An explanation of these cafe racers.

sheik*yerbouti wrote:

Wildh2oskier wrote:

<snip>
My topics seem to lead to arguments and airing of grievences...

... and photo whoring of project bikes by unrelated third parties named sheik*yerbouti

nothing wrong with that.

Post edited by: AR15Ron, at: 2007/07/25 00:31

Some common courtesy wouldn't hurt when entering a discussion.

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Some facts about street fighters (and like café racers they are an European invention.)

A streetfighter is a superbike that is customized by removing the fairing, and making other changes that result in an overall more aggressive look. Made popular by European riders, this type of custom motorcycle is gaining popularity all over the world.

The term 'streetfighter' probably appears to have been originally coined by two drag racers, Odgie and Lil' Mark, whilst they worked at BSH (Back Street Heroes - a UK custom bike magazine) in the early 1990s.[verification needed] They applied the term to motorcycles which were modified to enhance their performance and handling, as opposed to the custom scene which preferred style over outright ability. The term has since been diluted somewhat, and is now regularly applied to any bike with motocross style handlebars, no fairings or other typical customizations. In recent years, the term has also come to be applied to motorcycles manufactured without fairings in this style, usually based on the same engine/frame combination as an equivalent fully-faired motorcycle in the manufacturer's product line-up.

It's unclear when and who built the first of the modern streetfighter. Though it has its roots in the Café racer culture of the 1950s and 1960s, there is a substantial gap between then and the modern streetfighter scene. The current trend in naked sportbikes seems to have started in Italy in the late 1980s, where owners of crashed superbikes started opting to leave off the damaged plastic as the plastic fairing is quite expensive to replace. This is what often gives streetfighters an unfinished or haphazard look.

Currently, (Race Replicas), like the Suzuki GSX-R Series and the Honda CBR series, that have been damaged in accidents or through hooliganism are generally the starting basis for a streetfighter. The GSX-R 750 was initially often favored, due to its light weight and flexible engine. A side effect of the use of the [1980]'s GSX-R was the retention of the dual headlights in the subsequent streetfighter. This feature is now a common trait in both custom bikes and factory streetfighters like the Triumph Speed Triple.

In 1993 Ducati introduced a new naked sportbike called the Monster. Since that time it has been a perennial favorite amongst streetfighter enthusiasts. In 1994 however, Triumph Motorcycles introduced the Speed Triple, based on its Daytona sportbike. This was an immediate success and rapidly eclipsed the Monster in sales. The Triumph is now the current favorite among factory streetfighters due to excellent performance, low ownership cost, and high reliability.

In the intervening years both bikes have been substantially improved, and have been joined by a rapidly growing group of other manufactures producing naked sportbikes. These include: Benelli, Aprilia, Bimota, BMW, Moto Guzzi, Moto Morini, MV Agusta, and Buell, a subsidiary of Harley Davidson. Even the "big four" Japanese motorcycle manufactures, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha, have tried to enter this market, but with limited success to date. Some of the Suzuki models do, however, remain a popular "base" for the build-up of a custom streetfighter motorcycle.

Modifications commonly made to custom streetfighters

Clip-on handlebars replaced with motocross-style handlebars
Raised rear subframes
Most fairings removed, modified or replaced
Distinctive paint schemes
Loud aftermarket exhaust systems
Aftermarket headlights to replace often heavy headlight setups
Large rear sprockets to sacrifice top speed for more acceleration
Larger brake discs than stock
Improved brake calipers
Improved springs, shock absorbers, and various other parts to improve the chassis
Various performance improvements to the engine: superchargers, turbochargers, nitrous oxide, increased cylinder bores, custom porting, revamped fuel injection and timing, etc.

ibsen22000 wrote:

factory streetfighters....

Isn't that an oxy-moron?

I mean, the whole point is that it's custom.

If it's built that way from the factory, it's not a streetfighter. It's a naked sportbike.

That's like the term "Factory Custom". :whistle:

I mainly posted some facts since this discussion seemed to have gone off topic and gotten rather personal.


There are also examples of factory built café racers. The Triumph Truxton and the Honda GB500 are two examples. The Ducati Sports 1000 Monopost another.

And quite frankly, by using the same logic, none of the japanese built cruisers, starting with the 70's Kawasaki LTD models and the Honda Custom models, hardly qualifies as custom built bikes either since they are all factory builds.

But then again, where do you draw the line? Is it a real café racer (or street fighter) only if you built it in your own garage? Or can a bike like the Kawasaki W650 on the picture below, bought from a company like VD Classic in France be concidered to be a "real" café racer?

.

Post edited by: ibsen22000, at: 2007/07/25 19:23

Hi Ibby,

You can lead a horse to water...

KZCSI

KZCSI wrote:

Lifelong rider suffering through MBD

Multiple Bike Disorder?

I hope MBD is not some obscure disease that I've never heard of and I am sticking my foot in my mouth...

Hey Sheik,

You got it right!

kzcsi

Thanks, Ib. That mostly confirms what I thought about streetfighters.

You know, after reading five pages of this- it reminds me of the chopper debate chopper boards have- there seems to be a fairly gray line as to what is what, and folks what a black and white answer- it doesn't exist.

Factories have thier genre's, and they call them what by what marketing tells them is the best to sell thier bikes. Big Dogs arn't choppers- because they are factory built- a chopper, by definition, one that seems to be fairly universal- is a bike that has been "chopped"- but doesn't stop Big Dog Choppers from calling them "choppers":laugh:

Cafe racers and street fighters have one definition in my mind, but may have many others to some other folks.

There is no hard and fast rule.

ibsen22000 wrote:

Is it a real café racer (or street fighter) only if you built it in your own garage? Or can a bike like the Kawasaki W650 on the picture below, bought from a company like VD Classic in France be concidered to be a "real" café racer?

.

<br><br>Post edited by: ibsen22000, at: 2007/07/25 19:23

See, that was one of my points.

The bike genres like Cafe Racers, Choppers, Bobbers, etc. refer to a genre that was partially, and fundamentally, designated by bikes being customized.

That's why I think the term "Factory Custom" is so hilarious. If it's built that was in quantities of more than 1 it's NOT a custom! :laugh:

As I said before though, there is no rulebook when it comes to custom bikes. There's nothing that says "This is what it has to have". So, to classify we are left looking at what is most common in terms of traits, styles, etc. of the bikes in that genre.

That's why I said a cafe racer and a streetfighter are completely different things, seperated by more than age. There are very different commonalities between the genres.

Sure, one could say that a KZ with superbike bars is a streetfighter. It's ones own opinion that it should be classified that way. But, it's also very arguable that it's *not* a streetfighter based on one of the most prevelant commonalities in the genre of streetfighter motorcycles, which is that the bikes are *usually* based on stripped down sportbikes.

Well, then someone will no doubt say that KZ's ARE sportbikes. And yes, it could be some peoples opinions that they are.

But traditionally speaking the GSXR's of the mid 80's are referred to and known as the "godfathers of the sportbikes roots".

It's all opinion based.... just some are considered to be more accepted on a grand scale.

So does a Ducati sport 1000 PS Edition count as a cafe racer? Sure, to some it does. To others it doesn't until its been customized. To others still it never will because it's "too new".

Fact of the matter is that in the world of custom bikes and cars there really are only three rules:

1) It's gotta move.
2) It's gotta stop.
3) It's gotta make the owner happy.



And then we all have our own rules.... one of mine being that people who are that worried about what others will call their customs are in it for all the wrong reasons. :laugh:

Post edited by: caffcruiser, at: 2007/07/26 18:03

caffcruiser wrote:...people who are that worried about what others will call their customs are in it for all the wrong reasons.[/quote]

Maybe what you're 'in it for' defines the bike.

If you have a one-off custom or factory custom 'whatever' and it mostly sits in your garage for your viewing enjoyment...
or makes it to a bike rally for the viewing enjoyment of other once in a while...
or gets taken out on sunny Sunday afternoons for hours of fun...
or gets you to and from and even around town at the posted speed limit...

Your bike is a either a display model, show bike, recreational ride or commuter - not that there's anything wrong with any of those uses.

If you have the same bike or 'any' other bike and it's out on the street 'significantly' exceeding the posted speed limit...
racing other bikes...
racing the 'cafe' clock...

Your bike is either a street fighter or a cafe racer - not that there's anything right with either of those uses.