twisted spokes????

Uh oh, I sense another "what is and what is not cafe" argument around the corner. We've gone down this road many times already folks.
 
man i didnt think i would touch so many nerves?? hahaha :D

well.... i dont want to start a riot over this idea.... i didnt know building a bike was like picking out your dinner out of a menu at a restaurant.

to be honest. im just going to build my bike the way I want it.... and maybe or maybe not i will have twisted spokes.

Thanks for all your comments.
 
Good for you, build the bike the way you want it. That is the whole idea of building a custom bike. If you wanted to be like everyone else you could buy a v twin or a Gixxer . ::)
 
excessive650 said:
Good for you, build the bike the way you want it. That is the whole idea of building a custom bike. If you wanted to be like everyone else you could buy a v twin or a Gixxer . ::)
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HEY!!!... I got a GIXXER....but I didnt buy it though... ;D

And yeah... Do what you want & dont give a shit what anyone else thinks!!.. At least you are building it and thats a + in my books...
If you are gonna ask for opinions, get ready to whip out your middle finger... Besides, Im more partial do whatever one says not to... ;D..
 
When it comes to opinions, everyone has one. That's not a bad thing, I plan asking for them as my build progresses. But remember the most important opinion is yours.
 
DrJ said:
Uh oh, I sense another "what is and what is not cafe" argument around the corner. We've gone down this road many times already folks.
Click to expand...

s'ok, some people don't know and would like to learn (specially being new to the board). i think there's some sticky threads somewhere in the history link...
are you comin to the show dr j?
 
Gee! Don't you dare blend era's or styles!! That would be an unforgivable sin! ;) :D :D

(Sorry, no disrespect intended folks!)

Yup. Do what you want! Dare to be different! 8)
 
excessive650 said:
No intended jab at you Noel !! Not that I wouldn't enjot that. We all have seen your gixxer, no cookie cutter for you .
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LOL... my poor gsxr "monster".. the butt of all jokes when we go out... :(

its ok.. at least Drewski's bike gets it worse than me... (ooop.. did I say that out loud??..) ;D
 
locO leoN said:
LOL... my poor gsxr "monster".. the butt of all jokes when we go out... :(

its ok.. at least Drewski's bike gets it worse than me... (ooop.. did I say that out loud??..) ;D
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Ya, that's o'k. I can take it! :D
 
steve said:
No, my bike probably doesn't look like everyone elses:

TX500025.jpg


But it's not really about what a bike looks like.

A cafe racer can have a small tank or a big tank. It can have a bumstop seat or a two-up seat. It can have clip ons or clubmans. It can have rearsets or not. It can have polished aluminum or not. It can be any damn color you want.

But cafe racers have one thing in common: they are racers. They draw on the heritage of vintage racing bikes of the 1950s and 1960s. They are lean, light and built for speed. There are no superfluous parts; everything is for performance. If it doesn't improve speed, handling or braking, it has no place on a cafe racer.

Twisted spokes are the opposite of that. They are weaker and/or heavier than straight spokes. They are not at all about performance. Like ape-hanger handlebars, or those chrome brake caliper covers in the J.C. Whitney catalog, they are just "gingerbread", just decoration. They are for choppers and other Truman Capote bikes. Put them on your bike if you like, but please call it something else other than a cafe racer.
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Steve, I hear where you're coming from, but I take one exception with your comments. These are NOT racers. If they were, EVERYTHING would be sacrificed for speed and handling. They're STYLED like racers!

Otherwise, I think you should remove your kick start and bump start only! ;) :D

Nice machine BTW! ;D
 
I kinda side with the standard stainless. If the look of twisted spokes suits the rest of the bike by all means break the mold and do it. The whole purpose of building a custom anything is to show the imagination and talents of the individual builder. When I paint someones bike I work with the owner to pick a shade not a colour.
 
Drewski said:
Gee! Don't you dare blend era's or styles!! That would be an unforgivable sin! ;) :D :D
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Blend away! I agree with you guys about building whatever you want. You only live once, so ride what makes you happy.

But if you build something that is slower than stock, or worse handling than stock, or generally butt-ugly, I get to laugh at you for that. Just like you're allowed to laugh at me because I can't seem to make the damn master cylinder work on my bike, despite two attempts to rebuild it. It's all in good fun.


Drewski said:
Yup. Do what you want! Dare to be different!
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OK. Different is good. Just be ready for self-appointed traditionalists like me to tell you that your "different" bike looks more like a bobber or a lowrider or a chopper.

Drewski said:
Steve, I hear where you're coming from, but I take one exception with your comments. These are NOT racers. If they were, EVERYTHING would be sacrificed for speed and handling. They're STYLED like racers!
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Maybe your bike is "styled" like a racer. But to me, a cafe racer should be built like a racer. Improve the handling with changes to spring rates, damping, and suspension lowering as needed. Improve the brakes with upgraded calipers or better brake shoe compounds. Improve power-to-weight ratio by engine tuning, and by removing as much weight as possible. A cafe racer is built for high performance riding, and is ridden hard.

It's OK to "style" your standard bike in the cafe racer style, and forego the performance improvements. Like I said above, build whatever you like. It's just that "styling" has very little to do with the whole spirit and purpose of cafe racers. It's kind of like a noob who buys a ratty Harley and a leather vest and doesn't shave for a few days, and then goes to hang out with the Hells Angels. He'd be lucky if he got away with only being laughed at. Unless he is ready to live the lifestyle (no real job, beer for breakfast, sharing women, bar fights, etc.), he is only trying to look the part. A poser, in other words.
 
steve said:
Blend away! I agree with you guys about building whatever you want. You only live once, so ride what makes you happy.

But if you build something that is slower than stock, or worse handling than stock, or generally butt-ugly, I get to laugh at you for that. Just like you're allowed to laugh at me because I can't seem to make the damn master cylinder work on my bike, despite two attempts to rebuild it. It's all in good fun.


OK. Differeent is good. Just be ready for self-appointed traditionalists like me to tell you that your "different" bike looks more like a bobber or a lowrider or a chopper.

Maybe your bike is "styled" like a racer. To me, cafe racers are built like a racer. Handling is improved with changes to spring rates, damping, and lowering as needed. Brakes are improved with upgraded calipers or better brake shoe compounds. Power-to-weight ratio is improved by engine tuning and by removing as much weight as possible. A cafe racer is ready for high performance riding, and is ridden hard. It's OK to re-style your standard bike in the cafe racer style. It's just that "re-styling" has very little to do with the whole spirit and purpose of cafe racers. It's kind of like a noob who buys a Harley and a leather vest and doesn't shave for a few days, and then goes to hang out with the Hells Angels. He'd be lucky if he got away with only being laughed at.
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Hey Steve, this is FUN isn't it?!!

I'm with ya, except I think the emphasis should be on, "built like a racer!" ;)

Just to clarify, I think inproving on the stock machine is exactly what we should be all about! It's just a matter of degree, and that often is a function of personal skill and $$ available! Simply changing the stock bars to clubman's could be considered "improving" the bike! If you have greater control because of the modification, then the bike is better. It's not yet a "Racer", but it's a work in progress!

I'm thrilled to say that both of my machines are way better now than they were when I started! Quicker, faster, better handling and different looking! ;D Some might laugh at me or be critical of the modifications, but that's o'k with me! I like 'em and that's all that really matters! :D

Good luck with that master cylinder! I know what you mean! :eek:

Cheers! ;D
 
True, it's a matter of degree. A full-race motor is hell to ride on city streets. And we need some lights and mufflers.

But here's what I'm saying: don't be satisfied with just "style." This ain't the fashion industry.
 
steve said:
True, it's a matter of degree. A full-race motor is hell to ride on city streets. And we need some lights and mufflers.

But here's what I'm saying: don't be satisfied with just "style." This ain't the fashion industry.
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With ya! ;) ;D ;D
 
There's no way in hell I'd ever put twisted spokes on my bike.

But I want to see you do it.

A cafed bike out of LA with a latino influence sounds like a neat concept. If it's done well, it's well done.

Will the wheels blend into an overall theme, or just be an awkward stick out like a sore thumb addition?

c
 
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