tank badging.... or not?

well i've got a very nice gold set of yamaha badges that came off of my tank. i can't decide if i want to keep them or try to sell/trade them. what do you guys think

 

Personally, I took the ones off my bike when I painted it and did not put them back on.

Jim

 

See? And now Jim's bike won't start. Better put 'em back on... :wink:

 

I can't vote one way or the other, because both choices are valid. I'm going to repaint a 750 and a 550, both SECAs. The gold leaf on all the badges is pealing. I'm planning on sanding down and repainting them using the tank and racing stripe colors, (probably).
Another way would be to discard the badges and use decals, just as valid. Putting no brand name on a 27 year old bike is valid too, because who cares?
I am planning on naming each bike, and painting that on, just to give them individuality.
Bill's 2¢

 

I put mine back on because I want it to look stock but it's all about you and the look your trying to achieve, there are many bike on this site that look great either way the builder choose to go and I'm sure yours will too
Shaun

 

I'm in the process now of designing an old school japanese (rising sun) flag and having it integrated with tru-fire flames on top of black paint.

 

ouch, that was cruel MaximumX :twisted:

(I wish putting the badges back on would fix it, it would be alot easier than the ring job I am looking at doing now)

 

well i've got 3 yes and 3 no. lol someone has to break the tie.
is it worth trying to sell/trade them?
do you think anyone would even want them?
they are in perfect condition no peeling or anything.
new they sell for about 80-90 a pair on ebay.
but i'd rather trade them for something i can use.

what's interesting is the two little maxim badges on the side covers were in terrible condition and these are perfect. i think they may have been replaced once. i dunno

 

Badges...we don't need no stinking badges...

But if the bike wants them, then let it have them...

 

I voted and didn't comment. ??

I voted FOR because tank badges are a tradition going back to the very first motorcycles. I think it should say "Yamaha" whether it spells it out as the stocker did, or you use some tasteful tuning fork graphic or emblem, so the world knows what it is.

LtDave's Max, with the tuning fork surrounded by flames graphic, although not stock is as traditional as my Secas with their shiny new factory emblems.

Fly your flag!

Gotta admit, NOBODY did badges like Triumph...

 

I personally love tank badges. But it denpends on the rider. If you decide to sell them hit me up.

 

Well then, trade them for some money! Everyone can use some $$ in their pocket!

Oh, and Jim? Sorry about that. I can be very cruel, but it was a little funnier before I saw that you needed a ringjob. (<-- Must... Not... Misspell...)

 

I would have liked to put mine back on after the paint but some dumb A stole them off the tank (part of the reason for a paintjob) and I can't find the original ones I want. And now have little funds so they are absent

 

I say that it depends on the model. I don't like them on the Seca, particularly the 750 Seca. If you gotta put something on that model, let it be tuning forks.

 

Although I'm restoring the tank badges just to see how they turn out, I'm planning on getting some modern tuning fork badges from something like an R1 to go on the tanks. I figure with the Yamaha on the ignition trim, fork trim piece and on the sides of the engine, there should be enough there for someone to easily figure out that the bike is a Yamaha.

 

Leaving the badges off makes 'em look closer to figure it out. The ones who know bikes will know it without the badges.

Biggest question is do the badges enhance the overall appearance in your eyes? (Beauty is in the eye of the owner in this case).

 

I was recently wrestling with the same decision. I saw some pics of bikes without badges and I like the detail it gives. My bike is black and, in my opinion at least, the gold badges really add a nice detail. Unfortunately the gold on mine are worn down and I am too cheap to buy new ones ($30 each for tank badges), so a restoration project on all badges will soon be underway.

 

first off, thanks for the nod, Fitz...

second. i voted no but only because 2 of my 3 bikes are running around badgeless right now...

the maxim with the aforementioned flame/tuning fork graphic shown below and the seca which had peeled and flaking emblems. i was going to paint the seca in some type of scheme but didnt get to it...

my 900, being a rarer bike will be kept as original as possible im afraid. its really in pretty good shape overall and it wont take much to clean it up...

for the total, im 2 no and 1 yes in my stable...

the maxim...




and the seca with and without...

 

I don't consider your Max badgeless, Dave. It's just got NON-traditional "badges" but they're still emblems; it still expresses "Yamaha."

 

I was thinking, the Yamaha three tuning fork logo looks right on a piano, but don't make sense on a motorcycle. Would they put a three wrench logo on a concert piano? Just a thought.

 

I bought some badges from an auto parts store to give the bike a different look. They don't say Yamaha but they are still badges. I wasn't interested in filling in the tank recess. I also took off the fork emblem to lower the headlight. Well, kinda had to I guess.

 

how bout putting on some Ferrari stickers? I've seen guys do this with the Kwaka Versys and people are always saying to them " I didn't know Ferrari made motorcycles". Its a great laugh as they walk away.

Todd

 

well i think i've decided what i'm doing. i think i'm going to do some non traditional badging. here's my mock up. what do you guys think.

it looks yellow but it's really key lime green.