Quote:
On 2005-12-22 01:29, fivehundo wrote:
I wanted to pick some of the cafe racer brains out there because (I have to admit) I'm a little ignorant to this "genre" of bikes.
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Great discussion, and probably somewhat debateable. Cafe racers have been around since the 50's, and grew most popular in the 60's. The style is based on taking "standard" bikes of the era, and cosmetically turning them into racer replicas. Most cafe racers are built, not bought. Before the Thruxton and the new Ducati Retro Sports, this was pretty much the only way to get one... with a few notable exceptions, like the Honda GB500.
Since the origins of the breed come from the U.K., some of the most classic styles are of British origin - Triumphs, Nortons, Tritons, BSA, etc. That being said, in this day and age, most any "standard" bike can be converted into a cafe racer. The look is all based on personal style and preference. Most consistent modifications include:
1. Clip on style handlebars or clubman bars
2. Bobbed front and rear fenders
3. Rear set foot controls
4. Racer type solo seat w/ rear cowl
5. Lots of custom creation!
In the $2k - $3k range, your friend will probably have to build their cafe. I would recommend a model with good reliability and parts availability. The trick is to get a bike that is going to be dependable, easy to modify, and have good handling characteristics.
Ones that come to mind are the Yamaha XS650, Yamaha SR500, Honda CB350 and 450, etc. I would not recommend the old Kaws, they were prone to frame twistiness and dangerous. I know a few people with RD cafes. They are pretty cool (for two strokes). I'm building a cafe racer our of a Bridgestone 350GTR two stroke. You might even be able to pick up a crashed new Bonnie from a salvage yard and make a good project from it in that range.
Places to check out for ideas:
caferace.com
Omars (He has a Water Buffalo cafe bike for sale right now in the range your friend is considering)
Bellacorse
Good luck!
