"Cafe Racer" such a loose term! Craigslist "Gem" of the week!
- Thread starter kafehopeful
- Start date
CafeRacer650
Dream it. Build it. Live it.
alexmac said:
I wish Blue Book values for bikes held more weight when bargaining, but in my experience people ignore Blue Book because of the emotional value, time invested, aftermarket parts, or demand. I went into a massive dealer outside of Atlanta to look at a beautiful Bandit 1200s, and while bartering I mentioned the Blue Book value, and the literally chuckled and said that Blue Book values didn't effect the price at all. Boooo.
Swapmeet Louie
Put some metal in yer eye....
I see many similarities to the bikes pointed out, and some bikes around here. Not trying to be a dick. Just honest... If those bikes were here, people would say, "good job!". Hold to your conviction... or find some anyway.
Swapmeet Louie
Put some metal in yer eye....
I'd also like to say, I can "probably" count the # of true Cafe's around here on one hand. Everything else, Cafe "Inspired". The loosest term in motorcycling IMO. Carry on...
Swapmeet Louie
Put some metal in yer eye....
Bobber IMO isnt far behind it! these day it seems to mean "missing back 1/2".
Swapmeet Louie
Put some metal in yer eye....
At least a sporster was designed to go in circles. A CB wasnt!
Swapmeet Louie
Put some metal in yer eye....
I'm in no way trying to be a dick, but, lets "get real".
Swapmeet Louie
Put some metal in yer eye....
If one cant tell by now, I love a good ol' "adult" debate. If one defines debate and argument w/ the same definition, We probably wont get along.... 
And by this, I mean. debates are how we solve the World's problem's, arguing is there there started...
And by this, I mean. debates are how we solve the World's problem's, arguing is there there started...
Swapmeet Louie
Put some metal in yer eye....
djelliott said:
+1
djelliott
Real bikes are built in garages.
Swapmeet Louie said:
Definitely true. And really, "cafe racer" was a generic media term for motorbike hooligans. At some point it got stuck on a particular looking wannabe race bike style. I'll bet if you were to research it you could trace it back to a motorcycle marketing company. Kind the 60's version of the bad ass biker lifestyle that HD sells and the sport bike terms like "race inspired". I work for an agency. People sit in meetings for days coming up with bullshit like this.
Swapmeet Louie
Put some metal in yer eye....
True! h-d's and specifically sporters have lost there intended direction through marketing. Much like pitbulls......
surffly
Over 1,000 Posts
I wonder if there are a bunch of old timers that have a thread like this making fun of every rusted out car called a "Rat Rod"
Thats another overly used term.
Im ok with all of these "art project" bikes that dont actually work as a motorcycle. What im not ok with is people building them that dont understand that they are making something perform less, or worse that go on endlessly about the traditional cafe racer mentality
Guys do know that ace closed long before japan built a motorcycle worth moding right?
In the end its alot of dress up. NO ONE would have ever actually wanted a CX or hawk, but when they stumble across one cheap and can dress it up to look the part then its all the rage.
This hobby has not been helped by suppliers selling "universal" or "pre jetted" parts to people just to sell them. Then its a whole lot of monkey see monkey do crap.
Thats another overly used term.
Im ok with all of these "art project" bikes that dont actually work as a motorcycle. What im not ok with is people building them that dont understand that they are making something perform less, or worse that go on endlessly about the traditional cafe racer mentality
Guys do know that ace closed long before japan built a motorcycle worth moding right?
In the end its alot of dress up. NO ONE would have ever actually wanted a CX or hawk, but when they stumble across one cheap and can dress it up to look the part then its all the rage.
This hobby has not been helped by suppliers selling "universal" or "pre jetted" parts to people just to sell them. Then its a whole lot of monkey see monkey do crap.
djelliott said:
In the UK in the sixties marketing companies couldn't come up with the change for a cup of tea, let alone a term like Cafe racers. It was coined AFAIK by newspapers reporting on M/C accidents as guys raced from one cafe to a specific point and back again. And in those days they were caffs that sold tea and toast and not much else.
Now the term seems to mean anything hacked up and disfunctional. Cheap but not always cheerful. I tend to think of bikes that were ground down - like coffee beans........
Swapmeet Louie
Put some metal in yer eye....
EXACTLY!...surffly said:
