Honda Rebel ...cafe.

T

Taxadermist Now

New Member
So I've looked all over the internet. All the Rebel forums suck, and everybody else is chopping and bobbing them. I'm going in the other direction, and am looking for advice and suggestions from some people who have experience building cafe bikes.

What I've done:
Dropped triple-clamp (handles soooo quick now ;D)
Installed clubmans (from carpy's site)
Installed rearsets (from a gsx1000r. Bolted right on)
Dented the tank for bar clearance (a little bondo goes a long way)
Re-geared for more power

What I want to do:
Install a cafe seat, prefferably with a removable cowl. The two-piece seat looks like shit...
Wrap up the exhaust
Dual headlights (think street triple. mmmmmm)
Install a side-byside tach/speedo set
Swoop some new turn signals
...and who knows what else

I'll put some pictures of MY bike up later today. For now, here's a picture of a stock rebel, to give you an idea of what I started with.



I'm open to any and all suggestions and ideas. Let 'em fly!

BTW: First post. Hello everyone.
 
Ditch the seat and fender, and go with longer shocks to bring up the rear end. How tall you make it is up to you, some people think cafes should be low and hugging the road, some like them high and more race inspired. I thought a Rebel would be a garbage start to a cafe, but looking hard at that stock photo shows otherwise. I would grab a new gas tank altogether, tons of options, from somethin off an XS or CB, to modifying BSAs or Triumphs, down to fibreglass, aluminum, carbon aftermarket models. The stock Thruxton seat and attachable cowl would be great, but they are really expensive.

Lookin forward to the pics of your with clip-ons and rearsets man
 
Cool, thanks for the quick reply.

As far as raising the shocks: that's a no go. because of the geometry of the swing-arm with the rest of the bike, and where the motor is mounted, installing longer shocks by even 2" resulted in the chain sawing its way through the frame.

That was a headache of a day, let me tell you. Pictures coming when I get off work.

Also, I've been eyeing Rock City's race tank, but I know it would be tough to mount. Anyone have experience rigging a tank to a frame that won't take?
 
For mounting the tank just a few tabs welded onto the tank and the frame should do the trick. One big one at the back end and 2 on either side of the inside-front of the tank. Use a rubber grommet and nut and bolt where they come together, and you should be set
 
Well, when I first saw it, I was gonna say the best way to cafe a rebel would be to sell it on craigslist and then buy a cb450 or something... ;) But after googling, and I'm sure you've seen these rebels before, I think it can be pulled off.
Nighthawk250.jpg

heiwarebel01.jpg

1812898222_d59f2db878.jpg

The 250 Nighthawk looks awful similar, not sure if they share the same frame or not. The ones pictured have dual clocks and certainly look a little sporty as is. By getting shorter forks and maybe matching wheel sizes you could steepen that 30 degree rake a bit. Maybe fit ninja 250 running gear? Really cheap to get a hold of. Where is the chain going to hit the frame if you raise the rear? If its on top then you could go up a few sprocket sizes for clearance, if its on the bottom then you could have a roller of some sort maybe.
The nighthawk megaphones look pretty cool, compared to those sportster knock offs.
We need pics of it how it is now, and maybe with the tank and seat removed, to see how that frame is built. I think that just about any UJM tank from the 70's or so...maybe a first gen cb350, would look a little extended on the tiny rebel(and cheap to get a hold of). Having a seat that is higher up will help to give a better stance and fit.
Definitely interested to see what comes of this....but man, we neeeed picssssssssssss
 
From what I have googled, I find like 20 different figures for rake on the Nighthawk and Rebel...you should measure what yours is. An 09 Rebel 250 cost almost the same as an 09 250 Ninja, now that is crazy....sorry off topic...but redesigned Ninja is light years ahead!
 
I dig the hell out of that black and silver one, but it looks like it started life as a nighthawk. I'd be interested to see how a rebel looks cafe'd. Good luck and throw up some pics!
 
Wow, so much more encouragement on this board than the Rebel 250 boards. Love it.

Is there a write up somewhere on that last one? I'd be interested to see if that started as a nighthawk or a rebel. It looks great.

Pics are coming this evening. Gotta borrow a buddy's camera... but in the mean time, here are the rake and trail measurements:

Stock, the rebel has a rake of 30 degrees and a trail of 4.4 inches.
Mine, with the triple clamp dropped, sits at 24 degrees and 3.7 inches of trail. Very similar to the rake/trail measurements of a cbr600.

But since those nighthawks were posted I'm wondering if the center console would work on my rebel as a direct swap. hmmmmm..
 
Taxadermist Now said:
Guess I need to find somebody who knows how to weld. (or learn myself... ::))

Pictures coming soon.
Click to expand...

where are you located?
 
Deviant1 said:
I dig the hell out of that black and silver one, but it looks like it started life as a nighthawk. I'd be interested to see how a rebel looks cafe'd. Good luck and throw up some pics!
Click to expand...

I can't identify the base bike but a lot of work was done to it. Frame is highly modified with a lowered tank tube and gooseneck frame. Both wheels are 18". Turning a Rebel into something like that is not a simple task.
 
goodfornothing said:
I've seen that black and red cafe. It's a nighthawk for sure. I saw it on YouTube and the guy had a link to the build thread.
Click to expand...

That's a DTT member's bike. It was built by Crash.
 
It may not be your intention, and you may not choose to go this route, however you should give this some serious thought. That bike could make a killer little bobber/chop! I am a fan of the café style myself; however, sometimes you have to make the best out of the hand you’re dealt! Cut out all the crap you don’t absolutely need to make the thing go and add a little touch of personality. Check out some of the bobber/chops on DTT, especially “troybuilts” in show and shine.
If you do or don’t go that way, I will still be interested in seeing what you create.
Good Luck
 
tWistedWheelz said:
It may not be your intention, and you may not choose to go this route, however you should give this some serious thought. That bike could make a killer little bobber/chop! I am a fan of the café style myself; however, sometimes you have to make the best out of the hand you’re dealt! Cut out all the crap you don’t absolutely need to make the thing go and add a little touch of personality. Check out some of the bobber/chops on DTT, especially “troybuilts” in show and shine.
If you do or don’t go that way, I will still be interested in seeing what you create.
Good Luck
Click to expand...

+1 Be a much cooler bobber than cafe in all honesty.
 
I agree. That would indeed be one kick ass little bobber. But hey, that's just my opinion. I say go for what makes you happy. A challenge is just one way to ensure a cool ride in the end. Makes you use your head. I owned a rebel 450 back in the day. I'd bob the crap out of it if I still had her!
 
So here are the pictures I promised. I thank everyone for their opinions no on the bobber/cafe debate, but I'm not really into the bobber style.

Without further ado though, here are the pics:





 
you should seriously consider a new tank. I will be interested in how this project comes out. Make it cool enough and a lot of us might start a whole rebel cafe movement!... Probably not though. ;D
 
I think in or to create a good cafe aout of that you are in for a great deal of work! Good luck, I will be watching!
 
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