What makes it Custom?

[RetroSBK]

After reading some replies to my bike, and Stu's I got to thinking while I re-valving a set of forks.. What makes a custom "Custom"

Is one off the only custom?

 If you can buy it, does that mean it isnt custom?

Is cutting off the back of your frame and bending up some crooked brackets make your bike a custom?

If you dump tons of hours into a bike in your garage, and the work is done half assed, is it more custom than a guy like Stu who has a shop and turns out nice work?

Is it custom if you pay me to build it?

How many things have to be changed on your bike to make it a custom?

If I have more one off hand made bits, does it make my bike cooler?

If you are a hack, and build a bunch of one off garbage, is your bike custom?

Is my stuff more custom because I have a wheel and a hammer and I know how to use them and do regularly?

Is it custom if the motor comes out for some reason?

Do you have the right to talk smack if your bike ISNT a custom?

I hand (re)built the frame and swingarm on my streetfighter, but is it not custom because the key surround is plastic, and not CF (Yes, had a guy say that to me, no joke.. lol)

I'm always curious to see the difference in opinion between people, garage builders and custom fabricators.

This isnt a flame, but more a curiosity.. When does a bike stop being a modified stocker and start being a custom?

[duc_poultry]

My personal opinion is that custom is whatever is not usually on a given item. For example if I put termi's on my M750 that would mean my bike has been customized. To finish an item is a whole other story If you look at work like Stu does its different, Stu (and others) finish a bike. Stu takes after market items and "customizes" those and after that customizes things that are already custom and keeps going deeper. There was a great quote I heard from a great man ; "I wouldnt work if it werent for my ability to finish things." (stated by Stu himself) REALLY take in that statement... People like Stuart are artists because they see what we don't. They can turn a blank canvas into the Mona Lisa, an M750 into a cafe racer ect.. I guess what Im trying to say is that there is a difference between customizing and finishing if you need proof look at your bike and then look at one of Stu's....

[Spidey]

There isn't a clean answer for me.  

That said, in my head, I make some distinction between customized (i.e. modded) versus custom, but it's pretty vague.  I think of something as custom where it has some fabrication to it more than just a lot of bolt-on parts from the motowheels catalog.  But there's not an easy line to draw and that particular definition is not a hard and fast rule.  Now that I think about it, I don't use the word custom much.  I talk about how modded or how customized a bike is.   It's about how changed the bike is, not about whether it's modded or a custom.

Then again, if I had to put bikes the category of modded v. custom, there are some bikes fall into the "custom" category for me, many of which were built by professional builders.  The bikes tend to have their own name and to be one-offs.  They have a particular vision (even if its not mine) and they get it right.  Your Streetfighter, certain builds by Stuart, Mark Savory's Black Fog and DesmoDevil line, Andi's Malatia, Turbomonster and others come to mind.  For example, I think I probably describe my M1000SS as a custom bike.  And others, like that Douchebag-painted M1100S or the Motowheels catalog Carbon Monster that won the last Monster Challenge, don't strike me as "custom" and I wouldn't describe them that way.  I can't explain it better than that.    

I don't know if that helps answer your question.  

[ducpainter]

IMO...

if it's done from a catalog it isn't custom.

[Duck-Stew]

It's all based on each individuals definition of the words:  Custom  --and--  Customized.

FOR ME:

Customized is stuff generally applied from a catalog or website, parts that have been removed, parts which there has been a color change and 'approved' modifications.

Custom is a whole other world for me.  That term I reserve for bikes that have a single congruent theme running through EVERYTHING.

Nothing wrong with a well-ridden, much-loved Customized bike running around.  Owner is happy, bikes' being ridden...  The Customized Garage-Queens piss me off...


But, this is all my opinion and you know the adage about opinions...

[lethe]

Does accumulating layers of road grime thereby mildly altering the silhouette of the bike make it a custom? 

[hbliam]

It's all based on each individuals definition of the words:  Custom  --and--  Customized.

FOR ME:

Customized is stuff generally applied from a catalog or website, parts that have been removed, parts which there has been a color change and 'approved' modifications.

Custom is a whole other world for me.  That term I reserve for bikes that have a single congruent theme running through EVERYTHING.

Nothing wrong with a well-ridden, much-loved Customized bike running around.  Owner is happy, bikes' being ridden...  The Customized Garage-Queens piss me off...


But, this is all my opinion and you know the adage about opinions...

Pretty good explanation right there.

[DucHead]

Meh, it's just a label.  Call it what you want.   Some people will accept it, and others will take exception.  

[mikeb]

If I want a custom suit, and the tailor pulls one off the rack to hem mod, I'm walking out of his store.    

But while we're trying to clear things up I'd like to set people straight on what a mod is.  Cause if I see rim strips, or a carbon tank protector, on someones mod list one more time I'm going to lose it!  

[sbrguy]

maybe its like in tailoring.  

you can get a custom suit, where the pattern is sized exactly from your measurements, meaning no prepeg patterns, and you pick the fabrics so that literally your suit is made from the ground up exactly for you only.  so custom would where you literally shape the bike and do things like you see with the theme bikes and such where there is litarally only 1 of a kind of that particluar style or bike. This is the Michaelangelo style maybe.

then you have a made to measure - where the suit isn't off the peg, but the patterns are there but they are modified from standard to your build and in a way its still made only for you, except not everything is fabricated exactly for you.  so maybe that is customized -meaning you take a starndard motorcycle and you do more than just simple mods you do some welding and such so that its definitely oly made for you but not built from the ground up.  This is maybe the real good local artist that is does original work but just isn't exactly like Michaelangelo.

then you have alterations on an off the peg suit - basically this would be what most of us normal people do, by chaning out simple parts to our bikes to make them unique but the same base is there, ie trade out some carbon parts, and take some parts off or such.  this is the talented art teacher that can do stuff you can't, but not as much as the local artist.

well that is my opinion on what thedifferent stages of motorcycle "custom" and levels are.  who knows right?

[Travman]

After we define what custom means, let's define cool.

[Spidey]

After we define what custom means, let's define cool.

Done.  What's next?   

[sbrguy]

damn defining "cool" is almost as bad as trying to tell someone the non logical reasons why you like your ducati.

i think the harley davidson saying is appropriate in this instance "if i have to explain it you wouldn't understand"

but a picture of steve mcqueen might suffice as a definition of cool. lol.

[mitt]

After we define what custom means, let's define cool.

+1

Sort of like if you have to ask if it is cool, it probably isn't.


mitt

[mikeb]

Cool is like sexy.  Its an inherent quality that can't be attained.  It either is or it isn't. 

And trying to be cool, or sexy for that matter, pretty much ensures that you won't be.