Topic: What ever happened to Benjie's Cafe?

[FunJimmy]

It wasn't that long ago that every other Cafe Racer project had Benjie tanks and parts.
Did something all of a sudden change, or has that fad finally passed?

[Retro Rocket]

Probably most people worked out that the tanks and tail pieces were full of bondo and not that well made....

[HondaMan]

I did 2 CB750 cafe' bikes here for local riders who bought the Benjie seat-tank combo, and one bought a fender as well. Not a single piece fit, nor worked as intended. At least one of the bikes cost the owner more for my time (at $10/hr) to modify the Benjie parts to fit without breaking themselves than it cost him for me to rebuild his engine to 836cc, complete with valve job. I spent all of July and 3 weeks of August last year, trying to find ways to make the Benjie seat/tank combo fit on that 750K5. In the end, I installed a gel-cell maintenance-free battery, because it takes 30 minutes to remove the seat to reach it: such is the design and quality of those parts.

Since then, I have turned down 3 more full cafe' builds where I was asked to do  Benjie "kits". Honestly, I can't spare the time. 

[Dimitri13]

I always thought the seat and tank, especially the tank, was really ugly.

[goldarrow]

I always thought the seat and tank, especially the tank, was really ugly.

On the contrary, I thought they look neat but would never spend money on those pricey kits.  Did they use sheet metal or fiberglass?

[Retro Rocket]

I always thought the seat and tank, especially the tank, was really ugly.

.  Did they use sheet metal or fiberglass?

Both, with tons of bondo....

[Dimitri13]

I always thought the seat and tank, especially the tank, was really ugly.

On the contrary, I thought they look neat but would never spend money on those pricey kits.  Did they use sheet metal or fiberglass?

The shape of the tank wasn't bad, but the "knee dents" were absolutely hideous. Especially the "bar dents" in the front.

[scunny]

sadly I think(bugger I've done it again) he fell victim to quantity over quality.
who wants something everyone else has anyway.
still have the photo stolen from his website of the lovely 350 twin in my garage.

[bjbuchanan]

Quality fell off big time as hype increased and they became bondo jobs that everybody had to rework to even press in to service

[Toxic]

a victim of their own success, they were great, demand soared, quality fell as they scrambled to meet the demand.

Sad story actually

[Retro Rocket]

a victim of their own success, they were great, demand soared, quality fell as they scrambled to meet the demand.

Sad story actually

I don't think its sad at all, instead of using local talent and making a quality product, he out sourced the work to the Philippines for maximum profit by using 3rd world labor and still charged stupid prices, as far as i am concerned he is a victim of his own device....

have a read...

http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=23616.0