Had to scroll a long way down the page to find this. Note that it doesn't have fat tyres, a brown seat, or pipe wrap. It does have mudguards and alloy rims.
Now Grasshopper, *that* is a cafe racer. A triton no less and a thing of beauty.
Geriatric hoon
Had to scroll a long way down the page to find this. Note that it doesn't have fat tyres, a brown seat, or pipe wrap. It does have mudguards and alloy rims.
Now Grasshopper, *that* is a cafe racer. A triton no less and a thing of beauty.
There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one. - Joey Dunlop
Bored Room
As Cafe Racers in the 60's were just hacked up old bike bikes I can't imagine they were all as nice a Dresda Triton.Originally Posted by pritch
Where are all the Norumphs, Matchfields, and Tribeams now I ask?
DeMyer's Laws - an argument that consists primarily of rambling quotes isn't worth bothering with.
Forum whore
You are showing your age now. The term has become generic to the style. Some very beautiful Honda old CB750 based cafe racers have been produced recently.
Low personal B.M.E.P.
Gone to rust....As Cafe Racers in the 60's were just hacked up old bike bikes I can't imagine they were all as nice a Dresda Triton.
Where are all the Norumphs, Matchfields, and Tribeams now I ask?
IMO, the OP is building the modern equivalent of a cafe'd C11G BSA.....
Weekend cruiser
If you don't think this is cafe racer wait till you see what I'm gonna do to my CX500.
I disagree that it has to be exactly XYZ bike and style. As Allan already said, it's representative of a certain style and there have been many modern takes on it.
Side note, it'll have mudguards. A front one at least. Maybe rear.
Hardcore Biker
No wonder people don't do build threads. People seem to criticize more then give helpful information and point him in the "right" direction, remember some of us havnt spent a lifetime building\racing bikes and sometimes just need some Helpful advice. We all have to start somewhere. I personally like the racing stripe, off centre like a s4 Monster
Forum whore
I know a few people that criticise openly virtually any motorcycle that they don't currently have in their garage, which often include some fairly noble motorcycles.
I consider these people to be posers & to be using motorcycles as some kind of penis replacement.
A true motorcyclist at heart can see virtue & fun in almost anything with near enough to two wheels.
I'd personally put Drew at the top of that list.
Just chugging along...
You say you'll have a small rear cowl, also side covers? If you went with the style on the Honda - white stripe across the tank through the fuel filler and down to flow onto the side cover and then onto the rear cowl, however tapper the stripe like a pennant flag... or some variation on that... Cheers.
Geriatric hoon
Possibly. I'd argue that the term has become generic to a lack of style. A good Norvin or Triton was better than either of the donor bikes. The idea was to make the bike faster, or for the less technically gifted, at least to make it look faster.
The recent abominations make no attempt to improve anything. They just remove stuff, some of which is useful. In this country a bike without mudguards is not going to be ridden much. Fat tyres are added which almost certainly mean the bike doesn't handle as well as it did originally. Add exhaust tape and a brown seat and you've got another candidate for the optimistic sellers thread.
It's probably the nomenclature that pisses me off most. If they called them hipster racers I wouldn't give a shit, but for me cafe racers they ain't.
By now I hope you realise my objection is not to Japanese machinery, a good looking bike can come from anywhere..
There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one. - Joey Dunlop
Forum whore
I see your point.
And I really like the label 'Hipster Racer'
Hardcore Biker
Something-something-brown seat, something-something-exhaust wrap, something-something-beard oil..
In all seriousness, it's your bike.. Do what you like, so long as it makes you happy. You'll cop flak from anyone/everyone as Sidecar Bob said..:
I own an old Ducati that rattles and a dumb, modified scooter.. People hate them, I love them because they make me smile and I will modify (or not) as I see fit. Fuck other peoples' opinions
I hear your point, and the suggestion of "Hipster Racer" might be a bit more accurate. Valid and fine. It's like when people refer to a brand new band as "Classic Rock/Metal". They might sound similar, they might sound bloody awesome, but they aren't classic, you know? Classic Cafe Racers are just that, I view the current barrage of taped headlight, brown seat silly things as well intended homages to that age..
Except for all the CX500's.. They can fuck off.
Learning
+1 to the new term Hipster Racer... yes this should happen. Optimistic Sellers first and see if it catches on in wider usage?
Cafe Racers: I actually really like the style but as Pritch says, it's become badly diluted... the whole idea was to make the bike go better, on short, intense, informal (yeah ok illegal) street circuits. The style comes from that requirement. It wasn't about posing, there was a genuine reason for the bikes to be modified.
OP: I quite like the very first bike shown, nice clean and simple. Good on you for doing a build and having the guts to post about it. I guess the hostility comes from seeing too many previously good bikes reduced to crap projects and then dumped on TM? I know there's a 900SS on there right now which has been ahem "cafe'd" and it makes me wince every time I see it.
Forum whore
This is the only post I have read in this thread, very well put if I may say. The CX bit is a bit harsh.
Sidecar Bob nailed it, too. If it does what you want and puts a smile on your dial then that entitles you tell everyone else to get fucked.
I learned that when a mate bought an MZ for Scottish winters. The sniggers turned to amazement when he put skis on the engine bars. Best winter commuter ever.
Manopausal.
Hardcore Biker
Eh, my folks have been through two or three CX500's over the years. Each to their own, but they just don't butter my egg roll.
Forum whore
You know what I really like about the CX Hondas (400/500/650).
They were produced at a time when Honda had some balls and was experimenting and doing exciting stuff.
Now they do what? Mainstream safe shit.
Fuck that, Euro arse-hole politicians want to kill the internal combustion engine - now is the time to show the world truly exciting engines - fark the car world is aware of this and presently producing what may soon be the last crop of petrol powered supercars.
I want to see triples, fives, sixes, turbos, superchargers - shit that gives me wood standing outside the shop window at 11pm after a few IPA's and a curry. Stuff that makes me consider 'borrowing' from the kids education accounts ........
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks