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

5681 Views 51 Replies 14 Participants Last post by 3364, Mar 4, 2017

benhartick

Discussion Starter · Feb 25, 2017 (Edited)

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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TrialsRider

· #2 · Feb 25, 2017 (Edited)

It's a common mistake for new to the sport riders to think that the physical size of a motorcycle as it relates to rider size has anything to do with displacement of the engine. Forget that notion and see if you can find a good motorcycle show happening in your vicinity. Look for the shows that cater to motorcycle dealerships and wholesales as those are the best ones to view a large variety of motorcycle makes and models, plus they have bikes that you are allowed to saddle test (sit on without being told to get off) Sounds like you have plenty of time to shop, so don't be in a huge hurry to buy anything. Use that time to save more money too because the nicer bike you start out with the better your chances of enjoying the experience will improve, plus there are a lot of expensive items required like a helmet which will cut into your budget. One other thing, don't buy any street bike until you know how much it will cost you to insure that motorcycle.
And one last thing :/ I thought the UK had a graduated license scheme the denies you from starting on anything larger then ~125cc or similar horsepower?

I'm sure others with far more UK related experience will chime in shortly.

"tear shaped tanks with a flat bottom" that's a very interesting criteria to shop for motorcycles by :/ I can't say I have ever set out to buy a motorcycle based on it having a flat bottom. Is that really important?

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TrialsRider

· #6 · Feb 25, 2017

Ben, you might enjoy this site if you haven't already seen it, basically a catalogue of photos and specs for nearly every motorcycle you can imagine:
450 motorcycle brands with 29000 models

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TrialsRider

· #13 · Feb 26, 2017

There are only 2 types of people, those who ride motorcycles and those who don't. Just so you know, this place is full of people who ride motorcycles.
I'm really not sure where people who build chopped up, stripped down, POS former motorcycles with defective suspension parts belong in the scheme of things. bobberbuilders.net perhaps? Personally if I pulled up next to a contraption like that at an intersection, I would be pointing and laughing at all the wrong.

Let me tell you something about motorcycles back in the 1970's :/ if we had access to the motorcycles they build now back then, we would not have been buying the 1970's twin shock, drum brake, built for a price motorcycles. They really were not that great! There were exceptions but even those were great because nothing better existed, or because they were built in the 1950's and earlier, those were the bikes we liked to just look at :/ but we didn't hack them up and make them stupid useless, we treated them like antiques. This cafe culture that has sprung up around the concept of 'personalizing an old motorcycle' with an angle grinder and cheap pop parts is a crock, it's the equivalent of ...
well it's the equivalent of this: http://brunorigolt.blog.lemonde.fr/files/2012/10/Joconde_MixArt_LEF_Bruno_Rigolt_2012_7.jpg

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TrialsRider

· #19 · Feb 26, 2017

Go for it but, here is how your bike is going to end up:

"Selling my 1982 Suzuki GS550L motorcycle.
Amazing cafe racer project or restoration project.
I'm selling because I don't have time to restore it.
My plan was to transform it into a cafe racer.
Motor did run before taking it apart. Sounds great.
I have all parts." <- 800$

here's another beauty:

"I AM SELLING A 1982 HONDA CB 750. I PURCHASED IT TO MODIFY INTO A CAFE RACER BUT NEVER GOT THE CHANCE. I HAVE STARTED TAKING IT APART BUT HAVE ALL THE PARTS. ONCE PUT BACK TOGETHER RUNS GREAT. IT HAS A NEW ODOMETER BUT KLM ARE 320K. I HAVE THE OWNERSHIP AS WELL." <- 1200$

lol if only this next one looked as good as the mocked up photo, but it actually has a block of wood holding up the motor:

"1982 Virago 750 Cafe Racer Project Bike.
This bike looks as shown in photo. I have a list of parts that come with the bike and modifications/ fabrications completed. Most of the fabrication is completed at this point. Only a few minor things left to do then ready for paint and reassembly. Comes with ownership.
Comes with 2008 Yamaha R6 front end complete and mounted
Aluminum rear sets
Solo seat fabricated and and mounted
Exhaust custom made particularly for this cafe
New baffles and muffler
All handle bar controls are new
New throttle body
New clip ons
New coke bottle grips
New LED headlight with integrated blinkers
New regulator rectifier
New antigravity 8 cell battery
Used ignition coils but tested as good
New clutch lever
New brake lever fully adjustable
All this project needs to complete is a few fabricated mounts, some wiring modifications, paint and reassembly. Maybe a few other miscellaneous parts to complete. I figure about $1000-1500 for completion.
With all the mods and parts purchased, this bike is currently worth $4500
The only reason I am selling this cafe project is because I just don't have any time to put into it anymore" <- 2800$

The used junk sites are full of these, all you have to do is search for the term "cafe racer"

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TrialsRider

· #20 · Feb 26, 2017

benhartick said:
....
To me riding is the secondary interest in bikes and the mechanics and engineering side is the greater interest to me.

So why do you want to start out with a motorcycle that represents 45 year old obsolete engineering? You might as well study up on steam engines.

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TrialsRider

· #23 · Feb 26, 2017

THIS is cool

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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TrialsRider

· #33 · Feb 26, 2017

Go electric

steveo said:
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.

Where does the UK graduated license scheme stand on electric powered motorcycles?
KTM Freeride E electric bike, or if he thinks he can build one as good or better, that would be impressive, it wouldn't represent reworked antiques it would truly be engineering your own unique functional creation.

lol and you could park it in the house without it leaking gas and oil allover the place

which will make yer mom real happy.

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TrialsRider

· #44 · Mar 4, 2017

benhartick said:
... I am currently 6'2" and age 15 ...

Dual sport dirt bikes have much taller wheels, more suspension travel and taller frames to accommodate both of those things. I know that is not the "look" you are going for, but you are either a big guy standing towering over a tiny little motorcycle or a big guy sitting tall in the saddle, that's the reality of being a big rider.

... if I was you I'd be looking for a 250cc single cylinder enduro type bike and be trying to figure out how to restrict it the bare minimal amount to pass your license restrictions. If it had to be old I would be wanting one of these:

Remember it will be your first ever motorcycle and hopefully not your last ever motorcycle.

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TrialsRider

· #47 · Mar 4, 2017

benhartick said:
Yes i understand, i think its not legally possible to restrict even a 200cc to meet the 125cc requirements and has to be 125cc stock and not more than 11kw in order to ride at 17. Otherwise the next bracket is age 19 when you can restrict any bike up to 96bhp down in which case i would probably be getting a 500cc plus

You might want to investigate that further, my Montesa 260 arrived in a restricted state complete with all of the hardware to make it street legal in many countries including signals and a catalytic converter exhaust system.

This is for all intent purpose the same motorcycle I ride in trials competition except with a tall seat and road type stuff added :/ btw my bike weighs in a 160 pounds soaking wet.

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TrialsRider

· #48 · Mar 4, 2017

benhartick said:
I have seen a suzuki 125gt for sale and seems like it would be a good bike to start on, it is 2 stroke though is that something to be advised against in a first bike?

A 2-stroke is actually highly advised; they are dirt simple to work on and inherently light weight and produce more power per pound particularly on an older model. You are fortunate to be able to ride them where you live, they are pretty much outlawed here because of environmental considerations.

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TrialsRider

· #49 · Mar 4, 2017

Suzuki GT125 and Suzuki T125 were bikes that I really wanted when I was your age :/ mind you when I was your age I was half your size and had 5 more years riding experience. If I could find a nice seldom used and not butchered T125 right now I would buy it, my wife would kill me but I would probably buy it anyway.

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TrialsRider

· #51 · Mar 4, 2017

benhartick said:
That sounds like it would possibly be a good choice then, its a twin and they seem to be at the upper bound for what you can legally ride in the uk. I just need to find out how well it would fit is the only major problem, what are the best ways of knowing whether a bike fits?

Saddle test it. That's the term used for just sitting on it when it's stationary, which is probably the only way any seller is going to let you try out the bike seeing as you have no previous riding experience.

Have somebody steady the bike and sit on it with both feet up and in a normal riding position. You will very quickly find out how much you have to fold up to sit on the bike. Also take note of how much the suspension compresses under your weight.

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