Cafe Racer

[Mishka]

Was watching you new ride on Gumtree myself,  well done $137 of asking price
Can see the cafe below in her.

[Sabre Brian]

I can't believe it was registered.  Still has 2 months, so I have been out playing on it all weekend, and also had a good 3 hour ride on the monster as well.  Life is good.

[Sabre Brian]

Well the bike has started off as a fun little project.  Rode it a few times which was fun, but the carbies are not happy at all.  The bike has no compliance plate so I didn't want to let the rego run out, which meant I had to drive it about 120km round trip to a mate who was "roadworthy friendly".  He gave the bike a good going over and said it was in excellent condition.  I went to him because he would overlook the compliance plate thing, not because he does dodgey roadworthies.  If he passed the bike, it really did pass.

Anyway, that day was quite eventful.  Firstly, the starter motor died, so if anyone has any advice on a place to get a starter motor reconditioned, please let me know.  That also meant I was push starting it all day.  Secondly, unlike my Monster, the starter still works with the stand down, so I hit the starter and knocked it off the stand, breaking a brake lever.  Bugger.  To finish the day off, I got 10 minutes from home and got a flat tyre, and had the world's slowest RACQ man. 

On the bright side, I found the fuel tank that I really wanted on eBay and it came from San Fransisco in 3 days, and I got it for a steal.

Would anyone know of a carby specialist that would be able to help me find carby kits for it?  The needles are seats are completely buggered.

Anyway, here is a pic with the new tank on.

[Twizted]

Try Express Motorcycles in Ipswich. They always have old bikes around there getting services and for sale.

[Mishka]

Polish Cafe in Croatia

[FIFO]

Ducati 1098 Cafe Racer 

[MonsterDorf]

In my humble opinion old BMWs make the best cafe racers. I have my own project bike that I've been working with for a couple of years now, and its coming along nicely 

[ducatiz]

Ducatis make excellent cafe racers.

Small, agile, low center of gravity, very thin.

[Sabre Brian]

Dorf - Can't say I agree with you on that one.  I am not a fan of any of the Beamers except the new
sports ones.  That Ducati is incredible, but give me a chance guys.  The KZ/GT is coming along nicely.

I said KZ/GT because apparently nobody knows which model it actually is.  The original side plates on the bike said GT550,
but the more research I do on it, the more it appears to be a KZ550, which is good, because I bought a workshop manual for a KZ.

Here are some updated photos.  Progress - New tank is just in etch primer and ready to go.  The clip on bars are on.  The carbies are off and sandblasted and ready for rekitting and prettying up, as are the side covers.  Lots of polishing work ahead of me.  I have bought grips and a new speedo as the dashboard is going in the bin.  The headlight has been lowered around 30-40mm to create the line across the top of the tank as I wanted it.  Next is going to be the back.  The back guard is going to go and I will need new lighting.  Side plates have to find a spot too and are going to be a custom set.  New starter motor is also in the post on the way.  This bike is coming together from everywhere.  My recent Ebay purchases have been :fuel tank (san fransisco - 3 days delivery time thank you very much), starter motor (west virginia), carby kits (manchester UK), Bars (china) and grips (hong kong), as well as the service manual out of Sydney.

[Sabre Brian]

A quick update.  It's starting to come together.  Need to work on the seat, wheels and rewiring everything so I can get rid of the side plates?

[Wells]

A quick update.  It's starting to come together.  Need to work on the seat, wheels and rewiring everything so I can get rid of the side plates?

  Coming along nicely!

[brad black]

isn't a gt shaft drive and kz chain drive?

[Sabre Brian]

I have had this argument with lots of people Brad, but not after I got my workshop manual.  LOL

There is a very fine line between them all bud.  I bought it as a GT550, but everything about the
bike says KZ.  It's 6 of one, half a dozen of the other mate.

[Sabre Brian]

Almost finished.  just a few touches needed now.

[monstermick58]

For some reason I cannot see the pictures

   Anyone else have the same problem?

     Only yours Sabre Brian






                             Mmick