What criteria do you use to decide what bike to vote for?

[Preacher]

I am not usually one to participate in these bike of the month contests on the various sites I visit. But, because I hope this site becomes more active, I want to support Chopper and try and participate as much as possible.

See, the problem, in my eyes, is that most of these contests are just like Biker Buildoff on Discovery. It is almost always the bike with the pretty paint and chrome that wins.

For me, when I go to a bike show, I look for innovative designs. I like clean, well built bikes that are original. Chrome does nothing for me and a million dollar paint job on a stock bike will just leave me shaking my head and laughing.

I look for new ideas, for well executed work. All the bolt on kitsche (add-on skulls, knives, crosses etc) won't make shoddy worksmanship look good.

What do you look for when you vote on these things? What trips your trigger? What makes you cringe?

Would you be more likely to participate if there were classes? For example, "Stock", "Modified", "Custom" and "OMFGWTF is that!!!"?

[Mr Jimi]

Preacher, I would say it's totally up to the voter, and I recommend you enter yours! Now
Go for it.

[Preacher]

This thread wasn't a "Support Preacher's hidden desire to bask in the adulation of others by displaying his bike in a contest", it was a serious question about what YOU look for in judging a bike.

So? What trips your trigger?

Originally Posted by Preacher

I am not usually one to participate in these bike of the month contests on the various sites I visit. But, because I hope this site becomes more active, I want to support Chopper and try and participate as much as possible.

See, the problem, in my eyes, is that most of these contests are just like Biker Buildoff on Discovery. It is almost always the bike with the pretty paint and chrome that wins.

For me, when I go to a bike show, I look for innovative designs. I like clean, well built bikes that are original. Chrome does nothing for me and a million dollar paint job on a stock bike will just leave me shaking my head and laughing.

I look for new ideas, for well executed work. All the bolt on kitsche (add-on skulls, knives, crosses etc) won't make shoddy worksmanship look good.

What do you look for when you vote on these things? What trips your trigger? What makes you cringe?

Would you be more likely to participate if there were classes? For example, "Stock", "Modified", "Custom" and "OMFGWTF is that!!!"?

Well stated. One mans junk is another mans joy! It would be a pretty boring world if everyone drove sedans and everyone liked the color blue.

I will be upfront and say I dont like the new flashy stuff "Garage Candy", I hate the flashy paints and the overkilled chrome. I hate that nothing is visible and you cant see one mechanical part!

I hate the stock bikes were someone tosses apes on them and all of a sudden it is transformed into a wild custom!

That said, does it make those kinds of bikes wrong? No, not at all its just they are not for me.

I dig the ones where the owner had hands on and did and researched his fabrication himself. I like a clean build with a hint of period styling. Do you have some nice fab work ? Well show it then, show every single mecanical part, dont hide them.

I like the ones where the owner can tell you all about it. He knows the engine parts and specs because he either built it himself or atleast was interested in the build instead of just writting out the cheque.

The build should be a vision that the owner had and set out and created it. We might not like it but we should admire their skills and fabrication if it is there.

I do everything myself and have done so much of my 30 yrs of doing this gig. I do all my own welding and fabricating, paint, wiring, engine and gearbox builds . Its funny though as most of the bikes I have built all have the same look kind of. I guess that is what is in my heart.

Does any of this make any sense? lol



kgdb

[mordak]

I basically vote for the one that looks the best to me. Not really any science to it at all.

[Alien Spider]

Originally Posted by kgdb

Well stated. One mans junk is another mans joy! It would be a pretty boring world if everyone drove sedans and everyone liked the color blue.

I will be upfront and say I dont like the new flashy stuff "Garage Candy", I hate the flashy paints and the overkilled chrome. I hate that nothing is visible and you cant see one mechanical part!

I hate the stock bikes were someone tosses apes on them and all of a sudden it is transformed into a wild custom!

That said, does it make those kinds of bikes wrong? No, not at all its just they are not for me.

I dig the ones where the owner had hands on and did and researched his fabrication himself. I like a clean build with a hint of period styling. Do you have some nice fab work ? Well show it then, show every single mecanical part, dont hide them.

I like the ones where the owner can tell you all about it. He knows the engine parts and specs because he either built it himself or atleast was interested in the build instead of just writting out the cheque.

The build should be a vision that the owner had and set out and created it. We might not like it but we should admire their skills and fabrication if it is there.

I do everything myself and have done so much of my 30 yrs of doing this gig. I do all my own welding and fabricating, paint, wiring, engine and gearbox builds . Its funny though as most of the bikes I have built all have the same look kind of. I guess that is what is in my heart.

Does any of this make any sense? lol



kgdb

Well you guys just eliminated probably about 80 - 90% of the bikes on the site from the contest.

Maybe I'll go buy a rusty old Triumph, throw some drag bars on it and enter it in the BOTM contest.

Actually, that sounds like a good idea! :)

[Dinero No Mas]

I can find something to admire about most bikes. And we each love our own bikes for different reasons.

I am not into wild choppers or bar hoppers, but rather into the lifestyle. Show me a picture of a bike that someone enjoys showing off and I can enjoy it too.

It could be stock or slightly modified or demonstrate the lifestyle like this:

[Dinero No Mas]

Or my more conservative long-distance ride:

[raypfatboy]

Guess it depends on what the competition is on a given month...usually there's one that I like better than the others and the reasons vary...I do get kinda tired of the cookie cuter choppers that are so popular now a days. I too like bikes that look "mechanical" and I don't like chrome covers in place of real plating IMHO that just looks like so much shiny tin...

Originally Posted by Alien Spider

Well you guys just eliminated probably about 80 - 90% of the bikes on the site from the contest.

Maybe I'll go buy a rusty old Triumph, throw some drag bars on it and enter it in the BOTM contest.

Actually, that sounds like a good idea! :)

No that was not the intent, all are cool and all is some way or another turn my crank.


kgdb