has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

for those of you that have M.B.S. (multiple bike syndrome) and have the "silver wing" models.
as our sponsors also have supplies for those bikes and they are popular with the "wing" crowd.

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fish
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Re: has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

#16

Post by fish »

sheesh :roll:
lighten UP!
for many of us OUR motorcycle is a form of expression or art form
practicality is not very high on the list!
For practical daily transportation a little economy car is much smarter.
I bought a fully dressed '83 interstate that ran and drove just fine..and ruined it by building this
right side.JPG
right side.JPG (77.58 KiB) Viewed 212 times
Timothy Mark Fisher
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Sidecar Bob
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Re: has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

#17

Post by Sidecar Bob »

PLEASE NOTE: The comments below are NOT about any specific machines that have been pictured in this thread.

I'm not saying that people shouldn't build cafe racers (or even choppers for that matter). There are many well thought out and well constructed custom bikes that I admire greatly. What I am saying is that if you are going to modify any vehicle and then use it on public roadways, instead of just saying "that looks cool so I will copy it, whether it works or not" you should learn about what the original builders of that sort of custom machine were trying to accomplish and why and then decide whether you want/need to make similar modifications to your machine.

I mean, if someone want to be "creative" and is only interested in how their creation it looks, maybe they would be better off just make something like this
Image
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
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Re: has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

#18

Post by puffy75 »

Fish. I love those pipes. Sweet
May The Fours Be With You.

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GL1000 1975 "Puffy" damaged in accident
CB750F2 1978
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Re: has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

#19

Post by Sidecar Bob »

Here is how one man built a REAL CX based cafe racer. Every mod was carefully considered and done because it would make the machine work better, not just look cool. It is definitely NOT a poodle bike http://cx500forum.com/forum/cx-customiz ... build.html

Image
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
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Re: has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

#20

Post by mhynze »

Sidecar Bob wrote:So-called "cafe racers" have been done to death and most of them are as silly as the over-styled monstrosities that pass for "choppers". The problem is that, in both cases, after a few people made changes to actually improve how their machines worked, others with little or no understanding of why those changes were made copied the way they those machines looked and others with even less understanding copied them until it became all about how the thing looked instead of how it worked and they started making changes that actually were detrimental to function.

The world does not need any more poorly conceived and ill functioning "poodle bikes"
The attachment Poodle Bike.JPG is no longer available
I feel you're leaning more on the bobber side, where many cb's were subject to mutilation, i feel bad for them going through kijiji and craigslist

theres many beautiful cx 'cafe racers' I just have to find out how to make a 500 turbo one of them

Here are some of my favourites

with fairly minor modications you can make 83 GL1100 wheels work, and spoked wheels, you're not stuck with comstars like many believe

We have a cx500 in the works with the 83 wheels on i should grab a pic


EDIT: i am not a fan of the toilet paper on exhaust, but thats just minor, im sure id find another use for it :)
Attachments
cx cafe 1.jpg
cx cafe 1.jpg (82.05 KiB) Viewed 195 times
cx cafe2.jpg
cx cafe2.jpg (3.73 KiB) Viewed 195 times
cx cafe3.jpg
cx cafe3.jpg (78.78 KiB) Viewed 195 times
cx cafe4.jpg
cx cafe4.jpg (75.09 KiB) Viewed 195 times
1977 GL1000, with GL1100 engine and carbs....in progress
1984 GL1200 Ascenpade gone naked...............in progress
1976 GL1000 1200 Engine, 1200 wheels...........in progress
1983 GL1100 Stock, fully functional!
1982 GL1100 ..................................................in progress
1976 GL1000 Stock resto....................... .........in progress
1978 GL1000....Upgraded...Bad cylinder............in progress

1982 CB900, 83 GL1100 rear end, 2006 gsxr1000 front end, 1200 front wheel..... in progress
1981 CB750k Needs attention.... in progress

The more time I spend on here the farther behind I get
mhynze
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Re: has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

#21

Post by mhynze »

fish wrote:sheesh :roll:
lighten UP!
for many of us OUR motorcycle is a form of expression or art form
practicality is not very high on the list!
For practical daily transportation a little economy car is much smarter.
I bought a fully dressed '83 interstate that ran and drove just fine..and ruined it by building this
right side.JPG

Clearly it would of been better if that was a gattling gun on the exhaust....
1977 GL1000, with GL1100 engine and carbs....in progress
1984 GL1200 Ascenpade gone naked...............in progress
1976 GL1000 1200 Engine, 1200 wheels...........in progress
1983 GL1100 Stock, fully functional!
1982 GL1100 ..................................................in progress
1976 GL1000 Stock resto....................... .........in progress
1978 GL1000....Upgraded...Bad cylinder............in progress

1982 CB900, 83 GL1100 rear end, 2006 gsxr1000 front end, 1200 front wheel..... in progress
1981 CB750k Needs attention.... in progress

The more time I spend on here the farther behind I get
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Sidecar Bob
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Re: has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

#22

Post by Sidecar Bob »

I could point out the design problems with all of those but you will probably tell me i am trying to stifle creativity and its up to the owners of them if they want to make such changes. But that won't excuse changes that make a bike work less well than it did before the change was made.
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
mhynze
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Re: has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

#23

Post by mhynze »

Sidecar Bob wrote:I could point out the design problems with all of those but you will probably tell me i am trying to stifle creativity and its up to the owners of them if they want to make such changes. But that won't excuse changes that make a bike work less well than it did before the change was made.
Yes you could it wouldnt hurt my feelings :-D , but wouldn't that prove true to a side car too ?
1977 GL1000, with GL1100 engine and carbs....in progress
1984 GL1200 Ascenpade gone naked...............in progress
1976 GL1000 1200 Engine, 1200 wheels...........in progress
1983 GL1100 Stock, fully functional!
1982 GL1100 ..................................................in progress
1976 GL1000 Stock resto....................... .........in progress
1978 GL1000....Upgraded...Bad cylinder............in progress

1982 CB900, 83 GL1100 rear end, 2006 gsxr1000 front end, 1200 front wheel..... in progress
1981 CB750k Needs attention.... in progress

The more time I spend on here the farther behind I get
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Sidecar Bob
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Re: has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

#24

Post by Sidecar Bob »

No. A sidecar has practical & useful purpose. In my case it allows me to carry home groceries and drive safely in all weather. Mounting wider tires (for example) has no benefit and only makes a bike handle more poorly.
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
mhynze
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Posts: 240
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2015 12:48 pm
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Re: has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

#25

Post by mhynze »

I'd disagree mounting a wider tire will make it handle more poorly, depending on rim size chosen, early tires are a lot skinnner than ANY tires on bikes today, lots of variables with conditions and riders, but have heard many saw they like the handling better with a bit wider tire (there is a limit to how wide i would agree)

To say a side car would handle like honda engineered the wing too, would be incorrect i'd say, just my opinion

saying it has function for putting groceries in, a car has more function then...that, and could handle a trip to the hardware store too

not that i dont like it, i think its awesome

but to say theres something wrong in all those builds without knowing what was thought and planned for them...

Im sure they do, but on that 'perfect build' slapping RFY shocks on for $100 off ebay.....
1977 GL1000, with GL1100 engine and carbs....in progress
1984 GL1200 Ascenpade gone naked...............in progress
1976 GL1000 1200 Engine, 1200 wheels...........in progress
1983 GL1100 Stock, fully functional!
1982 GL1100 ..................................................in progress
1976 GL1000 Stock resto....................... .........in progress
1978 GL1000....Upgraded...Bad cylinder............in progress

1982 CB900, 83 GL1100 rear end, 2006 gsxr1000 front end, 1200 front wheel..... in progress
1981 CB750k Needs attention.... in progress

The more time I spend on here the farther behind I get
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Re: has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

#26

Post by CYBORG »

I think its time to agree to disagree
1978 custom GL1000
1977 custom with 1200 engine
1985 gl1200
mhynze
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Re: has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

#27

Post by mhynze »

I can agree
We can also agree we love building them :)

Different views, when does that ever happen ?

Can probably agree on this one too anim-cheers1
Attachments
cx nono.jpg
cx nono.jpg (81.34 KiB) Viewed 188 times
1977 GL1000, with GL1100 engine and carbs....in progress
1984 GL1200 Ascenpade gone naked...............in progress
1976 GL1000 1200 Engine, 1200 wheels...........in progress
1983 GL1100 Stock, fully functional!
1982 GL1100 ..................................................in progress
1976 GL1000 Stock resto....................... .........in progress
1978 GL1000....Upgraded...Bad cylinder............in progress

1982 CB900, 83 GL1100 rear end, 2006 gsxr1000 front end, 1200 front wheel..... in progress
1981 CB750k Needs attention.... in progress

The more time I spend on here the farther behind I get
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Re: has anyone done a brat or cafe style cx

#28

Post by Sidecar Bob »

Now, that is a custom I can respect. The graphics I can live without but it looks like just about every change was done for a real reason.
To say a side car would handle like honda engineered the wing too, would be incorrect i'd say, just my opinion
I have to agree with you there. My '83 handled nicely on 2 wheels but I remember how my '78 handled as a solo and I have to say that it was much better with the sidecar than without :lol:

Seriously, though, comparing the handling of a sidecar outfit to the handling of a solo bike is like comparing it to a car. A sidecar outfit is a completely different vehicle than the bike was without it and its handling is very much a product of how it is set up.

My problem with the whole "cafe bike" thing is that there are too many people making changes based only on having seen it done on another bike. That sort of thing is OK if it is only for looking at and will never go down the road under its own power (which I think is a waste of time & resources) or if you think long & hard about how the changes will affect how the bike does its job and make the decision based on that rather than on how it looks. "Chopper" originally referred to chopping off all the stuff that wasn't needed in order to improve the power to weight ratio. The cheap (mostly war surplus) bikes they were using had very steep front ends that didn't handle that well so they altered the frames for more rake to increase the trail and make them work better at the higher speed possible on the paved highways that were becoming really common. That was all well & good until people who didn't understand why figured that if some increase in rake was good a lot must be better started creating the monstrosities we are all familiar with. So-called cafe bikes (not even remotely related to real cafe racers) are going in the same direction and all it would take is a little thought and ignoring fashion to prevent it.

BTW: Last week I came out of a grocery store to find someone waiting in the parking lot by Eccles (happens all the time - we call it Sidecar Delay Factor). After the usual questions (what year, what kind of sidecar, how does it handle) he said "I like how you made it look like an adventure bike" I replied "It looked like that before they started calling them adventure bikes". The only decisions on Eccles that I can think of that were based on looks alone were the paint colour and the pinstripes.
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
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