Cafe Racer thread.

[JackyJoll]

I think it's one of Dad's little jokes....

He sounds like a good guy.

[JackyJoll]

Mine was drilled for an extension at one time.

[Skub]

I know I've posted this bike before, but this is the last photo I have of my Dad with his bike. It's taken me a bloody week to track these down!

I really like the colour he had the tank painted.








I am really looking forward to taking this under my wing and riding it (most likely after a thorough nut-and-bolt level reassembly!)

Great photos RB,very characterful.

Even from the pics,your Dad looks like he would have enriched the lives of those he encountered.

That tank symbol is pretty close to the Kawasaki 'river' symbol!

[Rockburner]

Great photos RB,very characterful.

Even from the pics,your Dad looks like he would have enriched the lives of those he encountered.

That tank symbol is pretty close to the Kawasaki 'river' symbol!

He absolutely did.

The tank logo is his initials.

[Skub]

Great photos RB,very characterful.

Even from the pics,your Dad looks like he would have enriched the lives of those he encountered.

That tank symbol is pretty close to the Kawasaki 'river' symbol!

He absolutely did.

The tank logo is his initials.

Brilliant.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Is it just me who's wondering what's keeping that bike upright RB?

[JackyJoll]

Is it just me who's wondering what's keeping that bike upright RB?

The wall.

[Rockburner]

Is it just me who's wondering what's keeping that bike upright RB?

It's just you.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Well yeah I can see the wall, I jaut assumed such a nice bike wouldn't be leaning against a brick wall.

[JackyJoll]

Well yeah I can see the wall, I jaut assumed such a nice bike wouldn't be leaning against a brick wall.

Clip-on sidestands on Featherbeds are a bit notorious.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Much more convenient than carrying a wall everywhere you go though.

[JackyJoll]

Much more convenient than carrying a wall everywhere you go though.

You can use other walls.

[Rockburner]

Well yeah I can see the wall, I jaut assumed such a nice bike wouldn't be leaning against a brick wall.

NONE of my Dad's bike are trailer queens. They're all used and get dirty if it's wet.

[Mr Moofo]

I know I've posted this bike before, but this is the last photo I have of my Dad with his bike. It's taken me a bloody week to track these down!

I really like the colour he had the tank painted.





I am really looking forward to taking this under my wing and riding it (most likely after a thorough nut-and-bolt level reassembly!)

What is it?

[Rockburner]

What is it?

This.

This is my Dad's contribution to the ouvre:


JAP 400cc 'speedway' engine in a (IIRC) Slimline Featherbed.
Custom tank (double chambered),
BTH mag
double Pilgrim pump
Twin leading shoe Grimeca (IIRC)
Norton (I think) gearbox
etc etc



He'd seen someone racing a JAP engined Featherbed in the 50s/60s (when he was racing himself) and always fancied building one, finally managed it after 50 years.... It's more of a race bike than a cafe-racer, but it's all road legal.

[Mr Moofo]

^ that is lovely ...

[demographic]

Is the hole in the side stand mainly for weight saving, or is it an aerodynamic feature?

Mebbe an Alistair Laurie style lightening hole.
I took my KX 500 into a local mechanic to get some machining done on the brake caliper brackets and he got to mentioning about a mate of his who drilled near enough anything that could be drilled to reduce weight.
Turns out he was talking about the bloke who runs the local chroming business.
Alistair Laurie.




Or maybe RBs father thought the bike might well end up being owned by someone who wanted to park it on a hardwood floor and gave it provision for a lump of rubber to go on the sidestand bottom, thats planing ahead for ya.

[Rockburner]

Is the hole in the side stand mainly for weight saving, or is it an aerodynamic feature?

Mebbe an Alistair Laurie style lightening hole.
I took my KX 500 into a local mechanic to get some maching done on the brake caliper brackets and he got to mentioning about a mate of his who drilled near enough anything that could be drilled to reduce weight.
Turns out he was talking about the bloke who runs the local chroming business.
Alistair Laurie.




Or maybe RBs father the bike well end up being owned by someone who wanted to park it on a hardwood floor and gave it provision for a lump of rubber to go on the sidestand bottom, thats planing ahead for ya.

"Go faster holes" is an ancient idea, there's even an Ogri cartoon about it.

I think he did have an extra puck for the sidestand now you mention it.

[The Spin Doctor]

Cassington bike night would make more sense...its also 3 miles from my office.

Might try to make that this year, if we're not still social distancing 50 miles away!

[Mr. Dazzle]

Cassington bike night would make more sense...its also 3 miles from my office.

Might try to make that this year, if we're not still social distancing 50 miles away!

I used to work in Eynsham and I live in MK, so I drove past/through Cassington every day. I commuted by bike often and I went through the bike night several times. Convincing them I didn't want to park and was just passing through was always a challenge.

My new job is even closer