It’s been 2 years since Bimota released sketches of their Kawasaki powered retro sports bike concept. At this year’s EICMA...
Kawasaki Cafe Racer
Kawasaki motorcycles have been in production since 1962. During the late sixties, the Japanese manufacturer established a foothold in the US market with their legendary H1 Mach III, a motorcycle that was both revered and feared for its straight-line speed and unpredictable handling. Today Kawasaki is one of the world’s most recognized motorcycle brands. From the iconic Z1000 of the seventies through to today’s supercharged, 330kmh+ H2 they continue to produce motorcycles that push the boundaries of performance. In recent years Kawasaki themselves have adopted the cafe racer style with their Z900RS series of motorcycles.
The boys in Denmark have been very busy since they last graced the pages of this site. Their new workshop...
Deus Ex Machina are continuing to expand their footprint by opening flagship stores around the globe. Since their first store...
Any guess at how much one of the beauties would set you back these days? “In 1978 S&S Performance bought...
Valtoron in Valdetorres de Jarama, Spain, is the workshop of two brothers, Pablo and Carlos Delgado. Since 1995 the brothers...
If Benelli’s TNT 1130 and Kawasaki’s 650 Ninja had a romantic interlude this could well be the result. Based on...
What have I done! One job I have had to perform a few times during my W650 Cafe Racer project...
My favourite ongoing series of custom motorcycle builds has just added 2 new “Retrograde Engineered” beasts to their line up....
“The Kwaka had stood still for at least 5 years and was running on only 3 cylinders. It puked fuel...
As gaudy as the eighties were they certainly produced some cool motorcycles. Sharp angular styling, bold colour schemes and groundbreaking...
I’ve just finished fitting a polished top bridge/triple clamp to the W650 Cafe Racer. After fitting the clip on bars...
While most aspects of motorcycle design have come a long way since the 70s, there and several that haven’t. Take...
The motorcycle above it’s a custom Kawasaki Ninja 250r from Donny in Jakarta, Indonesia. The time it takes to build...
One of the jobs I didn’t forsee when I was fitting the clip on bars to the w650 was adjusting...
To remove the covers you can do 1 of 2 things, either remove the forks from the triple clamps slide...
“No Time. No Territory. Just an atitude inspired in the past and dressed to impress.” – Maria Motorcycles ...
I came across this eBay auction the other day and was amazed by how similar the T120R Bonneville looks to...
There are several amazing custom motorcycle shows happening in the United States right now that have made it onto my...
What better inspiration could a man need when building his first custom bike than to be building it for his...
“I acquired this 1980 KZ440 in bits from a friend who had lost interest in the project.” recalls 26 year...
When I first met Ram Ram Januar at his home in Bandung, Indonesia he told me that he started his...
Today’s quick update has been a long time in the making. As we’ve seen here before the Kawasaki KZ650 has...
Replacing the rear tail light on the W650 is probably one of the simplest modifications I have done so Far...
The Mistress was commissioned by Mistress Gentlemens Motorcycle Club a motorcycle club based in Lisbon. The club allows members to...
Today the idea of building such a bike for the street sounds rather ridiculous, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t...
There’s nothing like a bit of competitive spirit to egg a build on and when it’s between 2 brothers you...
I could now list off the modifications and parts used in the construction of the Fiddler but seeing as Deus...
Suzuki Katana. Honda Dominator. Kawasaki Ninja. These are all bike names that inspire visions of power and awesomeness. In some...
After being less than impressed by the official promotional video for the 2011 Kawasaki W800 I took it upon myself to...
By my definition an ‘attempt’ is usually when you try to do something and it doesn’t quite work out. I...
When opportunity beckons what do you do? … let it pass you by or seize it? Whilst the decision for...
This Kawasaki KZ550 is the work of Jaka Martinuč who works in the financial sector, about as far removed from...
At the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show last weekend the Japanese manufacturer wowed the motorcycling world once again with the all-new, retro-styled...
After months of hard work and seemingly endless nights of writing, issue 2 of Tank Moto is now available! Just...
By definition, the Kawasaki ZRX1100 is a Universal Japanese Motorcycle, otherwise referred to as standard. But in our opinion, there...
I’m a sucker for a W, so when the boys from Ton Up Garage in Portugal sent through their latest...
Such is the iconic status of the 1970s Kawasaki Z900 that these days they are more commonly restored than customised....
The Z2 was an almost identical motorcycle to the Z1 aside from its engine. A modified bore and stroke, smaller carburettors...
“Simple but sweet” is one way to sum up La Corona’s portfolio of custom motorcycles. To think that recreating this...
Rat Bikes like their 4 wheeled cousins, Rat Rods are what some people would consider to be a “piece of...
I have to confess I tend to get a bit excited when a motorcycle manufacturer announces they are releasing a...
A modern day Road Warrior In typical Deus style, their custom Kawasaki Z900RS is as outlandish and it is unique....
The art of coachbuilding and metal shaping is a dying art form. Finding skilled individuals who can take a flat...
Cafe Racer TV and Santiago Chopper’s will be auctioning off the KZ1000 Cafe Racer seen built during the TV series...
Looking over the photos it’s the smaller details that really make his bike special. The W650 features a spattering of...
There are several reasons why you might want to install an aftermarket exhaust on your motorcycle. It could be that...
Back in March I was lucky enough to pay a visit to the workshop of Studio Motor in Jakarta, Indonesia....
Anyone that’s been following this site since its launch knows it all started with the purchase of a Kawasaki W650....
While Rickman Motorcycles started out producing frames and body kits for British made motorcycles in the seventies they turned their...
Before I get into this feature let me first say hello to my Indonesian readers. I know you guys make...
I’ve been an invited guest at Kustomfest Indonesia for 5 years now. Thanks to the show I’ve made some great...
“My background has nothing to do with either mechanics nor handcrafting vehicles,” confesses Jordi. “When I decided to make my...
Although the 1978 Z1 successor didn’t live up to Kawasaki’s expectations in showrooms, the Z1-R is an iconic motorcycle and...
Earlier this month the first series of the Essenza 1/8th mile sprint challenge was completed at the Glemseck festival in Leonberg,...
I’m an advocate of recycling. I separate my paper and plastic rubbish and I buy recycled products, so when I...
In my hometown of Melbourne, we’re lucky to have a great cafe racer community. Thanks to clubs like the “Melbourne...
My parents once gifted me an old Toyota. Mum was worried about me riding and thought that giving me a...
When we reviewed the Kawasaki Z900RS Z900RS cafe back in 2018 we noticed something familiar about its styling. Kawasaki stated the...
Here are a couple of shots of the W650 Cafe Racer. At 90% complete I’m really happy with how the...
The seat is also of top quality. The inner shell is made from thick, hard plastic which looks very durable....
Honda CB750 “Cold bitch” More home built Cafe Racers sent in by our talented readers. Thanks for sharing your motorcycles...
All hail the late 70’s; when men were men and motorcycles were deadly – really deadly. During the ’70s engine...
This post apocalyptic road warrior is Icon’s Kawasaki ZX-7 ‘Thunder Chunky’. It’s the latest addition to Icon’s series of custom...
36-year-old Stefan Lantschner grew up on a farm in Italy where he developed an incurable fixation with motorcycles. His father...
Someone had sacrilegiously painted the bike’s frame in a past life, hiding the trademark Rickman nickel plating, so it had...
“They don’t make them like they used to!” When you hear those words uttered it is generally with disdain. A...
Today we have added a new feature to the site allowing you to submit your own Cafe Racer project. Return...
Not to be beaten by my lack of tools I came up with a solution to remove the Ventura rear...
It may come as a surprise, but cafe racers aren’t the only style of custom motorcycle I admire. Back when...
If you’ve read my ride review of the 2018 Kawasaki Z900RS or its cafe racer counterpart, you’d know I‘m rather...
The Kawasaki ZX-6, otherwise known as the ZZR600 in Europe, was the brand’s flagship middleweight sports bike of the nineties....
There’s virtually no limit to the extent that you can modify a motorcycle. This, of course, includes its performance and...
After literally killing his Kawasaki KLR650 Fort Nine’s “tell it like it is” vlogger Ryan Kluftinger has resurrected the bike in...
Named ‘Gunpowder’ the 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100 is the work of Benny Lombardo and Antonello Zonna of Seven Motors. After the owner explained...
Deus ex Machina came on the scene around about the same time I set up Return of the Cafe Racers...
Although the Kawasaki Z650 might be considered by many to be the low powered cousin of the Z1, it actually...
I dropped in at Deus Ex Machina in Sydney and picked up a new speedo for the W650. As the...
My first visit to Jakarta in 2014 was arranged for the sole purpose of visiting custom motorcycle workshops. We’d been...
I’m back on the W650 again! Got loads of time in the saddle this weekend, but it’s never enough!...
Through a special collaboration with custom builder, ‘Mr Martini’ Kawasaki motorcycles Italy have released a limited edition Vulcan S. Only...
Based on a 1978 Kawasaki KZ1000 this bike is a rolling eulogy to 1970s composite creativity. During the ’60s and...
I finally had a chance to shoot some photos of my bike today, it’s a 2000 Kawasaki W650 Cafe Racer...
It’s been 4 years since the Kawasaki Z900RS went on sale. In the lead-up to its release, Kawasaki adopted a...
2022 is the 50th anniversary of Kawasaki’s Z series of motorcycles. To help mark the occasion we’re looking at the...
With 30 years of custom motorcycle building under his belt, Wolfgang Batz isn’t about to be influenced by other people’s...
The Japanese custom motorcycle scene is overflowing with all manner of unexpected and tantalizing two-wheeled wonders. Located in Ibaraki Prefecture,...
I don’t know know why green is a popular colour for these little Cafe Racers but I have to say...
Throttle open, chin on the tank and your parallel twin rocketing you from point a to point z....
In the scheme of things, 10 years isn’t all that long. But for a small business launched by a pair...
The Vulcan S ABS Café is Kawasaki’s “learner approved” cruiser. Its styling is typical of all cruisers that follow in...
They say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. By now, with all the copycat builds it has inspired,...
The last time we spoke to Derek and Sven from Belgium’s Barn Built Bikes they’d just finished building their stunning...
As 2014 comes to an end I thought I’d take a (close up) look at some of the incredible work...
Courtesy of our friends FATclub in France comes this awesome Kwazaki Z900 Cafe Racer. “The FATclub is dedicated to special...
As someone who has a history of heart disease in their family, I know all too well how devastating it...
Over the past few years, I’ve been lucky enough to test ride almost every new modern classic, retro sports and...
I’m always excited to feature a build from a country we haven’t previously visited here on the Return of the...
Ever since seeing the “We R Winning” short documentary about Twinline Motorcycles I’ve been a huge fan of the Seattle...
There’s something strangely compelling about raw, handmade bodywork. To me it’s one of the finest demonstrations of skill and creativity....
After owning a Kawasaki W650 for 5 years I can quite confidently say they are one of the best performing...
