Is it REALLY a cafe if....

In "the truest sense of cafe ORIGINS" it's not a cafe if it's not a modified vintage British bike, basically

I see what your saying....and arguments could erupt. as far as I'm concerned, cafe has certain definable characteristics that make it "cafe." From my research, ace bars and rear sets could have been the only modifications done back in the day to make one's ride a "cafe racer." Harley attempted a "cafe racer" in the 70's, and more modern Japanese bikes have been called "cafe racers." What was once a completely definable term to describe a modified British motorcycle for use in illegal street racing, has become a definable term for any bike that resembles one of those...

Some of the bikes on this site, while still containing the "cafe look" could be called Specials, since they are essentially hand built to the owner's OWN specifications, whether they "fit" into the cafe definition...
 
TJEvans said:
In "the truest sense of cafe ORIGINS" it's not a cafe if it's not a modified vintage British bike, basically
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DOH!!! A very valid point. Thanks for mooting my question so early on.... :eek::p ;D
 
A cafe is a personalized bike . If bought new no. If bought then personalized ? New ball of wax . But who cares .
 
Speaking of which, I got into the most infuriating argument with a friend of mine about this. His argument was that "cafeing" a bike was ridiculous because the original idea behind cafeing was to race and since I don't illegally race on the street, I was somehow disparaging the "essence" of having a motorcycle. This from the guy with the sv650 with every aftermarket bolton he can find. My argument was that I should be able to make my bike look however I want because it's a style I like, not because I somehow need to be true to some "pure essence" of riding a bike. I don't know why it pissed me off so much, but I literally didn't talk to him for like three days.
 
On a related note: Since the 59 guys are actually a motorcycle club, are you somehow disrespecting that by plastering 59 all over your stuff without actually being a member? I know a lot of clubs that would probably rock your ass for running around with their shit plastered all over yourself.....
 
I don't plan on putting "59" anywhere unless I sign up and join.

However, having "Rockers" doesn't to me seem like I would be disrespecting anyone, since I am, in fact, a fan of that style of music.

I plan on "patching" my jacket with my DTT patch (even though there is a better chance of me "doing the ton" on my goldwing, rather than my eventual cafe'd cb500t. I plan on getting "Rockers" some Honda patches, and probably a Goldwing patch as well. I may join a local GW club as well, since I may end up being the only member with a "naked" one.
 
Disliked23 said:
Speaking of which, I got into the most infuriating argument with a friend of mine about this. His argument was that "cafeing" a bike was ridiculous because the original idea behind cafeing was to race and since I don't illegally race on the street, I was somehow disparaging the "essence" of having a motorcycle. This from the guy with the sv650 with every aftermarket bolton he can find. My argument was that I should be able to make my bike look however I want because it's a style I like, not because I somehow need to be true to some "pure essence" of riding a bike. I don't know why it pissed me off so much, but I literally didn't talk to him for like three days.
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That kid needs a good ol fashioned beat down!!!! Cafe is a "style", of machine, and from everything I have read on the original guys from the late 50's, it was a "Brotherhood" of guys who loved bikes & loved speed, who had no access to racetracks, and sponsors, or the money or contacts to become formal racers. Race they did, but how do they differ from the modern guy who modifies his SV650 and calls himself a "streetfighter"??? He made some hardcore modifications to "Race" his machine, on the road illegally, but he is "cool", and "unique" in modern terms. Is he to be chastised by your buddy also??? How about the Harley guy who modifies his modern machine to make it like the old skool Harley "Flattracker", to be illegally run for speed on the public roads?? I have rode with them all, and we are all "modifiers" in some fashion....so basically every guy who messes with his machine to make it personal, and a certain "style" is in his terms "ridiculous". Tell him I met a Hells Angel at a rally, who took an older harley and made it like the old XL1000 Cafe Racer, to race around with to break the regular riding he did of crusing, and I guarentee he would not say that shit to him!!!
 
I think the term cafe racer actually came about because of the fact that back in day in good ol'England they raced thier modded bikes near the cafes that they hung out at. So they started calling the bikes cafe & the riders cafe racers. So, if thats the case, then unless you hang out at a cafe it wouldnt be a cafe? Built or bought?
 
I'm never more than 50 feet from an espresso machine or at least some drip coffee :)
 
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