As a small child in the 1960s, i can remember the Mongrel bikes here in England, These were the specials as they were termed back then. the TRIBSAs The TRITONS, The NORVINS and so on and so forth. There were many varriants tri ducatis by example, and some were made up of parts of many diferent bike brands to get the required look or style / technical spec one wanted or needed.
The custom Scene as in choppers etc as the cafe racer bikes were cattered for by an aftermarket industry making parts for such bikes, and frames etc.
Now to the IMHO the True Mongrels, and not wanting to put a firm date on such bikes as i am sure they have been created since motorcycles first appeared. But i would say in my limited little world view it probably got or started to get more widespread around the late 60s early 70s and though not exactly mainstream as such its still going on today.
By Mongrel i mean a Bike made of a multitude of parts and components often from diferent manufacturers and of different time periods all asembled in to a unique functioning motorcycle that can and often is much loved and much used by its owner who is i would say fairly regularly its creator too.
It can be anything, it can be british frame jap engine or visa vera and lets say an old BSA A10 tank on a relatively stock KZ400 or XS650 with WP Dirt bike forks and a Suzuki front wheel and Yaqmaha rear wheel etc etc.
True mongrels. Do you or have you ever owned such a beast? Or Know of any such bikes you saw or know the owner? Or have you an interest in such bikes and want to share thoughts?.
We live in a modern clinically clean if you like affluent and some what aspirational world where for some only the most up to date technically cutting edge motorcycles are worth reconing, and thats fine but if like me you see the good in a Mongrel no matter how diverse a pedigree it dose not posses then share your pics input and words on this thread. Even your thought ideas on such creations you might be contemplating, all would be good to hear about.
The custom Scene as in choppers etc as the cafe racer bikes were cattered for by an aftermarket industry making parts for such bikes, and frames etc.
Now to the IMHO the True Mongrels, and not wanting to put a firm date on such bikes as i am sure they have been created since motorcycles first appeared. But i would say in my limited little world view it probably got or started to get more widespread around the late 60s early 70s and though not exactly mainstream as such its still going on today.
By Mongrel i mean a Bike made of a multitude of parts and components often from diferent manufacturers and of different time periods all asembled in to a unique functioning motorcycle that can and often is much loved and much used by its owner who is i would say fairly regularly its creator too.
It can be anything, it can be british frame jap engine or visa vera and lets say an old BSA A10 tank on a relatively stock KZ400 or XS650 with WP Dirt bike forks and a Suzuki front wheel and Yaqmaha rear wheel etc etc.
True mongrels. Do you or have you ever owned such a beast? Or Know of any such bikes you saw or know the owner? Or have you an interest in such bikes and want to share thoughts?.
We live in a modern clinically clean if you like affluent and some what aspirational world where for some only the most up to date technically cutting edge motorcycles are worth reconing, and thats fine but if like me you see the good in a Mongrel no matter how diverse a pedigree it dose not posses then share your pics input and words on this thread. Even your thought ideas on such creations you might be contemplating, all would be good to hear about.
