In the book "Cafe Racers: Rockers, Rock'N'Roll and the Coffee-Bar Cult" by Mike Clay, published by Osprey, Mike traces the history of the genre from pre-war beginnings, through the 50s and 60s, to the modern era. So, no, I don't think it is a fad which will soon pass. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cafe-Racer...3702641&sr=1-1&keywords=cafe+racers+mike+clay
Makes a certain amount of sense to me. I've "only" got an 1198S, but it just doesn't do slow! The words Jota and Triton come to mind... Two nice examples in this thread.
Stand easy soldier, after two weeks you'll pop up here giving easily led strangers advice on how to build one and where to buy the parts, along with helpful troubleshooting tips Bit like you did with 748s
As I get older, I start looking at more sedate bikes. This is the way I'm going to go, I think. You don't see many 70 year olds on the lates hyper bikes. 20 years ago, I wouldn't have entertained a cafe racer.
maybe, maybe not. id like to think this is the kind of place where everyones opinions are welcomed regardless of whether you joined in 2012 and posted 200 odd messages or a few weeks ago and 300 odd messages.... i stand by my earlier point in that i dont get cafe racers and i think this time next year folks will be talking less about them than they do now
there;s likely some truth here although i said the same 20 years ago about music. i still listen to the same stuff and dip into the mosh pit now and again...
Speaking solely about my Thruxton here but just because its only 96 bhp doesn't mean its slow (tops out at about 125 admittedly) but I ride it 'everywhere' in speeds that would not make me popular with her majestys constabularies. It's one of those bikes that just does everything very well, two up touring and off roading excepted.
Me too, after wanting/lusting for the latest/greatest/fastest I find myself buying ever slower bikes and, crucially, enjoying them at saner speeds. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy ripping it up on a sportsbike anymore just that I don't need to be doing 100mph+ everywhere to be enjoying it. Still need something with some go but I'm not sure I'll be buying one of the latest superbikes again as I really don't need to go even faster - although the darkside is always calling. :Angelic: And I absolutely love Mervyn's bike.
I think the 'Cafe Racer Culture' is here to stay for the foreseeable future.Following on from the the general interest, many of the mainstream manufacturers have already tapped into the cafe racer style of bike. Other manufacturers are also following suit-a new BMW cafe racer is due to be announced later this year. Some of the purists and rivet counters might scoff at the new wave of bikes available to us,but it is a very lucrative market to tap into.Think of all the old folk,me included,that want the looks of a 'Cafe Racer', but don't want to spend what little energy they have trying to kick over an old bike with its playing up Magneto and oil drips.Yes you can make an old bike reasonably good,but bikes like the new Triumph Thruxton,with all its modern technology,looks the business. It is highly unlikely that I will ride my Triton again-but quite possibly a 'Modern Cafe Racer' would suit me nicely. The last time I rode my Triton was down the Mot Station and back,that was quite enough thank you.
