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Wheres The Fun?

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I don't know. I think there's room for both. The Luxury HQ ranch boys had a beautiful B6 for sale about a year ago that was totally over done, Chrome/ stainless and clear coat. But I tell you, it was one of the most beautiful bikes I have ever seen. I don't think that anybody bought it, so that kind of says something about where this hobby is at. Original rust seems to be the order of the day. But, I like to see all forms of classics, dolled up or not. It's kind of like a pretty girl with or without makeup. They're still beautiful either way. It's just that the girl without the makeup is more fun to be with.
 
Nice but not $2G nice

I'd save my money and keep my Original 55 Deluxe Hornet instead:)
 

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Ride a original,
I have restored many bikes and was afraid to scratch them. Not to mention spending tons of money.
The originals come with scratches and dents and stickers on them. I like to take them apart and clean them up, hunt for nicer parts and make upgrades when possible.
It's nice to be able to ride and not be afraid of the bike.
 

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I hate it when I paint something and it looks awesome and then the first scratch....you try hard not to get another but its inevitable so I tend to ride originals or a quick spray to make it one color. Its too much work trying to keep an awesome bike than just maintaining the original.
 
My 2c worth, I think there is room for both. I have both and each gives me some satisfaction. The general public seems to really like the restored ones, like they came off the showroom floor, even the over-restored ones. Especially the kids, they oggle and ahh over the paint and chrome. I show a half a dozen of both styles at a car show/motorcycle show each year and the visitors like to see clean and new, most of the show participants appreciate both. Like cars, orginal is cool to those who know the history and can appreciate the rarity. Restored is appreciated for the work, time, and effort involved into taking them to that level. Both restored and original personally give me more gratification from the conversations they generate with people than anything.
 
botox or not?

Here in UK we call it OILY RAG. Most enthusiasts now prefer unrestored, though in reality maybe it's simply just a perverse version of our usual vintage vehicle one-upmanship? - because so many vehicles have now had the restoration treatment, unrestored has become rarer.

As previous posts already commented, neither is better. Unrestored is more practical to use because of 'first scratch syndrome.' But also surely Hollywood has several points to answer for here?

1. New Hollywood films that re-create old times invariably illustrate old vehicles as being in pristine condition. In colour. I gew up in 1950s Britain. It was dreary and mostly full of pre-war vehicles. The only colour scheme was black. There were no new vehicles - new vehicles were only exported to repay the postwar foreign debt (to USA :). I realize it was different on your side of the Atlantic - the dream of wonderful 1950s US vehicles is what kept us all going thro hard times. But what i'm trying to say is that if younger folks only see restored vehicles they get a false impression of older times.

2. Hollywood also seems to be responsible for this whole idea of face-lifts and botox. I'm not sure which came first, over-restored vehicles or over-restored people? Personally, I'm happy with a craggy face and my craggy vehicles. But I still always take time to admire a beautifully restored vintage vehicle (and I have more than a few of them, among the oily rags). And who could possibly not admire a beautiful aging actress, 'well restored' or not?

My favourite Oily Rag, 1914 Golden Sunbeam Tricycle:

1914_Sunbeam_Tricycle_5-1.jpg
 
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I know peole that work hard...very hard and long hours to get ahead and time is something they don't have and cannot buy. They appreciate quality and are more than willing to spend money on something they want because they do not have the time to do it themselves...I personally would rather have them in the hobby in whatever way they can be than to exclude them because they opted to buy something done and not do it themselves...seems kind of snobbish to me but to each his own...
 
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