Cafe racer motorcycle style is a style of customization that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, mainly in the UK. It takes its name from the cafes where young bikers met to discuss motorcycles and races.
The “Rockers” were a counterculture of rock ‘n’ roll, young and rebel, who wanted a fast, personalized and original motorcycle to travel from coffee to coffee along the newly built highways in England and around British cities.
Moreover their nickname “Rockers” does not come from the musical culture but from the rockers found in 4-stroke engines, as opposed to the two-stroke engines used by scooters and Mods.
This movement has its roots in the British counterculture of the 50s and 60s, in bands such as the Rockers or the Ton Up Club.
It was a time when England was living in the post-war period and young people were looking for new landmarks with a gap forming between generations.
” Do The Ton!”
The cafe racer style emphasizes speed, performance and sporty aesthetics. Cafe racers are generally based on classic bikes from the 1950s and 1960s, such as the Norton, Triumph, or BSA, and are modified to achieve an aggressive appearance and improve performance.
The aim of most of them was to be able to reach one hundred miles per hour (about 160 km/h, also called «the ton») along a route where the rider would leave a cafe, driving to a predetermined point and taking the opposite path back to the starting cafe before a song can be fully played on the jukebox. This type of race is also called «record-race».
If you reach this speed then you are a Ton Up Boy!
Nowadays, cafe racer style motorcycles are known for their retro and clean style and improved performance.
The focus is on the dynamic driving experience, a suitable position and the search for speed while maintaining a classic and elegant aesthetic.
The aesthetic side of the bike and the look is paramount.
This movement was born in a post-war context, at a time when the road infrastructure and especially the highways, were developing around the big cities in the United Kingdom, and on which transport cafes opened. These were the few places where it was possible to easily listen to rock on the Jukeboxes because this musical style was forbidden on the radio at the time. The bike still enjoyed a beautiful aura at that time (before the Rockers just tarnished it). The Cafe Racer style was born when the bikers, and more particularly the Rockers, decided to modify the bikes by removing all the “unnecessary parts” (according to them). The motorcycles had a raw, stripped and utilitarian appearance while the engines were prepared to reach maximum power.
As speed prevailed over comfort, the bikes were equipped with single-seater saddles and low and straight handlebars, mounted directly on the fork tubes, for more precise control and to escape the wind. Half or sometimes all of the fairings and tanks, hand-made, made of aluminum, were frequently left raw and unpainted.
Motorcycles with a refined style…
– Elongated Silhouette: Cafe racers have an elongated silhouette with a forward sloping riding position. The handlebars are often low and the footrests are positioned further back to create an aerodynamic posture.
– Clean bodywork: Cafe racer motorcycles have a clean bodywork, with minimalist or non-existent fairing elements. Unnecessary parts are often removed to reduce weight and improve aesthetics.
– Streamlined “solo” single-seater: Cafe racers are generally equipped with a streamlined, narrow single-seater, giving the bike a sporty look. Sometimes a minimalist tandem saddle can be added.
– Specific fuel tank: Cafe racer motorcycles often have a specific fuel tank, often in the shape of a drop or “teardrop”, which accentuates the sporty aesthetics of the motorcycle.
– Exhaust: Cafe racers often have a long, raised exhaust on the rear for better ground clearance and to give the bike an aggressive look.
– Spoke wheels: Cafe racer motorcycles are often equipped with spoke wheels, which add to the classic retro aesthetic while providing better shock absorption on the road.
These are “specifications” generally common to preparations of this style, but of course, these are motorcycles that were prepared and customized in the image of their owner and their personal tastes…
The Glory Days of British Motorbikes
Here is an interesting documentary made by the BBC about The glory days of Motorcycle in UK. The full documentary worth the watch but you can directly go at 34:23 to hear about this Cafe racer movement.
Our “Cafe Racer” selection
