[LearMech]

I think it's pretty cool. It's nice to see another motorcycle community that doesn't revolve around choppers or the "Harley mentalality" I really dig the rockabilly music and style they show. I'm sure it's just like any generation and it's romanticized a lot but man I would have loved to been around that scene.



It was a re-run but I happen to catch the the episodes that a guy in Iowa was making a CX500 cafe last week. What model did that tank come from?

 

[Blindstitch]

Dennis was good enough to burn me a few episodes of the show. It's not bad. I believe the Iowa guy is on here somewhere.

 

[Motor Hippie]

I did catch that. I was happy to see a CX500 on there. That man did a great job on that bike. I think his bike looked way better than the other bike they focused on from Long Beach. And he didn't have a gigantic budget either. But then, I'm a bit biased towards CX500's so . . .

 

[Rick Hoad]

We have had this on the Discovery channel here in the Uk, Sorry guys but its seems that you in the states are trying to jump on the band wagon (a bit late admitidly) and make any bike a cafe racer, even down to having an "ACE CAFE".

I know its not you guys (on this forum) but sorry a CX was never and will never be a cafe racer EVER

cafe racers were in the 50's and 60's and were british bikes, i know its a bit of a rant but trust me, the only one doing it right is the scottish chap making them out of old B.S.A's and Triumphs all the rest are wannabee's.

As for billy joel saying that the guzzi V50 was a cafe racer.......PULL YOUR HEAD OUT YOUR ARSE MR JOEL

odie

 

[LearMech]

Admittedly the cafe bikes were not around here in the 50's and 60's, just a different mindset and the long cruiser bikes were a better fit for our long straight highways. But I think the cafe thing has been around here for a lot longer than people realize, it's just late getting some attention.



I look at the japanese vs. british bike the same way as some car guys look at the new tuner cars. It may not be the "traditional" hot rod but everybody shares the same passion for cars or bikes. It's the same attitude, the same desire to make your vehicle unique and as long as you persoanally are genuine about what you are doing your car/bike is going to turn out just as genuine.

 

[tmoll]

The arguments about what is and what isn't a "genuine" cafe racer bike are a little stale. Many people in the US back in the '60's were building cafe racer bikes, and most were based on British bikes at that time (I know, I was there - and yes, I am old). This is one of those things that has now "come back around" and is gaining popularity again (thankfully so IMO). Now there is a lot of new blood builders that were not around for the first go around that are getting involved, and we have many new choices of bikes to use as platforms for cafe racer style bikes (style being the operative word or qualifier). It's just people having fun and being creative, and they should be encouraged. I don't think that anyone should be discouraged from building a bike in this style, and further evolving the style if they wish to do so. Whether it is a "real" cafe racer or not is not relevant.

Tom

 

[Rick Hoad]

The thing is they are not being true to form, you got a frame that handled and put an engine that was superiour to the original in it, the nearest thing we have to it now are street fighters, ok they are using the stock engine and chassi but there are people out there (spondon engineering etc) who will make you a frame to house you engine of choice that will handle far better than the original and also be a damn sight lighter!

But cafe racers as a style are dead, long live the cafe racer, it was born in an era that has sadly gone, let it rest in piece

 

[cgpiper]

The basic idea is riding from one place to another in sort of a minimalist mode. Doesn't matter what bike or what the name, as long as you get to ride. The thought of trying to adhere to a set of contrived guidelines while riding independently is kind of counterintuitive, no?



Maybe I'll start a 'bar racer' clique... no, that's been done. How about 'mini-mart rider'? Naw. Wait, got one. 'bike rider'!



Yeah!

 

[Billrod]

Any body know what channel that is on DirectTv. Thanks

 

[cgpiper]

Any body know what channel that is on DirectTv. Thanks

Should be 281 (HD Theater).

 

[Blindstitch]

The argument of what's new and old, real and fake doesn't matter. In fact it's kind of stupid.



Oh there not real cafe bikes because they aren't vincents, nortons, triumphs or british.



And we can make a stink over the fact that no where but america made a real chopper.



Of course all this is crap. It was the 50's, 60's and 70's. Besides vintage it's all crap. The bikes were created on junk technology. Sure they work but for how long. 10 years later the bikes were 10 times better. 50 years later and now they're how much better?



Does the platform really matter?



All that matters is the spirit and the criteria of the owner. We cant change the time we are in.



For all we know in 50 years the old timers at the coffee shop will be saying "remember when motorcycles had tires". Then we can trash the motorcycles or motorcyclists that don't ride or customize bikes with tires.