Common (legal) Bikes that could donor for Cafe Racer?

[AlphaSoiDog]

Newbie post, please be gentle.

I haven't quite committed to living permanently in Thailand, but figure that part of not going nuts in the village would be a project. I'm keen to find out what bikes were sold here legally in sufficient numbers for a cafe racer project, parts still available, not a widow maker and preferably not too expensive.

Mostly it would be used around the village (Chaiprakarn/Fang) but I'm imagining I might occasionally ride it to Chiangmai city (2.5hrs by crazy bus). The Stallion 150 cafe looks interesting but possibly a bit underpowered (tell me if I'm wrong). It seems CB hondas were sold here a long time but I don't know yet how common they are second hand.

I'm not interested in something that revs to 16,000 rpm and wants to be ridden like a race bike. I've never ridden with ABS (is it good?), it sounds good but other than Honda Super4's doesn't seem to be available on "older" bikes. Certainly a Super4 would work well if available, I'd just need to find a bit more play money. And preferably something that doesn't have it's seat displaying like a peacock's tail (good street fighter look, harder for cafe).

Yes I've ridden before, I've used tools before, not sure that I'd need anything bigger than a 400 and possibly even smaller on these roads? Oh, and have the "practical" side covered with the girls bright pink Scoopy. So classy...

Thanks everyone.

[Don Mega]

Honda CRF 250.

[wisheewashee]

Here are some great cafe racer bike ideas .

http://wind-blown.com/category/bikes/

Edited March 29, 2016 by seedy
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[AlphaSoiDog]

Don Mega: CRF250? Not something that I would have thought of. But with (a lot of) work it comes up beautifully. Thank you.

wisheewashee: Yes, lot's of nice ideas there! Thanks.

If I had the spare cash, and I hope to at some point, I'd just get a Royal Enfield GT. Then strip it and put it back together a little better. Not quite the same reward though.

A GL/CX500 would be interesting, but I don't get the impression there are many in Thailand with a matching greenbook. I imagine there are a lot of 125 hondas, but they might be a tad underpowered (tempting for fun value). So far I have:

Honda super4's (not sure how common they are though)

Older CB's? Are they here with greenbooks and parts available?

Yamaha SR400: Great as it's not a "racy" bike, easy to mod etc. A bit overpriced here IMO.

Stallion's: Quality? And buying a new bike to modify seems wrong somehow, but possible.

Ducati/Harley/other big bike: Too expensive and bigger than I need. (post justification. I dream of having one!)

Limited cash fall back position: 125(ish) Ubone. (same amount of work and not nearly as cool)

(edit SR400 not XS400....)

Edited March 28, 2016 by AlphaSoiDog

[OmegaRacer]

In your position, I would go for the Stallion CT400. It gives you a lot of space to be creative, and for 115k a bargain. Stallions has come a long way and I believe their bikes are of better quality than 5 years ago. Don't forget that the CT is also being sold in Europe under the name of Mash.

[DILLIGAD]

Many of the larger cc older bikes came over here in pieces so will not have a correct legal green book. Some might even have a non matching green book.

I would not recommend you go down that route unless you riding is confined to your village and paddy fields.

[JonnyF]

ER6N's can make a decent cafe racer. Bit bigger than you wanted, but easy to ride and spares are cheap and plentiful. ABS would be a good idea as well.

Stallion 400 would be a good base as well. Just depends if you want to risk buying a Chinese bike. At the price they are selling them for (and the fact you're just pottering around locally) I think it's worth the risk personally, especially if you're going to chop it up a bit anyway.

[wheelin]

Fang Racer ศูนย์ Stallions Cantaur Cafe would be a good starting place nearest to you. While they do Stallions, they will also do Japanese bikes. For myself, a cafe racer should have clipons and rearsets as primary requisite. May be you can find a good CBR250 ABS at good price in good condition, and have local shop strip the fairing and do modifications for you. THe handle bars should be good as is, and rearsets for CBR 250ABS are widely available in a variety of brands. BTW ChiangMai bike mechanics are good at making improvisation. I've seen beautiful chopper converted from of all things, a Honda 50cc cub, complete with tear drop gastank.

https://www.facebook.com/fangracercafe

[AlphaSoiDog]

Thanks for the great ideas. I had hoped that I was missing some obvious and commonly available bike, but nobody has mentioned one. I will go and have a chat with Fang Racer, they look pretty interesting.

I had previously dismissed the ER6N as only lending itself to being a "street fighter", then found this fabulous copy of the Lotus:

http://www.returnofthecaferacers.com/2015/04/smoked-garage-lotus-c0-1-bronco.html

My workshop and skills may not currently be equal to this level of customisation but apparently anything is possible

And here is the BUT...

I had a (translated) chat with the local police boss and it seems just about any modification is illegal. Even changing the seat. It's OK to change the stickers though.... (as long as it doesn't change the colour too much!). Oh, and don't remove ANY warning sticker!

While it's likely that quite a bit was lost in translation, what I heard was that I can change the bars "a little bit" and the stickers. No smaller tyres, but no comment on larger ones. No change to seat or "body". "Body"? Is removing side covers changing the body? I'm guessing that is up to whether a cop wants some tea money, but I'm new to this country, what would I know.

When I asked about doing an electric conversion he laughed. Apparently Thailand's "dedication" to reducing pollution doesn't extend that far. Bugger.

I guess I'll hold off on the project until I understand more about what can be done that isn't going to be a problem at the next road block.

[HooHaa]

Honda CRF 250.

wow, what a transformation, boring made beautiful.

[AlphaSoiDog]

It certainly is a massive improvement on the plastic boy racer look.

For those that didn't click the link on the modified ER6N, check this out:

Not Cafe Racer, but lovely. The local Police Boss just laughed and shook his head when he saw this

[OmegaRacer]

If you're worried about the legality of your project, you better don't even start.

The police boss is right when he told you that any modification is against the law, but not everything is black and white though. How many bikes do you see on the road that are NOT modified? Not many.

The chances to get away with it depend on a multitude of factors...how greedy the police is, how well you can talk you're way out of it, how extensive the mods are, where you live/ride, how good your guardian angel is....etc etc

I have a heavily modified Yamaha SR, inspired by 1960's race bikes. The only original part on it is now the engine and the wiring loom.
My guardian angel is doing overtime with me. :-)

[bramds]

Just make your bike look so special and all the cops will be looking at it with open mouths and congratulating you on the work.

In case you are scared they might confiscate it, make a rat bike, no cop wants to be seen on that :-)

[seedy]

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[AlphaSoiDog]

Too funny!

In Laos I was busted and had to pay tea money. They spent a long time trying to find something to bust me for. Licence? OK. Rego? OK. Bike? OK. Eventually, standing in the blazing summer sun on the footpath, I took my helmet off. I was immediately busted for riding without a helmet.

My first impression of Thai reform is "let's say we are doing something", and smile Is that about right?

So I'm guessing my options have been well covered here:

Build a gorgeous bike that the cops don't want. And pay occasional tea money.

Build exactly what I want, get better at talking my way out. And pay occasional tea money.

Compromise on customisation with only small changes. And pay occasional tea money.

Put up with a stock standard pink Scoopy. And pay occasional tea money.

Thank you all for the ideas and "attitude adjustment"....

[moe666]

Your bike will be legal when you start but not so legal when you finish, not the cops so much but the land office may not register it. The son of my favorite restarant here in CM did a nice cfe racer on a 125cc honda bike but when he tried to register it sorry not right color not right many thing he had to put back stock register it and then back to cafe racer

[AlphaSoiDog]

So after it is registered, and tax kept up to date, does it ever have to see the land office again?

If not then a previous suggestion of buying a new Stallion CT400 have it registered then start modifying might be a very good idea. (which has the added advantage of no problems from previous owners)

[Don Mega]

So after it is registered, and tax kept up to date, does it ever have to see the land office again?

If not then a previous suggestion of buying a new Stallion CT400 have it registered then start modifying might be a very good idea. (which has the added advantage of no problems from previous owners)

I think once it becomes 5 years old it needs to be inspected.... but that is easily bypassed.

Keep in mind if you paint the bike a different color the police can be a bit anal about the bike not matching the color in the book.

[AlphaSoiDog]

"... easily bypassed."

Is that a "pay for the convenience of the stamp without the inconvenience of bringing the bike" kind of deal? If so how does one even broach the subject? I'm so used to following rules (at least nearly all of them) that I'm really not sure how to play the game here.

I'm told that during a visa run the officer was trying to get some tea money. I was totally oblivious and just kept standing there waiting, for quite a while, with a long line forming behind me. Eventually he stamped my passport with a show of poor grace and I was on my way. Hopefully I'll learn....

[Don Mega]

My bike mechanic used to renew mine for me. took a few days to get the book and new rego label back.. cost me Bt.200 for the "service".

[canthai55]

If the bike needs a yearly inspection, go to a shop displaying this sign. Make sure that the Thai characters are displayed in the middle. They will inspect, and for a small additional charge, take your green book for a bike or blue book for a car to the LTO, pay the tax and get you your new sticker. Cost about 200 baht extra.

[AlphaSoiDog]

Great to know, thank you. And easy as well

[Pond Life]

I think Yamaha SR400 would make a good base to start from.

[Don Mega]

I think Yamaha SR400 would make a good base to start from.

but does one buy a new one for a premium price or run the gauntlet and buy secondhand and risk a dodgy book ?

[tj916]

A GL/CX500 would be interesting, but I don't get the impression there are many in Thailand with a matching greenbook. I imagine there are a lot of 125 hondas, but they might be a tad underpowered (tempting for fun value). So far I have:

Funnily enough the bike shop close to the hospital on Sol Beaukow pattaya has a CX 500/650 Cafe racer for sale.

Bit rough around the edges but kind of cool.

[AlphaSoiDog]

An SR400 is an easy win and lots of customising parts available for things I can't make. A new one is currently pricey enough for me that its a disincentive to pull it apart. So it becomes a problem of how to check for a dodgy green book. So far I get the impression that there are not many legal old SR400's, but then an impression is hardly fact.

Pity I'm not in Pattaya, if the CX was legal it would be even more tempting to me than an SR. They were such an ugly bike stock, but can be a gorgeous and unusual custom. I may have someone going there soon that could have a peek for me...

The Honda CRF 250 that Don Mega posted is growing on me too. Still a bit of a boy racer bike as far as the engine is concerned, but the good brakes would be nice.

Ok, so there are choices. I might hold off for a bit and see what legal old bikes can be found. In the meantime I'll get a few rides on current bikes to see if I can comfortably cruise on a pretend race machine. Perhaps I can get past my ingrained resistance to a 16,000 rpm engine. Though a very long time ago I built a custom XS650 (yamaha twin, triumph copy). It wasn't fast, vibrated too much and barely handled even with mods, but you could be lazy with changing gears, didn't feel any need to go fast and it sounded great. I miss that bike.

[tj916]

Will be down in Soi Beaukow tomorrow will try and get a few pics and details.

The more I look at that CRF 250 the more I think it would be a good starting point.

There is plenty of them about, so finding a cheap damaged one shouldn't be too difficult.

You can easily sell/buy standard parts you don't want/need.

Loads of companies selling loads off trick parts.

It's a Honda it won't go wrong.

New wheels, new forks, handle bars, trick suspension, tank and seat unit, exhaust, rear sets,.

Turbo, nitrous oxide and finally a pink hello kitty paint job.

You will have to fight the women off with a big stick!

[bramds]

I turned an XJR400 into a caferacer (work in progress)

It has an invoice, no greenbook.

[Don Mega]

I turned an XJR400 into a caferacer (work in progress)

It has an invoice, no greenbook.

Shame it has no book. makes it worthless.

[bramds]

I turned an XJR400 into a caferacer (work in progress)

It has an invoice, no greenbook.

Shame it has no book. makes it worthless.

Not to me, I created her, not planning on selling her either.