I thought it would be a good time to cover a bit of the history of the cafe racer and the roots of this unique breed of bike.

I think the 2 thinks that excite me most about this genre are that just about any bike can be turned into a cafe racer and this leads to a lot of diversity and dare to be different style.

Secondly I love that is a great cost-effective way to keep old bikes on the road. Far to often older Japanese bikes have been neglected cosmetically, (stored outdoors etc.) but their engines are in top shape, restoration to like new condition just does not make economic sense some times and converting to a cafe racer keeps that old machine on the road. It's amazing what keeps some of these old bikes off the road, a couple of carb kits and a two or three hundred dollars is often all it takes to have a head turning machine... I still love the look on peoples faces when I pull up beside one of these 60K customs, and my budget cafe racer draws more attention because of it's uniqueness.

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Ok, on to the meat and potatoes of the matter! The roots of the Cafe Racer are primarily british but by the mid-sixties the trend had moved over the pond and with that we saw people start to apply this custom treatment to bikes from the big Four, eventually to the point where we began to see offerings from the manufacture that where essentially factory Cafe Racers, 2 examples that come to ming are the Honda CB750 F Supersport and the CB400F Supersport... heck even Harley Davidson got in on the game with their XLCR Cafe Racer. Below are some pics of friends and customers custom Cafe Racers as well as a few examples of factory offerings and some brit bikes followed by some excepts from an article by ACE Cafe London on the history of the Cafe Racer movement.

The CAFE RACER, is perhaps the most personal and individual type of all the different styles of bikes. Whether you want to know more or just want to see what Cafe Racers are about, here you can check it out!

In the early fifties, when "Edwardian", Teddy Boy, styles were popular, most bike industry advertisements were aimed at motorcycle enthusiasts. At that time, bikes were mainly used for transportation rather than for just having a fun time. That all changed with the eruption of Rock `N´ Roll. This rebellion of youth saw the need for a special type of bike.

Honda CB750 F2 1978

The main reasons to have a standard bike converted into a cafe racer were: The need for speed, and being cool in all the right places (preferably where you could hear Rock `N´ Roll ) as well as being quite simply different. These machines were not only meant to transport you as fast as possible, but were also saying something about you and your distinct attitude. As such bikes where not readily available, you simply had to build them yourself.

Although there were some pretty fast bikes on sale from BSA, Norton, Triumph or Velocette, and beginning in the late sixties the Japanese big four. A strong bike back then provided about 40 to 45 horsepower, but generally they did not have the look.

It was a must that the looks of the bike should match with the style, and appearance, of their black leather clad riders. By the mid-fifties bikers started to put Triumph engines into a Norton Featherbed frame. Since Triumph engines were considered to be powerful and Norton frames and forks to deliver excellent roadholding, a new type of bike was born, the TRITON. A bike with outstanding handling and that delivered enough power to let you reach a 100 MPH, The Ton. This combo was among the most classic Cafe Racers, but as the Japanese hit the market especially States-side we saw a bigger and broader and more powerful selection of bikes to build these machines from.

Accessories like clip-on's, special tail and headlights, racing carbs, exhaust pipes and alloy gas tanks gave a special and individual touch to every single Cafe Racer. Although there are many TRITONS or DRESDAS on the roads, rarely do you see two that look exactly the same. All are different, tailored to the individual needs and taste of each owner. Here we're actually talking of the first customized bikes, a trend which find its continuity with all those choppers, cruisers, and perhaps, the true inheritors of the Cafe Racers, the modern Streetfighter.

By the early sixties, the bike market was changing with new traffic laws and road systems together with general changes in society. Those who used their bikes principally for transportation, often changed to a car as the prices came down. The bike industry wasn't developing new designs, just bringing out different versions of the same machines. Also, the public perception of motorcycle,s and especially of their riders had changed. Largely to that of a rather hostile one, being fed by shock stories in the tabloid press both here in the US and overseas.

Another Bike By a customer and Great Builder "CARPY"

The late sixties and early seventies saw attempts by the British bike industry to cope with a new generation of powerful and modern bikes offered by the expanding Japanese manufacturers. BSA brought out the three cylinder Rocket 3, with its 60 horses, the same engine with a modified cylinder angle powered the Triumph Trident, BSA delivered the latest version of their BSA A 65 series with a two cylinder 55 hp engine.

However, the British bike scene was on a decline, neither the John Player Special Norton nor the Metisse being able to prevent the takeover by the big four .

In Europe the bike situation was apathetic. Things had however changed in the US, with more and more people using their bikes "just for fun". Cafe Racers, were becoming extremely popular.

Still, whatever the bike compa ies brought out, a Cafe Racer remained a Cafe Racer. A bike with style, a bike that tells you it has been made for a purpose, a bike that lets you know what it's about.

A distinctive class of bike - the Cafe Racer. In the early years Most of them based on British designs, but with a growing number of Japanese models included, such as early Honda K´s or Kawasaki Z 9´s

The 3 Bikes Below are from Benjie's Cafe Racer "BCR"

Today, companies start to build new bikes inspired by the original 50's & 60's cafe racers, some as `retro style´ - such as Kawasaki W650, and even Triumph brought out their new 800cc Bonneville.