“Like riding a lightweight monster…” –Derek Molinski, Bikeshop DM In late 1975, Yamaha introduced the RD400 — a stroked and updated evolution of the 350, featuring a rubber-dampened engine, disc brakes, longer reach spark plug, […]
Tag: Cafe Racers
Iron of the Year 2020: Honda CBX750F by Garage14
Winner of the Ferro dell’Anno 2020 at MBE! The MBE Motor Bike Expo held each year in Verona, Italy, is the world’s largest custom motorcycle show, a four-day event with over 700 exhibitors and more […]
Built in 22 Days: Honda CB750K “Virus” by Brian Cox
“What can you build with just the spare parts you have on hand during this quarantine?” That was the question Brian Cox (@classicbikebuilding) asked himself after bringing home a 1978 Honda CB750K just before the […]
Bandit Power: Honda “CB1157F” by Butchered Classics
Dave Solomon of Butchered Classics is our favorite mad Englishman, a shed-builder who’s earned an “evil reputation” for building high-powered Frankenbikes that send purists drooling and raving to the madhouse. In 2019 alone, we featured […]
“Jersey” Honda CB550 Cafe Racer by Kott Motorcycles
“A sleek, stripped down version of what this bike could have looked like straight from the factory…” Built from 1974 to 1978, the Honda CB550 was the company’s middleweight four, featuring an 8-valve engine that […]
“Indie” Harley XG750 Custom by Milwaukee Moto
“I decided to put the XG on a diet and make it as cool as possible…” In 2014, Harley-Davidson introduced their first new lightweight motorcycles in 40 years, the Street series. The Street 750, also […]
“Iron Man” Virago 1100 Cafe Racer by LV Custom
The Virago was Yamaha’s first series of V-twin machines, and the XV1100 was the king cruiser of the line, featuring a 62-hp engine and some of the best handling and brakes in all of cruiser […]
Big Twin Cafe Racer: “The Flying Duck”
Sometimes a motorcycle becomes so deeply involved and entangled with our personal history that it becomes a part of our life story — an integral part of who we are. Such is the case with […]
Virago 920 “YamaDuci” by Augment Motorworks
A Japanese-Italian love story… The Virago series was Yamaha’s first entrée into world of V-twin cruisers, and one of the first motorcycle mass-produced with a monoshock rear suspension. It was a bold move for Yamaha […]
Aquafresh: Kawasaki KZ1000 Cafe Racer
A big-bore Kawa from Mitsuaki Shinohara… The Kawasaki KZ1000 is one of the baddest air-cooled muscle bikes of the 1970s. Introduced in 1976, the bike won the 1977 and 1978 AMA Superbike Championship, and the […]
