| Author | Message | ||
     Tom_b |
http://www.caferace.com/cafepix.html | ||
| Tom_b |
http://www.caferace.com/xlcafe.html | ||
| Old_man |
Thanks, Beautiful | ||
| Typeone |
 | ||
| Diablobrian |
Some interesting bikes on those pages. I particularly liked the pair of Aussie Norvins, and of course there was a white and blue modern speed triple that caught my attention too, and the prototype for a modern Vincent with it's RC51 engine and Carbon fiber bodywork was sweet... | ||
| Mikef5000 |
This one caught my eye:  | ||
| Rocketman |
I liked the Moto Martin, Egli, oh and god knows how many others. To be honest, I was spoilt for choice. Rocket | ||
| Tom_b |
some of those moto guzzis, including the one above were very cool. for some reason i could never picture a real cool guzzi, until i saw those | ||
| Cityxslicker |
mmmm there is a 2003 xl883r in the garage, just begging to be either a flat traker or cafe.... decisions decisions, decisions (actually a lot of carry over parts between the two projects) | ||
| Diablobrian |
Why not a "convertible" cafe/tracker? | ||
| Strato9r |
I liked a lot of the Beemers too, but some of the Guzzis were amazing! (notice the front brake rotor mounting on that blue one that Mike posted?) | ||
| Trojan |
The blue Guzzi is actually a Ghezzi & Brian Supertwin, and they come as standard with twin rim brakes made by Braking in Italy. At one time there was a similar kit on the market for the tube frame Buells amongst others. How about a Buell cafe racer   | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
I have always thought of Lil Blackie as a Cafe Racer. Note the Clubmans bars.... a dead giveaway.  | ||
| Djkaplan |
I always considered my Buell to be a cafe racer, not a naked bike or a streetfighter...  | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
I normally agree with Danny, but I am afraid I simple can not do so in good conscience at this time. That lovely silver Cyclone is definitely a STREETFIGHTER when you are ridding it, Danny. The reason: one simply does not do long stand up WHEELIES on a Cafe Racer! Am I right, my brothers?  | ||
| Djkaplan |
Well... I was certainly fighting the bike on the street when I wheelie/wobbled over the double yellow and almost off the road into the ditch at Deals Gap. I got three separate 'private' talks from some rightfully concerned people for that one. Sometimes the plan does not come together... | ||
| Jayvee |
Let's define our terms, heck that silver M2 looks 'cafe' enough for me. Here's what wikipedia says: Cafe Racers Today- While the knowledge of the term remains widespread, it is often applied by the uninformed to nearly any bike with a flat seat and low handlebars. The more recent term "Streetfighter" is sometimes applied to cafe racers, and vice versa. However, "streetfighter" describes the practice of stripping the original-equipment full fairing and other bodywork off spar-framed "race-replica" sport bikes popular in recent years. The canonical profile of a cafe racer and a streetfighter are quite distinct. For the whole description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9_racer | ||
| Tom_b |
give me a break! why does every time a cafe bike comes up some one has to compare a buell. apples and orange. both are cool, but different. i like my buell, but an old style cafe is what it is, very cool also. a buell is a different style. appreciate a cafe for what it is and a buell for what is it is. Kinda like comparing a 68 big block camaro to a 68 xke. different beasts, but both fun | ||
| Djkaplan |
Next... I'm gonna put low bars on an 80's Japanese cruiser and call that a cafe racer, too. | ||
| Ezblast |
I dunno - the site owner liked my bikes - lol GT - JBOTDS! EZ  | ||
| Trojan |
give me a break! why does every time a cafe bike comes up some one has to compare a buell. apples and orange. both are cool, but different. i like my buell, but an old style cafe is what it is, very cool also. a buell is a different style. appreciate a cafe for what it is and a buell for what is it is. Kinda like comparing a 68 big block camaro to a 68 xke. different beasts, but both fun I think you'll find it is your definition of the Cafe Racer that is slightly askew. A cafe racer can be any make of bike whatsoever (Buell included). The term grew from the habit of racing to & from bikers cafes such as the Ace cafe in London during the 50's, and involved taking a stock bike (almost invariably British), removing all unnecessary parts, fitting low handlebars & set back footrests. Over the years they developed further by fitting larger aluminium petrol tanks to copy racers of the time, and by customising the bikes to handle better, often by the use of Norton featherbed frames. This resulted in a look that is now deemed to be 'correct' for a cafe racer, although applied later to mamufacturers other than the traditional British crowd. This is a very brief history but you get the point. A lot of the bikes on the Cafe racer web site would certainly not qualify for the name over here in England, but are merely bikes fitted with low bars (sometimes not even that!). This is a true cafe racer: i.e. Long, low, purposeful and looking like it is doing 100mph standing still.  This certainly is not, and I cannot imagine how the owner thinks it deserves the title:  Our Buell was specifically built to resemble and take major styling cues from the traditional cafe racer look, so is no less valid as a 'cafe racer' because it is a Buell XB. | ||
| Bcordb3 |
Good on you, Trojan. | ||
| Blake |
http://www.ace-cafe-london.com/postcard_gallery.as px?cat_id=19 | ||
| Diablobrian |
cool pic from the Ace Cafe entitled "Buell Bash"  | ||
| Tom_b |
trojan, nice cafe(the black one). My definition is askew? What ever. How many have you built and owned? this is mine by the way that i built from a ragged out yamaha special  | ||
| Tom_b |
By the way trojan, I know full well the history of the cafe racer and actually have been to ace cafe when living in europe. Having owned a Norton 750 and a triumph 650 i know the difference between a cafe and just clip on cruiser By the way some of the buells are called a naked street fighter by Erik Buell himself. | ||
| Ezblast |
http://www.caferace.com/buell.html So true! GT - JBOTDS! EZ | ||
| 98s1lightning |
Funny I should see this tonight, I just sold my 75 KZ 400 "cafe" and tonight I bought a 75 Suzuki GT550, soon to be Cafe. Heres my KZ.   | ||
| Trojan |
How many have you built and owned? Well, my first bike was a Ducati 250 Mark III complete with desmo single seat, clip ons and rearsets, so that probably counts. My brother and I then built a pre-unit 500 Triumph in a Norton slimline frame with unity equipe 5 gallon tank, Norton roadholder forks, the obligatory clip ons and rearsets, so that counts as well I suppose. In the intervening years I've built more than a few 'cafe racer' inspired modern bikes including 2 Buells.  By the way some of the buells are called a naked street fighter by Erik Buell himself. The term streetfighter didn't exist until relatively recently, and was coined to cover sportsbikes (mostly GSXR1100 etc) with the fairings ripped off and motocross bars fitted. The problem is that once manufacturers get hold of these concepts they are inevitably watered down to the point where they don't fit the genre anyway. Take a look at the Voxan 'cafe racer' to see what I meaan. Erik didn't invent the streetfighter genre, and strictly speaking the Buell range doesn't fit the definition either. There is a definite difference between my cafe racer definition and yours so maybe we should leave it there shall we? (Message edited by trojan on November 08, 2007) | ||
| Diablobrian |
come on guys there is no need to turn this into a pi55ing contest. You have different opinions, let it go at that so things remain civil. |
