Hi I have recently purchased a Ducati 600SS and i am in the process of stripping it, i am very impressed with the quality and condition of the bike and had originally intended to turn it into a Cafe Racer build. But i think this is pretty good as it is, a bit slow a the moment, but i have a stage 2 Dynojet kit on order and will have it dydno'd once it is all fitted. I have already purchased new rear sets, chain & sprocket set, all new stainless steel bolts. and intend to at least strip nd rebuild the frame and rear swing arm at this point. So what would you do, cafe racer or original with updates that are easily put back to original if required?? Paul
Depends, how many bikes do you have? If this is your only bike i'd put it back as is as quicker so will be ready for spring. If you have another to ride while doing this so no hurry, then whatever floats your boat.
I think I will have to get a cafe racer one day so I'm bias. Love some of the bikes at the Sausage meet this year. I'd like it retro looking with good brakes and suspension. Wheels that can take some reasonable compound rubber, Like the white one you posted. I would not want anything too radical looking style wise.. If the time was right and the right bike was to come up I'd be interested, where as I would not buy a 600ss but I bet more people say the opposite on here. If I did not build a cafe racer myself I'd be very fussy about wheels, forks, shock brakes etc... so I guess building for potential resale is a bit of minefield. What ever you do I don't think you'll go far wrong? Perhaps one way you will spend more and might make or lose more when you sell I think I might end up with my 998s, a 1299s and cafe racer at some point... but I maybe thinking about bikes with upright bars by then.
not my bag CR, looks like a modern bike with old school tank and seat.. I'd want a bike looking like a old cafe racer with decent forks and calipers and wheels... not a streetfighter. I had a mate who built custom bikes, perhaps 10 years older than me, a real character and big influence on my (bikes) at that time. He was very good a building bikes that looked factory. He was putting RG500 motors in 250's before I ever saw one in a mag and his collection of LC's was impressive. With upgrade forks. Had a mars colour one, a blue with yellow ticks, white and red, candy blue with white ticks... all at same time. A TDR with a 350YPVS motor a DTR125 with a 350 motor, a Kx250 with a KX500 motor as a supermotor. A RGV250 with a 650 single motor in... this was back in 99'. All gone now after he split with his mrs and pissed the money away.
Cafe, that way you get to lighten the bike. Which it will need as 170kg and 50hp even with a stage 2 filter and jets
I think this would be more my kind of thing. I appreciate it's not real old school looking but the proportions do not look too bad, some bikes look like the swing arm is too long. This frame does not look quite how I'd like. I'd probably use conventional R6 forks. Paint job would have to be less in your face and no Puma signs for me personally.
I really like this, as you say, minus the Puma and very flashy paintwork, i have another bike, so this is a build that doesn't need to be done asap. I really like the single exhaust under the seat....
I don't think I would have 3 spoke wheels on mine, would have to give it some serious consideration. I'd have the simple coffin tank and little seat... maybe twin shocks rear. I want one. Oh well... trackdays on the R6 first, then crash that and break it for parts. Then crash the blade or blow it up... every ones a winner. If I am lucky I might sell one before the inevitable.
This is one bike I am gutted I sold before I finished it... I had it collecting dust for a while and had to have a clear out (not a cafe racer at all) but it was the type of thing I was into when I was 20. My mate told me to ride an 250 MX bike after I sold my R6 and then told me about the YPVS motor (before my time) he was very knowledgeable with tuning two strokes.. One of best bikes I owned when it was in the last chassis, bullet proof and broke my wrist and heel bone on it. This was a reincarnation of that steel frame bike I flipped which had the stock frame with different running gear. My mate built one like this above, this has RGV250 front end, TZR250 frame, TZR reverse cylinder swing arm, Gsxr400 rear wheel.... would have been a faired bike when finished. This is only dry build mock up stage so requires imagination. Sorry to digress.
I bought a house in Cornwall in the early 90's and the guy selling the house offered me his RGV500 in the full asking price, i declined and got about 2 grand off the house price, how i regret that now...... ponder
Stunning Cafe Racer, anyone know what that rear swing arm is (custom build?) and the exhausts are coming out the sides of the seat, very different
