Topic: Alternative goes mainstream

[Killer Canary]

I'm amazed that so many people want to build cafes now, especially beginners. Does anyone know the roots of this, TV shows or whatever? My TV pulls in 2 channels so I have no idea. If this is the case, I sincerely hope  that it doesn't reach the wretched excess and shallowness of all the custom chopper baloney.

[K5 Keith]

I rode my dads Honda Magna for 10 years because he just no longer used it... when he decided to sell it last summer I had to find another bike. I wanted to avoid the payments that come with a new bike (would have been a Truxton) so I started to look at older used bikes. Had to be something I considered cool and reflected my style. In searching online I came across Honda cb750s which lead to Carpy's website. His cafe builds were my first exposure to cafe racers... within weeks I also learned there is a show airing called cafe racer tv. I became slightly obsessed with the style and history of cafe racers that in August 2011 I bought my own CB750K5 with intentions to build one. I really like cafe racers and may still build one someday but I've since come to appreciate my bike just the way it is!

[ThomasD883]

Im pretty curious of this myself as i just bought the cheapest running bike i could find on CL

[Duke McDukiedook]

I don't think so because cafe chops are about throwing most of the stuff on the bike out the window and stripping it down to the bare bones so you can be a Ricky Racer. It is the anti-chopper approach. It is also cheap and a good reason why hipsters will attempt to totally ruin it for everyone like fixie bicycles.

[Killer Canary]

I built my cafes years ago and they still get thousands of miles each season(70 mile daily commute rain or shine) but if I buy a bike that has enough left to it to be restored to stock, that's always my first choice. These things were gorgeous rolled right out of the plant.

[LesterPiglet]

Does anyone know where to find this Cafe Racer show online?

[Motoguy23]

Well mine started as a summer project.  I just needed something to keep me busy and out of jail.  I bought a honda and started looking for parts and what other people have done with theirs and I just went from there. 

I didn't hear or see anything before restoring my bike but in the new TRON movie there is a new and old Ducati in it that look pretty nice and could have gotten people's attention.

[Vreihenmotor6]

It is also cheap and a good reason why hipsters will attempt to totally ruin it for everyone like fixie bicycles.

its true, I'm on my first bike/ first build and if I had gone cafe, I might have been done by now, and would have spent less money than trying to do a factory restoration

[brickman]

Does anyone know where to find this Cafe Racer show online?

http://www.caferacertv.com/

[Xnavylfr]

The CAFE craze started in England in the late 50s and early 60s. Then it was mostly just a TERM to describe their bikes because the blokes would RACE from CAFE to CAFE (usually with a long URBAN racetrack between them) Then as time and machines progressed, the blokes found out they if they had a small fairing and laydown style riding it was more aerodynamic which equaled go faster. They also cut anything off that was not needed because it caused  parasitic drag, thus chop.

Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

[LesterPiglet]

Does anyone know where to find this Cafe Racer show online?

http://www.caferacertv.com/

From what I watched I'll give it a miss.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Yeah, the show could use a serious workover.

[BeSeeingYou]

Hard to think of something as "alternative" when it has been around since Elvis and the Beatles.