Best Cafe-Potential Bike

[Axel Helix]

First post here:

Just sold my first bike (rebel 250) and am mounting up for my first cafe racer project. I'm looking for your recommendation for a high preforming, reliable late 60s to early 80s motorcycle with a 300cc to 600cc motor. A large availability of aftermarket parts is a big plus.

Personally, Im looking for a bike with reasonable availability and price, with an engine that fits my skill range. I don't wanna spend a year searching to find some beat up Collectors Item half way across the states, then have just enough cash to buy the rare parts to fix the bike, forget creating it into the beast I crave... only so I run it into a ditch because of my inexperience... know what I mean?

Still, don't hesitate to post a rare bike that you think fits the bill of best cafe-potential; just give me the heads up its not to have, just envy.


So what's your experience? What classic motorcycle would you award with the Best Cafe-Potential?

 

[Rocan]

im sick of hearing this. anything works. if you want authentic, go get a 60s brit bike. you want cheap and easily modded, CB350.

you want more power but a twin, XS650. anything works. its up to the builder not the bike.

consider this. i have a CB350. so do a couple thousand other people. is mine like any other one? no. buy a bike that touches you. stay away from shaft driven and cruiser bikes and its more easy to get a "cafe bike". on the other hand ive seen some seriously badass GL1000s.

search.

 

[locOleoN]

do an xs650

wohooo!!

 

[cameron750]

Nice bike there... I've been thinking about picking up another bike to cafe myself in my spare time since I bought mine prebuilt. I was leaning towards the XS, but now I'm sold!

 

[Staffy]

Don't listen to Rocan there's nothing wrong with a shaftie ;D Get a CX500, but then again i'm biased. On second thoughts don't get one of them. Stick with a chain drive.

 

[Axel Helix]

Thats one hell of a bike locO leoN, very motivating to get workin on my own.

 

[tonuppirate]

I'm fairly new to this so take my advice with a grain of salt, but any of the honda parallel twins would fit your bill, bulletproof engines, easy to work on, parts are easy to find. they are a cinch to mod. half the ppl on this board it seems either have one or have done one. the parallel fours are a little trickier only because you have four carbs to deal with. but again hondas will run forever if you give them even just the minimum of maintenance. and they are everywhere, so no problem finding parts or aftermarket cafe stuff for them. my opinion, everybody has an ...... well you know the rest....
TP