Saw a Ratt bike on the highway yesterday running 70 mph. Ridgid frame Pan, open primary and running good. All his belongings wraped in a blanket and bungy corded to the homemade sissy bar. Lic tag from New Jersey so he had travled atleast 1000 mi. to GA..
I was very impressed, should have bought him a beer. Made my 17 yr old evo look new.

 

Perfect example of a Rat Bike. For some reason, people have started to call stripped down, Frisco Chopper type bikes "rat bikes" lately, but this is what has been called Rat Bike for years and years.

Crazy

 

Look at the rear tire and rim, that doesn't look safe to me!
Is that tire split open on the bottom??

 

Here's one I saw at Laconia last year.

 

That last one is just plain weird.

 

Rat bikes are eye candy for me. We have had bikes that some have called "rat", but they were just good ol' bikes. I'm always drawn to the rat bikes when I see them. Way more interesting to look at then the "same old, same old"

My bike is too new to be rat, but give me about 20 years, I've already started collecting some things... On Husband's bike, nothing goes on it unless it serves a purpose, very utilitarian.... On my bike, I also like things that have a special meaning.

 

I like it, it's an art form, really. What is that coins or buttons on the tank and fenders?

 

Gravity defying. Nice.

 

Very cool. I'm more drawn to the flat black, red wire wheels, white walls, old school pinstripes look. Not sure what to call it, but I found an older eg on ebay about a year ago that was like that, and it sold for a good price. I've kicked myself ever since for not bidding on it.

 

See I don't like the style of RAT bikes posted above, I like the rusty stripped down bobber looking bikes. I was going to do a RAT with my C50, but just did a stripper as I call it-no fender at all, floating seat, just simple looking.