Why did you pick THAT bike to build?

[buzznichols]

I'm waiting to start my build thread because of camera troubles, so in the meantime...

I've been riding for some twenty years, half my life. I'll give you a second to do the math.
In that time, I've owned 3 CB 750's, a Water Buffalo, and a Norton Atlas. All popular platforms for cafe racers. Why, then, am I now, at this late date, doing my first cafe build on a 1980 Suzuki GS 850?

In short, because I can hardly make it any uglier.
The aforementioned bikes were all head-turners without any modifications. I just couldn't bring myself to start modifying the looks of bikes, when I liked their looks so much to start.
Granted, a top-shelf CB 750 cafe build (like the August DDT bike of the month - hubba hubba) is a thing of exceptional beauty. However, a middle-of-the-road cafe build of the same bike is no more beautiful than a well maintained bone stock CB. And, of course, a shoddy cafe build on a bike that started out beautiful is just tragic.
I wouldn't go saying it around the nice folks over at the GS Forum, but the GS 850 is just a dogshit ugly - although reasonably well engineered - bike. It takes a lot of the pressure off knowing that, whatever I do, I can't make it any less appealing.
Likewise, I love seeing cafe builds of stuff like Goldwings and Ventures. It seems like every piece of superfluous crap stripped off of these bikes reveals a cool machine that's been hiding underneath.
Also, I wonder if stock CB's might be like plains buffalo and Texan oil - a resource that seems inexhaustible until it's been utterly depleted

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

Yeah, the GS850 is pretty homely, but once you start taking it down, it starts looking better. First of all, that fugly instrument cluster and headlight couldn't possibly be more awful looking.

I just had an '80 GS850 in my shop for pod filters and rejetting with a nice Vance & Hines 4-into-1 pipe. Bike runs waaay better. Sounds better, too.

The GS850 is a little on the heavy side, but it does sport excellent neutral handling and satisfying performance.

 

[CresentSon]

I would venture a guess that most of the builds on here started with a bike that was closer to crap than a stock beauty. Other than that it is about preference to me. I'd rather own 'my bike' than simply 'a bike'. Plus most of the guys around these parts are as many parts mad scientist and artist as they are a bike enthusiast.

And I choose a CB 750 because Carpy told me too.

 

[SeanGSUK]

Everyone has CBs, GS is a good bike and, like you say, one all the superfluous crap is removed you have a great machine that's not 10 a penny!

 

[buzznichols]

Had a look at your build thread, Sean, and your GS looks like a great starting point! I'll be keeping an eye on it. Cheers.

 

[hillsy]

Interesting fact is that the 850 was actually the thirstiest GS of the lot. They ran around the 30MPG mark (even lower when pushed), whereas even the 1100's went closer to 40MPG.

Not really a great candidate for a cafe being a heavy shaft drive "tourer", but then again neither is a Gold Wing.....and people still have a go at them.

 

[chicken0207]

I picked my cb750 because the first time i saw one i said i was going to own this bike , so i bought one and im doing it up in cafe style.

 

[notanothercb]

I've only been riding for a couple of years, and my first bike was a slightly-modded CB650. I don't like to follow trends, so I was a bit apprehensive about getting a CB, considering its ubiquity. But I figured I had to start somewhere, and why not at least start with something reliable and easy to get parts for? So I took the plunge and realized it's such a popular bike because it just works. Pretty nimble and also quicker than most modern cars while not being sport bike-stupid fast.

Fast forward 2 years, and a few months ago I was itching to get started on "my bike" (as CrescentSon pointed out). I wanted something old, reliable, cheap to buy, and anti-mainstream (Closet-hipster? Maybe; I did just get an old record player...). I became interested in GL1000s and CX500s, and read about some of Doc's Chops' builds--his ability to see potential in the ugliest of bikes opened my mind so I could see positive traits in some strange places...

Long story long, I was ultimately inspired by several Virago builds--Doc's Chops, that one green Dutch Virago you may or may not know about, and Sepp Koch's multiple TR1s, so I traded my CB for an ugly but mechanically solid Virago 920, and have plans to change the look of everything above the motor. I really dig the big V-twin hanging down from the frame, and it turns out it handles amazingly well too--the engine layout keeps the bike really narrow for its displacement, which has proven to be good for enthusiastically cruising canyons as well as for my lane-splitting commute.

 

[bradj]

god looked around at the heaven and earth that he had created, he then noticed adam and eve and realized that befor he could rest he owed the man a reason to smile that didnt bitch so on the seventh day he gave us 2 strokes yamaha street bikes.

 

[Cafe-XV750]

Same age as you. Was interested in riding at earlier age, but life got in the way. Occasionally saw some mid-80's sport bikes tossed aside and said 'hell yes' to that era ... just something about the square headlight I like.

1st bike in mid-'09 was '82 XV750: FREE ... wasn't even riding yet, but free is good! Hated the style - hence why cafe project (still not done).
2nd bike in early-'10 was '79 XL185S: cheap, all there and ran ... needed to learn how to ride after MSF course. Too underpowered for street so only trail ride.
3rd bike in early-'10 was '72 T500: stupid cheap, enough there and a worthy of a future project
4th bike in mid-10 was '85 ZX900: cheap, all there and didn't run but easy fixes. Satisfies my sport-bike desires. Runs great and rides well ... almost done re-doing cosmetics.

 

[rattpunk]

I picked my bike because it was an obvious beater. It already had some home garage hack jobs done to it, started it's life ugly as all get out, it was cheap and small. Everything I was looking for in a first bike I could learn to wrench and ride on. No worries if I dumped it a few times, didn't have to worry about keeping the paint nice, etc. I knew I was going to have to work on it. Also, in a way it reminded me of my old flat-black 63' 1914cc VW Bug back in Cali 8)

 

[danejurrous]

Nothing wrong with the GS series bikes in fact I have one myself. Thing is a workhorse and has been my daily driver for the last 5 years till I got the itch to cafe the bike. Just be glad that yours is not the long neglected "L" series bikes, I think mine might kill me some day, but it is fun when hitting twisties 8)

 

[JustinLonghorn]

god looked around at the heaven and earth that he had created, he then noticed adam and eve and realized that befor he could rest he owed the man a reason to smile that didnt bitch so on the seventh day he gave us 2 strokes yamaha street bikes.

Amen, Brother Brad.

 

[Drewski]

Amen, Brother Brad.

Brad. Standing out there in left field, preaching for all to hear! Wonderful.

I go with what I like. I fell "head over heals" for Kawasaki Triples and early Z1's back in my youth, and never got over them. I've owned other brands but never ridden them. Just bought or acquired them to flip. Now, I'm sticking to what I know and like.
There are plenty of fine bikes out there. Beautiful and otherwise.
I admire the vision it takes to see beyond the obvious, and create a thing of beauty from something less.

Plenty of inspiration out there! Get at it! 8)

 

[buzznichols]

Actually, Danejurrous, mine is the much maligned "L" bike. It's pretty much the same as the "G", except for a leading axle, a dopey looking teardrop tank, and enormous chrome fenders.

To further unpack my reasons for cafe'in this bike:

It had no side covers, and I asked myself "what would look better than overpriced used side covers? Oh, yeah, daylight!"

It had no rear master cylinder. What's cheaper and cooler than an overpriced used master cylinder? Rearsets (cyl. included) from a GSXR.

This dumb looking and anemic - capacity tank is intolerable. What's a better thing to do with it than make it another overpriced piece of junk on EBay? Turn it into a seat cowl!

Oh, yeah, and the seat upholstery is junk.

Put it all together, and it seemed like a no-brainer.

And, once again, I can't make it any uglier.

 

[03rangerxlt]

I ended up with a '72 CB500 because I was searching Craigs List for a cafe bike candidate, and I saw a picture of the bike I ended up buying and I fell in love with it. It may have been the clubman bars, or it could have been the amber headlight. It could have also been because I didn't know shit about bikes and didn't know what I was looking at or what I should have been looking for. I paid way too much, and had to do what too much work on it. But I don't regret it one bit!

 

[danejurrous]

Actually, Danejurrous, mine is the much maligned "L" bike. It's pretty much the same as the "G", except for a leading axle, a dopey looking teardrop tank, and enormous chrome fenders.

And, once again, I can't make it any uglier.

Ah it is a L series! Yes they do need some help. Like I said I love mine. Ditched the tank and purchased one for a 81 GS1100E and after making a rear mount on it fits great on the bike and flows well with the lines. Put some GSXR 1000 rearsets which work great after making an adapter plate for them. Will be nice to see the pics of your build.

Is yours an aluminum or steel rear swinger?

 

[hillsy]

Is yours an aluminum or steel rear swinger?

The 850's were all shaft drives, so it's steel.

And you shouldn't get any flack over at GS Resources for "cutting up" an L - even they think they're ugly ;D

 

[RoadRash]

Got my 650 Maxim on trade and was gonna fix it up and leave it as a bobber like the PO had done, but then I was reminded of cafes, really got into them, and my plans changed.
Yeah, it was born a shaft-drive metric cruiser, but I alway like a challenge, plus isn't that the nature or cafes anyway: take what you have and improve upon it, yourself? CBs have been done to death (no offense to my Honda brethren), so why NOT choose a less beaten path?

 

[Mr.E]

I chose my bike for a couple reasons.

#1. Cost. Back in 08, when I found it, you could still buy a mid 70s cb anything for $500 that kinda ran and had a title. Remember those days? My budget was a shoestring and that was the only bike that really fit it.

#2. Carpy told me to. Im serious. When I first stumbled on some old photos and a magazine article about cafe racers, I was already mulling over the cb750 as a cheap bike to get back into motorcycles with. So I got on google and searched cafe. And then carp's site came up. I had no idea the cb750 had the potential for what he does. I called him and talked about Cb's for a bit, and I was sold. Sorry, I know a lot of ppl hate on Carpy for commercial cafe now, but face it. If he hadn't been plying his trade for so long before most of our favorite cafe builders even sat on a bike, would cafe ever have taken off here? Sorry, tangent....

#3. Its a honda, and I don't like fixing shit daily. Duh.