A JDM-inspired Virago from Portland… Introduced in 1981, the Yamaha XV750 Virago was the company’s first foray into the market for V-twin cruisers, featuring mono-shock rear suspension, shaft-drive, and an air-cooled 75° V-twin producing 55 […]
Tag: Cafe Racers
Two-Stroke Triple: Kawasaki S2 “V2.0” by Brian Cox
In 1972, Kawasaki introduced the S2 Mach II, a 350cc two-stroke triple that made 45 horsepower at 8000 rpm and weighed 330 pounds. Unlike its legendary big sibling, the widow-making 500cc H1 Mach III, the […]
The Low Rider: Honda CX500 by Seb’s Atelier
The Honda CX500 was a strange bird when introduced in 1978, sporting a host of innovative technology for the era. The most obvious feature was the transverse 80° V-twin that led some enthusiasts to term […]
Street Sweeper: Kawasaki ZRX1100 by Motor League
A ZRX risen from the Philly streets… The Kawasaki ZRX1100 was a throwback to the muscle bikes of the 1980s, a retro-styled machine that recalled the Eddie Lawson superbikes of yore, sporting a retuned 1052cc […]
’80s Glory: Honda CBX750 “Flávia” by Unik Edition
An ’80s sport bike, well upgraded… Introduced in 1984, the Honda CBX750 — aka the RC17 — was developed from the CB750 and sold mainly in Europe and Australia. The bike’s DOHC 16-valve engine produced […]
La Mama: Aprilia “RS154” by AG Custom
“La Mama” — a GP-inspired two-stroke, created in tribute to the builder’s mother… Built from 1994 to 2012, the Aprilia RS125 was a street-legal two-stroke GP replica, derived from the company’s racing success in the […]
“Tricolor” Retro Racer: Honda CBR1000RR by Crazy Garage
An RC30-inspired “Retro Racer” built in collaboration with Öhlins Korea… Known as the Fireblade in some markets, the Honda CBR1000RR was introduced in 2004 as the 7th generation RR superbike. Developed in conjunction with Honda’s […]
No XS: Yamaha XS400 Twin(s)
Introduced in 1976, the Yamaha XS400 was highly anticipated in the industry. After all, its two-stroke sibling, the RD400, had been the fastest of the 400s, and everyone was curious what Yamaha could do with […]
Cult of Personality: Honda GL1000 Custom
Not your granddaddy’s Goldwing! The original Honda GL1000 Goldwing debuted in 1974 with a 999cc liquid-cooled flat-four and a number of interesting design features, including a contra-rotating generator to counteract the engine’s torque, a below-seat […]
Top 10 Café Racers of 2019
We decided to follow up our list of the 2019 Top 10 Custom Motorcycles with the most popular cafe racers we featured this year, based on traffic and social engagement. Some of these were real […]
