Welcome to my Honda CB400f Cafe Racer site. Above is me on my '75 400f during a trackday at Virginia International Raceway with Aaron Stevenson's Cornerspeed. Below you'll find a short article on cafe racer how-to as well as some articles I've written about my project that you may find useful and more images. Explore and have fun. If you have questions, I can be contacted through the CB400f Yahoo group address at the top of this page.
Café – Why & How
During the late 50’s many young British roadrace fans began modifying their road bikes to emulate the look of the factory racers. Clip-ons or clubman bars and rearset footrests were the basic modifications, race style fairings, seats and tanks followed as equipment became available and budgets allowed.
Open late, close to major roads and offering a place to socialize for the price of a coffee, the truck stop cafes became the meeting place for these young motorcyclists. Often traveling in groups at high speeds, or holding impromptu races, from café to café both the riders and their machines soon became known as “Café Racers”.
Café conversions are loosely defined, from fitting low bars and rearsets to building a fully competitive race bike with lights and horn. Whatever the level of conversion, it requires thoughtful planning, understanding the correct sequence of modifications and acceptance that almost everything you purchase must be modified to fit.
All conversions should start with pencil and paper, not a wrench. List the equipment needed. Make sure the parts are compatible - do the tank and seat fit together, does the seat allow access to the oil tank, etc. Use of modern forks is a popular change, but the resulting steering geometry should be calculated first or you may end up with an expensive modification, which makes your bike unstable at high speeds.
Changing ONLY the bars and foot controls is fairly simple, but if clip-ons are used you will probably require reduced steering lock, need a new way to mount your headlight and your cables may be too long. You will also have to check if your passenger pegs are still usable or must be relocated.
On more extensive conversions start at the bottom and work up, the opposite of what most people do and never disassemble the bike, start engine work or paint anything until ALL the new parts have been fitted.
Most British bikes can use tires wider than the originals, but only slightly. Swingarm and rim width limit your choice plus larger tires slow handling and create loads older frames were not designed to handle. Tire height should be kept as near to original as possible to prevent unwanted changes in frame geometry.
Fiberglass gas tanks normally need trimming for proper fit and almost all tanks require frame padding and additional mounting brackets. Seats normally are supplied without a means to mount them and the proper fitting of fairings and exhausts are chapters unto themselves.
Once all the new equipment is fitted and checked the bike can be disassembled as needed for detailing and painting. We prefer stainless hardware and cycle parts where available for ease of maintenance and staytite nuts or safety wire.
- Clubman Racing Accessories, P.O. Box 59, Fairfield, CT 06430 (203)256-1224, http://www.clubmanracing.com/
Technical articles I've written describing some stages of my therapy, I mean project
