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1995 Suzuki Ryca 650 CS-1

In America, Cafe Racer, Custom, Japan by AbhiLeave a Comment

The Suzuki LS650 Savage is a simple, low-powered entry-level cruiser. A Los Angeles based company called Ryca saw a way to spice up the S40, with the Ryca 650 CS-1 kit. It takes a rather ugly semi-Sportster clone and turns it into a lithe cafe racer styled bike with some actual semblance of personality.

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4 Miles – 1977 Harley-Davidson XLCR

In America, Cafe Racer by AbhiLeave a Comment

When it was released, the Harley-Davidson XLCR (CR stood for Cafe Racer) was supposed to be an instant success powered by Harley’s most powerful production engine to date. It was a jet black departure from HD’s usual chrome fare. It didn’t sell well at all – now it’s a cult classic, and today I’m sharing the nicest XLCR I’ve ever …

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1975 Moto Guzzi Custom Cafe Racer

In Cafe Racer, Custom, Italy by Abhi1 Comment

Thanks to BikeEXIF for sharing this post in this week’s Speed Read! Post Sale Update: This custom Guzzi sold for $8,000 after 44 bids on eBay in Indio, California. Built with a 850T frame and a T3 engine (with a 955cc big bore kit), this interesting Guzzi custom is claimed to be very reliable and “as fast a stock Le …

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2000 Kawasaki W650 Cafe Racer

In Cafe Racer, Custom, Japan by AbhiLeave a Comment

4/1/21 Update: 4 years, Todd B notes that this bike is back up for sale with a drop in price – find it for sale in Greenwich Village, New York for $6,800 here on Craigslist. Post Listing Update: This custom W650 did not get any interest at the asking price of $8,500. Even though some reviewers thought the W650 looked …

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Custom Café – 1973 Honda CB750K2

In Cafe Racer, Custom, Japan by Jeffrey PamerLeave a Comment

It may feel to some, as it does to me, that the café bike trend has had a resurgence of late. That since about the turn of the millennium, there has been a steady uptick of interest in the bikes, and subculture. We can certainly agree that when Triumph released the Thruxton in 2004, and a couple of years later …

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Café’d Classic in Poland – Custom 1987 Suzuki GSX-R750

In Cafe Racer, Custom, Japan by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

Suzuki’s early GSX-R750 machines were groundbreaking models when they first appeared on the market, and though they’ve admittedly grown pretty long in the tooth by today’s standards, they’re still relatively high-performing bikes in the grand scheme of things. Plus, thanks to their lack of modern electronics, there’s no bevy of unsightly ancillaries hidden beneath the fairings like that of contemporary …

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Cafe’d Smoker – 1972 Yamaha R5 Custom

In Cafe Racer, Custom, Japan by Tim HuberLeave a Comment

Post Listing Update: This R5 did not get any interest at the BIN of $8,500. There’s something really special about two-stroke cafe racers, and this one-off Yamaha is a prime example. This build supposedly started out as a ‘72 R5 that received a refresh with the air-cooled parallel-twin getting all new rings, gaskets, and seals, while the carbs were rebuilt …