Plans for my Cafe Racer build WITH CLIP ON HANDLEBARS

GoldenMotor.com
L

lilbowser

New Member
Jul 9, 2015
8
0
0
Spokane
So, I've been wanting to do a Cafe Racer styled build for quite a while, and here I will document my progress :) I haven't seen hardly any Cafe builds, and I have a strong passion for the Cafe Racer style, so here goes ;)

The frame I will be using at the moment will be the Skyhawk GT-2A, but I would like to change to a Worksman Newsboy frame and have a in-tank frame made eventually.

Now let me describe my first dilemma:
I wanted clip on handlebars. I feel that it is the single largest part of the look, for me at least. The thing is, while researching clip on handlebars on bicycles, I realized I couldn't find A SINGLE example of it being done. None. Nada :rolleyes:

I was quite surprised, I mean, all you really need are some triple tree forks to attach them to, so thus began my search for the right forks.

I ultimately decided on these forks, because they were the only reasonably priced solution I could find that had some form of suspension:
http://www.bicycledesigner.com/bike-parts/bicycle-forks/suspension-chopper-fork.html

Since my frame requires 1 1/8" forks, and these are 1"ers, I found a pair of reducers for the headset to use these forks:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-1-8-to-1-...503?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item23431b52cf

Now the only thing left would be to pick a pair of clip ons, I'll have to get the forks first to measure the diameter of the forks to find what size I need to get.

Now that's it for now, thanks for reading the thread :p Ride on .shft.
 
knightscape

knightscape

Member
Jul 29, 2013
340
1
16
Maine
Phantom Bikes did a build with clipons:


They have a bunch of pics of that bike in their gallery. I'm assuming those are custom bars, but you could contact them to find out maybe.
 
D

dtv5403

New Member
May 4, 2015
322
1
0
USA
Many cafe bikes use club bars also. I'm currently working on a cafe build with club bars mounted upright. Also never seen a cafe bike with an in-frame tank. I personally kinda feel like that's more of a board track thing myself. Most cafe bikes have the club bars mounted upside down and look very similar to clip-ons that way, but I chose to mount mine upright because I have seen a few cafe bikes with the club bars mounted that way, and my back, shoulders and elbows can't take the leaning. Another important part of the look is the seat, and I've found a cafe style seat that clamps to the seat post but it's not cheap, $85 shipped.
 
D

dtv5403

New Member
May 4, 2015
322
1
0
USA
Fwiw, my bike isn't going to be perfect either, more of a basic representation of the general style than of anything specific. I'm building off a 1956 roadmaster frame with a 79cc predator mounted vertical, Suzuki k10 hydraulic forks, the club bars as mentioned above, custom wheels using a 130mm motorcycle drum up front and a 90mm moped drum in rear, both laced to 24" bicycle rims with 11g spokes and a cafe style seat from treatland.
 
L

lilbowser

New Member
Jul 9, 2015
8
0
0
Spokane
dtv5403 said:
Many cafe bikes use club bars also. I'm currently working on a cafe build with club bars mounted upright. Also never seen a cafe bike with an in-frame tank. I personally kinda feel like that's more of a board track thing myself. Most cafe bikes have the club bars mounted upside down and look very similar to clip-ons that way, but I chose to mount mine upright because I have seen a few cafe bikes with the club bars mounted that way, and my back, shoulders and elbows can't take the leaning. Another important part of the look is the seat, and I've found a cafe style seat that clamps to the seat post but it's not cheap, $85 shipped.
Click to expand...
I'll have to keep an eye out for your build ;) I think I just have some sort of fetish for low, clip ons :p Now that I think of it, mine will probably end up more like a boardtracker, with clip ons. Another thought would be going for a different style frame, but using a tank like what Imperial Cycles does here:
http://imperialcycles.blogspot.com/2011/01/grey.html
I did some research, and I think the specific gas tanks they use are made by Cimatti, for mopeds. They seem to be pretty hard to find, but I imagine there are other options as far as moped gas tanks you could use. I think that would be a better fit for a cafe racer look. Do you think you could link me to that seat? It sounds pretty intriguing.
 
wret

wret

Active Member
Feb 24, 2014
355
65
28
Maryland
D

dtv5403

New Member
May 4, 2015
322
1
0
USA
If you go to www.treatland.tv and search seat, you will find many different options. I'm not sure how many they have in stock of the particular seat I'm buying and it's gonna be a little over a week yet till I can order it so I'm kinda keeping it to myself for now, sorry.
 
bairdco

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
264
63
living the dream in southern california
Thanks guys. There's a thread on it somewhere. I think it's titled the bairdco speed demon or something.

After the last race at the grange, where my motor blew up before the race even started, I took the engine off and threw it away, then sold all my spare engines and parts, except for 2 stock motors, a 66 and a 50.

Got bored so I put it back together with a custom xchamber and a little 15mm mikuni carb. Still hauls ass. Maybe I'll race it again.

Or sell it. I dunno...
 
bairdco

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
264
63
living the dream in southern california
It weighs just under 50lbs. Totally sticks the corners. The best race bike I've built so far. If only the motors would hold up.

Now it's only slightly modified, but still fast. If I keep it, I'll probably take it to the next race at the grange and hope it doesn't blow up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom