The Cafe Thread

[Allred]

Ran across this while cruising online, a nice example of a Norton wideline "99" 600cc cafe.

Later, twin concentric Amal carbs, clip-ons, rear sets, reverse-cone megas, alloy rims, chrome headlight, alloy triple clamp, twin clocks, TLS front brake, alloy gas tank, Manx seat.......has a "bacon slicer" disc on the rear wheel, something I have never seen before!  And of course, the mandatory silly central oil tank.


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[motogrady]

^^^^

Work of art right there.

A bacon slicer.
Learn something every day. 👍

[Allred]

motogrady wrote

^^^^
A bacon slicer.
Learn something every day. 👍

Some cafe racers had them on the front wheel, I think they were supposed to act as a sort of heat dissipating device to cool the front drum brake, but in reality I think their purpose was pure aesthetics.  Royal Enfield even went so far as to make them standard equipment on their 250cc Continental.

The previous Norton cafe picture is the first one I have ever seen where someone put one on the rear wheel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMXeGHOsf1w

[motogrady]

Ya, after watching the vid you realize it's really akin to a hubcap.  
I mean, it would seem the only real heat transfer you'd get would be restricted/inhibited buy the screws.  They hold it off the hub.  More disc contact with the hub might help.

Who would of thunk it.  Before spinners, there were bacon slicers!

[Allred]

motogrady wrote

Ya, after watching the vid you realize it's really akin to a hubcap.  
I mean, it would seem the only real heat transfer you'd get would be restricted/inhibited buy the screws.  They hold it off the hub.  More disc contact with the hub might help.

Who would of thunk it.  Before spinners, there were bacon slicers!

Yes, I think the "original inventor" was maybe a racer who actually welded such discs to the brake drum in an attempt to transfer heat, and everyone just liked the look and the "bacon slicer" as a sporty item was born, heat transfer or no heat transfer!


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[motogrady]

That building in the background.
Anyone know anything about it?
Was that the home of the magazine, a parts store, shop?

[Allred]

After some research it looks like it is a store specializing in classic bikes....
https://www.motorcyclesunlimited.co.uk/1962-bsa-a65-star-thunderbolt-for-sale/


Located in west London UK

24 Medway Parade,
Welland Gardens,
Greenford,
Middlesex,
UB6 8HR



 

[Fatfatboy]

Allred wrote

After some research it looks like it is a store specializing in classic bikes....
https://www.motorcyclesunlimited.co.uk/1962-bsa-a65-star-thunderbolt-for-sale/

I clicked on the link;

“In order for this site to work properly, and in order to evaluate and improve the site we need to store small files (called cookies) on your computer.”

Makes me feel violated.

[motogrady]

Fatfatboy wrote

Allred wrote

After some research it looks like it is a store specializing in classic bikes....
https://www.motorcyclesunlimited.co.uk/1962-bsa-a65-star-thunderbolt-for-sale/

I clicked on the link;

“In order for this site to work properly, and in order to evaluate and improve the site we need to store small files (called cookies) on your computer.”

Makes me feel violated.

Ya, I thought so too.  But I couldn't stand it.  I had to go back.  Big prices, nice bikes.
And really good hours for the owne.

[Allred]

Ran across this example of a Triton cafe racer......complete with bacon slicers!

A 650cc pre-unit Triumph motor in a Norton wideline frame.
5 gal (6.25gal US) alloy gas tank.
Alloy wheels
2ls front brake
Manx seat
Alloy fenders
Rear-sets
Swept-back pipes with cooling rings and large finned cooling clamps
Goldie mufflers
Home made rear footpeg brackets(an upside-down rear brake fulcrum arm, presumable it interfered with the brake lever)
Twin clocks
Chrome headlight (with peak)
Twin Amal concentrics
Alloy rear chain guard
And of course the seemingly mandatory central oil tank. (at least this one has a built-in battery compartment, even if the battery is exposed)

Bacon slicers were not that common, I would say only on 10%-15% of builds, same with the peaked headlight, and it seemed that someone who would put bacon slicers on was liable to also have the headlight peak.......and those large, ugly exhaust cooling clamps, but each to his own. And this example is further "strange" in that it has straight bars, and yet rear-set footrests, can't have been a comfortable combination and also the bars would not fit in the gas tank indents.  

But overall a nice example that someone had spent a lot of time on.


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[motogrady]

Very cool.

I’m not wondering about the ergonomics,
to me that’s just the way it is with a crotch or cafe.
Heck, even the short, sport style bars on my 750ss aren’t the most comfi things.

What gets me on that bike is the 5 gallon tank.
It’s huge.

Any reason for that?

[Allred]

motogrady wrote

What gets me on that bike is the 5 gallon tank.
It’s huge. Any reason for that?

It was mimicking the famous Manx Norton racers of the time. Back when the IOM TT had races of up to 7 laps they used (5 gal Imperial) (6.25gal US) gas tanks to avoid pit stops. The styling became popular with the riding public and were "de-rigueur" on cafe racers. It was also very useful for road use as you didn't need to stop for gas very often.

Some cafe racers mimicked the smaller (3 gal Imperial/3.75 US) gas tanks of the short circuit racers.

Both of these gas tanks were designed with indents to allow for clearance for clip-on handlebars.

I agree with you that the gas tank does look huge today, but at the time it "looked great" because it was the fashion of the day.

Even on standard road bikes American preference was for small gas tanks and all British manufacturers made small American export gas tanks for their export models. They looked "out of proportion" (and impractical) to British eyes, but "looked great" to American eyes because that was the style at the time.


Standard gas tank UK BSA Rocket

Standard gas tank US BSA Rocket


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[grado]

Thanks for all of that Allred.  
Some really good info, that when explained makes sense.
I mean, who wouldn't, in the cafe world, want to have a bike that drew its design off the Isle of Mann?

As far as the smaller tanks in general that were sent overseas, ya, one would imagine us yanks were kind of spoiled with the availability and sheer numbers of petrol stations and fuel.

Now that I think about it, I had a friend that had an 883, a Sportster, that changed out what I think was called a peanut tank.   Barely held 2 us gallons.  Said he went bigger because that bike would pass almost everything but a gas station.

Let me take a moment and offer up a sincere thanks Allred, the knowledge you bring to this place is astounding.

[Hoofhearted]

many years ago.  Couldn't afford a Manx but I found an affordable engine and stuck it in my featherbed.

[IMG]https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q90/924/blcxQJ.jpg[/IMG][/URL]


Found out Weslakes were faster.

[IMG]https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q90/924/AXpj9Q.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[Allred]

Another scintillating tit-bit about British parallel-twin gas tanks is............

Both BSA and Triumph had frames that relied on a large central "spine" for strength, and this spine meant that the gas tank had to fit over and around the spine, basically splitting the gas tank into two "halves". This meant that the capacity of BSA and Triumph gas tanks were compromised.

Whereas the Norton Featherbed was a "continuous loop" design with two parallel top frame tubes which allowed for a flat-bottomed gas tank with no center interference, giving a larger fuel capacity.

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[oldironnow]

Hoof - That's so cool.

[Hoofhearted]

Thanks Oldiron.  And it waas fast.

[oldironnow]

Hoofhearted wrote

Thanks Oldiron.  And it waas fast.

Looks like Salt.

What's the timing slip say?

[Fatfatboy]

Allred wrote

That featherbed is a beautiful piece and would look great hanging on the wall in a bar or mancave.

It would be a complete waste but beautiful none the less.

I second Grady's sentiment, Thanks for the teaching lesson.

[Hoofhearted]

The photo is El Mirage.   Its best run in the dirt was 129.915 on gas with a fairing.

[URL=https://imageshack.com/i/9epicture187gj][IMG]https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q90/338/picture187g.jpg[/IMG][/URL]