Author Topic: Descriptive Words for Ratty Looking Engine (Read 5674 times)

Red_Hen · « **on:** February 01, 2012, 08:59:28 PM »

Hi Gang,

Hope my R65 pals are doing well!

Been working on a story for BMW ON Magazine about the restoration of my R65LS and the friends I met along the way - and believe me, so many of you helped me get that bike together! Could not have done it without so much collective wisdom.

So . . . here's my question - what are the words that describe a neglected Airhead and engine that sat outside, got rained, snowed and blowed on? What words describe the aluminum when it looks like tarnished silver?

Looking for descriptive words.

To get the creative juices flowing: Ratty, Dull, Grey, Tarnished, Sick, Anemic, [smiley=mad.gif]

Kinda like some of the neglected trains in the train yard seen on Thomas the Tank Engine cartoons or like Gumby when his eyes were crossed.

Thanks much!

Ken

Justin B. · « **Reply #1 on:** February 01, 2012, 09:33:40 PM »

The "Dawg" cases looked practically "furry" with all the corrosion and oxidization growin' all over 'em.

Dizerens5 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2012, 04:44:40 AM »

Not quite what you are looking for, but in France they have a good expression for what we might call an unrestored well-used bike. They say it is "dans son jus" which means: in its own juice.

wilcom · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2012, 08:05:20 AM »

Pewter

wardan123 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2012, 08:42:06 AM »

patina

Dave 2 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2012, 08:42:31 AM »

Gross Psoriatic Oxidation or GPO. D2

Mike V · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2012, 09:16:14 AM »

Ken,
Looks like you have some good descriptions to work with from earlier posts.
My cases looked a lot like that 2-month old forgotten lemon growing a wool sweater at the bottom of the fruit bowl before I resurrected my engine cases. I just haven't come up with a good single descriptive word for that one.

I do like: DPO, dans son jus, dawg and Pewder.

montmil · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2012, 10:53:24 AM »

Quote

...What words describe the aluminum when it looks like tarnished silver?

Returning to Nature

tvrla · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2012, 11:14:22 AM »

Mottled, age spots, neglected and unloved, left to the elements to wither and die, the passing seasons took their toll, punished by the elements, a thing of poetry in motion left to slowly erode by stagnation and corrosion...

k_enn · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2012, 12:57:45 PM »

looking a little long in the tooth

has seen better days

weathered

Red_Hen · « **Reply #10 on:** February 02, 2012, 07:26:00 PM »

Writing is so much about revisions - here's what I put together, based on many of your great suggestions: (just a start, of course).

She once was a knight in shining armor until some heartless soul left this engineering beauty queen outside through several Minnesota winters. By the time I rescued her, she looked like an aging actress without her makeup - weary, weathered, corroded and tired.

tvrla · « **Reply #11 on:** February 02, 2012, 09:46:32 PM »

Uh, well --- I don't recall hearing about any female Knights in shining armor. There was Joan of Arc, but, still...

Did she wear armor?

I called her paTina (of the worst kind) - Tina for short. Poor Tina suffered through two Minnesota winters unprotected from the elements, unwanted and unloved. Her once lovely features sadly more resembling a bag lady than the star she once was.

And on and on bla bla bla yada yada yada...

Red_Hen · « **Reply #12 on:** February 02, 2012, 10:55:55 PM »

Wirespokes - you have talent! Very clever - poortina

montmil · « **Reply #13 on:** February 03, 2012, 09:56:07 AM »

Quote

... Her once lovely features sadly more resembling a bag lady than the star she once was.

You've met my ex? [smiley=cowsleep.gif]

k_enn · « **Reply #14 on:** February 03, 2012, 11:30:19 AM »

Now, if you were talking about a woman (or someone's ex) instead of a bike, I would say "she looks like she has been ridden hard."

k_enn

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