“The bike was originally an ’81 Honda CM400. I purchased it the day after my previous build was stolen. At...
Honda Cafe Racer
Honda is currently the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Japan. In the 1960s they became a household name in the USA thanks to their “You meet the nicest people on a Honda” advertising campaign. By the 1980s, they produced upwards of 3 million bikes a year. The Honda CB750 has been credited with being the world’s first superbike and has become the poster child of the modern cafe racer scene.
“I’m Jim Alonze from Scarborough, North Yorkshire in the United Kingdom. I’ve been into bikes my whole life, from off...
Happy new year! Well, that wraps up yet another year of cafe racer content. Like the previous year, 2021 was...
Well as always the weather in Perth couldn’t be any better for riding…shame my W650 is sitting under a cover...
Deus ex Machina came on the scene around about the same time I set up Return of the Cafe Racers...
Kristy Nadine is a busy lady. When she’s not hunched over a customer tattooing their skin you’ll find her sketching...
This custom Honda CBX400F race bike from 09RACING Japan is a far cry from how Honda released it. What was...
A surefire way to look really goddamn cool is to be seen stretched out over a long, low fuel tank,...
Rob Chappell of Canada’s ‘Origin8or’ workshop is no stranger to customising Honda’s CB900F. A few years back he built one...
We just received this great set of photos from Chin on the Tank. They feature Nina keeping it real on...
Remember that time you went to see your friend perform in ‘that show’. You went along willingly but their performance...
This 1990 Honda GB500 Cafe Racer was the pioneering retro bike from a Japanese manufacturer, a significant moment in automotive...
Here’s the latest custom motorcycle to roll out of Moto Hangar’s workshop, a tidy ’76 Honda CB750 Cafe Racer. While...
Earlier this month I ventured to Indonesia with Luke from Fuel Tank. This was our 5th year attending the Kustomfest...
Makes me want to tear down the freeway tonight… lossaengineering.com...
The Wrenchmonkees have just won themselves a trophy without even trying! The boys took one of their newest builds, a...
Bad Winners workshop owner Walid was exposed to working on motorcycles from an early age. Tinkering on bikes with an...
Ten years after Honda turned the motorcycling world on its head with the release of the CB750, they decided it...
It’s true. Sometimes the simple things in life are often the best. Take for example this super clean CB750 build...
Some of the best stories have the most humble and unexpected beginnings. Little did Zane, Adam and Jake English of...
After 2 years of running his business after hours, Wido managed to turn Wimoto into his full-time career and now, 2.5...
I’m back on the W650 again! Got loads of time in the saddle this weekend, but it’s never enough!...
Swedish builder Fredrik Persson of Paal Motorcycles has been a busy man. The last time we spoke he’d just wrapped...
One builder who perfectly blends race track styling into his road-going motorcycles it’s Pepo Rosell of XTR Pepo. However, to...
In Singapore, you can be sentenced to jail for selling chewing gum… imagine what they do to people whose exhaust...
It’s Monday and the motorbikes parked out the front feeling neglected. All I want to do is ride....
How many times have you seen photos of a stunning Cafe Racer or custom motorcycle and been left day dreaming...
Having to endure cancer is something we all dread. Without having experienced it, it’s hard to imagine the physical and...
The 1990 GB500 was Honda’s first retro bike and it marked a pivotal shift in both car and motorcycle design,...
Ahh Slovenia, home of the oldest vine in the world, the first ever musical instrument, birth place of the first...
“In the fall of 2012 my good friend Brandon built a CB360. I saw the bike come together and I...
“Elegance is the first thing that comes to mind when we look at our Honda CB750,” says Arián Campos of...
Along with the shots of the fairing Junior also sent a couple of detail images to reveal even more...
“I studied industrial design in university where I developed my own design aesthetic” explains Spencer. “During my studies I also...
The Honda Cafe Racer which started out as a rather sad looking scrapyard find, underwent a ground up custom rebuild...
It’s been a while since I featured anything from BCR (Benjie’s Cafe Racers) on the blog but when I came...
This Honda CB400 cafe racer, crafted by Minority Customs in Surabaya, Indonesia, captures the essence of customization. Owned by exporter...
It’s not uncommon to hear people referring to a motorcycle as being bulletproof, but it’s not that often that it...
An unsavoury nickname can be hard to shake. After its release in the late seventies, the Honda CX500 was rather...
If there was one thing I learnt at art school that has always stood true it’s that colour is king....
After a lot of careful work, all parts have come together to finish the custom motorcycle build. The team focused on neat...
Building a custom Honda CX-500 on a budget takes careful planning and hands-on creativity. The process so far has included...
I will be the first to admit I’m hopelessly nostalgic. So when I come across a story of a father...
Lossa 1976 Honda CB 550 Cafe Racer “Mosca” 1965 Honda CB 160 Cafe Racer/Scrambler “Rasputan” 1978 Honda CB...
Arxaperiment designer Ndikol started his first build in 2011 with some guidance from a local mechanic and metalworker. Using his...
Berry Bads Motorcycles are yet another Japanese custom tuner/builder who’s work has caught my attention. With a gallery full of Bobbers,...
When Honda finally joined the new wave modern retro movement with the CB1000R Neo Sports Cafe we knew it was...
Place your bids!! This incredibly tidy Honda CB400 Cafe Racer is up for auction on Ebay right now. Read the...
The decision whether to customize a pre-eighties Honda CB750 or not is becoming a tough one to make. There was...
This Honda GB400TT is a JDM-exclusive motorcycle that draws inspiration from the iconic British bikes that competed in the renowned...
In the world of modern-retro motorcycles, there’s a new player who is somewhat of a black sheep. That’s mainly due...
Another great bike built by De Luxe in Sydney. This time it’s a Honda CB 400 Cafe Racer built on...
Spain’s Dragon’s Motorcycles created a massive stir with just one build. Their debut creation, a glorious six-cylinder BMW KL1100LT trimmed...
I wonder if it goes as hard as it sounds?...
The Tarantulas are a collection of motorcycle loving friends in Portland, USA. They are riders and builders of Cafe...
“I started Cognito Moto with the black and red Honda CB550 featured on Return of the Cafe Racers last year. This...
Marco, a tattooist from Toulouse France well aware of the risks when buying a secondhand motorcycle. Since his teenage years...
This 1978 Honda CB750K was modified with an aluminum fuel tank, side panels, front fender, and a cafe-style tailpiece. Noteworthy...
Right now Australia’s most prolific custom builder would have to be Tom John of the Gold Coast based workshop, Purpose...
The following is an excerpt from Tank Moto Issue 1 “As Close As It Gets” Replica Honda CR750 article –...
What is it about small motorcycles that makes me smile so much? This awesome little AHRMA GP200 road racer is the Twin Cylinder...
Family heirlooms come in many forms; from jewellery to antique furniture or even a motorcycle. Taking ownership of something that...
Is there such a thing as a factory built cafe racer? If you ask a purist they’ll tell you no...
The weekend following the rider class, I bought my first bike. I was hooked. I picked up a 2009 Vulcan...
“For years, I had watched all the motorcycle builder shows on TV and had always wanted to build my own...
For Nick Xiromeritis working as an automotive designer has had its benefits. Born in Detroit Michigan Nick has been lucky...
Back in April when I featured E3 motorcycles Honda CB550 Cafe Racer it created a clear divide of lovers and...
During the sports bike boom of the 1980s Japanese motorcycle manufacturers were in their prime. In 1982 Honda released a...
It’s been almost a year since I featured Andy Mergerle’s Honda CB750 cafe racer project. It’s not often I publish...
If you’ve been following Return of the Cafe Racers for a while you’ll have figured out I’m a fan of...
The cafe racer you see here was built over a four-year period by Wisconsin Honda specialist Jeff Stephens at Godffery’s...
Ironically, this journey began with a puncture. A nail to the rear tire a few weeks into owning my Honda...
If you happen to be passing through Nampa, Idaho and you spot this century old milking do yourself a favour...
This bike is the daily commuter of BCR crew member Doinker. It’s a 1978 Honda CB750F Super Sport modified to...
Thanks to a huge increase in the popularity of the custom motorcycle scene many hobby builders have turned a passion...
After deciding to open their workshop back in 2015 this was the second custom build that the Wrench Kings undertook...
The DCC crew have added some more amazing shots of the Four Hundred that I had to share with those...
Alchemy Motorcycles is a tidy little shop that makes tidy little bikes. Based out of downtown San Diego, Michael Valle...
A second attempt at anything in life usually results in a better outcome than the first. Whether it’s sitting for...
This 1974 Honda CB750 has a sleek Chalk Grey finish complemented by a black powder-coated frame. Its power comes from...
In recent years we’ve seen a spate of new motorcycles inspired by classic bikes. Models like the Kawasaki Z900RS and...
Why is it that when you really want to focus on something life throws a constant stream of distractions at...
“They don’t make them like they used to!” When you hear those words uttered it is generally with disdain. A...
Having the luxury of being able to build motorcycles at your own pace isn’t something most professional workshops enjoy. For...
Scales Studio is 2 man workshop that specialises in fabrication work and high-end paint. Based in Houston, Texas their list...
Jeremy Bumpus owns ‘The Hot Rod Shop’ in Corinth, Mississippi, and co-hosts Motortrend’s CarFix series. Alongside fellow host Bryan Fuller...
Sean of Roc City Cafe Racers in Rochester, NY has just finishing putting together this very tidy Honda CB350 coined...
Look at those…prices! Back when men were men and scantily clad women were every advertisers secret weapon (not much has...
Flat Track racing is nothing new. In fact, variations of the sport have been around since the 1920s. Typically a...
Someone once said, “It’s more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow“. Not everyone is...
A few years back I met Cliff Overton, a fellow cafe racer enthusiast, and backyard builder. When Cliff completed his...
If Sir Mixalot was here right now his Anaconda would be bitterly disappointed. This is Rewheeled #1, a Honda CB750...
These days the chance of anyone having the privilege of owning or riding an RC166 are slim to none, but...
While ground up builds that push the boundaries of design and engineering are great, its the less ostentatious projects that...
This October 13 you can watch as the guys at Dime City Cycles transform this banged up, sludge filled Honda...
Just when I thought I’d see as many custom Honda CX500’s as I could stomach, along comes a build so...
When I launched this site all those years ago Cafe Racers were my focus, but I’ve always been into all...