Cafe Racer/ Old bike Projects. What you got? Let's Talk

[Doc]

Isaac started this with posting his "Streetfighter" project.

Some people showed interest in the topic so I thought I would start another thread. If we get enough interest maybe we can get another Forum Topic.

So Issac has his 82 GS850
Hawkler has his CB350
I HAD a 73 RD 350 that I wish I never sold (I am hoping I can find a pic)

What do you other guys have?

I am looking for a project and leaning heavily toward a cb350 I found but have not bought yet.
I have a couple parts areas up here that I am just finding out about and I know someone pretty big into the CB350's
I also see alot of other bikes on ebay and craigslist.

Lets talk about these old bikes we are trying to get some life outta!

[LeftRightLeftThrottle]

When I started looking for my first bike I wanted a cheap standard frame to chop into a cafe bike. After a loooong time surfing ebay I found a list for a '76 Yamaha XS 400. It looked like what I needed and it said it ran so I dropped $500 bucks on it. When I picked it up it ran but only in a field, tires were mangled and bumpy, brakes didn't work (drum front and rear!), front shocks were leaking and the title was signed but not notarized by the previous previous owner from a different state!

Anyway I get it home and start looking into it, get a manual, find out its an XS360-2C the cheapest model yamaha made that year, kickstart only. Got a hanes manual replaced the seals and oil in the front forks new rubber cleaned most of the rust out of the tank and carbs, fixed the throttle and got rid of a ghetto spring wound around the throttle body at the carb, new throttle and clutch cable. Needs a front brake cable but its not available so I'm looking into having one made by a bicycle shop or something.

Now the weather is cold and I can't get it to start, and it sucks to try and troubleshoot with a kickstart. But once its running I'm eager to trim it down and cafe it out. I'll post some pics so everyone can have a good laugh

[Doc]

But your having fun working on it right? I think that is a great hobby.

My next project is a Hawk ( I am actually turning into a guru in my area). I might even get another one...

Then again there is this CB 350 for sale for $500.....

[isaac]

Re: Cafe Racer/ Old bike Projects. What you got? Let's Talk

Issac started this with posting his "Streetfighter" project.

Dooc, I don't know who that is.

[Doc]

This thread really should be moved out of the pictures section.


I also have the KLX300R that I would like to make into a Motard...

[incogbdog]

I have a couple of old cafe racer projects. The first one is a 75' Yamaha RD350 that I picked up for $500, it's in great shape. I'm in the process of collecting some additional parts for it before I have everything powder coated. I'm currently looking for a vintage cafe style tank for it, anyone happen to have a line on one? I like the old MV Augusta style... or early Yamaha.

My other cafe project is a 74' BMW R90/S. This one is all original at the moment and is on the back burner until I finish one of the Hawks and the RD.

Other than the bikes, I'm in the middle of building a 66' AC Cobra (replica) and a 78' Austin Mini Cooper (wide body) race car w/ a 2.0 liter Honda V-Tech motor.

I'm running out of room!

[Utensil]

i bought my first bike from my sister ... a 1987 XS400 12E.

the colour was bright purple and it was really shabby. this is what i made with it:


bsm 2in1 exhaust, new effect finish in like original clolor and general refreshing.

... than i sold and bought the hawk

now i have'nt the money to start more projects and i love my hawk.
the hawk is a bottomless pit hehe

[oconnor]

I also have a '72 CB350. It was not running when I traded a Kaw 175f7 for the cb350 and a non running '75 CB125S2. Took all of two days to get them running. They are mostly complete just need a nice seat for the 350.

I am having a hard time deciding which way to go with the 350, cafe, vintage racer, or stock.

The 125 will remain stock, though the tiny cafe look would be cool.

Good links:

http://www.eurospares.com/350faq.htm

http://www.ohiocaferacers.com/

[dagus]

cafe all the way!

[oconnor]

I was actually thinking stock to sell it and put the funds toward another Hawk.

[Doc]

But your only gonna get like $500 for a stock cb350?

[oconnor]

About $450.00 more than I have into it.

[Dienstuhr]

My old cafe project bike is a '75 Honda CB400F. Not much done to it, just cosmetic stuff like ace bars, chopped fender, new seat cover, flat-black paint and new decals, and general decluttering.




Cheers


d.

[joel]

This XS650 was bought brand new by Hawklister Pete Schinkel-it was made the same year I was hatched.Brother Pete is just about the coolest dude ever and as you can see,exceptionally meticulous about maintaining things.There's a Boyer ignition for it sitting on top of my printer-need to get around to installing that and a couple other things before spring.There's a set of oversized pistons upstairs for it that are asking to be put in but she has 59k miles on her and still runs awesome so there's no need to open her up and while it would be fun to make it bigger and faster,maybe even rephase it...it's OG as can be and that keeps most of the Mike's XS catalog away.

[motorcycleman]

Nice 650 yammy! I had a stock '72... It was my second bike after an honda sl175 and my first big bike back in '77. I wouldn't have wanted to chop it in anyway as the earlier years look great stock. If it had been in rough shape I would have considered it- the parallel twin engine lends itself well to the britbike cafe style. Later I had an RD400 which would have made a great fun project bike but I was in college and having way too much fun on the thing... got a little crazy so I sold it. Any old bike can be made into something cool imho.