A couple of days before Christmas I saw a rat bike. I hadn't seen a good one in a long time. Rat bikes are motorcycles that are kept running without regard to the original design or esthetics. Well, they have their own esthetic. This one looked like it had a Harley hardtail frame (no rear suspension), a Harley tank but the motor and front end were from a Japanese sport bike with upside down forks. The seat was a pillow held on with a bungee cord. the predominant color was flat black. The main thing about rat bikes is that very little money is spent on them. They can be scary looking but they aren't dull.

Rat Bike Zone

Rat Bikes Are No-Nonsense. Motorcycles? Sure - they use less fuel than cars, and motorcycles are easier to maneuver, park etc. But, deep down, the True Secret is: Motorcycles Are Fun. That's it! That's why we ride them, all the rest is just so much rationalizing. And Ratbikes are the ultimate distilled evolution of motorcycling: No Bullsh*t involved. Just do the minimum to keep them healthy and Ride. Let your bike wear it's visual history with pride. No time consuming cleaning, washing, polishing, adding shiny parts that do nothing. None of that, forget about it! Embrace The Pure and Essential Essence of Riding - Ride A Ratbike!

It was funny seeing one because I've been thinking about rat bikes. Actually, I've been thinking about applying the rat bike esthetic to my Zorki 1 that should arrive any day now. It has a broken rangefinder and I plan on making it into a camera much like the Leica Standard. It would be a Zorki Standard. I had been thinking about removing the rangefinder, filling in holes, painting it, making a housing around the shutter mechanism, and putting on new leather. It would look quite nice but wouldn't take any better pictures than if I covered up the holes in the top plate with black gaffer's tape and left the shutter mechanism exposed and I would be taking pictures a lot sooner. For no extra money. It'll be a rat cam. Stay tuned.