Liquid-cooled or Air-cooled?

[RTR]

First post on this forum, and I’m sure that many of these threads are started, all-too-often. I searched around a bit and didn’t find exactly what I was looking for. If there are threads about this already, please point me in the right direction.

In the quest to find that perfect bike to convert to a café, I’m faced with one basic question: liquid-cooled or air-cooled? I’m assuming that because the air-cooled is more basic, it’ll look more “café,” when completed.

What about price? Availability of bikes? Easiest to maintain? Availability of parts? Reliability? Ease of modifications?

What cooling system for the engine would be a better option, especially considering the above questions…? And for those of you that have preferences and predilections, what make and model might I look for. I don’t need anything bigger than 800cc…

Thoughts?

 

[JRK5892]

i like liquid cause you can run them a bit harder and not worry so much about over heating, but it is really dependant on the type of bike

 

[sebatron]

i don't think anyone (anyone) needs more than 70 odd HP for street use, and the aesthetics of aircooled are so much better, so i'm a convert. my current caf(ish) project is my first aircooled but i may never go w/c again.

 

[RTR]

^^^This is kind of what I was thinking. That leads me to my next question: Does anyone have a link to some comprehensive list that compares what makes and models have air-cooled engines?

 

[teazer]

It all depepends on what you want to achieve and what you have available.

To me a cafe racer should be an air cooled twin with tons or character. So anything Brit is a good start. Failing that an XS650 is probably a smarter place to start. Sounds and looks similar but more reliable and less oil leaks.

Big singles are also cool and for a fraction of the price of a BSA Gold Star you could take an SR or GB single and make a nice light cafe racer that embodies the essence. There's a Yamaha single with TZ tank that looks orgasmically good.

Probably more available cheaply are any number of UJM. The ubiquitous Universal Japanese Motorcycle - meaning they are all more or less the same.

Honda 500 or 550 would be nice but a later 650 or 750 might be cheaper. Suzuki and Kawasaki also come in 550, 650, and 750 packages ready to be transformed.

Find one that runs well but looks like crap and it could be a cheap place to start. Don't forget the KZ650 Kawasaki either. It's a really sound bike.

If teh budget is more modest, start smaller - CB350/450 KZ twins etc. They can be made to run quite fast enough and look cool too with a little work.

Others prefer water cooled for nice quiet civilized reliable rides, but that's boring and lacks character (the bike - not the owner/builder) IMHO.

Most of us probably start with what we had, or with a bike we lusted after years ago.

Try to work out what you want to end with. that's the easiest way to work out where to start.

 

[hillsy]

Why is this in the fighter section ???

 

[bunnyman]

While I agree with Hillsy, I will respond. 'cos to me, the streetfighter IS the modern cafe racer.

My definition of a cafe racer is a bike that was stripped down, all stuff to make it legal put back on, and optimised to go fast. Modern Goldwings in their stock state are the antithesis of a cafe racer. However, I would love to have a Goldwing that was cafe'd!!! Streetfighters are generally the same idea, different decade.

Air-cooled Universal Japanese motorcycles from the '60s and '70s make great cafe bikes that have plenty of spares available and are in general pretty easy to work on. There is seemingly never a shortage of barn-fresh, but workable examples of a CB, a KZ or similar UJM for sale costing nearly nothing. I went from being a noobie to being somewhat mechanically competent pretty quickly. Mind that I do have mechanical experience (wrenching bicycles and building bike components and frames, being self-taught), but don't let not having mechanical experience be an obstacle. The worst that can happen is you have to pay a mechanic to bail you out ;D

I traded my KZ that I had started, but it was a mechanically sound example of a bike that cost a few clams. That being said, I am now ready to tackle a less mechanically sound bike for a complete tear-down and build. Helping the guy who bought the KZ is making me want another UJM to cafe.

 

[hillsy]

I meant this question should be asked in another folder. This is the fighter folder on a cafe forum - not all the cafe guys look in here.

You'll get more responses if you put it in the lounge or 1800 cafe help.

Or seeing how this is RTR's first post, how about the member introductions folder?

BTW - welcome aboard RTR