Hey, my name is Isagani, I posted once last summer. I was thinking about buying a bike from a kid down the hall, in my dorm. But that didn't happen which was probably for the best. Now I have a 1981-82 yamaha seca with the bars and fork from a 1990 yamaha radian, and a 1982 cb750 custom and I was sort of curious, which one of those you would rather use for a cafe project? I was also wondering, since the home track seems to be in NH, if there are any more events going on this year, where maybe I could meet some of you guys and see some cafe racers in real life, all i've seen is online. I'm in Durham and the University of NH.
first bikes
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um...neither....not for that old 1950's cafe look anyway.
the cb750 custom has a drop seat frame which makes it hard to get a tail and tank to match up and lay flat.
The seca you might be able to do a late 1970's early 1980's style cafe with, but if you are looking for that 50's/60's brit look it is going to be a long road to hoe. It is another bike where the frame does not go straight across but the tank is on a higher plane than the seat.
with a welder and enough expirence you can build anything out of anything but something tells me you are kind of looking at just a bar and bodywork job.
out of the two the seca has the more sporty appearance so if you are dead set on cutting one up it should probably be the seca.
the cb750 custom has a drop seat frame which makes it hard to get a tail and tank to match up and lay flat.
The seca you might be able to do a late 1970's early 1980's style cafe with, but if you are looking for that 50's/60's brit look it is going to be a long road to hoe. It is another bike where the frame does not go straight across but the tank is on a higher plane than the seat.
with a welder and enough expirence you can build anything out of anything but something tells me you are kind of looking at just a bar and bodywork job.
out of the two the seca has the more sporty appearance so if you are dead set on cutting one up it should probably be the seca.
I am assuming you are talking about the Seca 550, not 400,650,or 750. If you are thinking about cafe in the sense of a streetbike with some period racing mods that will improve performance and handling, then the Seca is the way to go. In that time period the early superbike look is the way to go. You already have a good start with the Radia front end. The Radian bars are even a close approximation of Superbike bend bars. I don't like the 16" front wheel that much, so I put the front wheel from a Vision 550 on mine it is 18" and if you get the one off an 82 or 83 with the dual front disks it is wider too, wm 3 (2.15).
I have an FZ600 front end on mine, essentially the same as the Radian, 4-1 pipe, open carbs w/ stacks, Progressive suspension rear shocks and stainless steel front brake lines. I still have the stock seat because the rules require it and I haven't cut down the foam yet.
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The Seca is a good base to start from if that is the way you want to go.
Ken
I have an FZ600 front end on mine, essentially the same as the Radian, 4-1 pipe, open carbs w/ stacks, Progressive suspension rear shocks and stainless steel front brake lines. I still have the stock seat because the rules require it and I haven't cut down the foam yet.
The Seca is a good base to start from if that is the way you want to go.
Ken
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