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Why are "Street Fighters" so named?
Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:39 pm
by LotusSevenMan
As most (not all I know, but a large majority of bikes) seem to originate from having gone 'down-the-road' so messing up the expensive plastics etc, and are therfore rebuild minus this stuff are they so named as having had a fight with the street-------- and lost?
Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:51 am
by thumper
sounds a good explination, i just thought they were named because they looked meaner
Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 2:14 pm
by fishface
Streetfighter
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The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia.
Specific concerns may be found on the talk page. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions.(December 2007)
For other uses, see Street fighter.
2005 Suzuki GSX-R600 with some Streetfighter modificationsA streetfighter is a superbike that is customized by removing the fairing, and making other changes that result in an overall more aggressive look. Made popular by European riders, this type of custom motorcycle is gaining popularity all over the world.
This particular term should not be confused with a street motorcycle or street-use motorcycle, which is a generic term (used by the motorcycle industry) applied to urban street bikes.
Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Modifications commonly made to custom streetfighters
3 Hand-made frames
4 Controversy
[edit] History
The term "streetfighter" appears to have been originally coined by two drag racers, Odgie and Lil' Mark, whilst they worked at BSH (Back Street Heroes - a UK custom bike magazine) in the early 1990s.[verification needed] They applied the term to motorcycles which were modified to enhance their performance and handling, as opposed to the custom scene which preferred style over outright ability. The term has since been diluted somewhat, and is now regularly applied to any bike with motocross style handlebars, no fairings or other typical customizations. In recent years, the term has also come to be applied to motorcycles manufactured without fairings in this style, usually based on the same engine/frame combination as an equivalent fully-faired motorcycle in the manufacturer's product line-up.
It's unclear when and who built the first of the modern streetfighter. Though it has its roots in the Café racer culture of the 1950s and 1960s, there is a substantial gap between then and the modern streetfighter scene. The current trend in naked sportbikes seems to have started in Italy in the late 1980s, where owners of crashed superbikes started opting to leave off the damaged plastic as the plastic fairing is quite expensive to replace. This is what often gives streetfighters an unfinished or haphazard look.
Currently, (Race Replicas), like the Suzuki GSX-R Series and the Honda CBR series, that have been damaged in accidents or through hooliganism are generally the starting basis for a streetfighter. The GSX-R 750 was initially often favored, due to its light weight and flexible engine. A side effect of the use of the [1980]'s GSX-R was the retention of the dual headlights in the subsequent streetfighter. This feature is now a common trait in both custom bikes and factory streetfighters like the Triumph Speed Triple.
In 1993 Ducati introduced a new naked sportbike called the Monster. Since that time it has been a perennial favorite amongst streetfighter enthusiasts. In 1994 however, Triumph Motorcycles introduced the Speed Triple, based on its Daytona sportbike. This was an immediate success and rapidly eclipsed the Monster in sales. The Triumph is now the current favorite among factory streetfighters due to excellent performance, low ownership cost, and high reliability.
In the intervening years both bikes have been substantially improved, and have been joined by a rapidly growing group of other manufactures producing naked sportbikes. These include: Benelli, Aprilia, Bimota, BMW, Moto Guzzi, Moto Morini, MV Agusta, and Buell, a subsidiary of Harley Davidson. Even the "big four" Japanese motorcycle manufactures, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha, have tried to enter this market, but with limited success to date. Some of the Suzuki models do, however, remain a popular "base" for the build-up of a custom streetfighter motorcycle, such as the Suzuki Bandit and SV series.
[edit] Modifications commonly made to custom streetfighters
Clip-on handlebars replaced with motocross-style handlebars
Raised rear subframes
Most fairings removed, modified or replaced
Distinctive paint schemes
Loud aftermarket exhaust systems
Aftermarket headlights to replace often heavy headlight setups
Large rear sprockets to sacrifice top speed for more acceleration
Larger brake discs than stock
Improved brake calipers
Improved springs, shock absorbers, and various other parts to improve the chassis
Various performance improvements to the engine: superchargers, turbochargers, nitrous oxide, increased cylinder bores, custom porting, revamped fuel injection and timing, etc.
Ironically, some examples are so highly customized as to actually exceed the cost of the original repairs. Chromed and/or modified frames, expensive engine work, re-routed cables, various appearance accessories, and custom paint are also often seen.
[edit] Hand-made frames
The most extreme motorcycles are those with hand-made frames; the most famous of which are made by
Bakker (NL)
Harris (GB)
Martek (GB)
Moko (D)
PSS-Rau (D) central-tube frame like Egli
Spondon(GB) Aluminium frames
[edit] Controversy
Some people automatically (although unfairly) associate the term "streetfighter motorcycle" as one that is being operated by a rider who usually exhibits a gross general neglect of traffic regulations. And although it may be true that "some" streetfighter riders do occasionally like to perform stunts while in traffic, it is still highly debatable as to whether or not streetfighter riders, in general, cause more problems on the road than riders of stock sportbikes, or riders of any other type of "street" motorcycle for that matter. The one explanation that might be attributed to this reputation of being a possible "traffic trouble-maker" might be the distinctive visual appearance of most streetfighter motorcycles; their appearance usually making them more easily "noticed" in virtually all situations, whether the rider is actually breaking the law or not.
This article does not cite any references or sources. (January 2007)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streetfighter"
Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:41 pm
by LotusSevenMan
Thanks chaps but I still think most of 'em have been up-the-road!!!!
Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:06 pm
by Drac
think i still have the first 3 years pins from BSH,,wonder if they are worth owt-)
Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2008 10:43 am
by LotusSevenMan
Drac.
EBay will probably allow you to find out if yer want!!!!!