Return of the Cafe Racers

Dirt on the lens - Iron & Resin Spring

2012-01-31T13:56:00.000+08:00

More eye candy from Iron & Resin crew in California. What better way to showcase your latest range of clothing than by getting sideways on some dirt. Check out the vid after the jump...

www.ironandresin.com

Honda CBX400F by 09RACING

2012-01-30T04:56:00.000+08:00

This custom Honda CBX400F race bike from 09RACING Japan is a far cry from how Honda released it. What was once a fairly sedate commuter is now a fully blown track racer with serious attitude on tap.

Original and not all that exciting

Even though the CBX400F was only produced between 1981 and 1983 it reached cult status in Japan. It's 399cc, air-cooled, 4 stroke, 4 cylinder, DOHC engine produced 48bhp but it was the Hondas handling that made it so popular. With a solid, well balanced chassis as a starting point 09RACING set out kick their CBX400Fs performance up a couple of notches and to give it a much needed facelift.

The Zero-2 CBX400F underwent a full rebuild to get it to track spec. Performance has been improved with a Brembo brake upgrade, new racing wheels, FCR flat side carbs, an Ohlins mono shock and full stainless exhaust. The custom fairings and completely rebuilt tail section completely change the look of the Honda. The only bodywork that could be recognised as original is the fuel tank although it's also undergone some serious customisation.

It's not the typical Cafe Racer or street bike we usually feature but we couldn't let this one go by without sharing it.

www.09racing.com

Bruce Walker and VVMC on Cafe Racer TV

2012-01-28T11:06:00.000+08:00

This great video featuring musician/songwriter/producer Butch Walker was pulled together by Mann-made Pictures for Cafe Racer TV. Butch talks about his life as a musician and his passion for his Cafe Racer. As a member of the VVMC (Venice Vintage Motorcycle Club) Butch can take a break from his everyday career and unwind out on the road or in the pub talking bikes with the other club members. His words about the VVMC and what it means to him as a member are an honest, unbiased insight in to the importance that clubs can play in their members lives.

www.caferacertv.com

Cafe Racer Girls 027

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000+08:00

Gummikuh BMW Cafe Racers

2012-01-26T08:35:00.000+08:00

GUMMIKUH , in the jargon of German motorcyclists, means Beemer. Literally translated, it means: “Rubber Cow”.

A German motorcycle journalist gave BMW's this nickname, because of the set up of the rear shocks. He used the term because it reminded him of a cow standing up, rear end first. It is the nickname given to R series BMW motorcycles built between 1955 to 1990.

Triumph Thruxton Doomrider Cafe Racer

2012-01-25T08:30:00.000+08:00

Not only do the Tarantulas have the coolest branding in the custom motorcycle building world, they can also build a pretty mean looking bike in an insanely short period of time. This is their latest build called "Doomrider" and it's based on a 2007 Triumph Thruxton.

The Thruxton was transformed in only a couple of weeks is what was primarily an aesthetic makeover. The list of modifications includes a set of Avon Roadriders, removal of the rear fender, custom plate for under the seat, new turn signals, new brake light and D9 gauge bracket with mini speedo.

The wheels, fork tubes, top tree, clip-ons, headlight bucket and signal housings were all powder coated in "end of the world" black. Then to conceal as much of the bike bling as possible fork gators were added and the pipes were covered in black exhaust wrap.

Black is the new black.

thetarantulas.net

PunkD Honda CB750 custom

2012-01-24T20:04:00.000+08:00

In the custom motorcycle scene it's not uncommon to see crossovers from skaters to bike builders but how about from Punk rocker? Through his teenage years Marco Luk enjoyed skating and rocking out to his favorite punk groups. Bands like the Clash, The Exploding Hearts and Minor Threat were all favorites of the Canadian born fabricator who at 22yrs of age decided it was time to upgrade from his skateboard to a motorcycle.

With no prior knowledge of custom motorcycle building or even motorcycle riding Marco turned to a cousin for advice who sent him out in search of a Honda CB or CX to use as a base. With his heart set on a 1977 production model which to him represented the year that punk movie reached its peak. After losing out on a deal to buy a CB550 Marc found a 1977 Honda CB750F2...a mere 5 hours away.

After the epic journey getting the Honda home Marc proceeded to learn everything he could about the bike using Google and motorcycle forums. With the internet at his side Marco started by installing new parts where needed and tuning the bike. A new chain, sprockets, and fork seals where installed and the carbs received an overhaul all while he also completed a rider training course so he could start testing the CB out on the street. Now that everything was performing how it should the custom work began.

During his time researching Honda CB750s Marco stumbled across builders like Brat style and Gravel Crew in Japan and the European Wrenchmonkees. Inspired by their builds he fitted clip on bars and cut excess tabs off the frame and started on getting the stance of the bike right. He fit shorter 11-inch shocks on the rear, cut the rear look to accommodate the tyre and added CB550 fork with the cut down CB750 springs. As if that wasn't a big enough task to undertake for a first time builder he also extended the rear swingarm by 4.5 inches with a friend and built a whole new wiring harness after a quick lesson on wiring from another mate.

After all of the technical mods were done all that was left was getting the bike looking right (punk). Hockey tape was wrapped around the grips and around the top of the forks to match the graphite exhaust wrap encasing each of the four header pipes. A 60s Honda Superhawk tank with a widened tunnel replaced the original CB750 unit and a new seat pan cut from 18 gauge steel, was covered in foam and upholstered using an old pair of black Levis by his Mum.

Finally came the wheels. Marco had to find a way to cover up the ugly rims with bent spokes. Funds weren't available to replace them and they already had the Firestones fitted so he came up with a solution that had his friends saying he was crazy, Pizza pans. That's a first for us, kudos to you Marco, we're impressed.

Monday Motorcycle Blues

2012-01-23T10:51:00.001+08:00

It's Monday and the motorbikes parked out the front feeling neglected. All I want to do is ride.

Cafe Racer TV Virago Cafe Racer

2012-01-22T16:06:00.000+08:00

Here's a great segment from the cutting room floor of Cafe Racer TV. In this online episode they reveal the background work that goes in to each road test performed on the show. The Cafe Racer in tested here was the hugely popular golden Yamaha Virago Cafe Racer built by Doc Chops. It's a great insight and in many ways a valuable lesson in to the precautions and the checks that every rider should take when building and riding a custom motorcycle. All up the Yamaha passed the preliminary tests with flying colours which is a testament to the work of Greg Hagemen and his Doc Chops workshop. Check out the video below.

Barbour International Black Streak

2012-01-21T11:00:00.000+08:00

"Captured on film in the new Spring Summer 2012, Barbour International Black Streak menswear - a brilliant slice of heritage refined for the 21st century."

barbourbymail.co.uk

Bonneville Salt Flats Cushman Eagle

2012-01-20T14:06:00.000+08:00

If you were lucky enough to make it along to the 2011 Bonneville Speed Week trails you may have spotted this sexy little bike and probably said to yourself, "what the hell is that?". What you see here is actually a customised 1952 Cushman Eagle belonging to first time Bonneville competitor, David Harto.

The Cushman Eagle was produced by Cushman Scooters between 1936 and 1965 and was their most popular model of scooter. It was a "penny a mile" scooter (75 miles per gallon) producing around 9bhp from its 318cc flat head single motor which topped out at around 50mph. Obviously in standard guise this machine was no record setting, salt flats racer so David had a lot of work to do.

Useless fact: During World War 2 Cushman was the only manufacturer permitted to continue sell motorised vehicles to civilians due to the fact that their scooters were considered to be "energy savers".

The engine capacity of the Eagle placed it in the 250cc class so David set his sights on breaking the 73mph record. Work on the Eagles motor included a custom cam, porting and polishing and an overbore which produced a dyno result of 93mph. The 1st Bonneville run was marred by an early stall but that didn't put David off, he simply kicked the bike alive again in the middle of the course and completed his run. Pass 2 was marred by issues with jetting, ignition and timing so he never got the bike out of first resulting in a 42mph run. His third run however was a good one but disappointingly we couldn't dig up a final result.

Aside from Davids efforts at Bonneville what we love the most about this bike are the cosmetic changes. The front end of the Eagle has a custom built girder suspension to keep it true on the salt, new larger wheels with drum brakes were fitted and a new tail section was fabricated in raw steel. Infact most of the bike remains raw steel which must have taken a beating out on the salt. What we love most about the bike though is its tank, it's original and comes complete with 50+ years of wear and tear. Very cool indeed.

Jonathan Glover Photography

Cafe Racer Girls 026

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000+08:00

Big Chill Triumph Bonneville Cafe Racer

2012-01-19T15:43:00.000+08:00

Built by Mean Machines in Sydney this 2008 Triumph Bonneville Cafe Racer named "Big Chill" is currently for sale. With a huge, sticky 180 tyre on the rear Mean Machines states that "this thing is a beast around corners and it is not for the faint hearted!". Check out the video after the jump to see Big Chill in action.

The Bonneville features Mean Machines own custom tail section that mimics the shape of the Bonnevilles tank perfectly. The Cafe Racer inspired 59 and the checker decals running up it's spine are a great salute to the style that inspired this bikes build and are also an in house creation.

Other Mean Machine parts on the bike that can be purchased through their website include the chain guard and those awesome sounding twin exhausts tucked away under the Bonnies belly. Who wants a test ride?

Parts list:

A one off rim on the rear to accommodate the 180 size tires
Custom uprated shocks, short brake/clutch levers
Custom cnc top bridge
One inch clipons
Custom foot pegs
Baby blue paint
Custom fiberglass front fender
Bates head light
Posh blinkers
Mini speedo
One off fibreglass seat
One off exhaust system
Custom battery
Whole bike rewiring
Air breather/filter dyno tuned and calibrated
We have even changed the choke lever!

www.sydneycaferacers.com

meanmachines.com.au

Girl with the dragon tattoo motorcycle photos

2012-01-17T08:05:00.001+08:00

The recent release of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has generated lot of hype around the Cafe Racer / Scrambler styled Honda CL350 motorcycle that Rooney Mara rides in the film. The motorcycle seen in the film was actually one of three identical bikes built by Glory Motor Works. Due to the interest we've been seeing in our previous post we thought we'd share some more photos of the bikes to satisfy everyones interest.

These shots are a collection of screen caps from the movie and a series shot by photographer Coop666.

Whirling Golden Triumph Bonneville

2012-01-16T19:01:00.001+08:00

Experiments go one of two ways, success or failure and in this case I'm happy to say it's a complete success. This custom 2009 Triumph Bonneville T100 named "The Whirling Golden" is the work of photographer/designer Barrett Huang and Taipei custom motorcycle builders Sherman Ma (Da Zhong Motor) and Iron Lai (Motor Shows). The Triumph took three months to complete and is currently causing quite a stir online...

...and rightly so. The Bonneville has an extensive list of modifications that cover every aspect of its construction. The 865cc parallel twin now breathes much easier thanks to the removal of the air box and the fitment of a pair of K&N hi-flowing pod filters. Then an all black D&D 2 in to 1 exhaust system frees up the opposite end of the combustion process while a reprogrammed ECU ensures mixtures are right and horsepower is maximised.

While the Bonnie was stripped its frame was trimmed of any unwanted tabs and resprayed. The transmission covers, side covers and the cut down front and rear fenders were all powder coated black. A new lower profile seat was custom made along with a fork brace to stiffen up the front end. Other improvements to the Triumphs handling were achieved with the addition of an 18' Thruxton rim on the front and 17' on the rear both wrapped in Bridgestone BT45's, the front forks sit 3cm lower and now have progressive springs and a pair of Bitubo shocks keep the back end true.

To finish off the Bonneville T100 the yellow metal flake paint scheme was applied to its tank, complete with airbrushed details and matching bronze filler cap. The Whirling Golden's look was completed with the addition of a vintage headlight, mini speedo and mini tail light, Roughcrafts Fighterbar and vintage style grips.

If the aim of this experiment was to prove "You can make a Triumph Bonneville T100 look a whole lot sexier" then their hypothesis is definitely proven.

Wrenchmonkees Harley XL

2012-01-15T20:18:00.001+08:00

Before the Wrenchmonkees customised Harley XL was shipped off to it's owner in Dakar the guys threw together this nice little video of the bike in action...maybe I do like Harleys after all?

Royal Enfield Cafe Racer

2012-01-14T12:34:00.001+08:00

When it comes to selecting the best factory built Cafe Racer it looks like Royal Enfield's Continental GT Cafe Racer could take out first place. The Royal Enfield Continental GT Cafe Racer which is scheduled to be released in 2013 (fingers crossed), sports the first new chassis to be released by the Indian motorcycle manufacturer in 50 years. Along with the new chassis Royal Enfield have added a selection of performance upgrades and Cafe Racer styled parts you won't find on any other motorcycle in their current line up.

As you can imagine this is pretty exciting news but at the 2012 Auto Expo in India the Enfield Cafe Racer was overshadowed by the unvealing of their new Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 which may be due to the fact that this bike is more targeted to markets outside of India. While many are now speculating that this bike will be rolling out of the Enfield factory next year it's important to remember that it was labeled as a 'concept' so we'd wait for an official production announcement before we get too excited.

The Continental GT Cafe Racer is based around Enfield's single cylinder Bullet 500cc engine but no details have been released about any upgrades to it's performance. Due to the stripped down appearance of the Continental GT and the specially designed frame I'd expected that this bike will weigh in less than the Bullet so I would assume that performance improvements could be expected.

The styling of the Continental GT is text book Cafe Racer but it's not all about the looks. The new frame features a double down tube and double cradle design that will definitely outperform the more than 50 year old design of the Bullets single tubed frame. The front forks are stiffened up by an alloy brace that sits on top of the front fender and the rear stays true thanks to a pair of gas filled performance shocks from Ohlins. With this sort of handling it's easy to see why they've also put rear sets on the bike and not left any space for a passenger (I'm grinning right now).

Starting with a motorcycle that was designed half a century ago as a base it's obvious why the GT looks so much like a classic. Enfield's designers have stayed true to classic Cafe Racer looks with an elongated, Manx style tank held in place with a leather buckle, a wasp tail single seat, clip on bars, bar end mirrors and low profile lighting (huge thumbs up from me for that one). The GT also features some high quality finishes including a polished triple tree, brushed alloy switch gear, alloy fenders, alloy dash and minimalist instrument cluster.

As I said at the start of this post this has to be one of the nicest, "straight off the factory floor" Cafe Racers we've seen. It'll a classic before it even gets a chance to get old and I'm sure the waiting list will be disturbingly long if Royal do indeed start building the Continental GT Cafe Racer in 2013.

www.royalenfield.com

Cafe Racer Girls 025

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000+08:00

Suzuki Goose Cafe Racer

2012-01-10T21:49:00.001+08:00

"It's based on a 250cc motorcycle" is about the only thing I can say about this Cafe Racer that isn't all that exciting. Japanese custom builder Gull Craft debuted this Suzuki Goose 250 based Cafe Racer at the 2011 Yokohama Mooneyes Hot Rod and Custom show and she's a real looker!

"What the hell is a Suzuki Goose!?" Well I'm glad you asked. Suzuki unleashed the Goose on the Japanse automotive market in 1992. Originally the motorcycle was a 350cc but for some crazy reason they decided a 250cc version was also required. In standard guise the Gooses air cooled, 4 stroke single cylinder engine produces about 30bhp and has a top speed just shy of the ton. In it's standard dress the Goose isn't a pretty bike (bet the name had you fooled though), it's a bare bones, entry level, naked bike with similar styling to the Suzuki Hornet. So as you can imagine Gull Craft had a fair bit of work to do to get this Suzuki looking this good.

First off though the engine needed more power so a Yoshimura piston and Cam were installed and the capacity increased to 376cc. To feed the now much thirstier thumper a Keihin FCR 39mm Carb with a Gull Craft carbon fiber velocity stack was tucked up inside the frame. Gases are expelled via a custom stainless exhaust which when combined with the other performance upgrades takes this Goose in to Ton Up territory.

Handling has also received an upgrade with a Yoshimura forks and an Ohlin shock on the rear. A lighter Over Racing swingarm and Bito Magtan rims have replaced the factory units and stopping power now comes from a Lockheed (front)/Brembo (rear) combination. Gull Craft specialise in custom fairings and body panels so all of the original Suzuki fairings were handed to the gods of garbage. The Type R Gull bikini fairing and the one off tank and tail section were all built in house. The Gull team also fabricated a large list of parts fitted to the Suzuki including the mirror, rear sets, carbon fender, fender goose neck mounts, speedo surround and filler cap.

With small engine capacities weight reduction is a no brainer. The new bodywork was a good start but it wasn't enough so the engine covers were cut, drilled, smoothed and polished, exposing usually hidden sprockets and chain. Polished aluminium parts now reside where heavier Suzuki components once lived and the frame was simplified and cleaned.

Finally the paint was all done in house at Gull Craft. The colour scheme took its lead from the finish of the new suspension and wheels. It's a very royal looking colour combination of gold against polished silver with a splash of vibrant green. If this Goose laid eggs they'd probably be gold.

www.gullcraft.com

Triumph Thruxton Black Beauty

2012-01-09T21:08:00.000+08:00

In 1969 Triumph motorcycles took out first, second and third places in the Thruxton 500 mile endurance race. 35 years later to commemorate these victories Triumph released the Thruxton, a Cafe Racer styled, 900 cubic centimeter (865cc), 70 bhp, 140mph mean machine. For our Italian reader Jody the Thruxton offered just the right level of performance for riding the streets of La Spezia, but the Triumphs looks weren't quite right.

The Black Beauty is the result of Jody's vision combined with the skill of Dino Romano Drags & Racing. Starting with the front end of the bike a custom set of clip ons were fabricated as well as a smaller, aluminium front brake reservoir. The over sized Triumph gauges were removed and replaced with a single, smaller speedometer that has been mounted using a custom made aluminium bracket.

The Thruxton's headlight has been relocated closer to the front of the bike and is housed in a custom wind shield made using the visor from an open face helmet. The bulbous factory indicators were replaced with clear lensed, ultra small LED indicators that you'd be hard pressed to spot when they aren't flashing.

The Thruxton's 2 in to 1 exhaust was also a Dino Romano custom creation. In the style of the Norton Manx the whole system was kept short, finishing just behind the passenger pegs. The muffler is a modified Zard originally designed for the Triumph Speed Triple which now produces a much more satisfying note than the standard cans.

A new tail section, single leather seat and a leather tank strap complete the sixties Cafe Racer look. The satin finish of the leather matches seamlessly with the satin black paint applied to the side covers, top clamp, exhaust and rear shocks. A well balanced mix of gloss black, satin black and aluminium are what really makes this Thruxton stand out. Black Beauty is an 'easy on the eye' custom motorcycle that has been pieced together with relatively simple, tasteful modifications which are a definite improvement on Triumphs original design for the mighty Thruxton.

Moses makes another pass

2012-01-09T11:54:00.001+08:00

MCN Cafe Racer test

2012-01-07T12:04:00.003+08:00

After the release of the Norton 961 Commando in 2009 MCN decided to pull together some of the best "off the shelf" modern Cafe Racers on the market for an all out open throttle review.

With a Norton Commando 961 Cafe Racer, Ace 904 Thruxton Special, Hyde Harrier Jubilee and Royal Enfield Clubman fueled up and ready to go they headed off down the coast and delivered this awesome review of the four ultra desirable Cafe Racers. Hit play and enjoy the show.

www.motorcyclenews.com

Honda CR750 M3 Factory Racer

2012-01-07T06:00:00.000+08:00

In the winter of 2001 M3 Racing factory in Hawley, Minnesota hand built 4 replica Honda CR750 racers. Each of the Hondas featured upgraded engine bits and suspension tweaks similar to their game changing CR750 M3 Racing "works" machine that Adam Popp rode to 6 Daytona wins and two AHRMA National Championships.

All of the bikes have been sold off ($22,000USD each) including the works race version which now lives in a private collection somewhere in the UAE. The video below was shot by motor sport film company Clash Productions as a "behind the scenes" doco of a shoot done by Crank & Piston.

CR750 HONDA RACING ENGINE

Engine built by M3 Racing (92-93 HP @ 9800 RPM)
Nova Close Ratio gear box (newest updated version)
Lightened/balanced/micro polished crank with oil hole mods.
Carrillo connecting rods with Kelmet racing bearings.
Special M3 slipper type cam chain tensioner/Tsubaki racing chain.
Special M3 racing pistons/rings, set at zero deck height.
Special M3 racing grind camshaft by Web Cam.
Lightened/polished rocker arms with special M3 adjusting lock nuts.
KPMI springs/Ti retainers and Black Diamond valves.
Cylinder head Ported/flowed by “Berreth Heads” to M3 specs.
Special primary drive hub with M3 modifications.
Dyna ingnition with OEM advancer.
Special top cover with top engine mount by M3 Racing.
CR special 31mm carbs.
Heavy duty racing clutch.
Heavy duty primary chains.
OEM oil pump modified to M3 Racing specs.

www.m3racing.com

www.crankandpiston.com

Cafe Racer Girls 024

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000+08:00

And all of a sudden she didn't look quite so hot anymore...

Old School Engineering CB750 K2

2012-01-05T12:05:00.000+08:00

In the early eighties I had a series of t-shirts that featured vinyl, metal flake prints. They varied in subject matter from Spider man through to Moto cross themed designs and I wore them till they pretty much disintegrated. Since then I have kept my obsession with sparkly things a secret but today I'm coming out and saying it...I love metal flake paint.

And apparently so do the guys at Old School Engineering. Their 73 Honda CB750 K2 is an all black beast with a splash of 70's "old school" cool.

Very little lustre remains on the once chrome covered CB. After a full tear down all of the bikes engine casings and covers received a concealing coat of gloss black. The chrome of the four header pipes has also been hidden with graphite heat wrap before they converge in to the one single muffler. Lower profile lights have been used to reduce bulk and the indicators and tail light all have smoked lenses. The front fender has been done away with and the rear chopped giving the always stylish Firestone rubber the exposure it deserves.

Other items on the Honda that received the black treatment include the velocity stacks and carbs, the wheel rims, forks, fuel tank and clip on bars. To counter act the sheer amount of black there is on this custom motorbike that lovely metal flake paint was applied along with a set of striking blue Beston grips. While the modifications to this Honda aren't as extreme as some of the other Cafe Racers we feature, a good eye for design has ensured that this ride oozes old school cool.