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Cafe racer build first bike, advice on getting started and choosing/ sourcing a bike

5659 Views 51 Replies 14 Participants Last post by  3364, 
B
Hi,
I'm looking for advice on which bike to chose for my first build and my first bike. I am currently 6'2" and age 15 so looking to be 6'4" most likely, i need help for advice on which kind of models i should be looking for on the market which would fit me for when i can ride and will suit as a good first project cafe bike.

My budget is under £1000 for the base price of the bike ideally under £800, i'm looking at the 70s/ early 80s bikes like the first gen suzuki gsx750, aswell as yamaha xs series, kawasaki z series. I was wondering if you had any advice on specifically which models i should be looking out for within budget that i would also be able to work on, and where i could find a bike in the UK ideally in east anglia or nearby. Also if you have any other advice for me on where to start in relationship with a build it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks :)
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steveo
Hello Ben.
Not sure where to start here.
You're going to be struggling to find anything for your £600 budget.
As TR said you have a few hoops to jump through before you can ride a max 47hp bike on an A2 licence. Even then it'll rule out a 750 I guess.
I'd suggest you save for a half decent 125, and clean/service that until your'e 17.
As you're not exactly a short arse go for something like an XL125...... HONDA VARADERO 125, 2004 MODEL BIKE | eBay

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steveo
benhartick said:
so its the best to buy a bike strip it down and make it work the best it possibly can? so tune it and clean everything and make it work smoothly before making any alterations to aesthetic
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NO!. You're priority should be getting experience, and passing your test, which at the moment means riding a 125.
If you take a quick look on ebay you'll see how much GSX/Z 750's sell for. They are way over your budget.
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steveo
TrialsRider said:
If I was a 15 year old kid looking to save up for my first street bike and it had to be a maximum of 125cc this is what I would want,
heck, I'm an old fart with expensive motorcycles and I still want one of these!



That old tarted up fat wheel fenderless crap is just plain laughable by comparison to the technology represented in one of these. The big difference is I want to ride my motorcycles and this right here is a 125cc motorcycle that will easy exceed the posted speed limit in any country I could ever hope to ride in.
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I must have got hold of the wrong end of the stick. Thought the idea was to suggest a bike that he wouldn't kill him in the first few weeks.
Strangely he could probably buy an Aprilia RS125 over here within his budget.
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steveo
nic579 said:
In that case:

Probably should get a clean dual sport he can flat foot on seated. Best first bikes ever.
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Think that was suggested in post #4.
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steveo
The Bros 600/400 come up for sale occasionally, but were grey imports, easy enough to register over here.
Can't ride one on L plates though.
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steveo
Very good question.... absolutely no idea.
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