At 09:00 AM 24/11/2007 +0000, Julius Naim wrote:
>I recently took my Sun to be refinished by Mario Vaz as it had been
>badly painted by myself many years ago, when I went to collect the
>frame he asked if I wanted the head-badge put back on or not. I
>couldn't believe he was even asking but apparently most jobs he gets
>(from those not on this list) are couriers who want a featureless
>frame, no decals, braze-ons, head badges and, worst of all, track
>ends fitted.
I may have a theory on why this is. Back in the 1950s when hotrodding became popular in North America, young people would customize their cars by removing all chrome trim and emblems and filling the holes. They wanted to look "different", not like their parents, who drove cars festooned with badges and chrome. Maybe that's what those kids are trying to do today with their bikes. The trouble is that a nosed and decked Ford or Chevy still retained its heritage, whereas most lugged bikes with no decals or badges could be just about anything. In trying to be "different", these people end up being all the same.
John Betmanis
Woodstock, Ontario
Canada