| Author | Message | ||
     Garrett2 |
anyone know about cafe racers? as far as, does anyone have experience on one? how they handle? im not asking for a track killer, but will they do fairly well in the curves on backroads? anyone ever built one? | ||
| Tom_b |
A lot depends on what bike you start with and how "vintage" you want to go. A lot of hi perf parts are available for some old bikes. And a lot of newer suspension parts can be fitted to older bikes. do you want spokes or mags, air cooled or water cooled. I have built one and have had a hand in several others. Great street bikes, no buell, or r1, but still handle fairly well and are fun | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Perhaps he's referring to XLCR?  My '79 AMF monster is still apart in the garage. | ||
| Dave |
Very neat bikes but they handle like any other Sportster of the era - bah! (like my '84 XR1000 as well....crap...well...compared to a modern Buell) '79? I thought they were only made in '77 and '78?  DAve | ||
| Rich |
 | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
My '79 is a plain-jane XLH1000 (my name) Since the XLCR didn't sell so well, the following year's XLH got the same frame and the same pipes as the XLCR only the pipes are chromed. | ||
| Garrett2 |
well im not asking about buying one of the old harleys, but if i were to just have a frame built and build the bike myself i love the styling of them but i want something that'll be able to hang in the corners ok. not asking for a bike to take to the local race tracks, im not a knee slider, but it needs to handle well for daily spirited use thoughts? | ||
| Jackbequick |
You didn't miss the thread on Chris Barr's work in putting a S1W Front End on a Sportster, did you? http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/3842/219290.html?1158070848 That has my nomination for the "Most Exciting Sportster Since the XLCR". And from Chris's initial reports it stops well and handles well too. It is not a Cafe Racer only because it has comfortable seating and riding position, reasonable fuel capacity, and is fairly close to its roots at first glance. If you wanted to ruin all that with rearset pegs and controls, clip on or drag style bars, and a small fairing, the "CJBXLS1W" could be a Cafe Racer. And could go around scaring the daylights out of cafe racers for the first few hundred yards or so. Jack | ||
| Garrett2 |
WOW! thank you! that is on the path of what id like to do add clip ons, rear sets and a round bar end mirror and id be pretty happy | ||
| Garrett2 |
WOW! thank you! that is on the path of what i would like to do yes, add clips ons, more rearward pegs, and a different mirror (one round bar end please) and id be in Hog heaven... | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Another approach would be to pervert an old ninja or gsxr. You know, find one with crash damage and rip off everything made of plastic. | ||
| Garrett2 |
well im really wanting to keep it HD powered but it is something ive thought of, hell, you can find jap cafe racers all day on ebay for dirt cheap. who knows, its still a years worth of paychecks away, i was hoping to slowly work on it while still playing with the s3 drag bike | ||
| Tom_b |
 here's one I built using a 400 yamaha special. About a grand tied up in it | ||
| Garrett2 |
only a grand to build? how does it handle? how quick is it? tell me more, more pics of it? | ||
| Tom_b |
started with a low mileage but cosmeticly challenged 82 yamaha special. found an earlier set of 400 spoke wheels, xs 500 tank a hotwing glass cafe seat. some new paint and a couple of weekends of tweaking. cut the back of the frame and handformed a piece of roundstock and welded in place of the rear stock frame. cheap off the shelf turn signals. the highest dollar investment was the seat and paint job. The original bike was only about 200.00 and with a good carb cleaning and new battery it ran. I put a 34 teeth rear sprocket for better highway, but is still peppy around town. The pipes are stock, just cut off short with another set of pipes welded to the end for turn outs and then heat wrapped. I have since painted the wrap black. A neat trick to do to cafe bike to give a lower profile is to flip the headlight bracket upside down and use spacers to lower the stock guages. The side cover was obviously drilled and polished. That actually took a lot of time and patience. While no rocket, it is fun to ride and with a 220 lb. rider can cruise at 75 mph on the highway. It handles great with the 18" rear wheel instead of thew 16" mag. Something like this would be a good starter.http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=020&item=30002777599 2&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT | ||
| Seth |
...o.k.... I'm planning a '73 CB-500 cafe racer project myself. Anyone know if any other wheels will fit? I hate spokes and would really like a set something else under the bike. Thanks!  |
