Where to start, what engine choices ?

TCED

TCED

second time around
I'm planning a cafe project to carry me thru a northern winter and for however long into the following seasons it may take. This is also a retirement project, something to keep the mind going ! My plan would be to build around a 500 single or 500 - 650 twin. Based on parts availibilty what would be a good base to start from ? I know the 650 Yamaha twin is very popular. I've been away from bikes for years and cannot remember if there were some 500 thumpers that were road bikes that would make a good cafe base ?
Any and all suggestions are appreciated, thanks,
ed
 
Yamaha SR500's (thumper) are pretty common too I believe, otherwise there's always the Honda CB350-450-500(twins). I believe parts for those bikes are pretty easy to come by, but if you want something more unusual look up pretty much any british bike. The Yamaha XS650 does have that "oldschool" looking engine (more upright than other japs).
I'm not really the right guy to ask as the only bike I have had is a Honda CB350, but parts for that exact bike in is abundance and there are loads of people making custom items for it. Benjies cafe racer does seats and tank for instance, DimeCityCycles have pretty much every part you would be looking for and of course ebay.

In the end it is all up to you and the picture of the finished bike hidden in the back of your mind ;)

Hope it helps a little!

Good luck!
 
The TX/XS 650 from Yamaha is basically a late 60s Triumph engine, built to Japanese specs. I.E. tighter tolerances, and more reliable with less work than a Trumpet.

Aftermarket is MASSIVE for them as well, and you can still find them sorta cheap if you search.

Honda twins are nice, but 99% of small Hondas are not performance bikes from the factory, so as long as you're ok with that they're hard to beat.

The Honda CB/CL350 twin is one of the most mass produced motorcycles of all time. Parts are so cheap and plentiful its insane. And the aftermarket, performance, and NOS shelves are overflowing to boot.

Dont discount the Yamaha two strokes (mostly the RD line) either. Relativlly cheap, light and fast. Lots of go fast parts for them as well (as long as you avoid the RD200 and RD125).

The Suzuki GRs of the late 70s/early 80s are dead nuts reliable and fun bikes.

Honda baby I4s (cb350four, cb400f, cb500four, cb550four) are TERRIFIC BIKES. Especially the cb400f, which may be the closest thing that Honda made to a production racer (that Joe Public could afford) in the mid 70s.

The CB750 has a huge following, BUT in my humble opinion, Id rather have one of the above Inlines 4s.

Now, If you can afford one...

60s and early 70s Triumphs, Norton and BSAs are the "real deal" as far as period correct BS. I say BS, because if those cats in 60s England couldve had a cb400f, they wouldve sold theyre Bonnies and Gold Stars in a heartbeat. They can be built to be TERRIFIC bikes, but it will take some more time, work and cash than say... A 70s Honda.

That said, the old Brit iron has a class, and spirit like no other machines. They take a little more money to build, but really... You cant take your checkbook with ya when you kick the bucket right?

Another option, if your down with ruffling feathers, is an HD Sportster of any vintage. Itll definitly be the most expensive option. BUUUUT... They can be amazing. The Sportster was the Americans way of trying to steal market shares back from the Brits in the 50s and 60s. If it wasnt for the Japanese basically taking ALL of the shares in the 70s, the Sportys (or derivitaves of...) and Bonnies (Goldies, etc...) were as close to performance bikes that most guys could afford.

Hope that helps a bit and welcome to DTT!
 
VonYinzer said:
The TX/XS 650 from Yamaha is basically a late 60s Triumph engine, built to Japanese specs. I.E. tighter tolerances, and more reliable with less work than a Trumpet
Click to expand...

Except Triumph was a push rod plain bearing motor and the XS is OHC all ball bearing motor (so really, they are nothing alike except they burn gas ;D )

Look for older Honda single's
XL/XR500 (pre RFVC) will fit into a CB360 frame with very little effort (if anyone has a motor/electrics, I'm still looking ;) )
Personally I wouldn't use CB750, too big and heavy,
CB500/550 is a much nicer bike (and a lot narrower) so can corner much faster through twisty sections without banging cases on the ground.
None of this old stuff is going to live with a modern sprotbike so the 'fun' factor is high priority, 360 is most 'fun' bike I have (which is probably why my XS650 is still in storage ::) )
Katana hasn't been ridden for over a year, 120+ isn't as much fun as it used to be 20~30 yrs ago (too many cops and even more squids on sprotbikes) :(
 
Stylistically I mean sir...

It "looks" like an old Triumph motor, but has the advancements that come with being built in Japan.
 
Yep, that's true, they splayed the exhaust ports to make it look more 'Triumph', even though the 'parallel port' motors made better power (and got used for the race motors)
 
Thanks guys, your giving some good information towards a start.
I guess frame size should also be a consideration. I'm tall and older so a bigger frame would probably be a better fit. Would the Yamaha 650 twin have one of the largest frames available ? It's been so long I cannot picture any of the older smaller bikes and their frame sizes.
It seems everything new today is so compact in size.
ed
 
The TX/XS is a "bigger" bike, yes. Im 5' 8" and in stock trim my old XS650 was a bit on the tall side for sure, but still easliy managed. My good friend is 6'2" and 260lbs, and felt right at home on it also.
 
VonYinzer said:
The TX/XS is a "bigger" bike, yes. Im 5' 8" and in stock trim my old XS650 was a bit on the tall side for sure, but still easliy managed. My good friend is 6'2" and 260lbs, and felt right at home on it also.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the help. Think it will be a 650 twin for me. Now the search for something to transform begins !
ed
 
Well I've been searching for the project and have taken a couple detours along the way.

The Honda Ascot VT500 keeps getting my attention but they are priced more then I expected to pay for entry. Still considering one though. Actually the Ascot ST500 also looks like a good start.

Recently discovered the 1983 Suzuki GR 650 which looks like another good vertical twin.

Also found a nice Honda late 70's 500T thats local and at a good price. I've read these are difficult to get parts for compared to other Hondas of that era ?

Still looking for a XS650 also.

So .......... you guys have any opinions on the bikes above ? I've done a lot of reading on the XS 650 so feel I would like it but something a little different makes me want to go with the Ascot or Suki or 500T.


Thanks for any and all opinions,
ed
 
try not to take this the wrong way but Dont be a puss IT490 or a CR500 if your gonna be a bear be a grizz
 
Ask BigRich what he thinks about the GRs. Haha... The 500t is a beautiful motor and can be made to make some real power.
 
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