Cafe racer donor bikes?

highwayrider · Scooby Slapper Joined: 29 Dec 2012 Karma :

What are the most common bikes used for café racer conversions, and can also be had quite cheaply?

Rogerborg · nimbA Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Karma :

I thought you were getting a Viagra?

A caff and a cruiser are pretty much opposites.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

highwayrider · Scooby Slapper Joined: 29 Dec 2012 Karma :

Sable · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Jul 2012 Karma :

Are you going to be doing a fully custom bike yourself?

If No - Triumph, Enfield, and Norton all do good cafe racer styled bikes.

If yes - To do it nicely will cost you. Its something I want to do myself. You have to bare in mind all the money you put into it, will NOT increase the bikes value come resale time. Do not just buy a bike thats easy and convert it, you might get bored of it, then never see your time & money back. Instead browse websites like BikeExif, Pipeburn, ReturnOfTheCafeRacers, choose a style you like, cost up the parts you want, and give it a month of browsing pictures and reading conversions. In a months time you will know what a financial / time undertaking you are taking on, have a good idea of what you want parts wise and frame wise, maybe even engine wise. At least then you wont sink money and time into a bike you might not like.

If you still want to sink money into it, go for it.

highwayrider · Scooby Slapper Joined: 29 Dec 2012 Karma :

I was thinking of getting a gn250 and just changing the seat and bars for the time being.

highwayrider · Scooby Slapper Joined: 29 Dec 2012 Karma :

Something like this would do me. It'll be a first bike so I'm going to go crazy.

RyanTZR125 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Feb 2013 Karma :

I bought an old Honda h100, which had been bobbed, big huge risers and high bars.
Looked like so...

https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/NitroCowBoy/DSC_0701_zps96e8de2c.jpg

I'm looking to go more cafe style, I've changed the bars and clamps, using some from a cbf 125, moved the number plate and the rear light, which now looks like so..

https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/NitroCowBoy/IMG_20130420_111919_zps32b35601.jpg

I plan on making or buying a cafe style seat, I'd really like one that's fully covered with leather/faux leather including the hump. A mini Speedo and that'll do for me. This is my first bike so I'm not going for full on contours, it's old and tatty, but I think I'll be under £500 including the price of the bike
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1980 Honda H100A, Cafe racer. (SOLD)
1998 Yamaha TZR 125 4HX.
1999 Yamaha R6 YZF

mysterious_rider · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Sep 2010 Karma :

gs500.

https://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/mysterious_rider/Photo0095.jpg
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KAWASAKIIIII

hmmmnz · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

dont do a gn250, the angle of the tank and top tube make doing a nice flat tank look quite difficult, the sr range from yamaha always make good cafe racers, basically any twin or single from the 70's is pretty easy to convert
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the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

Rogerborg · nimbA Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Karma :

Inb4 "rearsets!"

Also, I'd strongly advise against using exhaust wrap on a working bike, it absorbs moisture and rusts the exhaust up a treat.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike