You just can’t go wrong with a nicely blacked-out scheme, and this Honda CB750 from Santiago Chopper demonstrates how to accomplish it perfectly. She has an aura of bad-assedness that belies the actual performance. No, she won’t take on a modern 750, but I’d rather be riding this than the latest wonder bike from Japan.
Source: Retro Custom Racer
There’s an art to builds that some get right, and some just don’t. Cafe Racer Dreams understands this, and looking over their designs, you can see they refine that art with each successive build. This CB750 is their second bike, and there’s only one element, in my opinion, that doesn’t gel well with the rest of the project, and that’s the headlight. It’s just too damn small, and looks cartoony instead of serious. Other than that, she’s a solid looking cycle!
Does everything on a cafe racer need to be hand-made, fully customized pieces of art to have a successful build? This bike would beg to differ, with a plethora of off-the-shelf bits assembled in a pleasing manner. Not everyone can massage metal into the form they want, and some have not the talent for welding (I know I don’t, my welding skills are substantially sub-par!), but just because someone else made the components doesn’t mean that you’re not putting your own stamp on the creation. Most people don’t make their own clothing, but some are better at putting a look together than others. It’s what you accomplish with what you have that matters!
Source: Cafe Racer and Silodrome
Rocket Motorcycles created a nice cafe racer from a Honda CB750, and it’s just different enough for me to enjoy. I love the quad-exhaust, and the scalloping of the tank and tail add visual flair without detracting from the nicely muted color scheme. Much better work than the Silver Arrow, in my opinion!
Well, the blue plaid paint job really is a polarizing choice, but the rest of the bike is quite nice. The tail light is nicely integrated, and the bodywork flows perfectly. But really, plaid?
Source: Farm Boys Club
It doesn’t take a full-blown shop to be able to create some great looking cafe racers. Jose Armenteros and his dad built these, a CB750 and a CB500, and they’re great. I think the 750 came out better, though I would have left off all the stickers! I like the fact that they were smart enough to color the tail sections black, giving the bikes a visual push towards the front (which enhances the sense of forward movement, even while sitting still). Not many get that right!
Visit Jose Armenteros’ Flickr
To start off with, this build overall, in my opinion, is a mess. There are so many disparate elements that don’t work together, but it’s that fact alone that makes this bike interesting to me. The mini-fairing has weird “rivets” that don’t match anything else, yet the idea could work on another build. The tail section is gorgeous, and notice how the tail/brake light is integrated into it- pure genius. The mesh sidecovers almost work, and the pipe wrap is well done, it just clashes with the rest of the bike. I may not like the total motorcycle, but that doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate the work done and admire some of the unique touches!
Visit Garage Company
We’ve all probably seen bikes that use carbon fiber before, but this build is something just a little bit different. Created by Ken Glenn of KG Cycles, this 1974 Honda CB750 uses bodywork made from a Carbon Fiber Dyed-Red Kevlar Hybrid material. That’s the long way to say red carbon fiber, but that’s still not enough. The weave is red fiber one direction, and black fiber the other, giving a herringbone effect. It’s really unique, and even Willie G. Davidson, who saw the bike at a Harley show of all things, thought it was quite striking and nice! The engine is coated in black urethane, giving rise to the name Black Heart, and breathes through nicely done velocity stacks, while all electronics have been cleaned up and placed in out-of-view locations. While I find the front fender too big, and the rear fender a little strange, the overall impression is still awesome!
Another day, another CB750. This 1981 model from Steel Bent Customs is called Koz, and follows the ‘less is more’ mantra superbly. If it didn’t serve a vital purpose, then the guys at Steel Bent took it out, and the electronics are hidden under the tank to keep the clean look going. It;s a great build, and helps cement the CB750’s reign as the king of custom cafe racers.
Visit Steel Bent Customs
Source: Bikers Cafe
