Planning the bike.

I've mocked up an image of what I want the bike to look like. Let's face it, these modern cafe racers are all about image. The cafe style may have been dictated by the need for speed in 1963, but in 2010, speed looks like the Yamaha R1 or the Suzuki Hayabusa. Nevertheless, there's something wrong with these modern superbikes. They're too clinical, too focussed, too scientific. The bike I'm building should be stripped down, lean and clean. It's a statement of style over science. A desire for fun over fantastic speed. Yes, it should be fast, but there are limits. Here's the photoshop mockup. As you can see, it's basically the Ducati Desmo 350 with a Suzuki frame and engine, and wheels, and ... well everything else. I've worked out the proportions of the two bikes, and they're pretty close when you cut down the front fork length.

Suzuki Engine

From the GN250 workshop manual ... "GN250 models use SUZUKI's unique TSCC engine design, which is internationally acclaimed for it's durability and performance. TSCC describes the heart of the engine, the Twin Swirl Combustion Chamber. What the TSCC engine series does better than conventional 4 stroke engines, either 2-valve or 4-valve is improve on the two major factors which affect engine performance, charge burning efficiency and intake charging efficiency."

This TSCC engine design has been used in other Suzuki engines, like the famous GSXR 750 and 1000 sports bikes. While a single pot engine cannot approach the efficiency of larger four cylinder versions, it is known to be a highly efficient engine design.

It should not be too hard to improve this sweet little engine to a bit more than it's rated 22 HP. Maybe a free-flowing exhaust and bigger jets or carbie. I'm hopeful to see over 25 HP, and maybe 30 HP from this little beauty. When you consider the Ducati 350 Desmo had only about 30 HP and weighed 175 odd kgs, my Suzi cafe at only 125 kgs should compare quite well.

The Basics

We put the bike together, and as you can see from the photo, there's still a long way to go. The GN250 is built in the chopper style with long front forks and big rear tyre.
This is a long way from what I want to build. A cafe racer is slim, low and lean. So we have some work ahead of us. First, we have to cut down the front fork tubes. I don't know how to do this yet, or even if it's possible, but this project is a voyage of discovery. Then we have to fabricate a tank and tail, plus some other bits.

Can we use clipons, or should we just invert the bars as shown in the shot? Which brings up the question of engineering. When do I engage the engineer? To have the bike registered for the road in Queensland, I will need to have all the changes properly checked and approved. Hopefully this will not be too odious ;)

We've been checking out the engine, and it looks complete apart from the igniter. Anyway, here's a shot of the engine. It seems to be in pretty good nick, and was running when we bought it about 5 years ago. With any luck, we'll have it running again pretty soon.

Beginnings...

OK, here is my first post, and some shots of the wreckage I intend to build into a cafe racer. It's a Suzuki GN 250, built in 1991, salvaged by me in 2009. We bought the frame and wheels from Al's Bikes 'n Bits at Bowen Hills Brisbane. The wreck cost us $440, and the budget for the whole build is only $2000. We already have the engine from a bike we bought about ten years ago. We wanted the engine for a go-kart project, but that never got off the ground. So now maybe it's time we put the engine to good use.

This blog is a record of our attempts to build a cafe racer on a shoestring budget. It's probably not possible, but it's worth a try! My inspiration for a cafe raceer comes from 1974, when my sister's boyfriend rode a Ducati Desmo 350. He parked it out the front of our house, and I think I never saw such a beautiful bike. My motive for this build is that I have to have some sort of speed machine in my garage. The other motive is my lack of funds. But, as they say, necessity is the mother of invention. So I will have to discover ways of getting things done on the cheap. Should be fun! Here's a shot of the Duke...