1979 Yamaha RD400 Daytona Special 2-Fer

This is a kind of interesting auction. While neither bike is a specifically a built cafe racer, a guy in Ohio is auctioning off this pair of RD400 Daytona Specials. The one that’s a runner appears to be in good shape with a number of new parts, while the fixer/parts-bike has a bunch of included parts that need to be installed (or it needs to be parted out). It seems to me that a good end for this auction would be if the winner rode the bike that’s running, and converted the rough fixer into a cafe. And then they sent some pics to the blog.

There are 4 days left in the auction, but nobody has started bidding yet. The opening bid will need to be $3K, but it is a no-reserve auction…

A Couple Of eBay Relists…

I noticed these two relists on eBay this morning, and I wonder if they will sell this time around. I am kind of surprised that the Honda has 20 bids thus far (but still not meeting reserve), whilst the XS650 has zero bids. I get that the Yamaha needs a small amount of completion work, but still…

1981 Yamaha XS650 Cafe Racer

Here’s a very cool and very built 1981 Yamaha XS650 cafe racer. It’s actually a 750cc due to the big bore pistons that have apparently been dropped into it. Other cool features are the 17″ motard rims wrapped with sticky Michelins. Definitely a little bit different than your usual 18″ wheels. The front brake setup is a mixture of GSXR master cylinder, Ducati 900SS rotor, and old school caliper. Overall, this is a really cool build that mixes old with new and appears to be one stonkin’ cafe racer…

It’s on eBay with 12 hours left, zero bidders, and a starting bid price of $4,500.

1975 Yamaha XS650 Cafe Racer

Sometimes, bikes on eBay seem to come in waves. Yesterday, it was the guy dumping Moto Guzzi’s on the auction world. Today is apparently XS650 day. This Yamaha is a very clean example of a cafe racer build that has just about everything done right. Clubman bars, rear-sets, a cafe seat, an exhaust, and classic paint all complete an overall look that is just right. Is the fairing too much for you? You can always take it off the bike if you win the auction.

From the listing, the following items are new on the bike: WHEEL BEARINGS, STEERING HEAD BEARINGS, TIRES, TUBES, SPOKES AND BRAKES, PROGRESSIVE SHOCKS, SWING ARM BEARINGS, REGINA CHAIN, SUNSTAR SPROCKETS, 2.9 GALLON FUEL TANK, CAFE STYLE SEAT, REAR SETS, MINI FAIRING, FRONT AND REAR TURN SIGNALS, HEADLIGHT, CLUBMAN BARS. It also has XS750 dual discs, rebuilt carbs, and a partially rebuilt motor (gaskets and valves).

Currently, the auction is at $2,500 with only 1 bidder and about a day and a half left. However, reserve hasn’t been met yet, so the price will have to go a bit higher before there is a winner. This is a nice example of the Yamaha XS650, so it should go higher and hopefully the seller doesn’t lower reserve.

1981 Yamaha XS650 Cafe Racer

Ignore the angled, artsy photos for a moment, and what you have here is a good starting point to complete a really nice cafe racer. While it has a clear title (lots of eBay bikes don’t), it is missing a few doo-dads that will make it street legal when you try to register it, including the tail light. That being said, this is a beautiful, well executed bike that has a IMHO a very cool paint job. Add an exhaust, some rear-sets and maybe a tach and you’re good to go. Could even more be done to this bike? Yes, but then you wouldn’t be riding it now, would you…

Current price is $1,000 with just under 2 days left in the auction.

1981 Yamaha XS650 Cafe Racer

There are not a lot of photos of this XS650 being auctioned on eBay right now, so what you see is what you get. But the guy’s email address and phone is in the listing if you’re interested in finding out more before bidding/buying. The sum total info in the listing is as follows: “1981 XS 650 Yamaha cafe racer. Not sure of milage, but starts right up and runs great. New rear shocks. New club man handle bars, new bar-end mirrors.” There’s one bid of $1,500 with 2.5 days left.

1976 Yamaha RD400 Kenny Roberts Replica

Is this a cafe racer? Not really.

Is it ultra-cool? Absolutely!!!

This is a really well-done Kenny Roberts replica that has been made street legal to boot. The look is there, and the seller’s description claims that the bike is fully mechanically sound (“IT RUNS PERFECTLY WITH A ONE KICK START”). Overall, this is one great bike up on the eBay auction block.

Bidding is currently at $4K on the nose with the next bid supposedly breaking the reserve. There are almost 4 days left in the auction with 14 bidders. If you’ve got +$5K burning a hole in your pocket, this bike could be yours…

1975 Yamaha XS650 Cafe Racer

Up for auction on eBay is the really nicely done Yamaha XS650 cafe racer. Like the bike I posted earlier today, it has been nearly entirely converted with nothing really left off that detracts from its cafe-ness. And it has a cool paint job. The only thing potentially missing is a “cafe”-style gas tank, but I think the XS650 looks great with either the stock tank or aftermarket. This is a clean build that shows off the potential of the XS as a good starting point for a cafe racer.

There are 2 days left in the auction and the price is just over $1,500. Good luck!

Rearsets = no kickstarter...

Why are they all Hondas?

I know, I know. This is something of a rhetorical question. But looking back through the posts over the last couple of months, most of the bikes I’ve written about have been from Honda. The CB750, CB550, CB350, and the CB350T have all been featured multiple times in various states of cafe build or disrepair.

I suppose it’s because so many Hondas were sold in the 1970s that they have become the ubiquitous cafe racer starting point in the United States. And so we have lots of aftermarket manufacturers supporting these bikes. Then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy…

I say bring on the other makes and models of bikes. Let’s see more Suzukis, Yamahas, and Kawasakis! Don’t keep that old Norton in your garage stock! And bring on the Beezers, Triumphs, and other older British marques! And while we’re at it, let’s build more Beemers and Ducks into classic cafe racers!

Sorry for the rant. It’s probably time for my meds…

1986 Yamaha SRX600 Cafe Racer

Up for auction on eBay with only a little over a day left is this nice 1986 Yamaha SRX600 that has been lightly converted into a cafe racer. While it still retains its SRX roots (wheels, tank, etc.), there are some nice mods that make it better than stock without going over the top financially or aesthetically. The best performance mod on the bike is the FZ600 forks and brakes. I’m sure that with the relatively light weight of the SRX600, this bike stops on the proverbial dime. Aesthetically, only you can make a final decision about the Corbin seat or the chromed gas tank, and while I feel bad about the toxic effects of chromium on the environment, the tank does a reasonable impersonation of polished aluminum alloy.

Current bid is $2,000 with 36 hours left, but reserve has not been met. And the seller has good feedback, so it should be a fairly safe transaction…