Topic: Rules of the Cafe' Racer

[nokrome]

Rule #1 seems to make all the other rules null and void 
  Seems to me that rule #1 is the "golden rule"
   Why do you guys care so much what other people are doing with their bikes? Is somebody forcing you to ride them or even look at them? If it makes some kid happy to throw on some clubmans and drench his $500 35 year old bike in flat black rattle can; so what?
  Can you explain how this really effects you or are you just being internet elitists?

[Retro Rocket]

Don't get all touchy feely Nokrome,  At least half the cafe's i see are piles of sh1t, thats my opinion an I'm entitled to it....
I don't care if that makes you feel better....

[andy750]

11. Don't make rules.

+1

It's easy to take shots at the so called Cafe Racers of the world and for he most part it's brought on by the crap they call "Cafe", but trying to corral them into a specific design template quells creativity. IMO, that type of thinking is akin to the Harley crowd and not desirable on this forum.

You should add a universal rule  (not directed at anyone specific) - Don't be a cheap insulting member of the motorcycling community.

+2

[Magilla]

NoKrome, this is not a anti Cafe' bike post.  It's just some tongue and cheek rules.  As I've said in the past I like Cafe' bikes I just don't consider it a Cafe' bike if all you did was remove the seat or change the bars.

I don't even care about the $h!ty cafe bikes that look like they were pulled from the bone yard.  If that's what you have and it makes you happy then that is awesome for you but should you enter it into a bike show?  I don't think so.  I have a 70 Norton and its a very nice bike.  standing alone its beautiful.  When I take it to a British bike show I don't enter it because the quality of the bikes there are far beyond mine.  Its not a knock against mine its me understanding reality.

Also there was a comment about being cheap.  Cafe' or customs done have to be about spending tens of thousands of dollars.  They should be about creating what you want out of what you have.  With that said you should strive for quality and not settle for a duct tape/roller brush bike.  If all you can afford is a rattle can paint job, that's cool but take your time and make it as nice as it can be.  No need to rush and be sloppy.

[toytuff]

Don't get all touchy feely Nokrome,  At least half the cafe's i see are piles of sh1t, thats my opinion an I'm entitled to it....
I don't care if that makes you feel better....

+3

tt

[754]

Half of all custom or mdded bikes look like #$%*e..

Cant help but feel some ride a ratty bike, because ;
 They would rather just ride..
 They had a #$%*in bike, but some asshat decided he should steal it..
 They had a nce ride , but threw most of it away in a corner..

[Magilla]

Now this is how you do a Cafe' racer.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Norton-Commando-Roadster-1972-Norton-Commando-Custom-Cafe-Racer-Complete-Restoration-/221267425392?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item338490f870&vxp=mtr

[kghost]

 They had a nce ride , but threw most of it away in a corner..

Might be the bars, bad suspension and crap tires from Gordons post.

[70CB750]

Half of all custom or mdded bikes look like #$%*e..

Cant help but feel some ride a ratty bike, because ;
 They would rather just ride..

I take no offense, Frank, bring it on 

[nokrome]

Now this is how you do a Cafe' racer.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Norton-Commando-Roadster-1972-Norton-Commando-Custom-Cafe-Racer-Complete-Restoration-/221267425392?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item338490f870&vxp=mtr

Nice bike but it has header wrap, surely somebody has something to say about that 

[goldarrow]

Rule #11.  Do not whine about how comfy they are when riding long distances

[LesterPiglet]

I don't like it. Front end just looks wrong.

[Stev-o]

Now this is how you do a Cafe' racer.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Norton-Commando-Roadster-1972-Norton-Commando-Custom-Cafe-Racer-Complete-Restoration-/221267425392?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item338490f870&vxp=mtr

Nice bike but it has header wrap, surely somebody has something to say about that 

I hate header wrap. Especially since it is mostly used over an old, rusty exhaust. 
Nothing beats a nice stainless exhaust.

[kghost]

Now this is how you do a Cafe' racer.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Norton-Commando-Roadster-1972-Norton-Commando-Custom-Cafe-Racer-Complete-Restoration-/221267425392?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item338490f870&vxp=mtr

Nice bike but it has header wrap, surely somebody has something to say about that 

I hate header wrap. Especially since it is mostly used over an old, rusty exhaust. 
Nothing beats a nice stainless exhaust.

Yeah...titanium

[Terry in Australia]

"Modern" Cafe Racers are a fashion that was revived by Carpy many years ago. Carpy bought lots of neglected CB750's at yard sales for cheap, threw on some horrible Clubman bars, did a quicky paint job, threw on some checkers, and sold them on eBay for way more than they were worth.

I built my Cafe Racer from bits and peices that I had lying around my garage, it was never a nice clean complete bike, just a collection of parts that I'd picked up on eBay, at swap meets etc. As I'll eventually tire of the Cafe Racer fashion, I made sure that I didn't chop off any tabs, or install a hoop, or anything that will prevent me from restoring this bike back to original, if I decide to do so.

While it looks nice and I get lots of positive comments when I take it out on the road, it is the most uncomfortable bike I've ever owned, well, maybe second only to my old Ducati 900SS. I'm about to do an engine rebuild, then it'll be good for some Cafe Posing when the weather warms up again. Cheers, Terry.

[Magilla]

Very nice looking.  I love the old school paint.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Magilla, my youngest son painted it for me, it was his first ever paint job, and probably better than any I've done.

[Magilla]

Terry,

Please post some close up pics of the paint and dont forget to include the side covers.

[Stev-o]

"Modern" Cafe Racers are a fashion that was revived by Carpy many years ago. Carpy bought lots of neglected CB750's at yard sales for cheap, threw on some horrible Clubman bars, did a quicky paint job, threw on some checkers, and sold them on eBay for way more than they were worth.

I built my Cafe Racer from bits and peices that I had lying around my garage, it was never a nice clean complete bike, just a collection of parts that I'd picked up on eBay, at swap meets etc. As I'll eventually tire of the Cafe Racer fashion, I made sure that I didn't chop off any tabs, or install a hoop, or anything that will prevent me from restoring this bike back to original, if I decide to do so.

While it looks nice and I get lots of positive comments when I take it out on the road, it is the most uncomfortable bike I've ever owned, well, maybe second only to my old Ducati 900SS. I'm about to do an engine rebuild, then it'll be good for some Cafe Posing when the weather warms up again. Cheers, Terry.

So, you're a poser?!

[mono]

i think we need to break this down for you using SCIENCE, Magilla:

CAFE RACER HP CALCULATOR:

+1 per turn signal removed
+1 for putting a black X of electrical tape over your headlight
+10 for installing PODS
+5 for saying it's rejetted
+3 per fender removed
+1 for ditching the side covers
+2 for gutting the triangle
+1 for running on a flashlight battery
+5 for a poorly upholstered flat seat
+4 for chopping off the frame behind the rear shock mounts
+2 more if you actually weld in a hoop
+.5 for every ace painted or stickered onto the bike
+.01 for every hole drilled in your brake rotors, sprocket cover, or rear drum brake cover

knee dents, clubmans, fairings, pipe wrap, rearsets, and custom seats all increase top speed, variable by color.

[Terry in Australia]

So, you're a poser?!

Hell yeah, what do you think the whole Cafe Racer thing is about Steve? If it was about real speed and power, we'd all be riding modern bikes, not our wheezing old dinosaurs! Geez, my 15 year old Hyundai has more power and better fuel economy than my CB750!

[Stev-o]

So, you're a poser?!

Hell yeah, what do you think the whole Cafe Racer thing is about Steve? If it was about real speed and power, we'd all be riding modern bikes, not our wheezing old dinosaurs! Geez, my 15 year old Hyundai has more power and better fuel economy than my CB750!

Well, if you put that way, ok, m a poser too.

[Terry in Australia]

So, you're a poser?!

Hell yeah, what do you think the whole Cafe Racer thing is about Steve? If it was about real speed and power, we'd all be riding modern bikes, not our wheezing old dinosaurs! Geez, my 15 year old Hyundai has more power and better fuel economy than my CB750!
[/quote]

Well, if you put that way, ok, m a poser too.
[/quote]

Well you're from Texas mate, so I just naturally assumed that you were anyway?

[Stev-o]

So, you're a poser?!

Hell yeah, what do you think the whole Cafe Racer thing is about Steve? If it was about real speed and power, we'd all be riding modern bikes, not our wheezing old dinosaurs! Geez, my 15 year old Hyundai has more power and better fuel economy than my CB750!

Well, if you put that way, ok, m a poser too.
[/quote]

Well you're from Texas mate, so I just naturally assumed that you were anyway?
[/quote]

Ha ha, yeah, all Texans are posers.  Funny.....

[malcolmgb]

This was my 'Cafe Racer' in the 60's, back then it was just 'My Bike'

This is what I bought originally

This is what I turned it into



The original post made me laugh out loud, it is just how I think, but has been said before, each to there own,
I can always ignore what I dislike.