"Cafe Racer"

[Elliot Cannon]

Does anyone know where the term "cafe racer" came from?
         Cheers,  Elliot

[TOOLS1]

Guy's would hang out at Cafe's. And then go out and race their bikes.
TOOLS

[Rick7r]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it stems from the old days when the mods and rockers in England used to race from cafe to cafe with their stripped down motorcycles

[motogrady]

That's about it.
Aces Cafe' in England, late 40's, 50's, most agree is where it started.
Some called them Teddy Boys.
Some called them Rockers.
Partial to American be bop and country/western music,
they didn't believe in drugs or booze, said it dulled the
sensation of riding, which is what it was all supposed to be about.

Close to the Aces Cafe' were 2 or 3 other coffee shops that,
if you could hit 100mph, or "A Ton", could be visited in the time it took
to listen to a 2 minute 45 on the record player.

If you could put a record on in Aces Cafe', jump on your bike,
haul it over a bridge, past the cops, stop in the next Cafe', jump back on and
be back before the record finished, you were a member of the Ton Up Club.

To do this, a stock Beemer, Norton or Bsa just wouldn't cut it.
So they began chopping the extra weight off, increasing the hp,
got out of the wind, went for better handleing........and the Cafe' Racer was born.

Believe it or not guys, this is where we come from........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFXDBxCNZRM

[masiste]

Europe. Probably England. Check the story of the "ACE" pub in London.

[Piute]

motogrady wrote

That's about it.
Aces Cafe' in England, late 40's, 50's, most agree is where it started.
Some called them Teddy Boys.
Some called them Rockers.
Partial to American be bop and country/western music,
they didn't believe in drugs or booze, said it dulled the
sensation of riding, which is what it was all supposed to be about.

Close to the Aces Cafe' were 2 or 3 other coffee shops that,
if you could hit 100mph, or "A Ton", could be visited in the time it took
to listen to a 2 minute 45 on the record player.

If you could put a record on in Aces Cafe', jump on your bike,
haul it over a bridge, past the cops, stop in the next Cafe', jump back on and
be back before the record finished, you were a member of the Ton Up Club.

To do this, a stock Beemer, Norton or Bsa just wouldn't cut it.
So they began chopping the extra weight off, increasing the hp,
got out of the wind, went for better handleing........and the Cafe' Racer was born.

Believe it or not guys, this is where we come from........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFXDBxCNZRM

    I READ THAT EXCACT THING long ago(forgot till now) THX.

 

Rick7r wrote

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it stems from the old days when the mods and rockers in England used to race from cafe to cafe with their stripped down motorcycles

                               

[Elliot Cannon]

Very interesting.  Thanks to everyone.  My next bike will definately be a "cafe racer".  

[masiste]

  What I learnt is that in UK motorcycle riders used to hang out at Coffee Shops, of Cafes ( like todays Star Bucks, but more motorcycle and car oriented, inlike today's Computer oriented ) typical of the 60's and late 50's

   The motorcycle guys in those days would work on making their bikies sportier, racier, on tight budgets but with plenty  attitude. ( race/sport attitude)  These were no yuppies or rich kids showing off the latest fad, but average guys ridding an average to beat up bikes that they themselves would twick and modify on tight budgets to help performance. Clip on bars and club man bars for low stance and lower center of gravity, as well as aerodynamic posture cutting through wind, ridding the bike of unwanted weight and useless accesories, using charactreristic leader jackets and boots to protect from the elements and scrapes.performance on a budget as a way of life !

   These guys would have runs or small races around town betting money on whom would win, creating the name "Cafe Racers" . They would leave the Coffee hang out, race around town and come back to the Cafe to keep on talking cool bike stuff.

[motogrady]

Check out the CBs in this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRbY1bZ47gI&feature=youtu.be

[motogrady]

For sure not to be confused with The Mods.
They rode scooters, Vespas and the like,
that were decked out in sometimes crazy ways.
They did party, speed wasn't of interest to them,
the forerunners of the beatnicks.
Mods and Rockers.
Like oil and water they were.





yes, off the cover of a Who album...

[Larry spillman]

Look for Ton up club and you will find the history of British street racers in England they started it and it spilled over to America after the War 1945