Finally I've gotten my chance to build my first Café Racer, I am a big car guy! I own and currently building a Turbo 64 Mercury Comet. Im very familiar with cars and somewhat familiar with motorcycle's. Ive owned 2 crotch rockets when I was younger.
Ok so I rescued a mid 70's Indian ME-100 from the scrap yard. Its a little rough, but that's what makes it cool! It doesn't have and engine and some of the harness is cut up. My thoughts on the project is maybe to put in a Yamaha Warrion 350 engine, switch the front brakes to a disc setup.
My question is do you guys know any company out there that has conversion brake kits or a fork setup I could switch over to?
I would like to drop the handle bars down under the forks,
Paint I was thinking gloss black on the frame, matte black or maybe a cobalt blue, white rims with black spokes.
To be brutally honest, get rid of that thing. Cut your losses now. Any motor bigger than a 125 in power will twist that Taiwanese frame up like a pencil. There is no such thing as a disc brake conversion kit and any money put into that thing will be a loss. Based on the questions you just asked this project is well beyond your skill set, experience and parts supply. Somebody that has been doing this a while could probably do something with that out of spare parts and such to get a rideable pit bike, but that is about it.
Please read the sticky at the top of this section and see where this thing does not meet any of the criteria for a successful build. I have been doing this for quite a while. I have enough parts sitting around to stick a motor in that thing( Chinese pitbike 125) wheels and forks (CB350) and tank (CB200T) and all the levers, cables, footpegs and lights all sitting in boxes and on shelves and I wouldn't spend the time and effort to do it. Save that rolling chassis for parts or a project after you have put together a bike or 2 and have a parts stash to pick from.
Your goal is, obviously, not to have a rideable bike. A warrior 350 engine? from an ATV...No way that could ever be registered for the street, and neither could the frame. So what is your goal? Something to show off? An art project? These are not things that go over well, here. And as Ken said, any engine with more than 15 HP will fold that frame up so you could fit it in a Kleenex box.
OK for get the bike like I said it was free! As for what Kenessex beyond my skill set I doubt it!
As for the Comet jaguar requested
64 Mercury Comet
Built 408 stroker Windsor was vortech supercharged now in process of building a turbo kit with a S475
T-56
Mustang II front suspension
mini tubbed and leafs moved 4inches inward on each side
rolls on 18' TSW Carthage 255/40 front and 305/30's in the rear.
Runs 15 inch 4 piston brakes up front with 13 4 piston in the rear.
looking to make 650-725 when turbo kit completed on E-85
All the work and fab was done by me except for the paint work
heres are some pics
My buddy took the first off woodward and the other was on my wedding
See what you did with the car?
You took a platform that was raced in the period so it has built in potential. Then you made it go, stop and turn better then stock.
After all that was done you cleaned it up and painted it. While I don't think it fits into a race class now, the point is that it is functionally better then when you started.
The look just sorta happened afterwards.
I have a freaking hard on for a falcon rally car.
But with the bike you are taking some junk that you happen to have lying around and slap some shitty engine it it.
You are doing little more then playing a game of dress up. It is akin to taking a civic, cutting the springs and installing some universal crap from pepboys and calling it a race car. All about some bullshit look, and zero function.
There is a part of this hobby that wants to just build an art project and jerk off to it on pipeburn. If this is your thing then fine, just say so. A few here can help you find another forum to do that on. But if you want to do something with a motorcycle that is on par with your comet then please rear a few threads here and get a feel for what this place is about.
The top bike:
-rear tire will hit frame in a bump
-collection of expensive bolt on bits (not only philosophical issue)
-lowered (worsens handling and clearance)
-was built for picture taking. The "builder didn't" get it working (as in run at all) before it was in the blogosphere
-rearsets in dumb place (passenger peg mounts)' easier but makes little sense. You get the look but riding posture is shit
-no rear inner fender. If actually ridden the bike will gunk up and sand blast the engine AND the insides of the engine...
- ...as it has no air filters.
-stock suspension (lowered, not good)
-stock seeming brakes and rear shocks
First off, nice car !!!
As far as knocking your skill set, I am not talking about your fab skills, in this case your car pics and description speak to that. I am talking about the skills involved in fitting disparate parts from one bike to another to end up with a good usable product. The experience and knowledge needed to know what is out there and how to safely fit them together is the skill that is lacking. It can be learned and it appears you have the mindset that can make it happen.
So, if you really want a bike project, go for it I think you might have the apptitude. As was suggested, a Sportster build might be the way to go, but I would look at an ironhead to start with. It would work really well with the Comet.
Nice.
Its not that its a bad bike as a whole. Just bad for what it sounds like you want to do.
Formula here is simple. Find a bike that was raced back in the day, and buy the nearest street version. Then ride the fuck out of it. Over time you figure out the weak links and come up with a way to improve that system. These modifications make the bike function better and allow you to go faster. Think more evolution then "build"
With the sharp rise in prices of 60s and 70s bikes it might be time to start looking at 80s superbikes as a platform to build off of. While not a "cafe racer" it does still fall into the "vintage performance" end of the spectrum.
I happen to be a Honda guy, but a little secret.....the GS750 is a better bike and cheaper still
If it has a title it is a decent place to start. You won't lose money on it. If it doesn't have a title then it is only good for a parts bike or a race bike.
cb200 is a weak sort of lame bike. It has shitty mechanical dis brake. But it has a good looking toaster tank and because of that you have decent chance of selling the bike if need be for a decent price (I don't mean its a business proposition) if you don't ruin it.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Cafe Racer Forum
418.3K posts
20.3K members
Since 2002
A forum community dedicated to Cafe Racer style race bikes owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about restoration, performance, racing, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!