20, 2009 Moderator Posted March 20, 2009 Goff, Know you seem to be a GSXR fan, but i recently found a 1994 ZXR750 which would be ideal for a project. Has been in a spill, but damage seems restricted to bodywork only. Frame seems undamaged, forks just need realigned, engine tunring over ok. Guy was asking £300 but i reckon £150 would buy it. Only prob being its over here in Norn Iron..... Thought i'd let you know just incase (part of me tempted to buy it, repair & flog to fund my own projects!!) P.S. I know theres been a lot of 'debate' on this thread about damaged bikes being fightered, but if anyone wants to kick off about my post/suggestion, dont waste your time or mine - the only response you'll get will be my size 12 boot..... Oooh i missed this! And thankya muchly for thinking of me honey - but alas - as beeyeooootiful as Norn Iron is tis too far away for me - BUT if you think its worht restoring back to its former glory then go for it! Divster - thats gonna be a nice bike once its done - looks very German Fighter, but i personally like that look
Recommended Posts