Is it just me or are Cafe Racers just....
- Thread starter locOleoN
- Start date
veloracermike
Coast to Coast
Wolfie said:
We called them Pendleton's.
Pendleton's? We wore those in the elate 50s. Highly fashionable. Even surfers wore them.
veloracermike
Coast to Coast
Hoofhearted said:
Yep, like I said nothing is original for more than a minute.
veloracermike said:
It's like President Harry Truman said all those yeas ago. "The only thing new is the history you don't know."
And the boots that we wore with those Wrangler 13mwz's, we called "waffle stompers".....and some of us still do. 8)veloracermike said:
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hj-Yq-0B6W8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
locOleoN
Is that the best you got? OK.. now my TURN...
hillsy said:
Bang on!
Includes: Simpson Bandit Helmets, 3/4 LSI lids with masks, vintage Buco jackets, Telefix clip-ons bars, alloy tanks...
Fact is Cafe Racers in general are becoming just as common as Justin Bieber t-shirts on starving kids in africa!
So by all means, enjoy your bike, ride the crap out of it... but in my opinion, I may as well be riding a silver honda civic... They are everywhere!
Next question. What is the new name of this forum going to be? DTT but not around me?
Would it help, Leon, if we all put apes on our cafes?
Those who don't like seeing other Cafe Racers on the road would obviously hate a day out at the Ace Cafe, hundreds of bikes with clip ons or clubman's, so many alloy tanks to blind you, vintage leather everywhere. The original Ton up boys used hide whenever they saw another cafe on the street, mixing with others was out, and racing other cafe's was frowned upon. Every trend starts a bandwagon, the only thing that separates us is when we jumped on.
As I said earlier, the more the merrier, more bikes to inspire one and drool over, more folks to chat about bikes and ride with, isn't that why we are here? Loosen up and enjoy things as they are, rather than moaning about how they could/should be.
As I said earlier, the more the merrier, more bikes to inspire one and drool over, more folks to chat about bikes and ride with, isn't that why we are here? Loosen up and enjoy things as they are, rather than moaning about how they could/should be.
Frog said:
My Edit ..........Beachcomber
As an original Ton Up boy - NOT where I came from [ in the early sixties ] !!!
As a "group" we actively went out looking for other groups [ different Caffs, Clubs whatever ] so that we COULD race ! Where I was located [ Essex ] the "Lay Bye" was the great leveller as it was dual carriageway around 2 miles long with a big roundabout at each end. There were "lay-byes" [ or pull off areas ] on both sides almost opposite each other, AND the whole circuit was not speed limited.
IF a burn up wasn't satisfactorilly concluded as to a winner - the "joust" was taken to the Lay-Bye where the contenders would set off from one lay-bye, down to the roundabout, up the other side and back to the lay bye they started from. First back was the winner. And there was always an overall "Top Dog" at the lay bye, irrespective of your group or club.
Remember this was in a time of de-restricted sections of road, where there was no upper speed limit so there was no point in Plod becoming involved.
The Lay Bye was also used to debunk the more dubious "my bike does the Ton" claims. The claimee would do 2 circuits of the Lay Bye with a biker of some repute who had a bike known to do a genuine Ton and then see if they could keep up ! Some didn't even bother to turn up.
On a more general note ..... keep taking the pills Leon, the mojo will return.
locOleoN
Is that the best you got? OK.. now my TURN...
beachcomber said:
Bahahhahaha!!... Thank you sir for the advice!
But I think until then, I'll hang up my Bucos and Langlitz jackets, and keep my old bikes in storage until I get urge again... Or save it for the grandkids...
In the meantime, I'll just ride the hell out of my other non-vintagey bikes...
locO leoN said:
There's your problem right there Leon. Your gear has names!! Get some no name stuff so you don't have worry if you are period correct and you'll start enjoying it again.
veloracermike
Coast to Coast
You know what I don't think about when I'm out riding around on my Cafe Clone? This thread.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
gsalter
Active Member
If all these bikes look the same then do something about it. We sorta felt the same way. So Cafe Fabrications decided we would make our own stuff and give our build the look we wanted. Cafe Fabrications was never meant to be a business. It just happened that way. Ya a lot of Cafe Racers do look the same. I think their suppose too, I could be way off base here. Isn't a Cafe Racer suppose to have a certain look to it? Low bars, single seat, rear sets? Sorta like the choppers and bobbers and touring and blah blah blah. They all look the same because they are all of the same style of bike and serve a basic purpose.
I'm into cycling. I could say that about all bicycles. They all look the same, double triangle frames, two wheels, forks, and handle bars.
Why don't you instead of basically bashing anyone and everyone who has a Cafe Racer bike just accept if for what it is. A Cafe Racer. I for one love them and the look regardless of the quality of work or monies spent.
LoCo, I think you should design and build a new tank, seat pan, exhaust, frame or something. Mix it up show us what you would want to see to change the boring bikes your seeing. I get that people don't have either the skills or tools or money to make exactly what they want. So they do the best they can with what they have.
That to me is not boring but passion.
Instead of telling someone their hard work is boring give them praise and say, Hey nice work... It's good seeing someone support the industry. Instead of insulting peoples work. I have found praise will get you further than making snide remarks about other peoples work.
We will be at Barbers in the Ace Cafe Corner if you would like to discuss further.
grant
I'm into cycling. I could say that about all bicycles. They all look the same, double triangle frames, two wheels, forks, and handle bars.
Why don't you instead of basically bashing anyone and everyone who has a Cafe Racer bike just accept if for what it is. A Cafe Racer. I for one love them and the look regardless of the quality of work or monies spent.
LoCo, I think you should design and build a new tank, seat pan, exhaust, frame or something. Mix it up show us what you would want to see to change the boring bikes your seeing. I get that people don't have either the skills or tools or money to make exactly what they want. So they do the best they can with what they have.
That to me is not boring but passion.
Instead of telling someone their hard work is boring give them praise and say, Hey nice work... It's good seeing someone support the industry. Instead of insulting peoples work. I have found praise will get you further than making snide remarks about other peoples work.
We will be at Barbers in the Ace Cafe Corner if you would like to discuss further.
grant
Das
New Member
If you like it - ride it.
I love the cafe look irregardless of its popularity life-expectancy, but my first project won't be a cafe racer simply due to practicality.
The "why" to your choosing a cafe racer may or may not have a direct impact on your eventually being disenchanted by the cafe craze.
I love the cafe look irregardless of its popularity life-expectancy, but my first project won't be a cafe racer simply due to practicality.
The "why" to your choosing a cafe racer may or may not have a direct impact on your eventually being disenchanted by the cafe craze.
