Official Sportster Cafe Racer Picture Thread
#401
07-25-2013, 12:47 PM
#403
08-17-2013, 08:48 PM
so what constitutes a cafe racer?
The low bars, bobed rear fender, stripping of all turn signals, flipping mirrors, that racing style seat, straight pipes, non stock air cleaner, level suspension stance of bike?
I've not seen any HD cafe style around here. More often they call them bar hoppers. They raise the tanks & tuck the wires & re locate the coil. They keep the rear lower & use V&H short pipes. I have only seen 1 older British bike with that style seat in recent years. We used to have a track that closed where guys ran what they called TT bikes using 883 that looked like dirt bikes with tall travel suspensions for doing jumps. looked like a lot of fun but my old back wouldn't take that pounding. Wish i had $ to build several style bikes but don't so want to see yours here
The low bars, bobed rear fender, stripping of all turn signals, flipping mirrors, that racing style seat, straight pipes, non stock air cleaner, level suspension stance of bike?
I've not seen any HD cafe style around here. More often they call them bar hoppers. They raise the tanks & tuck the wires & re locate the coil. They keep the rear lower & use V&H short pipes. I have only seen 1 older British bike with that style seat in recent years. We used to have a track that closed where guys ran what they called TT bikes using 883 that looked like dirt bikes with tall travel suspensions for doing jumps. looked like a lot of fun but my old back wouldn't take that pounding. Wish i had $ to build several style bikes but don't so want to see yours here
#404
08-22-2013, 04:43 PM
Former Sponsor
Heading that direction
Sorry about the poser in the saddle!
Not a ton done just yet, but headed in that direction with our 883r. Waiting for a pipe at the moment.
Thus far; bobbed the fender, tucked in the rear signals, fabbed up an under the fender license plate bracket, cut, repositioned and rewelded clubman handlebars, added bar end mirrors, our fairing, smaller front turn signals and Ohlins rear shocks.
Won't be the most dramatic reworking, but fun none the less. I will post more pics as when we're done.
Enjoying the thread
Not a ton done just yet, but headed in that direction with our 883r. Waiting for a pipe at the moment.
Thus far; bobbed the fender, tucked in the rear signals, fabbed up an under the fender license plate bracket, cut, repositioned and rewelded clubman handlebars, added bar end mirrors, our fairing, smaller front turn signals and Ohlins rear shocks.
Won't be the most dramatic reworking, but fun none the less. I will post more pics as when we're done.
Enjoying the thread
#405
08-23-2013, 08:05 AM
so what constitutes a cafe racer?
The low bars, bobed rear fender, stripping of all turn signals, flipping mirrors, that racing style seat, straight pipes, non stock air cleaner, level suspension stance of bike?
I've not seen any HD cafe style around here. More often they call them bar hoppers. They raise the tanks & tuck the wires & re locate the coil. They keep the rear lower & use V&H short pipes. I have only seen 1 older British bike with that style seat in recent years. We used to have a track that closed where guys ran what they called TT bikes using 883 that looked like dirt bikes with tall travel suspensions for doing jumps. looked like a lot of fun but my old back wouldn't take that pounding. Wish i had $ to build several style bikes but don't so want to see yours here
The low bars, bobed rear fender, stripping of all turn signals, flipping mirrors, that racing style seat, straight pipes, non stock air cleaner, level suspension stance of bike?
I've not seen any HD cafe style around here. More often they call them bar hoppers. They raise the tanks & tuck the wires & re locate the coil. They keep the rear lower & use V&H short pipes. I have only seen 1 older British bike with that style seat in recent years. We used to have a track that closed where guys ran what they called TT bikes using 883 that looked like dirt bikes with tall travel suspensions for doing jumps. looked like a lot of fun but my old back wouldn't take that pounding. Wish i had $ to build several style bikes but don't so want to see yours here
more like a 2-1 or some bad *** collector piece or duals out the back.
Last edited by bmxatv; 08-23-2013 at 08:07 AM.
#406
08-23-2013, 08:29 AM
well for starters, a properly done cafe should have a set of clip ons, a rear tail section (not a bobbed/cut fender). no raised tank. maybe a tank with knee slots. rearsets, bar end mirrors. hahahaha....you said v&h short shots! that's funny. more like a 2-1 or some bad *** collector piece or duals out the back.
more like a 2-1 or some bad *** collector piece or duals out the back.
#407
08-23-2013, 09:30 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
The café racer is a motorcycle that has been modified for speed and handling rather than comfort. The bodywork and control layout of a café racer typically mimicked the style of a contemporary Grand Prix roadracer, featuring an elongated fuel tank, often with dents to allow the rider's knees to grip the tank, low slung racing handlebars, and a single, rearwardly mounted, humped seat.
One signature trait were low, narrow handlebars that allowed the rider to "tuck in" to reduce wind resistance and offered better control when in that posture. These are referred to as "clip-ons" (two-piece bars that bolt directly to each fork tube), or "clubmans" or "ace bars" (one piece bars that attach to the standard mounting location but drop down and forward). The ergonomics resulting from low bars and the rearward seat often required "rearsets", or rear-set footrests and foot controls, again typical of racing motorcycles of the era. Distinctive half or full race-style fairings were sometimes mounted to the forks or frame.
The bikes had a raw, utilitarian and stripped-down appearance while the engines were tuned for maximum speed. These motorcycles were lean, light and handled road surfaces well. The most defining machine of the heyday of the type was "The Triton", which had a homemade Norton Featherbed frame and Triumph Bonneville engine. It used the most common and fastest racing engine combined with the best handling frame of its day, the Featherbed frame by Norton Motorcycles. Those with less money could opt for a "Tribsa"—the Triumph engine in a BSA frame. Other combinations such as the "Norvin" (a Vincent V-Twin engine in a Featherbed frame) and racing frames by Rickman or Seeley were also adopted for road use.
____
Not my definition... copied from Wikipedia
One signature trait were low, narrow handlebars that allowed the rider to "tuck in" to reduce wind resistance and offered better control when in that posture. These are referred to as "clip-ons" (two-piece bars that bolt directly to each fork tube), or "clubmans" or "ace bars" (one piece bars that attach to the standard mounting location but drop down and forward). The ergonomics resulting from low bars and the rearward seat often required "rearsets", or rear-set footrests and foot controls, again typical of racing motorcycles of the era. Distinctive half or full race-style fairings were sometimes mounted to the forks or frame.
The bikes had a raw, utilitarian and stripped-down appearance while the engines were tuned for maximum speed. These motorcycles were lean, light and handled road surfaces well. The most defining machine of the heyday of the type was "The Triton", which had a homemade Norton Featherbed frame and Triumph Bonneville engine. It used the most common and fastest racing engine combined with the best handling frame of its day, the Featherbed frame by Norton Motorcycles. Those with less money could opt for a "Tribsa"—the Triumph engine in a BSA frame. Other combinations such as the "Norvin" (a Vincent V-Twin engine in a Featherbed frame) and racing frames by Rickman or Seeley were also adopted for road use.
____
Not my definition... copied from Wikipedia
#408
08-24-2013, 08:37 PM
Stage II
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#409
08-25-2013, 12:12 AM
