Hello from metro Detroit. Help me pick my first project!!

T

thunderzy

Active Member
Hello, my name is Zack! Long time lurker! I love all the members' bikes here, everyone of them is and inspiration!! I was hoping the good folks here can help me pick out my first cafe project! First a little about myself. Ive been riding for 3 years now, last 2 years have been track days only. I own a 2005 cbr600rr. As for a cafe project I would like something that has a lot of aftermarket and internet information support. I seem to favor twin engined bikes. I have no experience working on motorcycles, but currently slowly restoring a '79 firebird, and I'm a quick learner. I'm 5'9" and 220 lbs!! Oh, Im also a die hard Honda fan! Ive been looking for a running cb450 or 500t, and or an XS650. Im not very familiar with twins made by the other manufacturers. I want to build a stripped down, clean, dyi cafe!! Any suggestions or information
 
Hey there and welcome! What part of the metro are you in? I'm in Ann Arbor and I know there are several people from the SE part of the state (and the rest of the lower peninsula for that matter) around here.

If you are good with cars, you will be able to work on a Honda Twin with very little problem.

Keep us posted when you land a project.

Dan
 
Im in bloomfield! I actually lived in Ann Arbor for 3 years during college! I love that city! Well does anybody want to point me in the direction of a honda twin I may like!???!?!?!?
 
Welcome! I'm in Ann Arbor too. Scour craigslist for good project bikes ... careful though as it gets addicting (and dangerous to your wallet)!
 
thunderzy,

I have seen this posted about a dozen times. He's asking to much but if he still has it he may take a reasonable offer.....

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/mcy/1325893961.html

Otherwise i have a friend who has two BSA's for sale. I'll keep my eyes open for ya.

joe,

btw... royal oak, mi
 
Cafe-XV750 said:
Welcome! I'm in Ann Arbor too. Scour craigslist for good project bikes ... careful though as it gets addicting (and dangerous to your wallet)!
Click to expand...

Addicting AND dangerous indeed!!! Glad I'm not the only one with this problem though;

Welcome!!
 
addicting? ive gone from having a playful obsession to a full n sickness! Im afraid that when I do get a bike I'll leap head first into cafe racer psychosis!!!
 
Saw this also. CM450. I dont know what the difference is between a cb and a cm! someone please enlighten me.
http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/mcy/1376936008.html

also another post for an XS650, but little over my budget.
http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/mcy/1377011446.html
 
CB will be a much easier cafe bike to work on, but the CM is a nice reliable first bike and very simple mechanically. You can check out my CM400 build thread, there are a few other CMs around here.

The main difference that I'm dealing with now is the frame design. The CM has more of a cruiser style frame - the seat area is not flat, but swoops up to the shock mounts and continues going up past them. This makes a traditional bump stop seat difficult, but not impossible. In general that bike lends itself to life as a bobber more than a cafe.

Any of those bikes would make good first projects though.

Dan
 
DCWP, thanks for the reply. So I'll stick to CBs as far as hondas go. That leaves me to decide between an XS650 and a CB450 or 500T. Which of these models have the most aftermarket and information support?
 
My name is Pat and I just finished a 1975 xs650 cafe racer and although I love it the hondas have more cafe parts out there than the xs650 did. But the if you like older brit bikes(like me) the xs650 looks more like an old triumph and you can find parts for them with a little looking. If you end up with the yammy I'll send you so sites to get parts.
 
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