[gashousegorilla]

http://www.caferacertv.com/

[prof_stack]

http://www.caferacertv.com/

Wow, looks like a lot of fun!

[Andy]

I saw the TV ad the other day.  In a way I'm pleased, but I know already what's going to happen: Yet another secretly cool thing is going to be mainstreamed, glammed up, and ultimately destroyed, and what few old bikes of cafe material still selling for a song are going to jump in price, because they're "cool" again.

What I liked best about my rocker/cafe days was that nobody knew what the hell it was, except others of the ilk - a rare enough breed in this part of the world.  Nobody around here knows what a pudding bowl is - remembering the specs on their Arai XJB-17-K5(C) and matching race leathers doesn't leave room in their minds for it.     And that's all right by me. 

Cafe racers are like rock and roll - the best is underground, and you gotta know a guy to find it. 

(I'm still going to watch it though.     )

[2bikebill]

It's caff racer  -  not cafeh, girls  -  it's CAFF.  Let's get it right if we're going to play at  bein rockers.....   

"...makes 80mph feel like 150...."     Ha Ha  -  old Brit sportscars have the same effect. The sensation of speed is purely subjective, the numbers have nothing to do with it. White knuckles, clear mind, open road, roar,  t  o  r  q  u  e   

The Ace Cafe is still there  -  but it's just a faked up nostalgia version of course and alas.

[gashousegorilla]

 Andy, I suspect your correct, but lets hope it does not go that way.
Will, my apologies, you know how we Yanks love to corrupt your language.
It's a cool little thing going on over here in the states,about as rare as seeing another guy on a RE.With our own little spin on it, especially in the eclectic nature of the bikes. And no disrespect is intended to our "cousins" across the pond.Only thanks for showing us what a cool bike really is.
  As far as the Ace is concerned, well you may be right. But it's kinda cool for the guy's over here to know it's still there. What would be real cool, is if some of the Brits on the forum could maybe share some of there experiences here! Some story's, maybe the mods you guy's did, the people involved,etc.

[Roger]

I saw the TV ad the other day.  In a way I'm pleased, but I know already what's going to happen: Yet another secretly cool thing is going to be mainstreamed, glammed up, and ultimately destroyed, and what few old bikes of cafe material still selling for a song are going to jump in price, because they're "cool" again.

What may happen is a rush of the major manufacturers to produce new cafe style bikes.  I know I don't have the time or the skills to cut up a 1967 Triumph and turn it into a real cafe racer.  I have the means to buy one, and if wanted it I would.  Americans like cafe styled bikes anyway.  Take a look at Craigslist and every old Honda CB ad mentions that it is a cafe or could be. 

[Roger]

Some story's, maybe the mods you guy's did, the people involved,etc.

I thought they mostly beat up on the Mods. 

[2bikebill]

No offence here GHG - don't take me tooo seriously....
I agree it's a good thing that the Ace Cafe was re-opened and is now a major biker venue again - bikers is bikers & it's all good.
Strangely, while you in the USA are getting into old Brit iron and are "caffing" bikes, the UK is infested with Harleys. Don't get me wrong, I like Harleys, and they are hugely popular in the UK these days. I wouldn't mind betting you'd find a herd of em outside the Ace.....  I'm seeing more Victorys around too, in fact there's a dealership not too far from here.  I still prefer that old rocker bike style though.
I lived in North London not too far from the Ace up until 1964 - still a year away from my driving license. I used to nag my dad to take me in there because of the bikes - it was a transport cafe (truckstop) really which had been pretty much taken over by bikers. It was on the North Circular Road right near where it passed under several huge brick multi-track railway bridges and the sound of packs of bikes opening up through them was spectacular. I still remember me dear old mum's tut-tutting disaproval as me and my sister drooled with excitement in the back of the Consul  
Apart from it's notoriety, the papers used to like running stories about the fabled "ton-up vicar" and his 59 club who hung out there. Used to see a lot of 59 patches on leather jackets, but I haven't seen one for a while.  I think he died last year, very old. God loves bikers ... probably is one.....  

[Blltrdr]

I had been wondering about that show because it was actually supposed to start earlier this year. I will have to set up the DVR and record this series. I bought a '77 XS360-2D (stripped down version w/drum brakes) last December just for the purpose of building a cafe and have got it completely disassembled with the frame modified just how I want it and I'm waiting for the weather to change to get back into the groove to finish it up. Should do the ton when done.

GHG thanks for posting the vid.

[gashousegorilla]

I thought they mostly beat up on the Mods. 

Yea, LOL !! I knew that was coming Modifications brother, modifications.

[The Garbone]

Cool,  just programed it in my DVR so I don't forget to record it... 

[Ducati Scotty]

Almost cool enough for me to spend more money on cable.   I'll have to get a friend to record it.

I think it's cool that the Ace Cafe was reopened even if only as a trouisty tribute.  Paradoxically, I think that turning CBGB into a t-shirt shop is sacrelige.  We each hold our own hipocrisies.

While it might glam things up in the public eye, I think SYM is already putting out a 125cc cafe racer and we've all seen the concept RE bikes.  Norton already has the Commando 961 that elicits the essence of a ace racer but is really nothing like the original.  Bigger, heavier, much bigger engine, tighter handling and solid brakes.  Then again, what are our UCE REs but the same spin on factory bikes of the same age?

Anything that brings positive publicity to motorcycling is ok by me.  Will there be a rash of factory cafe bikes?  Maybe.  But I think it will fade quickly.  Care racers are about wrenching and riding, not sitting all day at the coffee shop and it takes a certain type to fold oneself up on a dodgy little motorbike and ride more than 10 miles and still feel like doing it again.  Just as a real custom built cruiser/chopper still stands out from the mass market bikes, so too do the people who build and ride them. 

Don't worry mates, we're safe.  There are no poser grease monkeys.  Grease monkey takes commitment.

Scott

[qgolden]

Interesting and probably good in the long run.  A few years ago when the Discovery Channel began to do shows on Choppers, most folks thought of them as an eclectic class of motorcycle.  Lots of folks have been as dedicated to the chopper world as folks have been to the Cafe style. 

But take a look at what choppers have become.  25l years ago I bought a chopper, I just wanted the Engine, Tranny and rear wheel.  Well it ran, so of course I road it home, that girder front end 'bout killed me.  Most unstable unsafe vehicle I ever had the privilege of riding.  Best white knuckle ride I ever had!      That front end would flop around, could not turn it at speeds less than 20 MPG. And at speeds where you could turn it if felt like it was coming apart.  That long girder would bounce over a rough spot in the road and take another two miles to stop oscillatin'.

I got it home, put it in the shop and had it apart by morning, sold off the frame and girder and got enough for Tanks, Fenders, Seat and 'lectics for my next project.

Three years ago I looked at some Choppers that were for sale at Laconia during Bike week by a Vendor who had brought them to town.  The front ends were pretty near as long as my Girder was, I was extremly impressed with the ride and handling at all speeds.  I related to the builder my previous experience and he commented how technology had changed in the past 20 years, and mostly in the past 5. All the handling issues that plagued the Choppers were gone, heck anyone could ride one now.

Well in retrospect I had to agree with him, and for a large part I think we have the Discovery Channel to thank for it.  Shows like Biker Build-Off, Jesse James Choppers, American Chopper etc has popularized the choppers.  As they become popular, monies are invested, better quality is demanded and a whole new machine is born. (Not to mention a whole new cottage manufacturing and parts industry)  I still see those old Girders on the road from time to time, but the new stuff is so much safer and better.

Good or bad is a bit of personal philosophy, but perhaps the Cafe Racer is next in line for a makeover.

[Kevin Mahoney]

Look for some good RE presence on this show. As many of you know RE is working in a cafe bike. A lot of international market testing has been done and it is in the prototype stage. Triumph has a cafe bike of sorts now. I dare say ours will be far closer to what most of us recognize as a pure cafe racer than any other manufacturer but that remains to be seen.

We sponsored the Venice Beach Vintage club show this year and it was mostly homemade cafe bikes. From Rats to museum quality it was wonderful. Most were Japanese bikes with plenty of Brit bikes thrown in. It is a hot trend in CA which means it will probably spread. The show will help. Most of the owners were young, in fact it was the youngest crowd I have ever seen at a motorcycle event. It was great and I hope it is a trend that continues.

Having said all this, it will rise and then fade away like all style trends do. I find them particularly appealing just like I do a totally stripped Triumph chopper. I think it is a generational thing.

My own experiences at the Ace cafe have been very positive. I don't think it is much different than back in the day. Lots of people with all sorts of bikes riding, showing off bikes and having a good time. What else is there?

[Ducati Scotty]

Even girders are safe and effective these days.  Some of the improvements in chopper handling are the result of slight better materials technology but mostly it's a better unerstanding of steering geometry: rake, trail, etc.  

The modern girder forks I've seen on choppers usually use a modern spring and damper unit which is a huge leap forward.  Don't malign the girder.  Set up right, it's one of the most precise handling front ends you can have.  The Hossack/Fior front end used by BMW as the Duo Lever is really just a modern girder and it's amazing.  

The MotoCzysz C1 uses their own version and it's more amazing still.  Michael Czysz is local to me and his ideas are truly revolutionary.  If you can find the Discovery HD special on his bike it's well worth watching.

Scott