The Brighton is the result of a collaboration between Streetmaster of California and Richard Pollock, owner of Mule Motorcycles. The classically styled ‘Brighton’...
Triumph Cafe Racer
The origins of this famous British motorcycle marque go back to 1884, well before the first actual Triumph motorcycle appeared in 1902. By the 1920’s Triumph was building 30,000 cars and motorcycles a year. During the 50s many cafe racers were powered by Triumph engines due to their ability to reach the revered ‘ton’ or 100 miles per hour. Triumph is arguably one of the most popular motorcycle brands in the world and is arguably the leader in the “everything old is new again” retro bike wave.
Is it just me or are Heiwa the epitome of ‘can do no wrong’ custom motorcycle building. Out of their tiny workshop...
What is it about the idea of an apocalypse that gets so many guys excited? In reality the end of...
I hate to admit it but it’s been a while since I’ve posted a featherbed on the site! This...
Last week I posted a Triton and had a moan about how long it had been since I featured a...
Italian workshop Free Spirits are back again with another fantastic showcase of their work with modern Triumphs. This Bonneville ‘Evo’...
The Crane project was a chance for Ton-up Garage to once again build a bike with off-road influences, like the Gold...
Hinckley have been producing Bonnevilles for 12 years so you can now find some well priced, secondhand examples out there....
Since 2011 Bologna, Italy has been home to Hook Motors, a “lifestyle store” aimed at those who appreciate passion, elegance...
From eBay: “You are bidding on (You should have bid on) a ground up custom 1974 Triumph Bonneville dual sport. This bike,...
“So, Kevin Dunworth of LGC and I ran into each other for the first time at Thor Drake’s The One...
This week I headed back to my home town of Perth to celebrate my Gran’s (or should Super Gran’s) 100th...
In Cafe Racer terms the Triton was the ride of choice for Rockers of the 60’s and 70’s. The combination...
The 2008 EFI Triumph Bonneville “Soul Train” is the work of the crew at Ton Up Garage in Portugal, who...
It’s been a while since I’ve paid Japan a visit on the site, but this beauty of a Bobber from...
Back in the early two thousands, Steampunk was all the rage. Popularised by films like Sky Captain and the World...
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At the heart of the Triton is a special blend of Triumph engineering. A ’61 Pre Unit 650cc engine was...
I don’t know about you but when I was a kid if I went anywhere near my Dad’s car with...
On the southern coast of Wales, stretching out for 7 miles along the edge of Carmarthen Bay, is a...
Looking back at the Renard Motorcycles build portfolio it’s easy to see why someone would want workshop owners Kaarel and Andres to...
Living in a big city can make it difficult for anyone wanting to customise their own bike. It was one...
As well as trying to update this site as often as possible I also write for Tank Moto and Fuel...
And here I was thinking the best thing to come out of Belgium was chocolates and Jean Claude Van Damme!...
As 2014 comes to an end I thought I’d take a (close up) look at some of the incredible work...
No it doesn’t have a headlight. No it doesn’t have indicators, a rearview mirror or a stop light. No it’s...
I’m a sucker for retro fairings. I’m obsessed with Honda’s legendary CR750 and the TT race bikes of the seventies...
Jesse Bassett has been operating ‘The GasBox’ workshop in Cleveland, Ohio since early 2009. As a seasoned workshop mechanic of...
“We are fetishists.
We worship speed. We adore motorcycles.” Kalup is a new brand/breed of motorcycle riding gear from the...
Like most of the motorcycle community I was left a little confused after the recent release of Belstaff’s ‘Outlaws’ short...
I’m in London for the unveiling of the 2016 updated Triumph Classics range. Over the past few days we’ve been...
“I’m from Southern California and grew up surfing, skateboarding and dirt biking. I fell in love with Cafe Racers in...
“The Concept Racer workshop is a project that was born officially at the beginning of 2014, before that we were...
The world’s biggest Triumph motorcycle focused event ‘Tridays’ celebrated its tenth anniversary this year. Spanning 3 days the Austrian based...
“The build started by changing the headlight to something that was more classically styled.” says Michael. “Then I removed the...
Despite it’s torrid sales history the Trident was a magnificent motorcycle. Its engine performed incredibly, its frame provided track worthy...
“Triumph has a glorious racing history” explained Matthias Becker of Hanse Qustom in Hamburg, Germany. “The ‘Shady Sam‘ is our...
“The Street Twin is our most contemporary, fun and accessible new Bonneville” – Triumph Motorcycles The Street Twin is the...
The build started when a client came to Marcos looking for something “out of the norm” that could double as...
Aside from being the most iconic of all Cafe Racers, what really makes the Triton special is how it came...
The man who formulated the build was a Belgian by the name of Bernard. Bernard’s love for classic British motorcycles...
“We had a client from Perth in Australia contact us after he saw a picture of our Bronco Racer” recalls...
Icon 1000 has just unveiled their newest range of riding gear and with it comes a new website and more...
The Glemseck 101 festival is on again this weekend in Germany and it’s geared up to be bigger than ever....
Triumph has well and truly hit the nail on the head with their new Modern Classics range. The British manufacturer...
After the dust from the sheet settled Andy went on to tell Ryan stories of his escapades on the bike....
Looking back over the past decade of publishing this website I can’t think of a year that offered more exciting...
Is it possible to improve on perfection? After spending some time in the saddle of a Thruxton R you could...
One of the biggest decisions you’ll make when building your own Cafe Racer, or any style of custom motorcycle for...
For years the de facto choice when building a cafe racer was the air-cooled, 865cc Triumph Bonneville. With very few...
There’s no denying the Triumph Thruxton R is a great looking bit of kit. When the Hinkley team created a...
My motorcycle is a 2011 Triumph Bonneville. The build is still ongoing on as I continue to make upgrades and...
“My main goal was performance and low-key style. Most of the modifications made decreased the Triumph’s weight and added to...
One of the perks of running a custom motorcycle website like ‘Return of the Café Racers’ is being invited to...
The damage to Mixy’s Triumph left it inoperable with the tank smashed, side covers badly gouged and the front end...
In the Tamarit Motorcycle catalog of more than 180 bolt on parts, you’ll find everything from fenders to seat cowls. Developing said...
The donor for the project was Jean-Francois’ own 2008 Triumph 1050 Speed Triple. Although his plan was to add bodywork to the...
It’s fair to say that a hell of a lot of work goes into the custom motorcycles I feature. So...
En route to the tropical paradise that is Bali, the average Joe would be looking forward to lazing on the...
In this third and final instalment on Blacktrack Motors BT02 Triumph ‘Thruxman’, we learn about the final build stage. Sacha Lakic...
Great bikes should be ridden. Matt built his Triumph Trophy cafe racer as a tribute to a motorcycle once ridden...
If you’re on Instagram and you’re not following Cafe Racers of Instagram go do it now! Now that’s done you’ll...
Triumph certainly seem to have gotten the formula right when they released their Thruxton R. I’ve heard both seasoned motorcycle...
One place where form should never compromise function is in the world of motorcycle customisation. This is particularly relevant when...
It’s been 3 years since the release of Triumph’s water-cooled Bonneville range. Amongst the first of the new Modern Classics...
There are plenty of custom motorcycles born of mixed parentage. Some should never have been conceived and yet others like...
For custom motorcycle builders making ends meet is a tough gig. Sometimes it takes more than just waiting for customers...
Ask anyone who’s ever tried. Running a successful custom motorcycle shop is no easy feat. Now imagine only having 2...
O, to be a motorcycle journalist in the 1970s. When men were hairy, and bikes were lairy. With their barely-there...
Russia’s not just the home of borscht, vodka and Oscarworthy dashcam footage. In recent years there’s been some stellar motorcycle...
Take the most powerful engine in the Triumph modern classic range and shoehorn it into one of the most revered...
With over a million Instagram followers ‘Cafe Racers of Instagram’ (aka CROIG) have one of the world’s biggest social motorcycle...
This week’s Sunday Screening was produced by French moto-apparel brand Age of Glory. ‘Escape the City Limits’ celebrates the companies...
The Japanese custom automotive scene is bursting with unbound creativity and world-class craftsmanship. So for a photographer whose passion lies...
Michael Hammer’s workshop, Hammer Kraftrad, is located in the northern reaches of Bavaria. So it’s no surprise he loves his...
When I’m not obsessing over motorcycles or writing features like this I like to watch people building things on Youtube....
The Triumph Rocket 3 is a lot of things. A monstrous cruiser. A torque powerhouse. A modern classic. But it...
Triumph seems to have created the ultimate Scrambler. They’ve gone a step further than everyone else and built a fully...
This wildly customized Bonneville is the handiwork of Triumph aficionados, South Garage Moto Co. It was created to celebrate the 70th...
What better way to kick off a new year of cafe racers than with a classic? This Triton cafe racer...
When you’re on to a good thing, stick to it. Tamarit Motorcycles have a soft spot for Triumphs. They kicked...
Nicola Martini, aka Mr Martini, aka the Mad Hatter, is an Italian custom bike builder, restauranteur and retailer. The self-proclaimed...
Here’s a little something to get you through another night glued to the couch. Our latest instalment of the Sunday...
I think the term ‘patina’ is often misused in the custom world. Nowadays it seems to be applied to any...
If you’re a Triumph owner living in Europe and you want to modify your bike you’re spoilt for options. There’s...
As efficient as automation is has been responsible for the death of many age-old skills. In the world of aftermarket...
Prior to Hinckley releasing their acclaimed water-cooled Bonnevilles they’d had a great run with their air-cooled predecessors. Despite not offering...
Austin’s Revival Cycles have amassed an impressive portfolio of custom motorcycles. Each one has a unique story of how it...
German father and son team, Michael and Allen Posenauer build bikes under the title of AMP Motorcycles. They don’t consider...
If you’re on the lookout for a donor bike for you next cafe racer build have you considered a tourer?...
Building a short series of custom motorcycles is a great way for a workshop to be financially viable. In most...
If you’re anything like us, the lack of motorcycle events this year is sure to be getting you down. Thankfully...
Alongside Harley Davidson‘s Sportster the Triumph Bonneville is arguably the most customised motorcycle ever made. We’ve featured countless Bonneville cafe...
In 2020, Triumph released the most powerful model in the history of the Modern Classic range. The Thruxton RS offers...
The 1200CC Triumph Speed Twin is the newest addition to Hinkley’s Modern Classic range. So far we’ve seen very few...
Well, that wraps up yet another year of amazing cafe racer builds from custom workshops and backyard builders around the...
One of the trademarks of Tamarit Motorcycles is that their only constant is change. With a portfolio fast approaching 100...
Psychologists have a theory that goes something like this: your brain’s synapses are set in your teen years and they...
Nothing grabs the headlines quite like an enormous selling price at auction. We’ve seen motorcycles sell for phenomenal money over...
