Template bikes

http://www.lawrenceotoole.com/images/r5images/images/350_street_r5_2.jpg

Ive always thought of the year,make, and model as more of a template for a bike. Its what you start from but it seems, as far as cafes go, that the end result never ends up looking much like the stock version. Mainly because the idea of the "caferacer" type bike is based completely on the customizition done uniquely by each biulder. My favorite "templates" would have to be the late 70s model honda cbs and the early 70s yamahas. The CB and RD models are light wieght and fast and easy to work on. Even if you have no mechanical skills, theres such a large amount of information online at websites like http://www.dotheton.com/, that you can learn anything you need to know online. The frames, gas tanks, and power source of the bikes also provide the perfect setup for custimizing your own cafe.