Good bikes to cafe?

[Runningdog]

Ditto on the CB750 over the XS400.......to make a bike faster, you do a combination of increased power and decreased weight. It's fairly easy to reduce weight on an XS, but difficult to get much more power.

That being said, I enjoy my little XS400, I've gone through the usual chassis upgrades (bronze swingarm bushes, front end roller bearings, progressives, etc.), and a bit of a diet (starter pitched), but the motor.carbs are stock. Fun....

[850 Combat]

I had fun with this Norton 750 Atlas and this Triumph Trident in a Trackmaster frame.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/album.php?albumid=698&pictureid=4127

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/album.php?albumid=698&pictureid=4128

I put the Atlas together in the 70's and the Triumph in the 80's. The triumph has actual Ceriani forks and real magnesium wheels. sold them both in the 90's when I had a broken back and pregnant wife.

Nothing beats a Norton Featherbed frame for a cafe racer, I have seen them with Triumph, BSA, Vincent, and Honda 750 motors.

An RD350 or RD400 makes a nice cafe racer. I have this one. It still has the stock seat, because I want to actually put miles on it, but I'm looking for a replacement for short rides.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/album.php?albumid=704&pictureid=4137

A Cafe racer needs rearset foot pegs. I should probably loose the rack, but this is a replica of the bike I bought new and toured all over on. I bought a rack just like that one for camping gear. It also had that type of heads and pipes (DG). There are better pipes available now too, but those are what I bought back then.

[Mike]

Why are L bikes like the red-headed step children?

[Etchasketch]

Accel

A stock honda cb750 does 0 - 60mph/0-100kph in 5 seconds, if you went -1 tooth on the front sprocket and +2 teeth on the rear how much would you expect that time to go down by?

[ferguson30]

Why are L bikes like the red-headed step children?

Beats me, I'm fond of my L.

[koolaid_kid]

Why are L bikes like the red-headed step children?

They are not. They just look "different" with the huge buckhorn bars and king/queen seat. The heart of them is still a GS.

[Mike]

They are not. They just look "different" with the huge buckhorn bars and king/queen seat. The heart of them is still a GS.

Bars were the first thing to go on mine. I couldn't stand them.

[Mike]

And since you swap out the bars and the seat on a cafe anyways, what's the difference?

[Hoosier Daddy]

I found it much easier to cut on a "L" with a clear conscience. As far as The original question goes, if you can dream it, have at it. But a true cafe is typically a smaller frame for "tossin g around" ability. Not to say I wouldn't cafe a big four or a shafty. remove everything that isn't nessecary, cafe seat bum-stop, and a set of clubmans and away you go.

[Octain]

I found it much easier to cut on a "L" with a clear conscience. As far as The original question goes, if you can dream it, have at it. But a true cafe is typically a smaller frame for "tossin g around" ability. Not to say I wouldn't cafe a big four or a shafty. remove everything that isn't nessecary, cafe seat bum-stop, and a set of clubmans and away you go.

I agree with the majority that a smaller chain drive twin makes the best bike to cafe. But anyone should be able to do as they feel with whatever they own.
Anything cheap (or free). Buy it cheap, build it cheap.
Most anyone can take one a part. Clean and replace parts and put it back together. Its actually kinda boring(doing one now). I think it takes imagination and lots of thought into making one into something only you can see with as little money as possible.

I love my hacked up 850. Its a blast to ride. Handles good, brakes good and rides good. No unecessary buttons, switches or lights, no tach.
The fact that I think it looks freaking awesome just kinda adds to the fun of owning it.
All for less than a grand

[Octain]

Here is FC's bike. 1980 Suzuki GS450L. He says that it leaves a lot to be desired. I just think that FC is too modest .

I think it looks awesome!
The old pile-o-$hit Ford pickup in the background helps too

[Graham]

I found it much easier to cut on a "L" with a clear conscience. As far as The original question goes, if you can dream it, have at it. But a true cafe is typically a smaller frame for "tossin g around" ability. Not to say I wouldn't cafe a big four or a shafty. remove everything that isn't nessecary, cafe seat bum-stop, and a set of clubmans and away you go.

Got to love how so many L models get cutup. Every time a café or bopper is raised for an L model it raises the value of mine. Plus the factories don’t make a inline 4 cylinder cruiser anymore just V-twins. Saw an L model go for $2,900 on Ebay and a café of the same model go for $1,250.
Just food for thought.

[Big Rich]

$2900 for an L model? Must have been dang near mint or completely restored. I bought an L model last year that had vines growing INTO the frame for $50. Wow, I made out like a bandit.

There's more that goes into the price of a bike than a name.

[Graham]

$2900 for an L model? Must have been dang near mint or completely restored. I bought an L model last year that had vines growing INTO the frame for $50. Wow, I made out like a bandit.

There's more that goes into the price of a bike than a name.

It was near mint. A GS1100GL and the action ended with a bid just over $2,900. the only reason I watch the action was because I have the same model that I’m restoring. When mine is done I won’t take a dime less then 2,500. Somebody rode one of these new and is willing to pay for it.

[jimek]

that has more to do with it being an 1100 in good condition than an L in good condition.