Cafe Racers?

[Primo]

Just a quick question. Are cafe racers welcome on this board?

Primo

[Ryan]

hell yes they are...

[Tman]

hell yes they are...

A pal of mine just moved to Reno with my old 500Twin that he turned CAFE. I traded him for his 500/4. I am torn between CAFE style or just stripping it down?

[40Tudor]

Cool...dig this. One of my favorites.
http://public.fotki.com/40Tudor/combat/

This guy has some neat stuff, too.
http://www.benjiescaferacer.com/morbikes.html


...and there's always...
http://www.ace-cafe-london.com/php/f2_4.php

...damn...first the HAMB and now this...:)

[greggski]

Cool...dig this. One of my favorites.
http://public.fotki.com/40Tudor/combat/

This guy has some neat stuff, too.
http://www.benjiescaferacer.com/morbikes.html


...and there's always...
http://www.ace-cafe-london.com/php/f2_4.php

...damn...first the HAMB and now this...:) good to see a place for cafe racers on this side of the pond. thanks again Ryan

[Tman]

Cool...dig this. One of my favorites.
http://public.fotki.com/40Tudor/combat/

This guy has some neat stuff, too.
http://www.benjiescaferacer.com/morbikes.html


...and there's always...
http://www.ace-cafe-london.com/php/f2_4.php

...damn...first the HAMB and now this...:)

Thanks! That second site had some cool shit as did the first, is that your stuff on fotki?

To me, chopping up my Honda into another jap bobber seems like the easy way out. I think that is better left to a Trump or BSA. I can see hammering out a cool fairing and doing up a cafe style bike however. Been buying the British cycle mags for years. I like how they use em for utilitarian purposes not just as a fashion accessory!

Plus, my new house is 20 miles out. Getting the bike on the road would be a good way to make a cheaper commute.

[bluebrian]

Cafe racers rock. I had an 04 thruxton. It hauled ass but wasn't very comfortable. RPM cycle here in dallas has some preety bad ass stuff tucked away in the back. Its not on the show room but if you ask keith he will usually let you look in the back. They have some cool triumph and norton cafe bikes in the back. Maybe a triton too :)

[40Tudor]

Thanks! That second site had some cool shit as did the first, is that your stuff on fotki?

To me, chopping up my Honda into another jap bobber seems like the easy way out. I think that is better left to a Trump or BSA. I can see hammering out a cool fairing and doing up a cafe style bike however. Been buying the British cycle mags for years. I like how they use em for utilitarian purposes not just as a fashion accessory!

Plus, my new house is 20 miles out. Getting the bike on the road would be a good way to make a cheaper commute.

Yep, those are my pictures on fotki. I've shown the touring once or twice on the hamb. I am at the moment bikeless, since I keep wasting money on old cars:rolleyes:, but would like to do an XS or CB cafe racer.

Are you familiar with the Honda GB500 (factory built cafe bike)?

C

[Tman]

Yep, those are my pictures on fotki. I've shown the touring once or twice on the hamb. I am at the moment bikeless, since I keep wasting money on old cars:rolleyes:, but would like to do an XS or CB cafe racer.

Are you familiar with the Honda GB500 (factory built cafe bike)?

C

No I am not, please tell me about the GB500!?

[40Tudor]

No I am not, please tell me about the GB500!?

Single cylinder 500 sold in the US around '90. Cafe styling, XR engine.

<IMHO>One could call it a big marketing failure due to the timing of it's release. I think the late '80s were all about sportbikes and the very beginning of the HD surge. Nobody cared about retro, so they didn't sell well.</IMHO>

Seems like I had a good web resource, but can't turn it up at the moment. So...

pictures
http://images.google.com/images?q=honda%20gb%20500&hl=en&lr=&sa=N&tab=wi

specs
http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/honda_gb_500_clubman_1992.php

detailed faq
http://www.thumperpage.com/articles/gb-500faq.html

I see them occasionally at the local bike night. Nothing like the Commando in my fotki pics, but definitely headed that direction.

...or how 'bout the Dream?
http://powersports.honda.com/motorcycles/sport/model.asp?ModelName=Dream+50R&ModelYear=2004&ModelId=CB50R4

Saw one at the local dealer - it's perfect, but looks like it's 3/4 scale.:D

C

[greggski]

<IMHO>

...or how 'bout the Dream?
http://powersports.honda.com/motorcycles/sport/model.asp?ModelName=Dream+50R&ModelYear=2004&ModelId=CB50R4

Saw one at the local dealer - it's perfect, but looks like it's 3/4 scale.:D
The worlds most expensive modern 50cc bike! Sure has the look, wonder if they (honda) will come out with a Honda 250 six retro bike?that would be cool! Gregg

[CRAP]

I thought it would be rad to take the engineless cb I know about and put a cr500 engine in it. It would probably outrun anything to 80

[destroywes]

i was wodnering if we could get a cafe racer post going,,, i know some of you guys own em, or have owned em. lets see pics,

[Broman]

Cafe bikes huh?

....well, why not?

Here's what I have for inspiration. None of these are mine and I stole these from the HAMB......

[destroywes]

nice,,, anymore?

[40Tudor]

nice,,, anymore?

Been through all the picture links in this thread?
http://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49

There's hundreds of pics at Ace Cafe.

Yeah, go ahead and say it. I'm too lazy to put actual pictures here.:eek: :rolleyes:

C

[dvanecek]

Been through all the picture links in this thread?
http://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49

There's hundreds of pics at Ace Cafe.

Yeah, go ahead and say it. I'm too lazy to put actual pictures here.:eek: :rolleyes:

C

Here's a ton

http://www.caferace.com/cafepix.html

[joeycarpunk]

Here's a ton

http://www.caferace.com/cafepix.html
Thanks for the link, love cafe racers.

[dvanecek]

Thanks for the link, love cafe racers.

Guzzi's are my favorites. I had a '75 850T. Here's a wild supercharged on from germany. hopefully the link will translate.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.koehler-mechanik.de/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www.koehler-mechanik.de/%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

[Truth]

I just sold out and bought an 05 Triumph Thruxton that Im tweaking out. THis cat bought it, put 500 miles on it, and had to get rid of it because he blew the motor in one of his race bikes. So I got the deal of the century... couldnt turn it down.

the othe factor was that it's gonna be my commuter bike - my shop is 50 miles from my apartment, so I dont have anywhere to keep a bike here in Boston. I feel more comfortable leaving an 05 on the street than I do my 67 triumph...

Plus, it's a fun ass bike to ride!

[CRAP]

I will post some mock up picks of my heap when I get home.

[ol_scratch]

i was wodnering if we could get a cafe racer post going,,, i know some of you guys own em, or have owned em. lets see pics,

Mines in pieces, but here's a pic of my flat tracker.



By the way anyone interested, I'm making a buck up to do Dresden style cafe tanks, hopefully this winter. I'm sick of seeing 700 for a gas tank. Probably be Stainless instead of alloy, as alloy dents to easy, too.

[ol_scratch]

I just sold out and bought an 05 Triumph Thruxton that Im tweaking out. THis cat bought it, put 500 miles on it, and had to get rid of it because he blew the motor in one of his race bikes. So I got the deal of the century... couldnt turn it down.

the othe factor was that it's gonna be my commuter bike - my shop is 50 miles from my apartment, so I dont have anywhere to keep a bike here in Boston. I feel more comfortable leaving an 05 on the street than I do my 67 triumph...

Plus, it's a fun ass bike to ride!

Hey I like the new Thruxton, though dealers price it way too high. For the money though I'd eye up one of the new RE cafe's.

[destroywes]

i like those thruxtons too..

[CRAP]

i like those thruxtons too..

There is a shop by my house that makes cafe tail sections for thruxtons.

[Conder]

I've wanted to build this for years, but I can't find anybody crazy enough to do it. I read back in the early '90s in Classic Bike magazine there was a guy in europe who was repoping Manx singles. Kind of like S&S does with H-D engines. Magnesium parts and all. They did a feature on a brand new repro manx (frame too) and it was beautiful.

I know it'll piss a lot of guys off, but I'd build mine with a 200x17 front and a 240x18 rear. Grimeca drum brakes and all!

(Back when I did this drawing I was a huge fan of "Tank Girl". Sorry Jamie, I know she was a Vespa chic.)

[blackesthart]

i was wodnering if we could get a cafe racer post going,,, i know some of you guys own em, or have owned em. lets see pics,

Wes you are gay. but your bike kicks ass after we cleaned out the carbs

[greggski]

I've wanted to build this for years, but I can't find anybody crazy enough to do it. I read back in the early '90s in Classic Bike magazine there was a guy in europe who was repoping Manx singles. Kind of like S&S does with H-D engines. Magnesium parts and all. They did a feature on a brand new repro manx (frame too) and it was beautiful.

I know it'll piss a lot of guys off, but I'd build mine with a 200x17 front and a 240x18 rear. Grimeca drum brakes and all!

(Back when I did this drawing I was a huge fan of "Tank Girl". Sorry Jamie, I know she was a Vespa chic.) have you checked out the new commandos that are bein built here in the us I think they are a 980cc. looks amazingly similar to the one you drew. nice concept drawing Gregg

[rev616]

I've wanted to build this for years, but I can't find anybody crazy enough to do it. I read back in the early '90s in Classic Bike magazine there was a guy in europe who was repoping Manx singles. Kind of like S&S does with H-D engines. Magnesium parts and all. They did a feature on a brand new repro manx (frame too) and it was beautiful.

I know it'll piss a lot of guys off, but I'd build mine with a 200x17 front and a 240x18 rear. Grimeca drum brakes and all!

(Back when I did this drawing I was a huge fan of "Tank Girl". Sorry Jamie, I know she was a Vespa chic.)

thats an awesome picture.i want a shirt with that..hah

[ol_scratch]

I know it'll piss a lot of guys off, but I'd build mine with a 200x17 front and a 240x18 rear. Grimeca drum brakes and all!



Yeah but when you build something different its usually pretty awesome, so what's it matter.

[Conder]

Yeah but when you build something different its usually pretty awesome, so what's it matter.

Thanks for the comments, I agree. I saw that new cafe bike you're talkin' about and those guys could do a LOT better I think. As far as one off bikes go, if it's sick, build the fucker. When I started out back in Kentucky I was lucky enough to trade my Chevelle straight across for an honest to god black sportster, just like fuckin' BRONSON! Since we were all teenagers at the time and this was the recession early '80s, we were lucky to have bikes at all. I rode with 300 dollar Yamaha RDs and old CB Hondas.

We rode the shit out of our bikes. It was great heading into Louisville at about 10 at night, lookin' in the store windows to watch our spokes flash. Then it was over the Kennedy bridge into Indiana, where we'd stash our helmets in the bushes and scout for strange.

When I got to seattle years later and finally restored the Sportster, all my new friends rode FLs, Triumphs, Guzzis, Hondas etc. and old beemers. I was working for a millionaire collector who had so many vintage motorcycles you wouldn't believe it. So...I convinced him that it would be smart to let each of my friends "adopt" one of the bikes to take care of and ride. After all, they were just goin' to shit sitting there. It was cool as hell, we're all broke with barely enough money for gas bombin' around seattle at three in the morning on BSA Gold Stars, Indian Chiefs, 80" Flatheads and crazy "Jammer" style import choppers! It was insane...like a bunch of special needs kids stumbling onto a motorcycle museum with the door wide open.

I like just about everything. I'm with El Caballo on that "beginner sportster" bullshit. In my experience only the NEW GUYS talk shit about Sportsters. I still have mine, the "Motorcycle Clubs" didn't seem to mind 'em back in the day, and if you wanted a street racer they were hard to beat. I've never met a lifetime biker that talked shit about K models, Sportsters or WLs. The next time somebody does just treat 'em like a retard...pat 'em on the back real nice and hand 'em some "Brand new fringed chap leather salve", a hot dog and some tickets to your towns best suburban "blues" cover band.

Super Motard, Cafe, Rocker, Street Fighter style bikes are the next chopper. There are clubs sprouting up everywhere (any seattle Cretins on here?) and if half the imagination and enginuity (stupidity?) that is applied to chops gets pointed at a vintage Triumph or an '86 GSXR well...the bike worlds in for some serious shit. Burn it to the fuckin' ground I say, see what grows back.

p.s. These bike designs are mine, copying them without giving me credit will tell the world you're sad and pathetic. And no Kustombuilder, YOU are the shit. - Stay in school kids!

[Tony Bones]

Me want Stroked Sportster Super Motard bike. Me get in big trouble though.

[Truth]

There is a shop by my house that makes cafe tail sections for thruxtons.

you got photos or a link?

[ol_scratch]

Thanks for the comments, I agree. I saw that new cafe bike you're talkin' about and those guys could do a LOT better I think. As far as one off bikes go, if it's sick, build the fucker. When I started out back in Kentucky I was lucky enough to trade my Chevelle straight across for an honest to god black sportster, just like fuckin' BRONSON! Since we were all teenagers at the time and this was the recession early '80s, we were lucky to have bikes at all. I rode with 300 dollar Yamaha RDs and old CB Hondas.

We rode the shit out of our bikes. It was great heading into Louisville at about 10 at night, lookin' in the store windows to watch our spokes flash. Then it was over the Kennedy bridge into Indiana, where we'd stash our helmets in the bushes and scout for strange.

When I got to seattle years later and finally restored the Sportster, all my new friends rode FLs, Triumphs, Guzzis, Hondas etc. and old beemers. I was working for a millionaire collector who had so many vintage motorcycles you wouldn't believe it. So...I convinced him that it would be smart to let each of my friends "adopt" one of the bikes to take care of and ride. After all, they were just goin' to shit sitting there. It was cool as hell, we're all broke with barely enough money for gas bombin' around seattle at three in the morning on BSA Gold Stars, Indian Chiefs, 80" Flatheads and crazy "Jammer" style import choppers! It was insane...like a bunch of special needs kids stumbling onto a motorcycle museum with the door wide open.

I like just about everything. I'm with El Caballo on that "beginner sportster" bullshit. In my experience only the NEW GUYS talk shit about Sportsters. I still have mine, the "Motorcycle Clubs" didn't seem to mind 'em back in the day, and if you wanted a street racer they were hard to beat. I've never met a lifetime biker that talked shit about K models, Sportsters or WLs. The next time somebody does just treat 'em like a retard...pat 'em on the back real nice and hand 'em some "Brand new fringed chap leather salve", a hot dog and some tickets to your towns best suburban "blues" cover band.

Super Motard, Cafe, Rocker, Street Fighter style bikes are the next chopper. There are clubs sprouting up everywhere (any seattle Cretins on here?) and if half the imagination and enginuity (stupidity?) that is applied to chops gets pointed at a vintage Triumph or an '86 GSXR well...the bike worlds in for some serious shit. Burn it to the fuckin' ground I say, see what grows back.

p.s. These bike designs are mine, copying them without giving me credit will tell the world you're sad and pathetic. And no Kustombuilder, YOU are the shit. - Stay in school kids!

The way I see the RE cafe is, for 4000 you get a good solid base, then just contour to each need. you don't see too many singles out new today. But I am a Hinckley guy and the twins are really quite nice too, but I'd opt for another T3 just as easy.

I'm jealous, I wish I could find some rich dude to loan me killer bikes to ride. Some guys have all the luck. :)

Honestly if I was going to own a newer Harley it would be a Sportster probably. the others just don't hold my interest.

[Conder]

I'm jealous, I wish I could find some rich dude to loan me killer bikes to ride. Some guys have all the luck. :)

That ol' rich guy is long gone man, that was back in '93. I heard he met some french minimalist chick, sold off his whole collection for cheap and went through his money chasin' her all over the globe. I just wish I could've bought his original '41 UL. !!@#$%^&!!!

[Conder]

Me want Stroked Sportster Super Motard bike. Me get in big trouble though.

Wouldn't that make the ULTIMATE urban war machine? Yessireebob boy I tell you what....

[ol_scratch]

That ol' rich guy is long gone man, that was back in '93. I heard he met some french minimalist chick, sold off his whole collection for cheap and went through his money chasin' her all over the globe. I just wish I could've bought his original '41 UL. !!@#$%^&!!!

BLOODY FOOL he was. Or maybe he just lived too sheltered a life.

[Conder]

BLOODY FOOL he was. Or maybe he just lived too sheltered a life.

Smart people do stupid things too. I did hear it second hand after all...The man had the ability to make money at will. In addition to bikes he had cars, art, neato stores and was constantly surrounded by unbelievable women. I learned a lot from that guy, he tried to show me how to be a millionaire once...it involved rifling through rack after rack after rack of clothes at vintage and discount stores looking for old tennis shoes, t-shirts and golf sweaters, then filling a shipping crate with the goods, sending 'em overseas making tens of thousands in profit. He had a giant network of hot hipster chicks combing the planet lookin' for old Nikes. The booty was brought to a hidden center complex where everything was de-stinked and de-stained, loaded up and sold. 30 foot high mountains of cowboy boots. Did you know carberator cleaner will take just about any stain out of your old Levis? This dude was amazing. He tried to show me...

But NAW....I had to be a MOTORCYCLE PAINTER!!!!?????????????????

[G Griffin]

I want that bike!


G.

[CRAP]

you got photos or a link?

My mistake, its for a bonneville. Call them though I could swear I heard they had one.
http://http://www.caferace.com/cgi-bin/mivavm?Merchant2/merchant.mvc+Screen=PROD&Store_Code=C&Product_Code=TRICOWL&Category_Code=RRBT

[nardi1]

Truth, you on a Thruxton just doesnt sound right. I rode Kevins a couple times and those clipons are a little too low for me.

[blackesthart]

ok cafe guys where do I find a glass tank and seatpan for my aermacchi?


Dustin

[KnuckleBuster]

Glad to see a place pop up for cafe racers AND hot rodders to B.S.

I just started building a KZ750 Cafe - kinda tough since I guess no one uses the 81 as a cafe racer. I'm handmaking a lot of parts (my first try) so it should be interesting...

Thanks for this place Ryan!

Hey Dustin, are you the same guy who posted the pics of the Kawasaki cafe racer on the kzrider.com message board?

[Conder]

I want that bike!


G.

SO DO I!

[BigDdy31]

i was wodnering if we could get a cafe racer post going,,, i know some of you guys own em, or have owned em. lets see pics,

This Triton is the freakin' bee's knees:

http://img100.echo.cx/img100/3747/nstarlside0tl.th.jpg (http://img100.echo.cx/my.php?image=nstarlside0tl.jpg)

http://img100.echo.cx/img100/179/nstarfs1cp.th.jpg (http://img100.echo.cx/my.php?image=nstarfs1cp.jpg)

[Tman]

Something warped in a cool way about those sketches, in a good way. Almost as warped as huggin a fatboy named ElPolacko at 2 am on the back of a Trump as you swear Toad just flagged you off with a flashlight in a totally drunk but hetero way. I have vision for my old CB, kinda like fusion quisine, it will blend old with new, in my own manner. I dont want a formula unless it makes a bike that handles like my Pinarello at 50mph on a twisty switchback.

The new house project is looming and engulfing me. The light at the end of the tunnel is my Model A and this old 4cylinder bike.

[G Griffin]

This Triton is the freakin' bee's knees:

Hell yes it is!

G.

[Crow]

love...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/evilfirbolg/junk/gerceracer01.jpg

[destroywes]

knuckle buster-that would be me, dustin and i own a shop together
wes

[KnuckleBuster]

knuckle buster-that would be me, dustin and i own a shop together
wes

Cool...small world, huh?

[BigDdy31]

Hell yes it is!

G.

Yeah, the more you see of it, the sweeter it gets. It was rebuilt by Barlow's.

[Truth]

Truth, you on a Thruxton just doesnt sound right. I rode Kevins a couple times and those clipons are a little too low for me.

I know. thats why I like it! haha.

Nah, I just got a sweet deal on one, too good of a deal to pass up. Plus, Im sick of paying $80+ per week in gas getting to the shop and back. And there's no way Im leaving my 67 on the street in Dorchester...

[Irritant]

I just sold out and bought an 05 Triumph Thruxton that Im tweaking out. THis cat bought it, put 500 miles on it, and had to get rid of it because he blew the motor in one of his race bikes. So I got the deal of the century... couldnt turn it down.

the othe factor was that it's gonna be my commuter bike - my shop is 50 miles from my apartment, so I dont have anywhere to keep a bike here in Boston. I feel more comfortable leaving an 05 on the street than I do my 67 triumph...

Plus, it's a fun ass bike to ride!

i've got an '04 that i got a helluva deal on. the a.i. has been removed, it has the fly screen, bar end mirriors and D&D mufflers. it sounds f'ing sweet!

[Irritant]

Mines in pieces, but here's a pic of my flat tracker.



By the way anyone interested, I'm making a buck up to do Dresden style cafe tanks, hopefully this winter. I'm sick of seeing 700 for a gas tank. Probably be Stainless instead of alloy, as alloy dents to easy, too.

i'm interested!

[Truth]

i've got an '04 that i got a helluva deal on. the a.i. has been removed, it has the fly screen, bar end mirriors and D&D mufflers. it sounds f'ing sweet!

thats what Im doing... as well as taking of the rear fender and those garbage signals and cleaning all that up.

hey... lemme know when you make those tanks. I might pick one up to toss on the thrux... haha

[ol_scratch]

thats what Im doing... as well as taking of the rear fender and those garbage signals and cleaning all that up.

hey... lemme know when you make those tanks. I might pick one up to toss on the thrux... haha

Irritant and Truth - I'm figuring on getting one done Sept or Oct. Right now, I'm neck deep in body work for my CHrysler and wedding stuff. But I'll keep you updated.

[Truth]

Irritant and Truth - I'm figuring on getting one done Sept or Oct. Right now, I'm neck deep in body work for my CHrysler and wedding stuff. But I'll keep you updated.

cool man.

[nardi1]

I wouldnt park anything on the street in Dorchester!

[Crow]

Figgered I'd throw out a couple of friends' bikes to add to this..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/evilfirbolg/junk/LonestarRoundup2005002Small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/evilfirbolg/junk/LonestarRoundup2005003Small.jpg

[Truth]

I wouldnt park anything on the street in Dorchester!

haha!

Last year when we were coming home, there was a dead body lying on the sidewalk a block from my house...

[BigDdy31]

Hey Crow, the girl riding that red scooter must have been kinda uneasy with all the fierce iron parked next to her.

[Crow]

Hey Crow, the girl riding that red scooter must have been kinda uneasy with all the fierce iron parked next to her.

Actually, I think that was Hank Cash on the scooter, hee hee.

[BigDdy31]

Actually, I think that was Hank Cash on the scooter, hee hee.

LOL! Poor Hankster. Well, what he lacks in iron he makes up for in lovely wife. After all, somethin's gotta give. ;)

[JEB]

Single cylinder 500 sold in the US around '90. Cafe styling, XR engine.

Hey 40 Tudor, Here's mine at the Dallas Cycle World Show last fall: http://home.comcast.net/~bellboy17/my_gb.jpg

You've got a pretty nice collection of pics there. I dig the one with the hack!

[Adams77]

Im thinking about picking up a BSA 441 and want to go with a cafe racer look like my other bike. I have this 76 CB750 that I cut up and cafe'd. I am not sure of what to do with the BSA, but either a cafe or scrambler is what I want.

Post up what you got.

http://www.sohc4.us/gallery/d/28104-2/DSCN1813.jpg

http://www.sohc4.us/gallery/d/28102-2/DSCN1811.jpg

[coolvan]

'73 Ih

[Jovial Prankster]

Not really a Cafe Racer but a race rep using a modern Honda 250-4.
Revs to 19,000 rpm & howls like a banshee!!

[firingorder1]

I'd go with the scrambler version. For some reason 441s don't look good cafe'd. Like your 750. This is my Norton.

[nardi1]

Here's the last Norton I did
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e302/Nardi805/CIMG2122.jpg

[orangeamcs]

unity equipe has some cool stuff. Get suzuki gt 380 frt brake a conical hub for the rear drill cooling holes in them about 1.25 inches in the rear like a manx. aluminum rims clip on bars and headlight brackets. A seat tank combo can be retro fitted from anything

[Sporticus]

'73 Ih

Hey Coolvan-

Is this bike yours? I think I saw it on the Ace Cafe site. I've admired the hell out of it. This world needs more cafe ironheads.

<fieldset class="fieldset"><legend>Attached Thumbnails</legend> http://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12906&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1168717644 (http://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12906&d=1168717644)
</fieldset>

[mpls|cafe|racer]

Pictures? :)

[Shooty]

http://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12766

[whizzerick]

http://www.sportster.org/thebikes/images/mbernier-645-2.jpg

[Boylecomm]

<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p133/monroe114/nc3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>

[Coldeye]

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/coldeye_/78%20KZ400%20b1/400rtrear.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/coldeye_/78%20KZ400%20b1/400front.jpg

[Sporticus]

Coldeye-

Nice start on that KZ. KZ twins are seriously under-represented in this world. Any chance you need the rear spoke wheel, brake rotor, caliper, etc. for that bike? PM me so I don't feel bad for highjacking this thread.

[Moseley]

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/coldeye_/78%20KZ400%20b1/400rtrear.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/coldeye_/78%20KZ400%20b1/400front.jpg
That thing is beautiful, I like the front rotors.

[Adams77]

http://www.sohc4.us/gallery/d/28104-2/DSCN1813.jpg

[FlatRat]

<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/kjchinchen/IMG_2549.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>

[mpls|cafe|racer]

Guys, I gotta say, these are all some mean lookin machines! :)

As of late I've been getting more flack for my project from a few people since I decided to go with a more modern mill (86 GSXR 750), but aside from that it's all cafe.

I figure that when cafes were a dominant force the kids building them took the best parts that they could afford and built the bike that they could that would handle best, and give them the best performance.

So, I'm following in that tradition with mine.

[hogtownhd]

http://www.sportster.org/thebikes/images/mbernier-645-2.jpg

What type of tank is that?

[5280 Choppers]

What type of tank is that?

That's one of the best Sportsters I've ever seen.

[mpls|cafe|racer]

That's one of the best Sportsters I've ever seen.

Agreed. I'm not a big fan of the sportsters at all, but that one is very decent.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that the only person I know who has a sporty brags all day long and tells me it will beat a GSXR 750?:rolleyes::D

[tiberius]

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p133/monroe114/nc3.jpg (http://photobucket.com/)

beautiful, who did the bodywork?

[Boylecomm]

Evan Wilcox, it's real nice work.

beautiful, who did the bodywork?

[Flatironmike]

Evan Wilcox, it's real nice work.

Look forward to seeing it/you in April! (who's April, BTW?)

[a lost cause]

Evan Wilcox, it's real nice work.

What is his turn around time and as far as the tank and seat, was that your design or his?

[Boylecomm]

Look forward to seeing it/you in April! (who's April, BTW?)

Me Too mike, However the Norton won't be finished for EDR, I'll be brown bagging through Mexico this year.

[Boylecomm]

If I recall it was about a three month lead time and the fab time was 6 or 8 weeks. My ideas from three tanks and two tail sections combined into what you see.
However I just ask him to make a front fender and lead time is two weeks.
It just depends on how busy he is.


What is his turn around time and as far as the tank and seat, was that your design or his?

[KModi]

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p133/monroe114/nc3.jpg (http://photobucket.com/)

did u say this was a norton? what about the frame? looking good!

[mpls|cafe|racer]

My only complaint about Evan Wilcox is the price. He charges almost twice as much as John Williams does. The work is comprable though, and the lead time is just slightly less... I'm in no huuge hurry to get my tank/tailpiece, so I went with John based simply on the fact that the price was MUCH cheaper.

[Capt. Cal]

im in the process of turning an ol suzuki around. i got as far as makin a 3d model of it...:rolleyes:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/361895269_1cfa60451c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/captcal/361895269/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/128/361895271_8ed74099f3.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/captcal/361895271/)
http://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.flickr.com/photos/captcal/276904364/%22%20title=%22Photo%20Sharing%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=% 22http://farm1.static.flickr.com/104/276904364_3e5f0ee5a1.jpg%22%20width=%22500%22%20he ight=%22375%22%20alt=%22drew%27s%20bike1%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E

[a lost cause]

My only complaint about Evan Wilcox is the price. He charges almost twice as much as John Williams does. The work is comprable though, and the lead time is just slightly less... I'm in no huuge hurry to get my tank/tailpiece, so I went with John based simply on the fact that the price was MUCH cheaper.

John Williams from the UK?

[mpls|cafe|racer]

John Williams from the UK?

That'd be the one.

[boondocker]

Here's mine... it's in winter project mode right now getting a bunch of stuff done to it...http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o250/claudereeder/DSCN1505.jpg

[Boylecomm]

Agreed, I didn't know of Williams until now, any links or contact info.
When I started I really just wanted to get this thing running well, install some clip ons, a cafe seat maybe the tank and ride it to Mexico. Now the Damn thing has spun out of control with completion know where in sight and will probably never get what it's worth. It's been fun though.



My only complaint about Evan Wilcox is the price. He charges almost twice as much as John Williams does. The work is comprable though, and the lead time is just slightly less... I'm in no huuge hurry to get my tank/tailpiece, so I went with John based simply on the fact that the price was MUCH cheaper.

[Boylecomm]

Yes, 71 commando 750. The frame is stock with some mods to clean it up a bit and accomidate the body work.


did u say this was a norton? what about the frame? looking good!

[matte resist]

http://chopperfix.com/forums/files/image_5c83d7567f3411da_139.jpg

[mpls|cafe|racer]

Agreed, I didn't know of Williams until now, any links or contact info.
When I started I really just wanted to get this thing running well, install some clip ons, a cafe seat maybe the tank and ride it to Mexico. Now the Damn thing has spun out of control with completion know where in sight and will probably never get what it's worth. It's been fun though.

You can check out Johns site:

http://www.thetankshop.com

He does great work, for a VERY good price.

I'm having a completely 1 off custom cafe tank made with a matching polished alu. cafe tailpiece, and with shipping from the UK the total was just under $1100.00. If I'm not mistaken, thats less than what Wilcox charges for some of his tanks!

Mine is taking awhile, but it's 100% custom, and it's a complete 1 off, so I can't really complain. I know he does good work, and I know it's worth the wait. :)

I basically sent him the general measurements of what I wanted, and pics of some cafes that I like the "look" of and said "Make me something that you think would be in that vein".

I've seen the pic of the tank, and it's exactly what I want. Traditional styling, but not something blah. The "clip on dents" look like they actually run the length of the sides of the tank creating a really neat effect for the light to hit the tank. I can't wait to see it in the flesh!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/philmccrackin/Mvc_683s.jpg

Once I get my copper leafed accents on the tank and tail, the thing should be fit to be called my "dream bike". :D

[Dignan]

No cafe cred, but here's a GS750 I've done some stuff to:
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k171/Wreckamundo/78GS750.jpg
I've changed a bunch of stuff since this was taken. Next up is a new tank, paint, smoothed trees...

[DesmoDog]

I've posted this here before, but what the hey. Cafe racer? I dunno... maybe... it should have a romping stomping 12hp or so when it's done.

Before - stock 1966 Ducati 160cc Monza Jr:
http://www.teamyikes.com/Resources/Sport160Start.JPG

Mock ups - Basic concept:
http://www.teamyikes.com/Resources/Mockup_2516.JPG

Revised rear end - valanced fender, round tail light:
http://www.teamyikes.com/Resources/Mockup_2805.JPG

In process - front end pretty much done:
http://www.teamyikes.com/Resources/Fender_3330.JPG

[Sporticus]

Beautiful bike; does it belong to anyone on the board? I've got one pet peeve, though. Cafe racers really need matching rim diameters front and rear. A 16" rear doesn't scream cafe. If people are happy with the end result, though, it's none of my business. The cost of rebuilding that rear wheel with an 18" rim is probably less than the cost of that very slick tank.

http://www.sportster.org/thebikes/images/mbernier-645-2.jpg

[bigassbike]

curious as to how you guys define a cafe racer. as opposed to streetfighter or any of the other terms i see used. all the same thing? i know how the name came around...but whats it mean now?

[tonuprocker]

curious as to how you guys define a cafe racer. as opposed to streetfighter or any of the other terms i see used. all the same thing? i know how the name came around...but whats it mean now?

honestly its very cut and dry for me,as its my primary intrest for many years,similar to most people on this board being bobber fans
for them there is a defined "bobber" so for me there is a defined cafe racer

heres a few pix of period dyed in the wool cafe racers,most were not nearly as modified as these the majority ran near stock off the shelf bikes with slight mod's,at one point at the pinnacle of the scene there were over 40,000 kids under the age of 25 on 2 wheels in england alone it was a huge craze

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/v_johnson/periodtriton2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/v_johnson/periodtriton1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/v_johnson/periodnorton.jpg

this last one was recently uncovered in a basement layed up in the UK since the late sixty's then brought over here

[Sporticus]

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b75/sjelescheff/Sporticus_008.jpg

[mpls|cafe|racer]

curious as to how you guys define a cafe racer. as opposed to streetfighter or any of the other terms i see used. all the same thing? i know how the name came around...but whats it mean now?
Definitely NOT the same thing at all.

One is the predecessor to the other.

It would be appropriate to say that the Streetfighter is the bastard grandchild of the Cafe Racer.

The concept is still the same....

Take the best parts you can afford and build a bike that is one of a kind, faster than stock, and better handling.

The styling is whats different.

Streefighters tend to be a "kicked ass" styling. The bars and riding position also tends to be completely different. Also, the aesthetics are much different.

Cafe Racers were very inspired by a stripped down, racer appearaning streetbike scene... whereas Streetfighters are also a study on aesthetics above and beyond performance utilizing very colorful paint schemes often accented with very intricate airbrushing technique, and massive horsepower upgrades.

CAFE RACER:
http://www.ace-cafe-london.com/gif/drestar.jpg

STREETFIGHTER:
http://www.mgm-bikes.de/spondon_spezial/bilder-spondon/Bild4--600.jpg


Also, outside of the obvious aesthetic differences, the CULTURE of Cafe Racers is COMPLETLY DIFFERENT than the culture of Streetfighters.

Same concept though. Take what you've got and make it go faster, while playing within the guidelines of a specific style. :D

I love them both personally.... but how can I not?

Streetfighters are more popular in Europe than they are here.... and I work at a bike shop that specializes in European performance bikes.

MASSIVE SIDE NOTE!!!!!

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FACTORY BUILT STREETFIGHTER OR CAFE RACER!!!!

NO MATTER HOW MANY TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLES OR THRUXTONS ARE SOLD, THEY ARE NOT REALLY CAFES OR FIGHTERS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY LACK THE ONE REAL THING THAT MAKES THESE BIKES WHAT THEY TRULY ARE... PERSONAL CUSTOMIZATION!!!

DUCATI, TRIUMPH, APRILIA, MV AGUSTA... MANY COMPANIES HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CASH IN ON THE SCENE WHERE THESE TWO STYLES OF BIKES COME FROM, BUT IT'S A TELL TALE SIGN OF NOT KNOWING ABOUT THE REAL BROTHERHOOD BEHIND THESE BIKES WHEN SOMEONE BUYS A BONE STOCK THRUXTON 900 AND TALKS HOW IT'S A MUCH COOLER CAFE RACER THAN ANYTHING THAT SO AND SO EVER BUILT....

SOME PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CAFE, FIGHTER, BOBBER, TRACKER, CHOPPER, ETC. AND A FACTORY BIKE STYLED AFTER A CAFE, FIGHTER, BOBBER, TRACKER, CHOPPER, ETC...

[bigassbike]

cool, ive been building this out of an old 86 fxr (eric buell's first job for the factory)frame i had laying around...and i guess i deraked it so its a chopper, stripped it down so its a bobber:rolleyes: i been calling it a rally bike, for lack of a better term. but its muscle all the way. doesnt have much of the cafe styling, but some of the right cafe attitude i think.
http://www.clubchopper.com/photopost/data/3527/medium/hyyh.jpg
http://www.clubchopper.com/photopost/data/3527/medium/thaseth.jpg
http://www.clubchopper.com/photopost/data/3527/medium/pict6074.jpg

[Jakemon]

My only complaint about Evan Wilcox is the price. He charges almost twice as much as John Williams does. The work is comprable though, and the lead time is just slightly less... I'm in no huuge hurry to get my tank/tailpiece, so I went with John based simply on the fact that the price was MUCH cheaper.

John has been working on my tank and tail section since September. Seems like a great guy and I am really looking forward to the finished product. I am currently on the "next week" schedule. I wonder who's stuff he is going to finish first. When did you contact him?

Jakemon

[matte resist]

Here's a Buell i ran across while looking for something else. not exactly my thing, but since we're on the subject.

http://thekneeslider.com/images/buellblast.jpg
http://thekneeslider.com/images/buellblast2.jpg

[Jakemon]

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p133/monroe114/nc3.jpg (http://photobucket.com/)

The seat upholstry looks great in the pic. Did you get the battery mounted in the tail section yet? Looks great.

Jakemon

[tonuprocker]

MASSIVE SIDE NOTE!!!!!

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FACTORY BUILT STREETFIGHTER OR CAFE RACER!!!!

NO MATTER HOW MANY TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLES OR THRUXTONS ARE SOLD, THEY ARE NOT REALLY CAFES OR FIGHTERS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY LACK THE ONE REAL THING THAT MAKES THESE BIKES WHAT THEY TRULY ARE... PERSONAL CUSTOMIZATION!!!

DUCATI, TRIUMPH, APRILIA, MV AGUSTA... MANY COMPANIES HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CASH IN ON THE SCENE WHERE THESE TWO STYLES OF BIKES COME FROM, BUT IT'S A TELL TALE SIGN OF NOT KNOWING ABOUT THE REAL BROTHERHOOD BEHIND THESE BIKES WHEN SOMEONE BUYS A BONE STOCK THRUXTON 900 AND TALKS HOW IT'S A MUCH COOLER CAFE RACER THAN ANYTHING THAT SO AND SO EVER BUILT....

SOME PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CAFE, FIGHTER, BOBBER, TRACKER, CHOPPER, ETC. AND A FACTORY BIKE STYLED AFTER A CAFE, FIGHTER, BOBBER, TRACKER, CHOPPER, ETC...




there are a few factory made REAL cafe racers starting with the most infamous sought after road burners of them all,they were the kings of the coffe bar

the BSA dbd34 goldstar clubmans

the BSA rocket goldstar clubmans

the velocette viper venom clubman and thruxton

the matchless csr

the royal enfield continental gt

the royal enfield crusader sports

mondial,gilera and ducati all made lightwieght popular cafe racers in the late 50's early 60's including the diana and gilera sports

paul dunstall,eddie dow,deeprose brothers inc.,chuck customise etc
also offered new factory bikes built not as customs but essentialy a private label version that were distributed

[sweatmachine]

cool, ive been building this out of an old 86 fxr (eric buell's first job for the factory)frame i had laying around...and i guess i deraked it so its a chopper, stripped it down so its a bobber:rolleyes: i been calling it a rally bike, for lack of a better term. but its muscle all the way. doesnt have much of the cafe styling, but some of the right cafe attitude i think.
http://www.clubchopper.com/photopost/data/3527/medium/hyyh.jpg
http://www.clubchopper.com/photopost/data/3527/medium/thaseth.jpg
http://www.clubchopper.com/photopost/data/3527/medium/pict6074.jpg

I really, really like that.

[bigassbike]

thanks sweatmachine, its a bit out of character for what my customers want usually, but they(the bikes) were getting too outlandish and long, so i reeled it back in a bit and built one for myself. put 2 miles on it today, shaking out some bugs...feels like its gonna be a handful once i get a few things worked out...still waiting on one front brake line and my taillite... hopefully they'll show tomorrow, and i can give it another go with some front brakes.:cool:

[firingorder1]

All so sweet. I have a soft spot for Tritons and loved those English shots. A bit on the rough side unlike some polished to within an inch of its life.

[DrDano]

My buddy Nick builds these. Will take a Triumph, BSA, XS and a few other motors with just mounting swaps:

http://tkfiles.storage.msn.com/x1pMW_1lKyUM1RhdGU3z8Dc4k6-ZjbwhGfXGnhdpvtdvongNN7AOrZzo4jPk7iIbl3kJ-a6D6dEEGbWK9LuB1UsIOkuKEi53-gJOw5fznX54Ek

[Boylecomm]

I was working on battery placement today. just finally got the tail loop all figured out and ready to weld it up. the stance is giving me fits but I think I worked it out too, now just waiting on parts.
how are you coming along?


The seat upholstry looks great in the pic. Did you get the battery mounted in the tail section yet? Looks great.

Jakemon

[Boylecomm]

Hey Big Ass Bike,
This is a great EDR Bike, full suspension, power & style. Run it!
I like....

[Tony Two Times]

A mates Titan 500. Bought as a box of bits in the 90's and finally got it on the road this year. 500cc two stroke paralell twin = balls out fun.

T.

[mpls|cafe|racer]

there are a few factory made REAL cafe racers starting with the most infamous sought after road burners of them all,they were the kings of the coffe bar

the BSA dbd34 goldstar clubmans

the BSA rocket goldstar clubmans

the velocette viper venom clubman and thruxton

the matchless csr

the royal enfield continental gt

the royal enfield crusader sports

mondial,gilera and ducati all made lightwieght popular cafe racers in the late 50's early 60's including the diana and gilera sports

paul dunstall,eddie dow,deeprose brothers inc.,chuck customise etc
also offered new factory bikes built not as customs but essentialy a private label version that were distributed

See, I'm gonna have to disagree with you. They may have been built styled from the factory as a cafe racer, but they weren't cafe's.

Put it this way.... if you pulled up on any of those bikes and started talking about you kick ass cafe racer with a bunch of guys who have Tritons and Norbsa's you can bet your ass they will be thinking "Yeah right... as if you built that thing".

It's about the customization and/or build. Thats 50% of the culture. Same with fighters. If you pull up to me on your stock Triumph Speed Triple and I'm on a R1 powered Spondon framed Streetfighter and start rapping on about how great your streetfighter is, I'm gonna laugh and take off.

Cafe Racers, just like Hot Rods weren't just about the style of the ride. It was about being the one who BUILT the bike/car and made it *better* than it was from the factory.

Agree to disagree? :)

[mpls|cafe|racer]

John has been working on my tank and tail section since September. Seems like a great guy and I am really looking forward to the finished product. I am currently on the "next week" schedule. I wonder who's stuff he is going to finish first. When did you contact him?

Jakemon
About the same time for mine.

I've been on the "next week" schedule since about November? ;)

I talked to him the other day, and he said he was just waiting for the fiberglass guy to make the reinforcement pan for the tail piece.

[coolvan]

bike: '73 IH
driver: '80 dumbass

[sideshow01]

I started messing around with my 71 since it's cold and shitty out. I did a little photochop of what I'm looking to do... I figure I can use it as an opportunity to make some of my own parts, and finally try my hand at a little fabrication/metal/fibreglass working. I'm building another bike, so in between finding parts and doing shit with that, I can do this.

I've got the seat and rear fender off, set up some bars and have a shape working for my seat. At least with this, if it's not done by spring (like the other probably won't be) I can throw my old seat back on and still have something to ride.

[orangeamcs]

On the list of factory cafes the Manx Norton was forgotten, this is the bike whos style was emulated by many

[rockabillyjay]

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b66/31ford/norton001.jpg

[mpls|cafe|racer]

On the list of factory cafes the Manx Norton was forgotten, this is the bike whos style was emulated by many

Again, a very historic bike, but IMO not a cafe racer. It's not a custom bike. It's kick ass, and it is definitely something that effected the "style" of the cafe racers, but it wasn't a cafe racer. In fact, it was THE bike that cafe racers were trying to copy, in a street legal and modded manner.

If I'm not mistaken, they were technically production RACE bikes. The worlds most succesful production race bike to this day too.

I like them as much as the next guy, and they are definitely works of art, but there's a distinct difference between a race bike, and a cafe racer.

[mpls|cafe|racer]

From Wikipedia:

the Norton Featherbed frame appeared, gifted to Norton by the McCandless brothers of Belfast in January, 1950, used in the legendary Manx Norton, and raced by riders including Geoff Duke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Duke), John Surtees (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Surtees) and Derek Minter (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Derek_Minter&action=edit) . Overnight the featherbed frame was the benchmark by which all other frames were judged. Nortons were winners again.
<SUP></SUP>
These racing successes were transferred to the street through Cafe racers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cafe_racers), who would use the feather bed frame with an engine from another manufacturer to make a hybrid machine with the best of both worlds. The most famous of these were Tritons - Triumph twin engines in a Norton feather-bed frame. Originally used in the Manx model, Norton produced variations of the frame for other models.

The manx was a race bike that was the inspiration to what became the culture and styling of Cafe Racers.

And it couldn't have been a better choice. :)

[tonuprocker]

On the list of factory cafes the Manx Norton was forgotten, this is the bike whos style was emulated by many


i left the manx free of the list due to its absolute unobtainium by the fast boys,they were extreeeemly rare to be seen at the caff's,with the 3 wheel racers fighting for the engines,the 2wheel racers fighting to get them from norton,and the special racers like degans/dresda fighting for the carcases it made them a not viable bike for a 19 year old apprentice,mcm in the 60's always had a used price guide to the back of the mag similar to a blue book and for the most part the manx was allways left off the list due to it being scarce


Put it this way.... if you pulled up on any of those bikes and started talking about you kick ass cafe racer with a bunch of guys who have Tritons and Norbsa's you can bet your ass they will be thinking "Yeah right... as if you built that thing".


please refer to the following books to help you with some history
the top 3 bikes on my list were ran by the fastest rockers inthe late fifties,and through the 60's they are legendary among anyone and yes special owners would KILL to get them,the alexandria pl. cafe was known for the fastess most ruthless streetracers of the day...they all ran goldstars,pure factory muscle and clocked up more deaths to streetracing than any of the other haunts like the busy bee,ace etc.

and as a norbsa owner myself i love,lust and desire a true dbd34 gs or rgs along with my triton riding friend


cafe racers,rockers,rocknroll and the coffee bar cult
by Mike Clay
Published in 1988 by Osprey Automotive, London
Hardcover; Dimensions: 8" x 11" (20.5x28 cm)
ISBN 0850456770

rockers-kings of the road
johny stuart
Paperback: 127 pages
Publisher: Plexus Publishing (UK); Reprint edition (September 1994)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0859651258
ISBN-13: 978-0859651257

The Rocker Years
"Bookazines" Edited by Steven Myatt
Published by Mortons Media Group Ltd.
£6.99 each
Available from Mortons Books (UK)

steven myatt's new magazine
http://cgi.ebay.com/ROCKER-Magazine-Winter-2006-2007-NEW-


there is a huge resurgence of old rockers now with $$$ buying up the
bikes they envied as youth the ones ive spoke with are generally after factory bikes the thruxton the rgs and the gs


http://www.realclassic.co.uk/opinionfiles/opinion04060800.html


cheers!

[Moped]

Now that's [the Commando] a cafe racer. Is that your bike Jay?

[mpls|cafe|racer]

i left the manx free of the list due to its absolute unobtainium by the fast boys,they were extreeeemly rare to be seen at the caff's,with the 3 wheel racers fighting for the engines,the 2wheel racers fighting to get them from norton,and the special racers like degans/dresda fighting for the carcases it made them a not viable bike for a 19 year old apprentice,mcm in the 60's always had a used price guide to the back of the mag similar to a blue book and for the most part the manx was allways left off the list due to it being scarce
This is very true. Thats why kids would buy the "manx tanks" from companies that made them to make their bikes *look* like a manx (Or, if inclined and able, build their own tanks). See? Customization.....





please refer to the following books to help you with some history. the top 3 bikes on my list were ran by the fastest rockers inthe late fifties,and through the 60's they are legendary among anyone and yes special owners would KILL to get them,the alexandria pl. cafe was known for the fastess most ruthless streetracers of the day...they all ran goldstars,pure factory muscle and clocked up more deaths to streetracing than any of the other haunts like the busy bee,ace etc.

and as a norbsa owner myself i love,lust and desire a true dbd34 gs or rgs along with my triton riding friend


cafe racers,rockers,rocknroll and the coffee bar cult
by Mike Clay
Published in 1988 by Osprey Automotive, London
Hardcover; Dimensions: 8" x 11" (20.5x28 cm)
ISBN 0850456770

rockers-kings of the road
johny stuart
Paperback: 127 pages
Publisher: Plexus Publishing (UK); Reprint edition (September 1994)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0859651258
ISBN-13: 978-0859651257

The Rocker Years
"Bookazines" Edited by Steven Myatt
Published by Mortons Media Group Ltd.
£6.99 each
Available from Mortons Books (UK)

steven myatt's new magazine
http://cgi.ebay.com/ROCKER-Magazine-Winter-2006-2007-NEW-


there is a huge resurgence of old rockers now with $$$ buying up the
bikes they envied as youth the ones ive spoke with are generally after factory bikes the thruxton the rgs and the gs


http://www.realclassic.co.uk/opinionfiles/opinion04060800.html


cheers!
Last I checked the truest cafe's were by no means factory stock at all. SOMETHING was modified on them to make them a personalized bike, which brings us directly to the exact point I was making. A Cafe Racer was a culture based on custominzation of those bikes. Even if it's a matter of adding the proper bars and nothing else, it's still not a factory bike.

They may have been running Goldstars, and they may have been factory mills (why mess with near perfection, right? :)), but I would bet a left nut that they still customized things on the bike to make it their own. ;)

Also, they may have lusted after said bikes in their youth, and they may buy and leave them stock now as they are not so much a bike, but a collector piece to bring them back to "the good old days", but I'd bet that had they gotten the bike back then, it wouldn't have stayed bone stock.

I'm just saying... all of the best cafe bikes, and all of the ones that epitomize the culture that surrounded them are definitely NOT 100% stock.



Again, compare it to the hot rod culture. What would have more properly defined the culture that was hot rodding? A *stock* 1934 Ford Pickup, or a *rodded* 1934 Ford Pickup? The rodded one! Why? Because part of the defining aspect of the culture was the build. :)

[mpls|cafe|racer]

I quote you...

heres a few pix of period dyed in the wool cafe racers,most were not nearly as modified as these the majority ran near stock off the shelf bikes with slight mod's,at one point at the pinnacle of the scene there were over 40,000 kids under the age of 25 on 2 wheels in england alone it was a huge craze

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/v_johnson/periodtriton2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/v_johnson/periodtriton1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/v_johnson/periodnorton.jpg

this last one was recently uncovered in a basement layed up in the UK since the late sixty's then brought over here
Of the above bikes that you posted not one of them is bone stock.

If they were kept stock, they wouldn't be cafe racers. :D No such thing as a factory cafe racer.

[Creepinogie]

Since your from Mpls/St. paul you must know the tee shirt guy with an industrial basement full of those bikes. You get to the Blind Lizards Rally every year?

[mpls|cafe|racer]

Since your from Mpls/St. paul you must know the tee shirt guy with an industrial basement full of those bikes. You get to the Blind Lizards Rally every year?

Tee shirt guy? Do you mean Gary, or Marty?

[mpls|cafe|racer]

Also of interest... straight from The Ace Cafe's site of Cafe Racer history...

"The main reasons to have a standard bike converted into a cafe racer were:The need for speed, and being cool in all the right places (preferably where you could hear Rock`n´Roll) as well as being quite simply different.

These machines were not only meant to transport you as fast as possible, but were also saying something about you and your distinct attitude. As such bikes were not readily available, you simply had to build them yourself."

[Dave Wild]

Hi, First post from newbie. Heres a pic of a productive evening build of my BSA cafe racer,and Triumph.
Triumph was painted by TY LAWER of Pageant Paintwork the best airbrush artist in England.

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/2773/scan0019kn7.jpg

[GASIT]

Big Inch Featherbed,at the TT
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c75/steve000/VINCENTMONG.jpg

[GASIT]

America Style Vincent Cafe Racer
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c75/steve000/Vincentcaf.jpg

[GASIT]

When the British M/C Industry was taking its very last gasp, Norton came out with this "Cafe Racer" which instantly became known as the Sheep in Wolf's clothing.
Norton had the PERFECT bike to market as a real cafe racer ,the Yellow Peril Production Racer, but they blew it one last time thinking this monstrosity would save them. This is a custom painted version, the stock bike was White with Red and Blue stripes
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c75/steve000/NORTONSHEEP0465.jpg

[GASIT]

Now this is a California Cafe Racer circa 1972. Featherbed/Commando/Snowflake Mags/Hurst Airheart brakes/Ceriani RR forks , racing tires. A real canyon warrior,ready to kick ass on the new crop of '73 Jap stuff, from Big and Little Tiujunga, Sand Canyon, Latigo ,Topanga to the Crest Hwy.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c75/steve000/NORTONCAFE2.jpg

[xicano]

mine

[Sporticus]

What the fuck is that? It's not a stock featherbed, as my slimline barely had enough vertical clearance for the ironhead rockers. That frame looks suspiciously tall. I remember seeing a Dave Degens/Dresda frame for H-D big twins somehere. Dresda frames look a lot like featherbeds, but made for a bunch of different engines and trannies. I'd love to know more about this creation.

Big Inch Featherbed,at the TT
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c75/steve000/VINCENTMONG.jpg

[rockabillyjay]

Now that's [the Commando] a cafe racer. Is that your bike Jay?

...hell yeah! I love it!

[Rocks Chops]

bike: '73 IH
driver: '80 dumbass

Hell yeah!

[nofiron]

wow! those are great. I have a friend in Ventura building some, I'll see if I can post some pics.

[ChopperMark]

cool, ive been building this out of an old 86 fxr (eric buell's first job for the factory)frame i had laying around...and i guess i deraked it so its a chopper, stripped it down so its a bobber:rolleyes: i been calling it a rally bike, for lack of a better term. but its muscle all the way. doesnt have much of the cafe styling, but some of the right cafe attitude i think.
http://www.clubchopper.com/photopost/data/3527/medium/hyyh.jpg
http://www.clubchopper.com/photopost/data/3527/medium/thaseth.jpg
http://www.clubchopper.com/photopost/data/3527/medium/pict6074.jpg

Metmachex swingarm? check
Dual Headlight? check
USD front with big dual discs and twin pot calipers? check
Dirt bike/flat track handlebars? check

Looks like you built yourself a Streetfighter.

[bigassbike]

somethin like that. check.

[bigassbike]

there is a huge resurgence of old rockers now with $$$ buying up the
bikes they envied as youth the ones ive spoke with are generally after factory bikes the thruxton the rgs and the gs


http://www.realclassic.co.uk/opinionfiles/opinion04060800.html


cheers!

nice article/profile/history....

[nifty]

Pictures? :)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d174/nathanjaggard/cafesportster.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d174/nathanjaggard/NortyDavidson.jpg

[nifty]

this is my own Triton.
http://www.chopsnbobbers.com/Albums/galleries/Bikes%20built%20at%20LWF/Triton/Triton%202005.jpeg

[nifty]

Here are a couple of bikes that were having work done on them at www.chopsnbobbers.com (http://www.chopsnbobbers.com) http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d79/kingcoolrides/King%20Cool%20Bikes/Triton%202/TritonL.jpg
http://hpbimg.chopsnbobbers.com/Hon350.jpg
http://hpbimg.chopsnbobbers.com/Triton2%20300.jpg

[DesmoDog]

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d174/nathanjaggard/NortyDavidson.jpg

I've been wanting to build one of those for years... is that off the Dresda site?

Bigger question, will a sportster engine fit in a featherbed frame, or would it have to be custom???

[robnobrakes]

Newby here for the 1st time.

Although not in the same league as the wonderfull machines on here, I thought I would post a few photos of my lightly modified Thruxton. Work includes cut back rear fender, new rear light and indicators, home made flyscreen, a few other cosmetic improvements, engine tuning mods, British Customs reverse cone megaphones.

Works still in progress

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/robnobrakes/DSCF0061.jpg





http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/robnobrakes/DSCF0055.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/robnobrakes/DSCF0058.jpg




http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/robnobrakes/DSCF0201.jpg

[matte resist]

Since your from Mpls/St. paul you must know the tee shirt guy with an industrial basement full of those bikes. You get to the Blind Lizards Rally every year?

Wait, i'm from MSP too, but i don't know the t-shirt guy with a basement full of them. I used to know a guy with a basement full of old Harley's & Indians though. (okay, it wasn't quite full, but i think there were at least 9 of them down there)

[rukwikenuf]

don't feel bad, Matte.....i have no clue who he is talking about either.
oh well, i guess that if i'm not "in the know" than i'll deal with it!

[nifty]

I've been wanting to build one of those for years... is that off the Dresda site?

Bigger question, will a sportster engine fit in a featherbed frame, or would it have to be custom???

Funny you should ask. Yes that is a Dresda built bike, I saw this when I went to see Dave Degens to buy a featherbed frame for my Triton. Yes, an Ironhead will fit in a featherbed frame but I can't remember if you need to slightly mod the frame or underside of the tank. Ironhead motor sits a lot taller than the Brit ones. Most popular would be the wideline as opposed to the slimline frame.

[nifty]

Newby here for the 1st time.

Although not in the same league as the wonderfull machines on here, I thought I would post a few photos of my lightly modified Thruxton. Work includes cut back rear fender, new rear light and indicators, home made flyscreen, a few other cosmetic improvements, engine tuning mods, British Customs reverse cone megaphones.

Works still in progress





http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/robnobrakes/DSCF0055.jpg



Nice Job Rob! Welcome to the board mate, you'll love it. How did you gate that age related plate for that bike? Did you buy the reg as a private plate?

[Sporticus]

I posted a crappy pic of a featherbed ironhead earlier in this thread. I built it a few years back and never finished it 100%. It'll fit, but two caveats: mount the engine as low as humanely possibly in the frame or the rocker boxes will interfere with the tank, and use a combo fuel/oil tank to make your life easier (not much room left for an oil tank. Also,a wideline featherbed will be easier to use than a slimline. I tried a 1200 Evo engine and it might have fit had I used a wideline. The rear rockerbox hit where the slimline gets narrow. You can't use a VM or CV type carb unless you have a LONG intake. It'll hit one of the top tubes. I ended up using a Super B, which IMO is too way big for a stock ironhead.

Scott



I've been wanting to build one of those for years... is that off the Dresda site?

Bigger question, will a sportster engine fit in a featherbed frame, or would it have to be custom???

[DesmoDog]

It'll fit, but two caveats: mount the engine as low as humanely possibly in the frame or the rocker boxes will interfere with the tank, and use a combo fuel/oil tank to make your life easier (not much room left for an oil tank. Also,a wideline featherbed will be easier to use than a slimline. I tried a 1200 Evo engine and it might have fit had I used a wideline.

Thanks for the info, I'll have to go back and check for that bike.

My experience is pretty much all with Ducatis, so this would be unfamiliar territory for me. My original plan was to use an 883 engine, but then I started thinking Buell. It's interesting to hear a featherbed will work with the right set up, I'll have to start keeping an eye out for a wideline...

Thanks again, it gives me something to think about when planning my next project.

[nardi1]

Last winters project
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e302/Nardi805/CIMG2122.jpg

[R90S/2]

Here's my Rickman CR750. Is it a cafe racer? Or not? I think it is, but some may not.
Bob


http://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=9718&d=1159230060

[chromedhead]

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l98/busaboyjd/bonne.jpg

So,,,Do I chop, or cafe? Any Ideas?

[JEB]

Chris, I've seen your Atlas pictures a million times, and it still makes me stop and smile every time I see it. Nice work!

Anyone have a spare SLIMLINE frame for sale? The frame tubes on my 1954 Dominator 88 have been butchered.

Last winters project
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e302/Nardi805/CIMG2122.jpg

[nifty]

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l98/busaboyjd/bonne.jpg

So,,,Do I chop, or cafe? Any Ideas?
Cafe that lump!
Here's a pic of my motor. No way near as pretty as yours, but you can see the SU, Hayward open belt drive and the Joe Hunt. In its own way it looks tasty....
http://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d174/nathanjaggard/?action=view&current=sportsterandsu006.jpg

[tonydamnread]

So,,,Do I chop, or cafe? Any Ideas?

is that a moonshine martini on the table with it?

[nardi1]

JEB, thanks man. I think Unity Equipe sells repo slimlines. I have a lead on another one or two for future projects but I dont know yet.

[NorBSATriGuzzi]

Just found this site...so far I love it!

Here are a couple of mine:

I want to build a Triton one of these days:D

[Neo Dutch]

What the fuck is that? It's not a stock featherbed, as my slimline barely had enough vertical clearance for the ironhead rockers. That frame looks suspiciously tall. I remember seeing a Dave Degens/Dresda frame for H-D big twins somehere. Dresda frames look a lot like featherbeds, but made for a bunch of different engines and trannies. I'd love to know more about this creation.

That's a Norvin. It takes a brave man to build one of those because you have to cut the rear mounts off of the Vinnie box to get it into the frame. I recall a real nice black one that was featured in an early issue of BSH. It had an early 2 stroke Kwakka tank that was widened to fit the frame.

[firingorder1]

Unity make a replica Manx frame. The last time I checked it was close to two biggies plus shipping. There are a number of frame makers in England doing replicas. If your pocket is deep enough Bakker frames (can't remember the exact name) make Manx frames in titanium. Sell your first born and take out a second mortgage and you might be able to afford one. This is my cafe that has become strictly a racer. Its a '60 wideline with a mid 70s Weslake 500cc speedway engine in it. I run it at El Mirage dry lake here in SoCal. More fun than the street as you get to hold it wide open without having to look over your shoulder.

[magnet]

My favorite cafe's.. are the german variety.

These are not mine.. but i have a '74 R90/6 in the garage.. thats on my list of things to do.. one day i will get around to it.

http://www.5united.net/images/u-beemer.jpg

http://www.5united.net/images/beemer-nl2.jpg

http://www.5united.net/images/motobm1.jpg

http://www.5united.net/images/green.jpg

[Jimbo]

[

[tonuprocker]

Heres a shot of a Norvin. taken a show in San Jose http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7df04b3127cce8149467669a000000016100KcuGrZyxYs


clubmans show,amazing machine's apear


OK, the big one just got BIGGER..! I guaranteeeeee it..! Yes the Northern California BSA Club, with all the other Brit Bike Clubs participation will have the absolute weekend of fun, not to be missed..! Mark your calendars, and somehow get to Northern California on March 31st and April 1st.. no fooling here...!!

Get this...get up early on Saturday... take your vitamins ya gonna need them... get to the San Jose, Ca Fairgrounds... the doors open at 8am. The swap is big... lots of treasures to find new home.. from small parts to whole restored bikes for sale... Of couse we got a show area... and this year it will be bigger yet..!!! The feature this year is British Competition Bikes... lots of separate classes for different types of competition... flat track, road race, trials, etc... There WILL be lots of Goldies, Manx's, Trumps, Velos, Matchlites, BSA twins, and Norkon twins to boot...!! What ever strikes your fancy will likely be there.. in multiples..!

Oh, you are NOT done yet...Then after the show bikes are judged, there is the ever famous Raffle Bike.,.. for the mere sum of one US dollar you can own a nicely attended to 1979 Triumph T140D. (Tickets available by mail, winner does not have to attend the show... so yes you can send your $$$$ to the club and have a chance to win..!)

Whew..! Had enough...? Take more vitamins then... next comes the indoor Vintage (and modern)Short Track races... yup right there at the same spot..!! Included will be a "Lengends" event... see your heros from yesterday...!!!

OK, so you survived Saturday... get a few hours sleep, as the Morning After Ride begins... take a nice ride in the mountains somewhere in the area... the Vincent Owner's Club is going to provide the ride route this year...

Now, you think you are done yet..?? NO WAY..!! The Morning After Ride will possibly end right back at the Fairgrounds... WHY..? you ask.. well because there is another round of Short Track Racing...!!! NOTE: the flyers say Sunday evening, but due to all the out of towners, etc, the races will be Sunday during the day... more details to follow...

So, don't be shy... don't stay home... we get folks from all over the world..!! Head on over and have some spring fun..!!

Cheers..!!!

[Early Iron Motorcycles]

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b75/sjelescheff/Sporticus_008.jpg Sporticus is this your bike? what can you tell me about it? also you posted a pic. of a K model with dual carbs.what can you tell me about that bike?

[Jakemon]

just for a point of reference,the vast majority of period cafe racers ran 18" rear 19" front: ie,triton,RGS,road rockets,dominators,gold stars etc.

cheers

I am not sure that is correct. Many people over the years have switched the rear wheel to an 18 inch, do to lack of tire selection, but in fact most bikes of the time came stock with 19's.

The Triton was a special so there are no "specs" but the Domi's (99)came with WM2 front and back, the Comando's had 19's, The RGS did have a factory option for an 18 inch but from what I have read, it was a scramble deal and not alloy. I do not know it all and am still learning but I do believe that 19's front and back was the norm on most of the road bikes of the period.

Jakemon

[Sporticus]

Sporticus is this your bike? what can you tell me about it? also you posted a pic. of a K model with dual carbs.what can you tell me about that bike?
I can only dream of ahving built the K. A british guy built it. Here is his site, though with almost nothing on the bike:

http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/

There was a lengthy post on FHP about it:http://www.flatheadpower.com/BB/viewtopic.php?t=7640

I built the ironhead featherbed, to the point where it ran, and then we went our separate ways. I spent way too long on it for my short attention span. Slimline featherbed frame, '68 XLCH engine with homemade mounts. Marzocchi triple clamps with pretty heavily worked up XS650 forks, and a Suzuki Water Buffalo brake. Wheel rear and swingarm are/were XS650. Tank holds both oil and gas and is from Unity Equipe in the UK - same goes for the seat. I tried a bunch of carbs, and slide-type carbs hit the top right frame rail unless you build a long extension between carb and intake. The belt primary took more of my time than anything else. It sucked. It's designed to be run wet, but I though I was smart enough to run it dry. Maybe others have had better results, but I spent more fucking time trying the seal the tranny trap door, and never got it 100% I have the oil stains on my floor to prove it. I didn't want to use a gasket for fear of messing up end shaft clearances. I tired every type of gasket-in-a-can. I think you would need to machine an o-ring groove in the gasket surfaces, as well as machie the surfaces 100% smooth. Well they're not really gasket surfaces because they were never designed to seal. End solution? Use a primary cover. Oh yeah, anyone who knows something (not me) will tell that exhaust won't work. And they'll be correct. The bike went to go live with an unscrupulous con-man who just so happened to do some nice work with it. He's possibly since sold it to pay someone's salary that will listen to him explain how great he is. This is the best/only photo I have. Sorry.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b75/sjelescheff/Sportonright.jpg

[Rivet]

Im a HAMB member and I have been lurking on here for a long time and had to make my first post on a cafe thread :). I work at JDS Cycle Parts in NJ and absolutely love working with motorcycles.

The following I just copy and pasted from an email I sent someone that wanted to buy the bike as I am a bit lazy.

BTW, its still for sale :) $1,900.00.


"1973 Honda CL350

It has ALOT of custom work done to it, Mukini 32mm VM's. It does have stock rims and brakes, with Avon race only rubber, tank and seat I made out of fiberglass by hand (lots of hours of work there), I made a steel seatpan frame and glassed it into the seat section so that there wouldnt be any problems with the hump or seat breaking (you can push start the bike from the hump with no problems). The exhaust is hand made and is not a 2 into 1 but a set of TT's that stop under the engine. Bike has stock forks with new forking by frank's fork tubes and I modified the stock internals for better damping. Shocks are progressive with their lightest springs and with the preload adj painted red (I wanted works with aluminum bodies but they where 6 weeks behind and only had 3 weeks till its first track day). It is running a euro (forget the name) electronic ignition with optical pickups, ignition computer is mounted under rear of fuel tank. It uses a battery that is hidden inside the hump of the rear seat, its the smallest 12 volt sealed maintenance free yuasa they make. All frame seams on the stock stamped and spot welded steel frame where tig welded, all unused mounting brackets, kick stand bracket, mounting holes, spot welds where either welded over, grinded and sanded smooth or takien off for a 100 percent neat and smooth frame. I fab'd up a steering stabilizer mount and welded it to the frame under the neck and fuel tank, it uses a shindy 6 way adj steering damper. For the rear sets I used the passenger foot peg brackets and used woodcraft gsxr rear set replacement footpegs, for a rear brake lever I used a stock gsxr lever, fabbed a long tab and welded it to the lever to actuate the modified brake rod, I flipped the rear drum arm around to make it work properly. For the shift lever I just turned it around and bent it straight for GP shift. I also used an MG starter hole plug to help eliminate the starter and MG's clip ons. For the kill switch I used one off a 2003 ZX9R (has a starter button on it too if it was to be converted back to electric start), clutch and brake lever are from a kawasaki KE100. It has All Balls tapered neck bearings and an MG billet top triple tree with Renthal medium compond grips. I fab'd up a Tach mount that holds the stock tach only. CB900 front head light. New OEM swing arm bushings, two front sprockets of varying sizes for different tracks, new rear sprocket and non oring chain for the least amount of friction. That is all I can remember for now, I can promise you that I forgot alot as I built it last winter. The motor is bone stock and very healthy, it has 185psi of compression each cylinder and runs like a charm, it was dyno tuned on the Dynojet 250I dyno at work (24.88 hp), I also have every main jet, pilot jet, needle you will ever need for tuning. I have an extra motor for the bike as well. And I have a complete 50hp race motor that I am not interested in selling at the moment but was installed on the bike for its future as an AHRMA race bike (362cc, 13:1 compression, HUGE cam, knife edged crank, huge stainless valves, ti retainers, etc etc). I retired myself from roadracing a few years ago as racing modern 750cc was turning very expensive, I put this together to have some fun and make some ahrma dates but I never got to it. Now I am putting together a 1954 Chevy 210 2 door with air ride, 350 sbc, 5 speed trans, and a chopped top so I could really use the money for that.

And now that my hands are cramped from writing all that..............:)




Pic is of bike when it was 95% done, currently has headlight, license plate mount and rear brake light.

Two pictures I have available at work are.
http://www.jdscycle.com/images<WBR>/cb350.jpg (http://www.jdscycle.com/images/cb350.jpg)
http://www.jdscycle.com/images<WBR>/cb350ad.jpg (http://www.jdscycle.com/images/cb350ad.jpg)
The last is a scan of a page in the 2006 Tucker Rocky distributing catalog that features my bike and myself at Pocono FUSA.

Bike also one 3rd place at the PA National hillclimb bike show in the pre '74 class."

[t-bone]

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i126/sportstercafe/Photo21of61.jpg

[fatty]

thes http://www.unityequipe.com/html/home.htmlare into the cafe racers in the uk chek them out :)

[fatty]

DOWNLOAD OUR 50 PAGE CATALOGUE NOW HERE (http://www.unityequipe.com/html/cat.html)!
unity equipe .hi hope the helps sum one out

[Early Iron Motorcycles]

I can only dream of ahving built the K. A british guy built it. Here is his site, though with almost nothing on the bike:

http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/

There was a lengthy post on FHP about it:http://www.flatheadpower.com/BB/viewtopic.php?t=7640

I built the ironhead featherbed, to the point where it ran, and then we went our separate ways. I spent way too long on it for my short attention span. Slimline featherbed frame, '68 XLCH engine with homemade mounts. Marzocchi triple clamps with pretty heavily worked up XS650 forks, and a Suzuki Water Buffalo brake. Wheel rear and swingarm are/were XS650. Tank holds both oil and gas and is from Unity Equipe in the UK - same goes for the seat. I tried a bunch of carbs, and slide-type carbs hit the top right frame rail unless you build a long extension between carb and intake. The belt primary took more of my time than anything else. It sucked. It's designed to be run wet, but I though I was smart enough to run it dry. Maybe others have had better results, but I spent more fucking time trying the seal the tranny trap door, and never got it 100% I have the oil stains on my floor to prove it. I didn't want to use a gasket for fear of messing up end shaft clearances. I tired every type of gasket-in-a-can. I think you would need to machine an o-ring groove in the gasket surfaces, as well as machie the surfaces 100% smooth. Well they're not really gasket surfaces because they were never designed to seal. End solution? Use a primary cover. Oh yeah, anyone who knows something (not me) will tell that exhaust won't work. And they'll be correct. The bike went to go live with an unscrupulous con-man who just so happened to do some nice work with it. He's possibly since sold it to pay someone's salary that will listen to him explain how great he is. This is the best/only photo I have. Sorry.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b75/sjelescheff/Sportonright.jpg Thanks Sporticus

[tonydamnread]

Don't know if this would be Cafe or Bobber, looks like a little bit of both. Badass.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/375002931_214e4134e9.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/65725972@N00/375002931/)

[fenboy]

this is one of my TR1's,in bits in a barn at the mo,but soon to re-appear

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l230/phatphord/bikes/tr1010.jpg

[Neo Dutch]

www.johnmosseyrestorations.com (http://www.johnmosseyrestorations.com)

BRILLIANT !!!!!!!!!!

[Sporticus]

Damn, that's slick. I've only every seen one of those here in the U.S., and it was in a salvage yard with a broken case around he e-start. I love what you did you yours.


this is one of my TR1's,in bits in a barn at the mo,but soon to re-appear

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l230/phatphord/bikes/tr1010.jpg

[fenboy]

Cheers,it was made with parts from autojumble (tank cost £17, seat £3), and breakers (FZR wheels and stuff)
Never did get round to sorting out a decent front guard.
I got this one, and a stocker in a shed waiting for em to get onto them. Ideally it needs a fresh double cradle frame,cos they are SOOO long as stock.
Anyhow,glad you like

[Bones_BIR]

This is mine, 71 Triumph T120RV Cafe Special. a lot of work has gone into the suspension and internals for straight out speed an d handling in the twisties. when it is running right, it will keep up with a lot of the sport bikes out there.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r261/Bones_BIR/DSC01699.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r261/Bones_BIR/Picture027.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r261/Bones_BIR/DSC01759.jpg

[=mike=]

I have been watching this on ebay and thought it was really cool . Since there's no fucking way I can buy a bike now like this , I figured I would go ahead and post it here . This makes me tingly .

[mpls|cafe|racer]

I have been watching this on ebay and thought it was really cool . Since there's no fucking way I can buy a bike now like this , I figured I would go ahead and post it here . This makes me tingly .

Ride one and see how tingly they make you after that...

No offense to the Buell guys... but those bikes are pooches.

The handling is top notch though, I'll give it that!

[TurboRoadster]

A mates Titan 500. Bought as a box of bits in the 90's and finally got it on the road this year. 500cc two stroke paralell twin = balls out fun.

T.I have a 69 one of those :D

[james]

Okay, maybe o/t a little, but has anyone seen a newer sport bike done kinda cafe style? I love riding my beater 95' honda f3, but hate the looks, but hate the whole streetfighter look, too. Anyone have any pics of sportbikes stripped down TASTEFULLY? Here's a pic of what I have (I also have a xs650 chop, so no, I'm not on the wrong site.....) I rattle canned it and played with some fiberglass to make the seat cowl...

[Jakemon]

Okay, maybe o/t a little, but has anyone seen a newer sport bike done kinda cafe style? I love riding my beater 95' honda f3, but hate the looks, but hate the whole streetfighter look, too. Anyone have any pics of sportbikes stripped down TASTEFULLY? Here's a pic of what I have (I also have a xs650 chop, so no, I'm not on the wrong site.....) I rattle canned it and played with some fiberglass to make the seat cowl...

Seems like you just gotta take all the plastic off and see what you have to work with. The radiator will be a bit of a wart but with some imagination, you should be able to come up with something; especially if you can do glass work.
Jakemon

[fenboy]

I also own a 94 triumph speed triple which is about halfway through now. They can give you an idea of what your bike naked could be like. This is when I first got it, apart from the bars (which are now in the bin) its stock.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l230/phatphord/bikes/P8270164.jpg

and my daily GPZ

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l230/phatphord/DSC00447.jpg

Prob more similar to your cbr frame

[Rocks Chops]

and my daily GPZ

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l230/phatphord/DSC00447.jpg

Prob more similar to your cbr frame[/quote]




I like that A LOT. Looks like a blast to ride.

[james]

That GPZ is cool, weird rear brake, though. I'm thinking I might first redo the whole rear, thin it out some, kinda like the new triumph 675. The cowl was my first /only try at glass. I made a frame of 3/8 round rod and covered with a tshirt, glassed, then put some mat inside.

[fenboy]

It is cool to ride pleased you like it,little physically small for me,but it still makes me smile. Plans are to lose some weight and get some more power (either turbo or headwork,cams etc) Back brake is just a drum...
James if you wanna do a cafe style on the cbr, then you could have a crack at glassing a more traditional shape seat unit to the front section of the original CBR seat unit.
So basically mate up the front parts where the seat meets the tank so something like this-
http://motorcyclebodywork.com/vintage/images/seats/c4.jpg
Then pad it and cover the seat pad, and the hump in vinyl/leather whatever, and paint the tank joiners the same colour. Baremeta; or silverflake your tank...

[jw_]

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q311/jwlom/mockup.jpg

[fenboy]

thats some fine cable laying...

[Too Many Projects]

That looks more like a hill climber than a cafe racer to me. Anyway, cafe racer always seemed like the european version of bar hopper. :D


Here's a Buell i ran across while looking for something else. not exactly my thing, but since we're on the subject.

http://thekneeslider.com/images/buellblast.jpg
http://thekneeslider.com/images/buellblast2.jpg

[jw_]

That looks more like a hill climber than a cafe racer to me. Anyway, cafe racer always seemed like the european version of bar hopper. :D

what could look more like a cafe racer than a norton featherbed?

[Dragon]

what could look more like a cafe racer than a norton featherbed?


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e243/DragonworksCSA/57DBD34-1.jpg

.

[Flatironmike]

Ain't never seen anyone shit a frame.

Seen a couple a candy hatchets, but never a frame.

shazam

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q311/jwlom/mockup.jpg

[jw_]

Ain't never seen anyone shit a frame.

Seen a couple a candy hatchets, but never a frame.

shazam

yer a regular commodian

[jw_]

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e243/DragonworksCSA/57DBD34-1.jpg

.

http://www.unityequipe.com/img/gallery/gallery_03/large/triton_bk.jpg

[75gn]

I guess this can sorta fit in (?). I acquired it from a friend of mine, it's up for sale now.....I got it in the classified section....

[Dragon]

www.unityequipe.com/img/gallery/gallery_03/large/triton_bk.jpg
Too clean...

as seen roadside, in Copenhagen


http://pootflame.smugmug.com/photos/107317184-L.jpg

http://pootflame.smugmug.com/photos/107317519-L.jpg

http://pootflame.smugmug.com/photos/107317641-L.jpg

http://pootflame.smugmug.com/photos/107318154-L.jpg

.

[jw_]

that'll work

[ambivolent]

well heres mine its a 86 honda rebel 250, this is just the start, im waiting for a tank when i get that im gonna make my own seat
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/kupik/10-04-07_1953.jpghttp://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/kupik/10-04-07_1954.jpg

[firingorder1]

Heres one I built some years ago. wideline, 500 Manx motor. Great bike to ride.

[orangeamcs]

firingorder thats perfection.

[cntrhub]

1966 BSA A65 MKII Mild Cafe (Sold -no longer in the fold) http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s58/wazfst1tyme/BSAphotos054.jpg

[triton6972]

Here's my 73 Norton.

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/triton6972/IMG_1266.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

[GaryC]

Here's my cafe project. Nothing too crazy. I've got the motor out and I'm rebuilding that. Swingarm bushings have been upgraded (wtf is with the plastic stockers?) and the headset switched over to tapered roller bearings instead of the loose ball setup. I've got a hydraulic steering dampner for it as well I have to figure out how to mount, and mount. The swingarm will be braced as well as the fork running a bolt in brace. When I get around to it I'll be bracing the frame to stiffen it up around the down tubes, lower motor mount and shock pickup points. I have a set of +1" coilovers with resovoirs for it, as well as a Norton tank. I need to get off my arse and rebuild the fork, get the clip-ons on it, then rebuild the set of laced wheels & brakes and turn it into an actual roller, not a stripped down "sorta" roller lacking most of what will give it the cafe feel, but whatever.
http://images21.fotki.com/v760/photos/3/316525/4308072/DSC_0375-vi.jpg

[Dr. Jett]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e352/dean350b/xrcr01.jpg

[RDub]

72 CB450 I've been tinkering with.


http://www.speedzilla.com/forums/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=458&ppuser=5754

[Boylecomm]

PLEASE cut the tail loop off of this bike....



Here's my 73 Norton.

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/triton6972/IMG_1266.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

[Neo Dutch]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e352/dean350b/xrcr01.jpg
The only way to make this bike better is to park it in my shed.

[billyd]

Here's my '78 CB750 cafe from last Fall. I had a new seat made with black Ostrich leather and suede, and finished the body work.
I'm currently in the process of sorting out some crappy electrics.
15947

15948

Here's the CB160 race bike I never got to race. New baby forced sale.
15946

[Moped]

Here's the CB160 race bike I never got to race. New baby forced sale.

http://www.groupwracing.com/race_photos/michaelf.jpg

Flying Circus!

[Creepinogie]

Here's how they build them on the reservation. It's gotta be a cafe with them turn down bars...

[triton6972]

PLEASE cut the tail loop off of this bike....


That was my plan, but I was trying to sell it. But since it didnt sell I plan on shortining the loop closer to the seat.

[StuB]

This was on display at the vintage car races at Coronado. I dig the honey bear reservoir.

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/8315/minicafeek1.jpg

[ssjones]

Snapped the first three at the Butlers Orchard event in MD (this Sunday!). Last one at the Virginia Vintage MC show in Leesburg.
http://inlinethumb61.webshots.com/4796/2729352810062237293S500x500Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2729352810062237293NBFQbY)

http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/3937/2242572990062237293S500x500Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2242572990062237293nvvvWl)

http://inlinethumb37.webshots.com/5284/2032022490062237293S500x500Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2032022490062237293JOSlwL)

http://inlinethumb06.webshots.com/3525/2431020380062237293S500x500Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2431020380062237293zXGNoW)

[XL_Preacher]

Here's my latest.... Maybe not exactly a cafe... more like a bombed out coffee shop.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f260/preacherspulpit/Exhaust/NewExhaust_2.jpg

[ABSINTHE]

I persoanly realy like the look of that single cylynder conversion on the orange buell the whole extended swingarm short seat thing realy makes me tingle

[Stevie G]

Here's my latest.... Maybe not exactly a cafe... more like a bombed out coffee shop.


So, kind of a Mad Max "Cafe of the Apocolypse"?
How does it ride with that huge as front tire?

[JEB]

My 2002 Thruxton in a box:

http://home.roadrunner.com/~bellboy17/thruxton/wrecked.png
+
http://home.roadrunner.com/~bellboy17/thruxton/thruxtam_01.jpg
+
<img src=http://home.roadrunner.com/~bellboy17/thruxton/thruxtam_02.jpg WIDTH=800 HEIGHT=600>
+
<img src=http://home.roadrunner.com/~bellboy17/thruxton/thruxtam_03.jpg WIDTH=800 HEIGHT=600>

[JEB]

+
<img src=http://home.roadrunner.com/~bellboy17/thruxton/spaghetti.jpg WIDTH=800 HEIGHT=600>
+
<img src=http://home.roadrunner.com/~bellboy17/thruxton/thruxtam_08.jpg WIDTH=800 HEIGHT=600>

=

http://home.roadrunner.com/~bellboy17/thruxton/thruxf_front.jpg

http://home.roadrunner.com/~bellboy17/thruxton/thrux_work01.jpg

[JEB]

71 T120 I'm working on:
http://home.roadrunner.com/~bellboy17/71_cafe/71_triumph_03.jpg

http://home.roadrunner.com/~bellboy17/71_cafe/gringomoto_2.jpg

http://home.roadrunner.com/~bellboy17/71_cafe/gringomoto_4.jpg

[XL_Preacher]

So, kind of a Mad Max "Cafe of the Apocolypse"?
How does it ride with that huge as front tire?

Around here, with the shitty roads, it does pretty well. If I had to choose tires again, I would go with a different one. I love the look of these but the sqaured off tread makes it dive into corners if you get over too far.

[bigassbike]

bitchin bike XL Preacher.

[XL_Preacher]

Thanks! I am having fun with it.

[ABSINTHE]

here is two from australia not mine but nice never the less

[2_wheel_nation]

yeah preach, that scoot is MEAN.

[locOleoN]

Hey Gent,

I saw some questions about seats, etc.. and so I thought you guys might be interested in this post about cafe racer seats:

http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=7.0
or this:
http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=736.0

Cheers..

[Hoofhearted]

Or you could try www.cafeparts.com (http://www.cafeparts.com) Brett has a large selection of 'glass goodies.

[aj650]

neat, another zombie thread (back from the dead)

[Les]

Hey Primo what do you ride?

[sweatmachine]

welcome carpy, you do nice work!

[caferacer]

Thanks Gang, I Grew up with bikes in the UK so just a part of me, Hot Rods too.

Peace and Grease
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/caferacer/cb750-27.jpg

CARPY

[Sporticus]

Are you familiar with the Honda GB500 (factory built cafe bike)?

C

Check out this article about hopping up a GB500. Good stuff!

http://www.thumperpage.com/articles/rzgb500.html

http://www.thumperpage.com/articles/pix/rzgb2.jpg

[sweatmachine]

Hey Carpy, I see a new Thruxton in there, how do you like it?

Here's my bonnie:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j158/sweatmachine/bonnieatgregs004.jpg?t=1182521341

I just rebuilt the motor, 904cc wiseco kit, +2mm intake valves, +1mm exhaust valves, everything ported and polished, etc. Stock carbs for now, but I'm getting some big mikuni flatslides soon...

Also, if you want to check out a forum mostly dedicated to cafe'd new bonnies and thruxies, check this out:

http://www.triumphrat.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Forum&file=viewforum&forum=41

[fenboy]

500 looks nice mate, i'm not so hot on the fake front plate, but then we have the forward facing speed cameras over here...
Nearly bought a 400/4 cafe racer but it rained n the ride and it turned into a 200/2. Take it easy.

[matte resist]

What about a cafe moped? Thing was ugly as sin before, so i gave it a bit of a makeover.

http://w2.bikepics.com/pics/2007/07/17/bikepics-965661-full.jpg

[missinglink]

I prefer the before picture , much more practical:D

[big steve-o]

That moped is either the coolest gay thing or the gayest cool thing I've seen in a long time. Either way, that's a compliment. I'm sure it has countless motorists looking at it and saying "what the fuck is that?"

[matte resist]

That moped is either the coolest gay thing or the gayest cool thing I've seen in a long time. Either way, that's a compliment. I'm sure it has countless motorists looking at it and saying "what the fuck is that?"


Thanks.. i think. I took my boy for a ride on it, and now i think i'm gonna have to build him something (he's 7)

[big steve-o]

I dig that. If people weren't doing wierd shit with wierd shit, where would innovation come from?

[ratrod1]

http://omarsdtr.com/cafe3.html heres a cool site
http://www.hotwingglass.com/

[Primo]

Hey Primo what do you ride?


Heh I forgot about this thread.

ATM a 07 Bonneville Black
At the time of this post I was building a Cafe honda 350 for my wife
Now I'm building a cafe Suzuki GS250t

Primo

[Conder]

If I ever find a single cylinder engine I like, I'm building this. I heard you can get a re-pop Manx 500 single complete from somebody in England. I've asked about this before, anybody know about it?

Apologies to Jaime Hewlett, Tank girl was into scooters but...

[northend]

This is my modern cafe. My V-11 Le Mans. Not as cool as the hand builds but it is different and you don't see too many of them.http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb77/northend_photos/ScannedImage005_005.jpg