Cafe racer

All posts in “Cafe racer”

Ad Hoc Ducati 900 SS Cafe Racer

Spain’s Ad Hoc Cafe Racers custom shop is no stranger around these places. The one-man operation is known for taking already high-performing bikes and improve their aesthetics and practicality. Case in point, the refined Ducati 900 SS Cafe Racer shown here.

Drawing inspiration from the TT1 European endurance racers of the 1980s, the bike is elegant, small and compact. After having its bodywork removed, the 2-wheeler got a redesigned rear frame, chromed headlight bucket & taillight matching the chassis, Motogadget Motoscope Tiny speedo, and a new flat top tank with a minimal fuel cap. A beautiful leather seat converts from a monoposto to a double-seater by removing a metal lid.

The bike also sports an overhauled L-twin engine, a simple stainless steel exhaust, Brembo brakes, and custom-built wheels wrapped in Continental ContiMotion sport touring rubber. Finished in an exquisite creamy paint job, this timeless machine is ready to tackle the roads in style.

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Photos by Rodrigo Yufe

June 29, 2018 / Comments Off

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‘Lane Splitter 54’ Yamaha SR400 Motorcycle

New Jersey-based customizers Benjie’s Cafe Racers are good at taking old bikes (mostly) and transforming them into road-worthy pieces of art, using only original designs & parts that are made in-house. One of their most outstanding creations is a blade-like 2-wheeler that’s perfect for stripe-riding, dubbed the ‘Lane Splitter 54’.

Built for a local Yamaha dealer, the bike is based on a 2016 SR400 model. Its transformation began with ditching the subframe and the addition of a stainless steel tail and leather seat fitted on a new perch. A custom exhaust has been fabricated and runs through the tail unit, while various parts hand-made from aluminum–including a front fairing, tank, and disc brake with art deco-inspired vented cover–complete the unique bike.

The result is a beautifully-shaped metallic ride that measures a slender 21 inches (54 cm) in width, totally deserving the name of ‘Lane Splitter 54’.

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Images Courtesy of Benjie’s Cafe Racers

June 6, 2018 / Comments Off

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1974 Honda CB750 ‘La Poderosa’ Cafe Racer

Named after the bike that Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara rode during his epic motorcycle trip throughout South America, ‘La Poderosa’ (‘The Mighty One’ in Spanish) is an award-winning cafe racer with stunning vintage looks and modern reliability.

The bike started off as a beat up 1974 Honda CB750 K4 following an accident. After a complete teardown, the rebuilding process began with the addition of a new Dynatek ignition system, billet aluminum air intake, and a 4-into-1 exhaust system, while the beautiful oil tank and side covers remained from the original bike. Other details include forks from a 1975 GL1000, rebuilt wheels, Motogadget bar end indicators, and a bunch of parts shaped from billet aluminum, including the striking gas cap.

Rounded off with a diamond quilted oxblood red leather seat and a black cherry with micro red metallic paintwork, ‘La Poderosa’ is one of the finest looking cafe racers we’ve ever laid eyes on.

Learn More From Augment Collective

Images by Mark Luciani

June 1, 2018 / Comments Off

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Auto Fabrica Type 11 Motorcycle

UK-based bike customizer Auto Fabrica has revealed yet another drool-worthy build. Combining sleek, retro-futuristic shapes with serious power, their Type 11 Motorcycle is a head-turner–one that will soon be available for purchase.

Based on the already highly-capable Yamaha XSR900, the new cafe racer draws inspiration from the automotive shapes of the ’50s and ’60s. It boasts a hand-beat front bullet metallic fairing that seamlessly flows into the tank and the sharp-looking seat.

The powerful three-cylinder 900cc engine inside the beast breathes through a handmade stainless steel exhaust, while a flip-up panel in the tank cleverly conceals the fuel filler.

Complete with a custom subframe, aluminum grips, billet aluminum yokes, carbon-nylon parts, custom rear light unit, Motologic unit flush integrated into the tank, and RST carbon wheels, Type 11 will be ready for deliveries by the end of the year. Available in a “strictly limited number.”

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Photos by Auto Fabrica

April 23, 2018 / Comments Off

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Kott 1975 Honda CB550 Cafe Racer

Cafe Racers are a dime a dozen these days and we’ve seen countless designs appear on the custom scene throughout the years, but few of them can compare to the expertly crafted bikes produced by California’s Kott Motorcycles. Their 1975 Honda CB550 is a perfect example of a pure breed cafe racer, with just the right stance, agility, and power.

Fitted with a fine-looking CB 750 SuperSport fuel tank, chosen for its “overwhelming aesthetic fullness and presence,” the bike features a shortened frame with an aggressive, handmade, steel seat which optimizes the ride’s proportions. A four into one header and custom slash cut muffler help to almost compartmentalize the motor and convey a front heaviness to the bike, allowing for the rear half to remain clean while highlighting its own features.

The build is complete with a new exhaust system, new tires, a set of Kott’s proprietary rearsets, and a timeless green color scheme complemented by an olive brown leather upholstery and reserved chrome-plated details.

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Images by Alex Martino

March 27, 2018 / Comments Off

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Bandit9 L-Concept Motorcycle

With the release of the L-Concept Motorcycle, Bandit9 continues to push automotive design to new realms, or should we say where no one has gone before? More of a museum piece than a practical road bike (we’d like to see someone riding this thing without getting engine burns and dirt sprayed all over), the L-Concept Motorcycle is a stunning tribute to popular sci-fi films – i.e. the awesome Star Trek.

The suspended engine on this shiny cafe racer is modeled after the iconic spaceship USS Enterprise’s reactor (sporting a hidden exhaust underneath) and is matched with an elongated unibody tank fitted with a tiny teardrop Italian leather saddle. The result is undoubtedly impressive — a mirror-polished, perfectly seamless look.

100% hand-made, mostly of stainless steel, the futuristic bike is complete with white LED crystals up front and a diode brake light grid (reminiscent of HAL from Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey) that doubles as turn signals.

The L-Concept weighs 135 kg, has a sizeable length of 230 cm and can reach a top speed of 110 km/h. It is powered by an air-cooled, four-stroke 125cc engine coupled to a 4-speed manual transmission with chain drive, and features an electric starter, 21” rims front & rear, disk brakes, flat dual shocks, and awkwardly placed handlebars with sculpted grips and levers made of polished aluminum. Only three of these bad boys are left (out of 9 produced) so better hurry if you want one.

Buy From Bandit9 Motors $10,950

March 15, 2018 / Comments Off

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