I use to be a honda guy, that finally had a change of heart and came to the Evo world. Everytime I see the word "rice" used it seems the meaning is so much different here. In the honda world, the normal motto is "simple is cleaner". You may can get away with a body kit, but most buy lips instead. Normally when a huge ugly body kit is put on, like with a big mouth which makes the front bumper wider than the car they call "Rice", or when you add one of those aftermarket spoilers that sit high made of aluminum. On here though it seems totally different. Me personally, I think on an EVO you cant beat the stock bumpers, stock spoiler, or no spoiler..maybe add a lip or something, but I see lots of EVO's that by body kits with HUGE FRONT MOUTHS, wider than the car itself, then read the comments afterwards stating "wow nice", then I just wonder if these comments are sincere or just supportive to not hurt feelings, I have never seen an EVO that looks better than the ones that are modified and still using stock bumpers, simpler is just plain better IMO, AMS EVO prime example..feel free to chime in

Like this for example.. In the honda world would be rice. Here it seems to be loved... https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...light=body+kit

 

This is RICE!!! I am kidding. I never had a "rice" comment, and really dont know what it is. I think RICE is a front wheel drive with a wing in the BACK, and a body kit which serves NO AERODYNAMIC purpose. rice is just parts on the car which are a)UGLY and b) serve NO purpose.

Maybe I am too old to understand the word "Rice", but an EVO is anti-rice, it is totally functional on the track, NOT in the grocery store parking lot!!

If it is on the car, and HELPS with the purpose of the car, it cant be rice in my eyes. if the bodykit helps cool the brakes, or a large front bumper for the intercooler etc... those are FUNCTIONAL parts in my book. Neon lights under a car can help the ants cross the road at night, and the flouresent lights on the windshield I don't get, nor do I get spinners!! Wings on the back of a Front wheel drive........I dont get. you want the downforce on the drive wheels, not the idle wheels. Whats with the multi level wings? looks bad, and again, are they trying to keep up with the Mach 5 razors? Some front end kits look like Michael Jacksons face....Left out in the sun too long. ALL that junk is RICE to me!! Maybe my vinlys are "rice", they serve no functional purpose!

 

no car is anti-rice, anything can be "riced out". evo's are awesome, but a big kit could be considered rice too. no matter what you do someone will like it, and some one wont.

i like simple and clean myself!

 

That car would be rice but its done very well and is a overseas car (LHD). So instead of being JDM-style, it is really JDM.

Anyways, I think like you, all my hondas were OEM styling and I love the EVO how it is (well mabye a lip but thats it)

 

I agree, a BIG kit which wont serve a purpose on the track could be considered rice. but if he got the part for the track (what the car is made for) and it helps, thats great. I got the big GT Full carbon wing for the TRACK!! I felt the back end step out on the track at high speeds, and wanted an adjustable wing to AID me on track days. The wing on my car does look like I got it at Pep-boys! My car is full function.

 

Yeah, the main reason that Hondas are more likely to be called "rice" than Evos with similar mods is that Evos actually have the power and performance to back it up. It's kind of hard to call a 10-11 second or autocross-winning car "rice". Many people are strictly about stripped down power, but if your car actually is fast, you have a bit more latitude as to modding for visual impact...

 

Well, it's one thing to justify a body kit because it has better cooling (or at least that's what the guy that's selling it to you is telling you), but it's another thing entirely to use it. I don't see the point in changing the bumper or wing unless you're going to be using it at the track.

FWIW, I have a couple Kaminari bumpers and a ridiculous APR wing, but they only get put on when I'm going to the track. The rest of the time, the car's "stock"

 

Great points!! I have to buy a trunk for my stock spoiler, for the street driving, and put the other trunk on it for the track.

 

9 out of 10 body kits won't serve an aerodynamic purpose. None of them are actually wind tunnel tested. The only thing they might do is get more air to the intercooler, but in doing so they mess up the aerodynamics of the car.

 

I agree, the EVO has been wind tunnel tested, and serves a purpose, and you have the suspension/drivetrain/power to back it up. I see your point on the body kits messing up the aerodynamics, thats why I wont get one. A widebody kit, or ducts to cool the brakes is functional, and can offset the aerodynamic changes. good point though.

 

I guess the point is to not make your car worse

 

doesn't gialla claim they wind tunnel tested?

 

C-West does some wind tunnel work. I have posted a while back lap times from a Japanese magazine for an evo with/without body kit and there is a difference. There's also some downforce data also. So I don't think it's all for show.

Ahh, here we go.. see: http://www.c-westusa.com/labs/fudo1_s2000spec.asp and http://www.c-westusa.com/labs/evo1.asp they're in English [gasp]!!!

Anyway, wings in the back for a rwd car have a purpose. Keeping the rear to the ground and reducing lift is quite important.

 

To me the definition of rice was always simple. There are people who make their cars fast for racing, and people who make their cars look nice with tasteful custom exterior work for car shows, etc. Its the people who make their slow car LOOK FAST that are ricers. So this typically covers all the aforementioned big aluminum wing on moms stock camry type things that idiots do to cars. Like type R stickers on a hyndai accent that i saw the other day. Anyway, as far as visual mods my preferance has always been keep it close to stock, and put all the money into making it faster. I have no interest in body kits and stickers.

 

As for 'rice' well I think it's more complicated than what's on the car. I think it's more about how it's done and the car as a whole package. You could IMO, make a car 'rice' without any bodykit but a really nasty paint job while you can have another car that has a full bodykit and looks awesome.

It's like the way pro basketball players can look cool in the latest, loudest designs in basketball shoes while I would look like a d1ck wearing them. When it comes to looks, it's complicated and really down to personal taste. To me, if it's done tastefully, it's nice. If it's done to look like to came right out of a manga cartoon, it's rice.

As for other things, things (again IMO) are clearer. There are those who search for the loudest BOV, largest tipped exhaust (even 'fake' tips), quick-release steering wheel, and many other things that not only don't do a lot to the car's performance but are there simply to be seen. These things, I'd say are rice.

Now, it's not rice if your car's exhaust is loud if it's also fast. But if it has already screamed through 3 gears and it's still not gone very far, it's certainly rice.

Anyway, I'm not trying to be the authority on riciness and I think at the end of the day there is a hint of rice in evo's anyway. It's what works for you, really.

Rice - it's a state of mind.