I can’t think of anything worse than walking out to my motorcycle only to discover it’s been stolen. Motorcycle theft...
JoinedApril 30, 2018
Articles2,423
Geoff launched Return of the Cafe Racers in 2006 as a place to document his very first cafe racer build. He has also worked as the editor of the independent custom motorcycle magazine Tank Moto, contributed to other online publication like BikeExif and co-hosted several Australian automotive events. Geoff also regularly visits custom bike events around the world as a special guest or media partner.
There’s a lot in a name. Vienna based workshop Horizontal Moto named their business after their approach to bike building....
Honda proved that the Japanese could build capable v-twin cruisers with motorcycles like their VT series. Compared to US-built alternatives...
Every so often you come across a product that’s so good you find it hard to part with it, even...
Repeat customers are the bread and butter of every business. Unfortunately, for some businesses, such as custom motorcycle builders, most...
There’s a huge difference between having the ability to bolt a few aftermarket parts onto a motorcycle and being a...
Recently I relocated from a major city to a regional town. Because of this, I have had to adopt new...
Some skills can take a lifetime to perfect. There are people however who seem to have a natural ability to...
Someone once said, “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” For any brand, releasing...
There are 2 kinds of people in this world. Those who like to keep their motorcycle clean and those who...
In life, the best advice you will get will comes from friends. After all, if you can’t trust your friends,...
Over the past few years, I’ve been lucky enough to test ride almost every new modern classic, retro sports and...
It seems unlikely there would be any kind of connection between snow sportswear and motorcycling, but UK based helmet manufacturer...
The fine vólk at BMW Motorrad have a motorcycle for every occasion – just meander into a dealership and look...
The new 2021 Rev’it! Dirt Series riding gear collection is aimed squarely at the adventure rider segment. However, amongst the...
It is well and truly time to accept the fact that electric motorcycles will become commonplace in the not too...
When you’re on to a good thing, stick to it. This isn’t the first time Gwenael Barthélémy, aka Le Weekend...
This isn’t the first time we’ve featured a BMW cafe racer that’s been put together by a BMW car enthusiast....
Sena opened its doors in 1998 and since then has become a mainstay of the motorcycle communications game. They are...
My first visit to Jakarta in 2014 was arranged for the sole purpose of visiting custom motorcycle workshops. We’d been...
Serious motorcycle boots with serious motorcycle style. The Elsinore boots have been a stand out in the Icon range for...
In 2007 Buell Motorcycles announced the release of the first model in their range that wasn’t powered by a Harley...
If you’re based in central Europe and you’re seeking a place for advice on a cafe racer or custom motorcycle...
Working with clients can be both challenging and rewarding. When Ønix Design’s latest customer, a doctor from Valencia, brought his...
One of the biggest gripes we hear from riders about electric motorcycles is the absence of engine noise. We love...
Verona based workshop Fabbris Motorcycles has been in operation for an impressive 42 years. Started by Luciano Fabbris in 1979...
36-year-old Stefan Lantschner grew up on a farm in Italy where he developed an incurable fixation with motorcycles. His father...
I sink a lot of time and money into buying the right motorcycle helmet. And I don’t know about you,...
If you’re looking for a classically styled motorcycle jacket but don’t want the bulk or weight associated with leather, waxed...
Despite the lockdowns, we saw some amazing cafe racers completed in 2020. Many were built by individuals who suddenly found...
The Honda CBX1000 needs no introduction. It is one of only a handful of 6 cylinder production motorcycles ever made...
One of the greatest things about riding motorcycles is how they allow you to disconnect. Whether it’s by disconnecting from...
One of the trademarks of Tamarit Motorcycles is that their only constant is change. With a portfolio fast approaching 100...
Swedish builder Fredrik Persson of Paal Motorcycles has been a busy man. The last time we spoke he’d just wrapped...
Artist Albert ‘Kameleo’ Bierwiaczonek has been using his skills with an airbrush to paint motorcycles for the past 20 years....
Taiwanese custom motorcycle builder Alex Gao has a tendency to base his cafe racer builds on rather unlikely donors. In...
Is it just me or is it getting hot in here? Down here in the southern hemisphere we’re having one...
Panniers and city bikes aren’t a great combination. Not only are they generally difficult to install and remove, but they...
Back in 2017, French builder Ortolani Customs wowed us with his metalworking prowess. His polished Ducati 1199 S earned him...
Australian brand Liberta Moto has established itself as a force to be reckoned in the women’s riding gear market. They...
Melbourne is arguably the creative hub of Australia. If you’re looking for great food or a cultural experience the city...
If you’re customising motorcycles in Bavaria it seems only right said motorcycles should be those built by BMW Motorrad. Ralf...
34-year-old Mario Fedele’s entire career spawned from a childhood fixation with motorcycles. It all began with obsessing over his father’s...
To bring in the new year our friends at 100MPH have just released a new range of moto-inspired t-shirts for...
When great minds come together, great things happen. Often in the world of custom motorcycle building workshops keep to themselves....
The TCX X-Blend boots merge vintage looks with modern safety and steadfast waterproofing for year-round, any occasion wearability. They may...
Well, that wraps up yet another year of amazing cafe racer builds from custom workshops and backyard builders around the...
Up until he was 24 Pierluigi Intini’s experience on two wheels was limited to 50cc scooters. In 2007 he began...
Down here in the southern hemisphere things are heating up! Temperatures in Western Australia during the Christmas break can average...
The Japanese custom motorcycle scene is overflowing with all manner of unexpected and tantalizing two-wheeled wonders. Located in Ibaraki Prefecture,...
These Pando Moto Mark Kev 01 pants add high abrasion resistance and armour to a classic cargo pant design. Whether...
When he’s not fabricating parts for submarines (Yes, you read that right) David Manchester is building bespoke furniture or helping...
Adrián Campos and the team at Valencia’s Bolt Motor Co. are set to finish their 50th build sometime during 2021....
When architectural designer William Hendrix steps out of his office his mind is consumed with thoughts of motorcycles. He’s a...
It’s often the bikes we least expect to see customised that return the best results. One such motorcycle is this...
Some riding gear can leave you looking and feeling like a rolling billboard. If you’re not into the idea of...
Hugo Eccles is co-founder and design director of Untitled Motorcycles (UMC). With workshops in San Francisco and London, UMC designs...
I didn’t grow up in the seventies but even I know about the legendary Barry Sheene. The 1979 British Grand...
Since the onset of the pandemic, we’ve seen quite a few builds fast-tracked. While the general population was bingeing on...
Retired air traffic controller Donald Mildebrandt has been around aeroplanes his whole life. Growing up his spare time was spent...
Having good feedback and feel between you and your motorcycle is an essential part of riding. It allows you to...
We’ve all had a gut full of 2020 and I’m sure most people would agree they’ll be glad to see...
The 1200CC Triumph Speed Twin is the newest addition to Hinkley’s Modern Classic range. So far we’ve seen very few...
If you’re the kind of motorcyclist who rides rain, hail or shine you know how important purpose-built riding gear can...
Right now Australia’s most prolific custom builder would have to be Tom John of the Gold Coast based workshop, Purpose...
Working from their workshop in Paris, they modify, transform and customize motorbikes. Rive Gauche Kustoms really showed us their expertise...
The words Harley Davidson and Cafe Racer aren’t often muttered in the same sentence. Along with the challenges builders face...
One of our favourite advancements in motorcycle riding gear in recent years is the development of single layer riding jeans....
2020 has been a tough year in many ways. On top of all the terrible things attributed to the outbreak...
When you’re on to a good thing stick to it! The third generation of the Rev’it! Fly Gloves takes everything...
Generally speaking, first-time bike builds are a practice run for future projects. So in most cases, they’re a little rough...
If you’re up in the northern hemisphere old man winter will soon be knocking on your door. For some of...
Every self-respecting motorcycle aficionado knows of the Yamaha XS650. Built by the Japanese to take on British motorcycle manufacturers it...
BMW Motorrad has just lifted the covers off their upcoming 2021 R nineT range. This is of course great news...
Every motorcyclist needs a leather jacket in their riding gear collection. Protective motorcycle apparel manufacturer Alpinestars claims to have created...
From building show cars to display at the hallowed halls of the Las Vegas Sema show to tinkering on Honda...
“Creative Director by day, bike builder by night, virtual builder in between.” These are the words of Paul Drake, otherwise...
Christian Boosen runs 86 Gear Motorcycles, a custom motorcycle shop in Warsaw, Poland. Growing up alongside the Dutch border in...
As motorcyclists we know it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. But there’s something to be said for...
“Elegance is the first thing that comes to mind when we look at our Honda CB750,” says Arián Campos of...
Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman are at it again with their epic cross-continental motorcycle adventures. This time in the new...
In Greek mythology, Perseus was a legendary slayer of monsters and was responsible for beheading the serpent haired gorgon, Medusa....
High-tech polymer and composite firearms accessory company Magpul Industries rocked the motorcycling world when they launched their motorcycle manufacturing division,...
They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery. In the commercial world, not so much. But when it comes...
When we reviewed the Kawasaki Z900RS Z900RS cafe back in 2018 we noticed something familiar about its styling. Kawasaki stated the...
We have a serious soft spot for BMW cafe racers but we’re also big fans of Scrambler styled Beemers. There’s...
In 2020, Triumph released the most powerful model in the history of the Modern Classic range. The Thruxton RS offers...
There was a time when we wouldn’t touch camo riding gear with a ten-foot pole. During the nineties, camo was...
Bernhard Naumann, aka Blechmann, grew up in Burgenland, a federal state of Austria in central Europe. Growing up in a...
Alongside Harley Davidson‘s Sportster the Triumph Bonneville is arguably the most customised motorcycle ever made. We’ve featured countless Bonneville cafe...
If you’re anything like us, the lack of motorcycle events this year is sure to be getting you down. Thankfully...
Just as we’d come to terms with the death of two-stroke road bikes, a new independent manufacturer has raised the...
In the early 1960s, the Surf scene in California was peaking. Skilled fibreglass workers were in high demand by up...
Thanks to the pandemic the world’s going crazy for face masks, but if you ride a motorcycle, there’s another really...
I met Michael Capraro some years ago at a communal motorcycle workshop I was involved in. His enthusiasm for bikes...
Belstaff doesn’t have the race-bred reputation of their competitors in the motorcycle apparel category. What they do have is the...
The world of Cafe racers is primarily a playground for adults, but South African Johann de Wet is out to...
Based on a 1978 Kawasaki KZ1000 this bike is a rolling eulogy to 1970s composite creativity. During the ’60s and...
Long time friends, racers and bike builders Dominik and Havana formed their workshop, Moto Essence, back in 2015. Dominik was...
Similar to motorcycle riding gear, workwear has seen an increase in demand for stylish apparel. But simply looking good isn’t...