Do you tour on a Frankinbike??
11-17-11, 10:15 AM
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Do you tour on a Frankinbike??
I'm about to build a Touring bike with what I got. Mostly mid- to low end parts on a Nashbar frame. My plan is to learn how to build a bike- start logging miles and as I learn more purchase good used parts heading toward a 14 day tour next summer in BC.
So who out there is proud enough of there budget touring bike ( basically bikes under $500, but cost not being the goal) to share your ideas/builds????
Can you share cost cutting ideas that worked and ones that are a mistake??
I know touring is the point but I have a feeling there are people like me who also enjoy the adventure of building thier own ride and want to see the whole thing work on a tight budget.
So who out there has made it happen??
I dare you to post your budget/creative/work with what I got/ touring rides
- Hope to see you out on the road soon
Ben
So who out there is proud enough of there budget touring bike ( basically bikes under $500, but cost not being the goal) to share your ideas/builds????
Can you share cost cutting ideas that worked and ones that are a mistake??
I know touring is the point but I have a feeling there are people like me who also enjoy the adventure of building thier own ride and want to see the whole thing work on a tight budget.
So who out there has made it happen??
I dare you to post your budget/creative/work with what I got/ touring rides
- Hope to see you out on the road soon
Ben
11-17-11, 11:20 AM
#2
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Franken bike= brought back from the dead,but, inanimate bike parts are not alive..
FWIW ..
I got my mechanics chops up well before I built my Touring rig.
cost cutting,? simplify..
a wide range of ratios matters more than a lot of 'Speeds'..
friction shifting wont go out of whack,
good solid not top line parts, Campag gave up on their MTB segment in the 80's,
so the derailleurs were bought on close outs.
many thru the bike shop I worked for., some thru like Nashbar.
but you can tour on anything you can stand to ride all day,
and get up the next day and do it again.
FWIW ..
I got my mechanics chops up well before I built my Touring rig.
cost cutting,? simplify..
a wide range of ratios matters more than a lot of 'Speeds'..
friction shifting wont go out of whack,
good solid not top line parts, Campag gave up on their MTB segment in the 80's,
so the derailleurs were bought on close outs.
many thru the bike shop I worked for., some thru like Nashbar.
but you can tour on anything you can stand to ride all day,
and get up the next day and do it again.
Last edited by fietsbob; 11-17-11 at 02:54 PM.
11-17-11, 11:34 AM
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no, I hang out here.
Gotta say that "Frankenbike" doesn't apply to economical assemblies. It should be something that shocks and frightens people. Like a grocery cart attached to a mtn. bike going 6mph on the flats loaded with 150lbs of stuff. Some constructions come across as whimsical and frightening in the details. Sorry, your good efforts at economy don't justify the term Frankenbike.
Only advice I'd give is to start with new wheels and eventually a new drive train. Everything else can come from the parts bins, freecycle, old bikes, yard sales, etc.
Gotta say that "Frankenbike" doesn't apply to economical assemblies. It should be something that shocks and frightens people. Like a grocery cart attached to a mtn. bike going 6mph on the flats loaded with 150lbs of stuff. Some constructions come across as whimsical and frightening in the details. Sorry, your good efforts at economy don't justify the term Frankenbike.
Only advice I'd give is to start with new wheels and eventually a new drive train. Everything else can come from the parts bins, freecycle, old bikes, yard sales, etc.
11-17-11, 11:51 AM
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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Using the term frankenbike to represent a build from many different bikes. If I remember the monster that was the idea, and you can't get much cheaper than robbing parts from a grave yard. I'm into scary as long as it rides and works. Just want to have some fun learning. Hope the whole village doesn't come burn down the castle.
11-17-11, 12:28 PM
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Gotta say that "Frankenbike" doesn't apply to economical assemblies. It should be something that shocks and frightens people. Like a grocery cart attached to a mtn. bike going 6mph on the flats loaded with 150lbs of stuff. Some constructions come across as whimsical and frightening in the details. Sorry, your good efforts at economy don't justify the term Frankenbike.
No single part on this bike cost more than $40 new except the frame. The frame I got on sale, much of the little parts were leftovers from my commuter MTB that was too small.
Frame: Surly LHT 26" 54cm, I got this on sale for $430 (could have gone with a Nashbar frame for half that if I'd had 700C rims to use)
Brakes: stripped from a Wal-Mart Schwinn $0
Crank: Shimano Acera, stripped from a dumpster find MTB: $0
Pedals: Sakae quills with cages, had 'em in my parts pile for years, $0
Seatpost: stripped from dumpster find, $0
Stem: steel, stripped from WM MTB: $0
Rims: stripped from WM MTB, they're double-walled and had plenty of meat left on them, were still straight $0
Rear hub: stripped from dumpster find Nishiki MTB, it's a 7-speed cassette $0
Cassette: stripped from dumpster find, 11-28 Shimano HG30, $0
Front hub: Sanyo H27, was $40 from Peter White
Spokes: got 14ga straight stainless Sapim spokes from Danscomp.com, they were about $30 for 72
Handlebars: Dimension 25.4 drop bars, $22
Brake levers: Tektro RL520 for linear-pulls. $24
Shifters: SunRace downtube indexed 7-sp, $11
Headset: FSA "The Pig" $27
Front derailer: Shimano Deore dual-pull, $35
Rear derailer: Shimano Altus, $18
Saddle: Zefal anatomic, $18
Dynamo lights: rear is an LED trailer light, front is a 12V LED track lighting MR16 bulb in a cheap fog lamp enclosure, homemade rectifier, cost $30 total
Bottom bracket: Shimano UN26, $10
Tires: Kenda Kwests, found them online $35 a pair, they lasted about 4000 miles commuting
Random bolts/spacers were from my parts pile, including the chain
Fenders are Axiom MTB bladerunners, they were around $25, and racks are Axiom Journeys (front and rear) for $20 each set.
Total cost, as you see it, comes out to right at $800.
11-17-11, 12:33 PM
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I have some Frankinbikes (not tour bikes) and I have a tour bike that I pieced together on a shoestring very much like what you are doing. I am about where you are with touring lots of desire for a longish self-contained tour and lacking the free time to do much more than a week at a time. When I bought the “start” I had bikes I loved to ride road, off road, commuting etc. and the plan was to keep this a dedicated tour bike. That didn’t work because when I finally got it geared where I wanted it and set up like I wanted it, it became my bike of choice for daily riding. So I built into it some convertible features that let it do at least triple duty. I try and keep it on hard surfaces as much as I can.
So let’s see I have never added it up before. (all numbers are est.)
Windsor Tourist off Craigslist $300 I’m third owner, number one rode it a little number two found the frame to large and never rode it. I won’t say I paid 300 though because a week later the guy I bought it from needed a quill stem and when he came to pick it up left with 4 bikes leaving $220 and I had about a 100 in all 4. So if math is correct the Windsor set me back $180.
Then a lower granny gear 26t $20.
Then a higher cassette 12-36 $60
Then both wheels hand built with good quality spokes $200
Rear bins a Craigslist find $80
DIY mods to rear rack and a DIY front rack $30
DIY handlebar bag (Wal-mart camera bag) that can be attached both directions. $30
Front and rear matching baskets (front not shown), Front for commuting rear is permanent garage sale $10
Peddles donor mtn bike $zero
Fenders adapted from donor bike 26” to use with 700C $zero.
DIY lighting and Iphone adapters and charging station $50
Camping / Backpacking equipment on hand, tent, military sleep system, hammock, cooking etc Bells items of comfort and conversation starters, not to mention hundreds of hours of tinkering, weighing and adjusting (Priceless)
For a grand total of something like $660 I’m pretty sure there was another $40 worth of nuts and bolts and maybe another $100 I missed. So let’s call it $800. So I’m well over the $500 mark but I bet I’m quite a bit under most. Now if I can figure out how I can retire and ride off to points unknown that would be priceless.
This might be a tad off topic or the topic or for another thread but for me there is a therapeutic element to this both riding / touring and equipping a bike for such. The freedom of traveling under human power will do as much if not more for your mental health as it will your physical health IMO. And this is proved out by the type people you find in this particular touring forum. Touring riders seem much more excepting of the Frankin-type setups. Kind of a what works for you is fine with me thing, followed with here is what works for me.
Few photos of my Frankin-tour-bike.
So let’s see I have never added it up before. (all numbers are est.)
Windsor Tourist off Craigslist $300 I’m third owner, number one rode it a little number two found the frame to large and never rode it. I won’t say I paid 300 though because a week later the guy I bought it from needed a quill stem and when he came to pick it up left with 4 bikes leaving $220 and I had about a 100 in all 4. So if math is correct the Windsor set me back $180.
Then a lower granny gear 26t $20.
Then a higher cassette 12-36 $60
Then both wheels hand built with good quality spokes $200
Rear bins a Craigslist find $80
DIY mods to rear rack and a DIY front rack $30
DIY handlebar bag (Wal-mart camera bag) that can be attached both directions. $30
Front and rear matching baskets (front not shown), Front for commuting rear is permanent garage sale $10
Peddles donor mtn bike $zero
Fenders adapted from donor bike 26” to use with 700C $zero.
DIY lighting and Iphone adapters and charging station $50
Camping / Backpacking equipment on hand, tent, military sleep system, hammock, cooking etc Bells items of comfort and conversation starters, not to mention hundreds of hours of tinkering, weighing and adjusting (Priceless)
For a grand total of something like $660 I’m pretty sure there was another $40 worth of nuts and bolts and maybe another $100 I missed. So let’s call it $800. So I’m well over the $500 mark but I bet I’m quite a bit under most. Now if I can figure out how I can retire and ride off to points unknown that would be priceless.
This might be a tad off topic or the topic or for another thread but for me there is a therapeutic element to this both riding / touring and equipping a bike for such. The freedom of traveling under human power will do as much if not more for your mental health as it will your physical health IMO. And this is proved out by the type people you find in this particular touring forum. Touring riders seem much more excepting of the Frankin-type setups. Kind of a what works for you is fine with me thing, followed with here is what works for me.
Few photos of my Frankin-tour-bike.
Last edited by bud16415; 11-17-11 at 12:40 PM.
11-17-11, 12:45 PM
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no, I hang out here.
Gotta say that "Frankenbike" doesn't apply to economical assemblies. It should be something that shocks and frightens people. Like a grocery cart attached to a mtn. bike going 6mph on the flats loaded with 150lbs of stuff. Some constructions come across as whimsical and frightening in the details. Sorry, your good efforts at economy don't justify the term Frankenbike.
Gotta say that "Frankenbike" doesn't apply to economical assemblies. It should be something that shocks and frightens people. Like a grocery cart attached to a mtn. bike going 6mph on the flats loaded with 150lbs of stuff. Some constructions come across as whimsical and frightening in the details. Sorry, your good efforts at economy don't justify the term Frankenbike.
I knew i should have posted my lawn mower bike.
11-17-11, 01:12 PM
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As far as what works and what doesn't, it's hard to complain with cheap MTB linear v-brakes. They just plain work, and you can find them anywhere.
The Sunrace downtube shifters I got work okay, but you can tell they're cheap... it took a little fidjeting with them to get them to index correctly. Still, 6th cog isn't exactly centered, but it's usable. Considering brifters and barends must be made of unobtanium and cost stupid amounts of money, I went with DT strictly for cost. They're cheap, but they work. You can get them in 7, 8, or 9 speeds.
If I had to, I could use Nashbar trekking bars and flatbar shifter/brake levers, you can find these for practically nothing as well... I wanted drop bars, but I still have the trekking bars and flatbar shifters/levers from my MTB. I could have saved another $50+ if I'd used them.
If I were to do it again, I'd get a narrower set of fenders, these were leftovers from my MTB. I'd also like to get a Brooks B17 for it eventually, but only if I'm going to be staying on the bike for days at a time. For up to 60 miles, the cheap saddle works okay.
I'm very impressed with the Sanyo dynohub, I don't know why more people don't use them! They're fantastic, I'd put them on any bike as long as it doesn't need disk brakes. And 1/3 the price of a Shimano one! Sheesh.
The Sunrace downtube shifters I got work okay, but you can tell they're cheap... it took a little fidjeting with them to get them to index correctly. Still, 6th cog isn't exactly centered, but it's usable. Considering brifters and barends must be made of unobtanium and cost stupid amounts of money, I went with DT strictly for cost. They're cheap, but they work. You can get them in 7, 8, or 9 speeds.
If I had to, I could use Nashbar trekking bars and flatbar shifter/brake levers, you can find these for practically nothing as well... I wanted drop bars, but I still have the trekking bars and flatbar shifters/levers from my MTB. I could have saved another $50+ if I'd used them.
If I were to do it again, I'd get a narrower set of fenders, these were leftovers from my MTB. I'd also like to get a Brooks B17 for it eventually, but only if I'm going to be staying on the bike for days at a time. For up to 60 miles, the cheap saddle works okay.
I'm very impressed with the Sanyo dynohub, I don't know why more people don't use them! They're fantastic, I'd put them on any bike as long as it doesn't need disk brakes. And 1/3 the price of a Shimano one! Sheesh.
11-17-11, 01:21 PM
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The mistake I made was skimping on the wheelset. I found someone local selling his low end mountain bike wheels (32 spoke) for $100 and bought them. I ended up breaking a spoke on the tour miles from any city. Luckily one of my touring partners had the foresight to bring a Kevlar spoke kit, because riding fully loaded on 31 spokes is not an ideal situation. After I got back I ordered some custom built 36 spoke wheels with quality spokes for just under $400 and hope to use those on my next loaded tour.
Of course your mileage may vary. But when you are in the middle of nowhere and something breaks you may not be able to locate a budget fix. If my wheel had continued to break spokes my tour would have be completely over. The nearest bike shop was over 40 miles the opposite way and I would have had to get transport to the shop and been limited to the available parts and prices.
11-17-11, 01:42 PM
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I built up a Nashbar cyclocross frame from parts first for cyclocross and then for touring. The part bike worked great and the frame handled the load very well.
The mistake I made was skimping on the wheelset. I found someone local selling his low end mountain bike wheels (32 spoke) for $100 and bought them. I ended up breaking a spoke on the tour miles from any city. Luckily one of my touring partners had the foresight to bring a Kevlar spoke kit, because riding fully loaded on 31 spokes is not an ideal situation. After I got back I ordered some custom built 36 spoke wheels with quality spokes for just under $400 and hope to use those on my next loaded tour.
Of course your mileage may vary. But when you are in the middle of nowhere and something breaks you may not be able to locate a budget fix. If my wheel had continued to break spokes my tour would have be completely over. The nearest bike shop was over 40 miles the opposite way and I would have had to get transport to the shop and been limited to the available parts and prices.
The mistake I made was skimping on the wheelset. I found someone local selling his low end mountain bike wheels (32 spoke) for $100 and bought them. I ended up breaking a spoke on the tour miles from any city. Luckily one of my touring partners had the foresight to bring a Kevlar spoke kit, because riding fully loaded on 31 spokes is not an ideal situation. After I got back I ordered some custom built 36 spoke wheels with quality spokes for just under $400 and hope to use those on my next loaded tour.
Of course your mileage may vary. But when you are in the middle of nowhere and something breaks you may not be able to locate a budget fix. If my wheel had continued to break spokes my tour would have be completely over. The nearest bike shop was over 40 miles the opposite way and I would have had to get transport to the shop and been limited to the available parts and prices.
11-17-11, 01:58 PM
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My touring bike finally got some matching parts.
STR-RC cantis from the used bin at a local shop.
PS: Don't scrimp on the rear wheel.
STR-RC cantis from the used bin at a local shop.
PS: Don't scrimp on the rear wheel.
11-17-11, 01:59 PM
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I've toured on a 1993 KHS mountain bike with 1.25", 90 psi road tires, a cheap Blackburn rear mountain bike rack and panniers with no problems.
I've also toured on a race bike with a rack and panniers and an expensive touring oriented bike.
Love the one your with and tour on the bike you got.
I've also toured on a race bike with a rack and panniers and an expensive touring oriented bike.
Love the one your with and tour on the bike you got.
11-17-11, 02:19 PM
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11-17-11, 02:21 PM
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What ever you call it great build with lots of personality. What is the bottle thing in the underside bottle holder. I'm looking for a way to carrie more juice for my iphone- just wondering. On my finial build I want to have a Dynohub. I got a couple of bikes- trek hybrid and specialized mountain i'm pulling parts off of- got both for $55- not a dumpster find but a start.
I kinda have to agree with this... what you're describing would be more of a "Mutt" than a true frankenbike.
I will throw my hat in, here's my Mutt:
No single part on this bike cost more than $40 new except the frame. The frame I got on sale, much of the little parts were leftovers from my commuter MTB that was too small.
Frame: Surly LHT 26" 54cm, I got this on sale for $430 (could have gone with a Nashbar frame for half that if I'd had 700C rims to use)
Brakes: stripped from a Wal-Mart Schwinn $0
Crank: Shimano Acera, stripped from a dumpster find MTB: $0
Pedals: Sakae quills with cages, had 'em in my parts pile for years, $0
Seatpost: stripped from dumpster find, $0
Stem: steel, stripped from WM MTB: $0
Rims: stripped from WM MTB, they're double-walled and had plenty of meat left on them, were still straight $0
Rear hub: stripped from dumpster find Nishiki MTB, it's a 7-speed cassette $0
Cassette: stripped from dumpster find, 11-28 Shimano HG30, $0
Front hub: Sanyo H27, was $40 from Peter White
Spokes: got 14ga straight stainless Sapim spokes from Danscomp.com, they were about $30 for 72
Handlebars: Dimension 25.4 drop bars, $22
Brake levers: Tektro RL520 for linear-pulls. $24
Shifters: SunRace downtube indexed 7-sp, $11
Headset: FSA "The Pig" $27
Front derailer: Shimano Deore dual-pull, $35
Rear derailer: Shimano Altus, $18
Saddle: Zefal anatomic, $18
Dynamo lights: rear is an LED trailer light, front is a 12V LED track lighting MR16 bulb in a cheap fog lamp enclosure, homemade rectifier, cost $30 total
Bottom bracket: Shimano UN26, $10
Tires: Kenda Kwests, found them online $35 a pair, they lasted about 4000 miles commuting
Random bolts/spacers were from my parts pile, including the chain
Fenders are Axiom MTB bladerunners, they were around $25, and racks are Axiom Journeys (front and rear) for $20 each set.
Total cost, as you see it, comes out to right at $800.
I will throw my hat in, here's my Mutt:
No single part on this bike cost more than $40 new except the frame. The frame I got on sale, much of the little parts were leftovers from my commuter MTB that was too small.
Frame: Surly LHT 26" 54cm, I got this on sale for $430 (could have gone with a Nashbar frame for half that if I'd had 700C rims to use)
Brakes: stripped from a Wal-Mart Schwinn $0
Crank: Shimano Acera, stripped from a dumpster find MTB: $0
Pedals: Sakae quills with cages, had 'em in my parts pile for years, $0
Seatpost: stripped from dumpster find, $0
Stem: steel, stripped from WM MTB: $0
Rims: stripped from WM MTB, they're double-walled and had plenty of meat left on them, were still straight $0
Rear hub: stripped from dumpster find Nishiki MTB, it's a 7-speed cassette $0
Cassette: stripped from dumpster find, 11-28 Shimano HG30, $0
Front hub: Sanyo H27, was $40 from Peter White
Spokes: got 14ga straight stainless Sapim spokes from Danscomp.com, they were about $30 for 72
Handlebars: Dimension 25.4 drop bars, $22
Brake levers: Tektro RL520 for linear-pulls. $24
Shifters: SunRace downtube indexed 7-sp, $11
Headset: FSA "The Pig" $27
Front derailer: Shimano Deore dual-pull, $35
Rear derailer: Shimano Altus, $18
Saddle: Zefal anatomic, $18
Dynamo lights: rear is an LED trailer light, front is a 12V LED track lighting MR16 bulb in a cheap fog lamp enclosure, homemade rectifier, cost $30 total
Bottom bracket: Shimano UN26, $10
Tires: Kenda Kwests, found them online $35 a pair, they lasted about 4000 miles commuting
Random bolts/spacers were from my parts pile, including the chain
Fenders are Axiom MTB bladerunners, they were around $25, and racks are Axiom Journeys (front and rear) for $20 each set.
Total cost, as you see it, comes out to right at $800.
11-17-11, 02:34 PM
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Man.. great ideas! I really appreciate the post. I found a local bike shop with a public bench. I rebuilt my BB on my shogun 500 there. The place is to cool. $5 in bearings and they let me use there tools. I'm heading down there today to start stripping my donor bikes. I'm gonna start keeping my eyes out for 36 hole hubs and rims and maybe build some wheels over the holidays. For now some old 32's 700c will have to do.
11-17-11, 02:38 PM
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11-17-11, 02:39 PM
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What ever you call it great build with lots of personality. What is the bottle thing in the underside bottle holder. I'm looking for a way to carrie more juice for my iphone- just wondering. On my finial build I want to have a Dynohub. I got a couple of bikes- trek hybrid and specialized mountain i'm pulling parts off of- got both for $55- not a dumpster find but a start.
11-17-11, 02:40 PM
#20
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Specialized Hard Rock mtb original cost - about $290 in 1998. It was a Christmas gift and not purchased with touring in mind. Used it for commuting for several years, didn't tour on it until it was 10 years old. Added a cheapo Blackburn rear rack, later another cheapo CyclePro rear rack (but mounted on the front). Those work fine.
Originally tried to cheap out on the touring gear:
What didn't work:
My old Honda soft-sided saddlebags as rear panniers, Walmart soft-sided lunch containers as front panniers. Dismal failure. Bungees holding everything together, big hassle, not waterproof.
Cheap Kenda tires - bead wouldn't stay seated after a few hundred miles. Tread wore quickly.
Cheapo clip-on fenders.
Cheapo rear blinky and not-so-cheapo homemade heavy, bulky headlight system (light was great, but 3 pounds including battery too much).
Cheap Schwinn computer - display turned totally black and unreadable in heat, contacts disconnected in rain.
Original flat handlebars. Added bar ends but still too few hand positions. Lots of numbness.
What worked:
Everything else about the bike itself besides the seat, handlebars, canti brakes and original platform pedals. Chromoly frame built to last. 36h wheels. Built to climb. Not built for speed.
Eventually replaced things that didn't work with things that do. Ortlieb panniers. Schwalbe tires. Trekking bars. B17 saddle. SPD pedals. V-brakes. Cateye computer. Planet Bike fenders and lights.
Originally tried to cheap out on the touring gear:
What didn't work:
My old Honda soft-sided saddlebags as rear panniers, Walmart soft-sided lunch containers as front panniers. Dismal failure. Bungees holding everything together, big hassle, not waterproof.
Cheap Kenda tires - bead wouldn't stay seated after a few hundred miles. Tread wore quickly.
Cheapo clip-on fenders.
Cheapo rear blinky and not-so-cheapo homemade heavy, bulky headlight system (light was great, but 3 pounds including battery too much).
Cheap Schwinn computer - display turned totally black and unreadable in heat, contacts disconnected in rain.
Original flat handlebars. Added bar ends but still too few hand positions. Lots of numbness.
What worked:
Everything else about the bike itself besides the seat, handlebars, canti brakes and original platform pedals. Chromoly frame built to last. 36h wheels. Built to climb. Not built for speed.
Eventually replaced things that didn't work with things that do. Ortlieb panniers. Schwalbe tires. Trekking bars. B17 saddle. SPD pedals. V-brakes. Cateye computer. Planet Bike fenders and lights.
Last edited by simplygib; 11-17-11 at 03:10 PM.
11-17-11, 03:03 PM
#21
Banned
What is the bottle thing in the underside bottle holder.
I'm looking for a way to carrie more juice for my iphone-
11-17-11, 04:50 PM
#22
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Nashville, TN
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Bikes: 1982-86 Shogun 500
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I think from all the post I'm gonna focus on getting some good wheels. I'm going with a new BB, handlebars, tires, racks ( if I don't run across them used) and fenders. I took the headset and v-brakes off the donor bike today. Once I start putting the bike together I'll post some pics. Thanks again for all the post- I'm way stoked about the build and the open road...
11-17-11, 07:26 PM
#23
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A nashbar with mid range parts sounds like a pretty nice touring bike. Let it shine!
On wheels, if the parts are good, a machine built wheel makes a really slick kit, just be sure to take spoke tension up to where it needs to be. A bad wheel is one that can't or hasn't been taken up to full tension.
On wheels, if the parts are good, a machine built wheel makes a really slick kit, just be sure to take spoke tension up to where it needs to be. A bad wheel is one that can't or hasn't been taken up to full tension.
11-17-11, 11:15 PM
#25
Senior Member
Ben, I rebuilt a Cannondale touring bike in March using mostly parts from 'the bin'. IIRC the only new parts bought were a wheelset, front brake cable stop, pedals and tubes. Because my parts bin had a ton of OEM Cannondale roadie parts the end result can be confused with an OEM bike so it really doesn't have the scare factor, but it has parts from about four other bikes, if that counts. 
The cost was above your $500 mark with the bike the major expense, but when I was quoted a price that I would've asked, I had to have it. The folks on this forum gave excellant advice, which for my first touring bike build was invaluable, the bike has simply exceeded my expectations, I hope your build leaves you feeling the same.
Brad
The cost was above your $500 mark with the bike the major expense, but when I was quoted a price that I would've asked, I had to have it. The folks on this forum gave excellant advice, which for my first touring bike build was invaluable, the bike has simply exceeded my expectations, I hope your build leaves you feeling the same.
Brad