West Coast Cafe Folks
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I could only find three "louds". Love the upside down handlebars! I have very low standards but they ain't that low! So now we had better keep our eyes open for Orange County Cafes.
This isn't a dig at anyone in particular, but ya know the thing that bugs me more than anything?
Purists.
I just finished Colin Seeley's biography as well as one of the many "history of the cafe racer" books and there was all manner of handlebar configurations used. You guys will get moist over some moped converted to look "Cafe" but someone really living the style ie: run whatcha brung...well....they need to be bitch slapped.
C'mon guys, give it a rest already.
Purists.
I just finished Colin Seeley's biography as well as one of the many "history of the cafe racer" books and there was all manner of handlebar configurations used. You guys will get moist over some moped converted to look "Cafe" but someone really living the style ie: run whatcha brung...well....they need to be bitch slapped.
C'mon guys, give it a rest already.
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2,550 Posts
Swagger, Were you there in the 60s when most of this took place? If not then I can tell you if you showed up with bars upside down you would be ragged on and bitch slapped. My Norton got clip-ons in '67 and they are still on it.
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216 Posts
Screw the shit talking, I'm stoked because thats a local shop for me. Just cool to see a Seattle thing on the boards.
upside down stock bars are not "run what ya brung" you low-tech cool - it is just sloppy. There are cases where it would be acceptable but really it is the shape of the bar bend that dictates how effective this is as a mod, and most stock bars right side up have a slight downward bend which turns into an upward bend when mounted upside down.
Clip-ons and yes even clubmans are functional things with a specific shape (this is why I get pissy about clubmans - because there is no one size fits all kind of shape yet the newbies seem to think so) and an intended purpose. Turning your handlebars upside down just diminishes the functionality of an otherwise functional part.
Plus it is damn uncomfortable.
Clip-ons and yes even clubmans are functional things with a specific shape (this is why I get pissy about clubmans - because there is no one size fits all kind of shape yet the newbies seem to think so) and an intended purpose. Turning your handlebars upside down just diminishes the functionality of an otherwise functional part.
Plus it is damn uncomfortable.
there is also a difference in appreciating craftsmanship vs appreciating the look. The last two mopeds I recall on this forum had major frame construction to look the way they did and I think that a lot of the people who posted about them recognized that there was a lot of time and skill and thought involved in making a custom frame.
Turning stock handlebars upside down doesn't require any craftsmanship skill, and frankly it looks ghetto so there isn't an asthetic aspect to really appreciate either.
If he were the first guy to do it then maybe an argument can be made that it took some thought and creativity, but the chopper guys have been doing this for a while, and in my early days of motorcycling I had friends that did it as well....so it isn't like this is an original "low tech" idea.
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2,740 Posts
I had to go back and check out the upside down bars on the article - while I was there, I re-read the article then read the response section to the article. The last sentence of the article mentioned something about "looking fast while leaking gas on the payment" Of course there was some Tree-huger that took offense to the leaking gas comment and other like cases about head-lights, helmets and etc....
I wanted to respond to the article that these bikes are extremely well built machines by talented craftsmen. But after checking out the ya-hoos in sneakers riding the bikes with upside down bars in the picture - I decided not to respond. If all the press cafe's can get is by some dip-stick with a group of ya-hoos in a pictures - we are all in trouble.... May be no one on the east coast will see this article....
I wanted to respond to the article that these bikes are extremely well built machines by talented craftsmen. But after checking out the ya-hoos in sneakers riding the bikes with upside down bars in the picture - I decided not to respond. If all the press cafe's can get is by some dip-stick with a group of ya-hoos in a pictures - we are all in trouble.... May be no one on the east coast will see this article....
the press never gets anything right....all they do is point the lemming scenesters in a direction for them to decend upon.
It is nice that some cafe bikes are getting press, and cool to see local scene getting press too...and I am sure they are nice guys and into it and all that...media attention to any cool cult aspect of scoiety has a funny way of just making it look cool for a moment and then dorky for eternity
It is nice that some cafe bikes are getting press, and cool to see local scene getting press too...and I am sure they are nice guys and into it and all that...media attention to any cool cult aspect of scoiety has a funny way of just making it look cool for a moment and then dorky for eternity
lemming scenester...excellent. im stealing it.
catboy is awesome.
the last 2 mopeds were really cool. creative and i bet soo fun to bomb around on. but they are still mopeds. perfect for a specific role. getting snacks, picking up yer chick for a ride home from work, maybe, or bar hopping. otherwise, please move right. thank you.
jc
catboy is awesome.
the last 2 mopeds were really cool. creative and i bet soo fun to bomb around on. but they are still mopeds. perfect for a specific role. getting snacks, picking up yer chick for a ride home from work, maybe, or bar hopping. otherwise, please move right. thank you.
jc
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216 Posts
Well, these guys are kind of getting a good name for themselves rebuilding old bikes in the area. They seem to do top notch work from what I'm told. I'll agree, their lack of gear really sucks, and the upside down bars look incredibly dumb. They have a website that has some of their completed bikes for customers on it, which those have either clip ons or clubmans. Just their personal bikes have those goofy bars.
http://www.twinlinemotorcycles.com/
http://www.twinlinemotorcycles.com/
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187 Posts
I went to this shop when I was living in Georgetown. I remember it well because the kids working there looked to be about 14 years old. Also, there is an old hermit-type down the street that has had a motorcycle with no signs for 40 years. They should write a story about him and the Matchless' and Norton's he has collecting dust.
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