Random Rat

 If you know me or follow this blog then you know I like the bikes that have been highly modified by their owners. The kind of modification I'm talking about isn't about bolting on mail order parts. Its making it functional with whatever you got or is available at the time of the mod. Throw in some imagination, black paint and a bit of Mad Max and you've got a rat.

 This one was spotted May 4th in Leland, Wi at the Slimey Crud Run. Because my memory sucks, we'll refer to the owner as Dude from Baraboo. The bike is an '81 Yamaha XS850.

 I like the tractor exhaust with rain flapper valves on the ends of the pipes. For me, this more than anything else on the bike says the owner was committed to making this thing his own. It inspires me to do something with the exhaust on the rat turd.

 If I remember the story correctly the lights were purchased at Fleet Farm when the main headlight went out one day.

I like the fuel level sight tube and actually saw three bikes that day with something similar. If you lose the gas cap, one is available at every hardware store in the country.

 I didn't zoom in on it but if you look close at the seat you will see that its just a plastic pan with ribs. This totally makes my tractor seat look like a La Z Boy recliner.
 I like this bike. I guess it would be characterized as a survival rat. I think he said he has $500 into the bike plus the parts he added and claims it runs great.
 Good job Dude from Baraboo.