750 cafe thing - opinions welcome

[Escobarclan]

Thanks tkent, I've seen the term used around quite a bit, had no clue.

[tkent02]

Thanks tkent, I've seen the term used around quite a bit, had no clue.

Eye candy

http://www.caferace.com/cafepix4.html

[Escobarclan]

cool site thanks

[Zooks]

Type 'cafe racer' into google pics and you'll see what we are all talking about.

Here's a bit of history as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cafe_racers

Basically after WW2 ex-servicemen in the US tended to turn their ex-army bikes into 'choppers' whilst in Europe / UK they tended to 'Cafe' them.

[ggreenfield]

I give!

What in the world is a 'cafe' bike?

I'm really hesitant to call it a cafe racer since it doesn't appear that it's going to fit the definition too well. Although.....it is a single seater and will have a cafe style tail (sort of) but I did at one point consider using dual headlights something like this guy did

which makes it look more like a street fighter. I'm also keeping the side panels since they tie the tail into the gas tank rather well.

Maybe it'll be a cafe-fighter? I dunno...

[Bert Patterson]

Thanks tkent, I've seen the term used around quite a bit, had no clue.

Here are some examples to browse. Pretty cool stuff.

http://www.caferace.com/cafepix.html

[ggreenfield]

Got the license plate mounted




I may still move it out from under the tail a bit more but as it sits the plate light lights the plate perfectly.

[ggreenfield]

The seat pan.



I need to weld some brackets on the frame for the seat pan front tabs much like the OEM seat brackets but much smaller.

The outside edge of the seat pan sits above the side panels but inside the panels outer edges. Once the seat foam and covering are applied it should (hopefully) flush up rather nicely. My intention is to use some 1/4"x1/8" flat aluminum stock around the edges to hold the covering in place. I can likely bend the 1/4" stock to fit the curved cuts toward the front. The pan overlaps the outside edge of the frame so the 1/4" stock will also serve to keep the pan in place from the sides. I'll simply wrap the covering one or two times around the 1/4" stock on all four edges and run a 1/4" self tapper through the stock into the pan from the bottom. That should be easy enough to make taught and keep almost any kind of material in place as well as look really nice.

Picked up some camper cushions from a friend. They're in really great shape and I'm going to try and use those for the seat padding. I just need to come up with some covering material.

[Zooks]

People here have suggested before that wetsuit material would make a great cover (neoprene). Why not try this? Instead of stitching it you should use 'contact' adhesive (like upholsterers use) so it would be 100% waterproof when you finish.

[StrtLegal]

Why not use marine grade vinyl if you want it water proof.

[ggreenfield]

Hmm a waterproof seat.....I really like that idea. There is a dive shop in town (amazingly enough). I wonder if they would have an old wetsuit lying around? Hopefully it would not smell like a wet seal!

[StrtLegal]

Neoprene is not water proof, it is actually designed to soak up water so your body heat, heats up the water inside the suit

[tkent02]

Neoprene is not water proof, it is actually designed to soak up water so your body heat, heats up the water inside the suit

I don't think you would want a waterproof seat unless you live in a rainy place, pretty uncomfortable to sit on after a while. Remember how you butt itches sitting in a boat seat for too long?

[Bad Kaw]

Hey, that's comin' out pretty nice.
Keep the pics comin'!
-KR

[ggreenfield]

Got the seat made. I can't say that I love it. It's ok..... I happened across some seat vinyl for $0 so I used it. Perhaps I'll take a second stab at covering the seat and try to make it look a bit more professional. For the time being it will have to do. I've also GIMPped on the completed tail compartment. I think it'll look great with a sligh arch from front to back.