Journal · Bench Racing
Number 81 Rides Again
<h2>Today the graphics went on and I am number eighty one again.</h2> <p>I don't know what it is, but I just get so excited about this old bike. I didn't get this excited when I bought my last new one - maybe I did, I just forget.</p> <p>Today I got the graphics and installed them. I decided that since this is a bike I will be riding, it does not need to appear exactly as did from the factory- it does not need factory branding. I had my friend Dave O'Malley at <a href="http://aerographics.ca">aerographics</a> make me a logo for this website so I decided it would go on my radiator shrouds. When you think of it, I have a lot more interest in this bike than Suzuki does so I may as well have my own branding on it.</p> <p>I asked Dave for a logo. I sent him a picture of the bike and told him what I was using it for. I also mentioned that if he was ging to put a bike in the logo, that it had to be a dirt-bike making a turn, not jumping or doing a superman. When I raced, I liked to keep my wheels on the ground so I could pull another gear and I always did well in the turns. I am not sure how long he worked on it for, but he delivered it quickly and nailed it on the first take.</p> <p><img alt="First Draft" class="img-responsive" src="/images/0/8/b/9/8/08b985555fa86ab7dc548f70b0eaff87102d0a6d-logo-first-draft.png" /></p> <h3>This is was the first draft, there was another option with a different bike, but I chose this one.</h3> <p>I shopped online for numbers. I still have an account at Decal Works but they didn't have information on vintage bikes. I also looked at <a href="http://fullfloater.com">FullFloater.com</a> but in the end figured I could probably have this done locally so I asked Dave who he uses. Dave recommended <a href="http://pxl-works.com">PxlWorks Inc.</a> in Almonte. I brought in the plastic and the seat to colour match the blue and a week later I had my graphics done at a very affordable price. <em>If there are any 84 or 85 RM owners out there, and you are looking for numbers, they have the templates made.</em> The best part of this is that they applied them for me too.</p> <p><img alt="Logo" class="img-responsive" src="/images/0/3/f/1/1/03f11eb29d07e7c2d59027b00a47a983c7488366-img20160408162708.jpeg" /></p> <h3>For the logo, I wanted to pay homage to the original Suzuki radiator shroud logo from '84. So we altered the colours of Dave's design adding the light blue and the black and it looks fantastic.</h3> <p><img alt="Applied" class="img-responsive" src="/images/6/3/4/0/a/6340a4f570c2d3712b1900bd35055d6493aad466-me-and-the-plates.jpg" /></p> <h3>Here is my plastic as delivered from PxlWorks. Excellent work and a happy Vintage Moto racer. Can you believe there is still a Christmas decoration on the wall. I never noticed until I looked at this picture. It is gone now.</h3> <p><img alt="Air-box logo" class="img-responsive" src="/images/f/c/b/5/c/fcb5cb59a065eebb58c1bf4591c30a1a9c933b7f-84rm250.jpg" /></p> <h3>I thought it would be a good idea to add a logo telling what the bike is.</h3> <p><img alt="Right Side" class="img-responsive" src="/images/2/1/3/f/4/213f40b8c628078cdc7c52450e1140a2e1272cfd-right-side-81.jpg" /></p> <p><img alt="Front" class="img-responsive" src="/images/7/4/f/f/7/74ff74706caf59aeea670c5de032cd17efd51a34-front-81.jpg" /></p>