cafe racer -street fighter....your call.

[grimz]

so what makes a cafe racer and what makes a street fighter.
discussed a bit about it with pyro at dq the other nite.
cafe to me means an ol school bike,stripped of its excess weight and made to look bad ass.tuned more than stock for more speed.the seat and tank combo makin up a big chunk of its looks.basically ment for speed and a specific look.u guys obviously know the look.
street fighters are somewhat the same i figure.stripped down not just for wieght loss but also as a cosmetic thing.
most street fighters are newer bikes.chopped up supersports.tons of speed.weigh very little.most have crash bars all over the place.(used for standing and holding,
more than protecting your bike)most are stunters...im prolly the only retard tryin to stunt on my 1980!
and again more street fighter riders do there own wrenchin,same as caffine junkies.
cafe racer or street fighter. i dont really think theres much difference.other than era its from.
which i figure is the name change.new era,new bike,new name.
kinda.look at the newer honda cb599,and the cb999.out of the box is it a cafe?probably not just because of the year.but definatley a killer street fighter out of the box.
still has the name heritage though CB.
does it mean "CAFE BIKE"?marketing ploy by honda?me being stoned and creative?who knows.
look at kawi's new cafe/street lookin bikes, z750 s and z1000.sweet lookin.not a cafe though,never could be.
my thought its just on the era.old bike,cafe,new bike,streetfighter.
binelli made a bike and called it a cafe racer.im sure you guys seen it at the show.i dont think thats any where near a cafe racer.why?era. on a new bike doing the ton is kinda somewhat sleepy.
usually hit it in 2nd gear or low 3.
i think thats the killer for me,u cant call a new bike a cafe racer just to sell it.to me its a street fighter with a sticker that say timmies tracker.
just my thoughts.old bikes do a ton but u know your doing it.
new bikes maybe "cafe style"but not cafe.
even the duc paul smart.its a cafe style street fighter.its a supersport under the make up.
anyways just my thoughts.
would like to see what u guys think makes a cafe different from a street fighter.
just on the bikes,what makes em what they are.

 

[78kz]

I think you've explained it to a T.

Cost factors in too. Cafe racers took stuff off, modded parts, rattle canned paint (sometimes) and costs are usually low.
Streetfighters have a lot of bling sometimes; chrome swingarms/extended, bug eye fairings etc, etc costs can add up.

Here's a pik of that Binelli Cafe?:

 

[Crash]

So, in your explanation, If I can get my bike to do a Ton (http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=397.msg2509#msg2509) by modification such as Sprockets, Carb adjustments, Lightening the body, lowering the handelbars for less drag, and such... That would make mine a Cafe Racer.

But, because it is a newer bike (1993) that makes it a Streetfighter?

I'm Confused.

BTW, these adjustments are in the works or already there. My goal is to actually hit a Ton with my 250cc Nighthawk. ;D

 

[CanadaDan]

I think Binelli is using a LOT of artistic license calling that a Cafe... looks like a radical modern sport bike.

My bike isn't a true cafe... fairing and lack of frame/suspension mods takes care of that... and spec it does ~111 mph... so I can do a Ton any time I want... I think we all know one when we see it... and it usually involves some major lightening, classic british 70's graphics and a willingness to sacrifice comfort for the sake of a cool looking ride... rearsets, a stretched tank and low crazy pitched clip-ons hardly make for a long distance cruiser.

If you look at the custom car world... cafe's are the 32 ford bucket open wheeled no hood no roof no inetrior rat-rods built in a shack... the Binelli is a $200'000 Coddington Boydster ;D

 

[DrJ]

The Benelli is no cafe racer, it's a modern naked sportbike. But it's so laden with trinkets and stylistic doohickeys that it buckles under the weight of its own bling. A design atrocity with no sense of balance or taste. They're just cashing on the cool factor of cafe. Same thing with the term choppers. It's been so bastardized that no one can explain what it is anymore.

 

[grimz]

im just askin and thinkin there really similar.o.k. so i pointed out the binelli on purpose and i agree its show queen,cashin in on the name sake.coattails.
i just find streetfighters very much the same.just newer supersport type bikes. yeah doin a ton isnt an issue for em.but there doing the same stuff . kinda like a parralell world.
im just into both types of bikes and i guess im seeing things kinda similar with the bikes.
or maybe to much cartoons.
kinda wanted to see if other people see the similarites and what people thought of the differences.

 

[grimz]

street fighters: They applied the term to motorcycles which were modified to enhance their performance and handling, as opposed to the custom scene which preferred style over outright ability.It's unclear when and who built the first of the modern streetfighter. Though it has its roots in the Café racer culture of the 1950s and 1960s, there is a substantial gap between then and the modern streetfighter scene. In 1993 Ducati introduced a new naked sportbike called the Monster. Since that time it has been a perennial favorite amongst streetfighter enthusiasts. In 1994 however, Triumph Motorcycles introduced the Speed Triple, based on its Daytona sportbike.Café Racers have also been called "Streetfighters" in reference to World War II veterans' fighter airplanes and have been described as the original "sport bikes" of today.The term Cafe racer is still used to describe motorcycles of a certain style and some motorcyclists still use this term in self-description. A cafe racer is a motorcycle that has been modified for speed and good handling rather than comfort.
just chunks from wikipediea from both streetfighters and cafe racers
and i know why i see similarites

 

[grimz]

sorry i think this was misinterpreted.o was mereley lookin for other peoples opinions on what makes a cafe racer a cafe racer and what makes a streetfighter a s/f
and what makes em similar.but if you think this is for harley riders then you missed my point.
i see very close similarites in the 2 and find it kinda cool .the way the 2 change up there bikes to the way we ride. just lookin to see if other people thought so as well and if not what did they find a definate differance.
or is it basically the same shit.just a different name.different time.but the same basic ideas.

 

[grimz]

If you need a defintion, you don't "get it".

Sorry man, but this kinda bullshit is for the Harley guys. What's next? Maximun height restrcitons on handlebars? An approved list of exhasut and bars? A restricted list of manufacturers? Defintions are for posers. Sorry.


easy there buddy its not a big deal just seein similarites,and i dont recall anyone mentioning anything about making regulations on whats what.

definitions are for posers?thats lude.

 

[DrJ]

Everyone's got their own interpretation of cafe racer. These are my personal general guidelines of a proper cafe racer. Don't flame me because they may exclude your bike, it's only my opinion. Properr cafes should have: 2 cylinders (parellel or V-twin), 18" wire-spoked wheels (they just look right, 17'"s look too small and cast aluminums look too modern), tubular steel frame with straight back, dual rear shocks, clubmans or clipons, none or minimal body panels.

 

[kzromey]

The Benelli is no cafe racer, it's a modern naked sportbike. But it's so laden with trinkets and stylistic doohickeys that it buckles under the weight of its own bling. A design atrocity with no sense of balance or taste. They're just cashing on the cool factor of cafe. Same thing with the term choppers. It's been so bastardized that no one can explain what it is anymore.

+ uno on that! i like the way you described it, too much hype not enough substance . . . . like paris hilton, lol!

 

[ProTeal55]

I guess I would classify my CB450 as a "cafe" , but some people think it is a "streetfighter".

I recently took 1st place in the "streetfigther" class at the Mods Vs. Rockers show, but that was only becasue their was no "cafe" class to put it in. I really dont claissfy it as anything else but a Honda CB450 that I built into something I am proud of. Weather it falls into a certain "class" wasnt a concern while I was tearing into it..

Here's the best def. of a "streetfighter" I can think of-->

My next project is gonna be a bike very similar to this ;D

 

[Crash]

Grimz. I just wanted to clarify that I am not argueing or in any way faulting your opinion. I agree with what you say about the Cafe /Streetfighter scene.

My comment was just me thinking out loud ( If typing is loud : ).

Did not mean to start a debate of merits.

 

[grimz]

crash...sorry my comment was directed towards alvis.i dont know if its just cus its in type,but he seemd a bit upset i was even tryin to compare them.like im retarded for asking what ppl thought.
nothin u said bothered me,its exactly what i was hopin to hear.ppl's opinion on the 2.
like what pro teal said,about his bike .too me i would say its cafe,but to someone else it won him streetfighter award.
i dont consider my ride a cafe by any means.im runnin stock everything except the chain ,sprocket,and battery and rubber.i dont have clip ons or clubmans.my seat is horrible to look at and the least i can say is the tank matches.
when im finished i hope my vision is actually what turns out.if so ,im gonna have one helluva sweet cafe racer.
i would like to kick it down to my kid eventually so she can have a killer cafe to go to school on.
personally i think dr.j got it the closest without having to write a book about it,like i need to do.

dr.j 'Everyone's got their own interpretation of cafe racer. These are my personal general guidelines of a proper cafe racer. Don't flame me because they may exclude your bike, it's only my opinion. Properr cafes should have: 2 cylinders (parellel or V-twin), 18" wire-spoked wheels (they just look right, 17'"s look too small and cast aluminums look too modern), tubular steel frame with straight back, dual rear shocks, clubmans or clipons, none or minimal body panels.

the thing i see with the s/f is most off them go for moto cross style bars instead of clip ons.
i guess u get more flickability with em like that or it at least helps with it.
...i dont know...bla bla bla ...lol...either way i think both the cafe racer's and streetfighters are the sickest style of bikes out there. i love em. they look so bad ass ,where i dont hate on harleys or big cruisers, i just dont see them as bad ass anymore.use to, when the only thing i knew about h.d. was u needed a tool kit with you all the time and u probably were a member of some big m.c.
now they look like there....i dont know how to say it...pretty? trailor queenish? ill make exception to the night rod.that isnt all that bad or the night train or what ever its called .the everything black on black one.nice.
im so lookin forward for my next project and this one isnt done yet.barley started even.
next will be what i think is a streetfigter.or maybe another cafe first,something older than my 80.
id like to find something not too common.but not impossible to get stuff for.
not sure.maybe a new kawi zx-14 drag bike.maybe i should smoke anuther doob.

 

[xcaptainxbloodx]

In my opinion, "Cafe Racer" denotes a bike that is either a legit 60s british bike that the ton-up boys of old would of ridden -OR- a bike done in that style.

A streetfighter is a sportbike stripped down and possibly tuned up. Exact same mentality as a cafe bike but the next generation.

The most important thing these bike share is the one part that cannot be bought, the attitude of the rider. Getting a bike and throwing some clubmans or clip-ons and a bump stop seat may very well make a bike look like a cafe-racer and stripping the fairings and changing the exhaust may make it look like a streetfighter but unless its being ridden with the proper devil-may-care (and worked on by that person to get it that way) attitude these bikes deserve, then they are nothing but window dressing.

It also deserves to be mentioned how personal these bikes are. I dont know about you guys, but my bikes are just that, MY bikes. They look and perform the way they do because that is how it fits ME and to hell with everyone else. You show up at one of the big Harley bars on a friday night and what do you see? tons of factory chrome, maybe some airbrushing one or two bikes stand out with personal touches, they get ridden once a week and look it. Locally we have a "bike night" at a burger place and again its more of the same factory gear (but on sportbikes) a couple performance parts or neon kits but thats abou it **I mean no offense by this, its just what ive personally experienced **

You show up at mods vs. rockers or any other cafe gathering (or in my case pour over the pictures) and you can see each persons vision. some are perfectly period triumphs, some are dirty rattle canned jap bikes. Each one has its own soul and that is where being a "ton up boy(or girl)" lies.

Forget the cafe racer vs. streetfighter name, its being a ton-upper that really matters.

 

[locOleoN]

In my opinion, "Cafe Racer" denotes a bike that is either a legit 60s british bike that the ton-up boys of old would of ridden -OR- a bike done in that style.

A streetfighter is a sportbike stripped down and possibly tuned up. Exact same mentality as a cafe bike but the next generation.

The most important thing these bike share is the one part that cannot be bought, the attitude of the rider. Getting a bike and throwing some clubmans or clip-ons and a bump stop seat may very well make a bike look like a cafe-racer and stripping the fairings and changing the exhaust may make it look like a streetfighter but unless its being ridden with the proper devil-may-care (and worked on by that person to get it that way) attitude these bikes deserve, then they are nothing but window dressing.

It also deserves to be mentioned how personal these bikes are. I dont know about you guys, but my bikes are just that, MY bikes. They look and perform the way they do because that is how it fits ME and to hell with everyone else. You show up at one of the big Harley bars on a friday night and what do you see? tons of factory chrome, maybe some airbrushing one or two bikes stand out with personal touches, they get ridden once a week and look it. Locally we have a "bike night" at a burger place and again its more of the same factory gear (but on sportbikes) a couple performance parts or neon kits but thats abou it **I mean no offense by this, its just what ive personally experienced **

You show up at mods vs. rockers or any other cafe gathering (or in my case pour over the pictures) and you can see each persons vision. some are perfectly period triumphs, some are dirty rattle canned jap bikes. Each one has its own soul and that is where being a "ton up boy(or girl)" lies.

Forget the cafe racer vs. streetfighter name, its being a ton-upper that really matters.

AMEN TO THAT!!... I second that motion...

 

[thebronze]

Streetfighters do not have crash cages and 12o'clock bars...stunt bikes do.....The first Fighters showed up in England in the very early 90's....They we're usually built from crashed sport bikes, and they we're meant to have a "FUCK OFF" attitude. They we're stripped of excess weight and unessesary parts, and given more power. I've been building them since the mid 90's
Examples of "Streetfighters"

 

[locOleoN]

Here is probably the most BAD-ASS street fighter in TO:

 

[Kuyarico]

In my opinion, "Cafe Racer" denotes a bike that is either a legit 60s british bike that the ton-up boys of old would of ridden -OR- a bike done in that style.

A streetfighter is a sportbike stripped down and possibly tuned up. Exact same mentality as a cafe bike but the next generation.

The most important thing these bike share is the one part that cannot be bought, the attitude of the rider. Getting a bike and throwing some clubmans or clip-ons and a bump stop seat may very well make a bike look like a cafe-racer and stripping the fairings and changing the exhaust may make it look like a streetfighter but unless its being ridden with the proper devil-may-care (and worked on by that person to get it that way) attitude these bikes deserve, then they are nothing but window dressing.

It also deserves to be mentioned how personal these bikes are. I dont know about you guys, but my bikes are just that, MY bikes. They look and perform the way they do because that is how it fits ME and to hell with everyone else. You show up at one of the big Harley bars on a friday night and what do you see? tons of factory chrome, maybe some airbrushing one or two bikes stand out with personal touches, they get ridden once a week and look it. Locally we have a "bike night" at a burger place and again its more of the same factory gear (but on sportbikes) a couple performance parts or neon kits but thats abou it **I mean no offense by this, its just what ive personally experienced **

You show up at mods vs. rockers or any other cafe gathering (or in my case pour over the pictures) and you can see each persons vision. some are perfectly period triumphs, some are dirty rattle canned jap bikes. Each one has its own soul and that is where being a "ton up boy(or girl)" lies.

Forget the cafe racer vs. streetfighter name, its being a ton-upper that really matters.

Well said mate! The bike nights that I've been to seems to attract lots of chromed up harleys. But my little old 550 seems to get a lot of attention some how. ;D

 

[Kuyarico]

Here is probably the most BAD-ASS street fighter in TO:

Dude, that is wild. Not sure how I feel about the helmet/headlight thingy tho? At least the headlight would be somewhat safe in a crash.