1985 Yamaha Virago Custom

Now this is a custom that I can really love. Not for its looks but for its soul and the guy that built it. Take a slow, overweight, ill handling motorcycle and make it something cool.

The Yamaha Virago line of bikes have never been all that great in any category, but they have always sold relatively well for the tuning fork company. I have, and still do, lust after an early ’80’s XV920RH model. It is the Euro styled Virago based ride that just works for me. The Yamaha V-Twins are good solid motors, no issues (for the most part) and have a good feel to them. Yamaha was the first of the Japanese companies to go after the factory cruiser market and were pretty successful at it. The tuning fork company made a lot of different versions of the Virago all the way down to a little 250cc model. To this day the Star brand still has a lot of the old Virago in it’s DNA.

So, back to this Virago I found on ebay today. This is a very unique custom…it truly is a hack build, and I mean that in a good way.

The owner worked on the frame, took it back to a twin shock design, popped in a Honda CBR900RR front fork and added some Kawasaki EX500 rear sets. All to make the bike handle better. Then comes the custom work. A handmade steel tank, and here’s the part I really dig… The guy made some headers himself and then went to the best supplier of cheap parts…JC Whitney for the mufflers. Man, I love this build. Take a pound mutt, don’t make it into a throughbred, just make it mean. Oh and I really love the tail light!!
Click on the pics below for more info and more pictures.

1985 Yamaha Virago Custom

1970 BSA Project Bike

I’m not even going to attempt to claim any knowledge about the combination of motor and frame in this eBay listing for a BSA project bike. It is supposedly a 1970 frame (B441 of some type) along with a motor from 1967. The VINs are in the last two photos, so check it out if you are interested in bidding. There are 4 hours left in the auction, and the price is just under $1K with 1 bid.

Honda CB Oil Cooler

So you’ve got a Honda CB that you’ve converted into a cafe racer? And you’ve got it pumped up with a big bore kit or a jet and pipe combo? Or maybe you just ride it like you stole it?

I found this oil cooler on eBay that will help your motor stay cool and survive for the long haul. And it’s vintage NOS for that proper look. It won’t work on my SL350 twin, so I will have to find another solution and leave the bidding to everyone else. It’s currently at $76, with just over a day left in the auction.

Honda CB750 Project

Look, I’m not saying that this is a perfect bike from a cafe perspective. Not hardly. All I am saying is that this might be a cost-effective starting point for a cafe project. Throw a seat on there. Maybe some clubmans (or clip-ons if you’re really trying to get on my good side). Mount a pair of rear-sets. Call it day. And you have yourself a pretty nice cafe racer. Some basic motor mods have already been done, so you shouldn’t be smoked by that stock-looking CB750 sitting next to you at the corner of 1st and Main.

Price is reasonable with only about 1.5 days left. This would make a nice cafe with only a little work…

(Oh yeah, I forgot in my original post. I really, really like the brass knuckle decals!!! 😉 (And it needs shocks. My bad.) )

1972 Triumph Bonneville 650 Bobber

Up for auction on eBay right now is this Triumph Bonneville that is done up as a bobber. It is posted here because it looks like it would be easily converted into a pretty sweet cafe racer, and the seller claims the motor has been rebuilt from top to bottom. I’d like to see this bike fully converted with clip-ons, rear-sets, nicer exhaust, and cafe racer seat.

1973 Honda CB750 Cafe Racer (Kinda Old School)

Up for auction on eBay right now is this semi-finished 1973 Honda CB750 cafe racer conversion. There are definitely aspects to this bike that I really like. It has kind of a Zero Engineering feel to it, what with the old school look of the front end and the white grips. But it seems like maybe the bike needs a few more weekends before trying to get a premium for it on eBay. The seller did lower his original Buy-It-Now price, but I think he might have difficulty reaching either that or his also lowered reserve price. Read the sellers description if you are interested, because there are a few things wrong. I’m still trying to find the muffler(s), as they seem to be missing…