What to Know When Building a Harley Cafe Racer

A Racer Deep Down

The Harley Sportster has the DNA of a Bobber motorcycle with features such as its bobbed rear fender, peanut gas tank, diminutive front fender, and virtually no excess parts gobbed onto it like some of Harley's other models. The bike is simple, clean, and for lack of a better term, "Sporty." In some regards, the Bobber and Cafe Racer share some similarities as they both follow the minimalist approach. However, the Cafe Racer has a more aggressive, uncompromising style that is more akin to a classic grand prix racer than the cruising nature of the Bobber. While the Sportster may look nothing like a Cafe Racer in stock form, a number of mods and a few tweaks will unleash its inner racer.

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Staying Within The Lines

Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of a Cafe Racer is the imaginary line that runs along the tank to the tail. This line functions to virtually position the chassis profile parallel to the ground. At first sight, the Sportster's profile is all wrong because the tall backbone of the frame combined with the heightened tank, large diameter front tire, long front rake, and squatty rear-end gives the motorcycle a look of it being canted rearward. Much of the work involved in a Cafe Sportster build involves correcting this foundation line to visually pitch the bike forward in order to achieve a more muscular, athletic look.

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Suspension Substitutions

Many agree that the first area to focus on when building a Cafe Racer is to alter the ride height of the bike. This can be accomplished quite easily by swapping out suspension components. With the Sportster sitting low in the rear, a lengthened set of shocks will increase the swingarm angle and raise up the tail of the bike. Some opt to swap in a set of aftermarket upside-down forks to lower the front-end, but this will require new triple clamps, brakes, wheels, etc. and can become a bit costly. To keep the bike looking like a period correct Cafe Racer, changing out the standard fork springs for a set of lowered springs, like those offered from Progressive Suspension, will aid in bringing the front and rear to more equal heights. Similarly, the forks can be slide through the triples for even more height adjustment.

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Setting The Stance

Another area of interest during a Cafe Racer build are the wheels and tires. Depending on the model and year, the Sportster's front wheel can differ in size from the rear, or both wheels can be relatively small in comparison to other bikes. For example, a 2001 Sportster XL came with a 19" front wheel and 16" rear, whereas a 2011 Sportster 1200 Custom came with 16's front and rear. New Cafe wheel sizes include 17", 18", and 19" with the 19"F/18"R combination being a popular choice among builders. One can opt for a laced-up set of spoked wheels, or run a more contemporary set of cast/forged wheels depending on the desired look. Choosing tires with a taller or shorter sidewall (aspect ratio) will further alter the way in which the bike sits. In any case, the wheels and tires play a big role in changing the geometry of the motorcycle to suit the Cafe Racer mold.

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Restyling The Racer

With the geometry of the Sportster now closer in line with that of a Cafe Racer, attention can be placed towards the seat and fuel tank. One of the most defining features of a Cafe Racer is the seat. Whether it is fully covered in leather, or uses any combination of metalwork, fiberglass, and upholstery, a cafe seat is often flat along the frame with a bulbous rear portion that sits above or slightly forward of the rear axle centerline. The idea is to keep the tail/seat near the axle centerline as it begins to become detrimental to the cafe look of the bike if it extends too far rearward. The fuel tank is the one area that can either be left in place, modified, or swapped out completely on a Sportster cafe build. The stock tanks are tall, hunchback looking units that work well to give the bike a strong look if left in place. That said, some like to do a bit of fabrication work to lower the tank on the frame backbone, or shave the tank down to give it a more sleek appearance. All of these can be good options depending on the overall style that one is aiming for with their build.

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Finishing Touches

The remainder of any cafe build can be completed in a number of ways to meet the owner's taste and style. To fit in with the typical cafe approach, a set of clip-on or clubman handlebars will help better position the rider for the new stance of the bike. Similarly, a pair of rear set foot controls will better situate the rider's feet for sport-oriented riding. As with any bike that is being customized, the exhaust is always a focal point. Upswept 2-into-1 systems look really nice with the cafe motif as do high-mount, shotgun style pipes. The headlight size can greatly alter the appearance of the bike as well. Some like to go for a larger 7" unit to beef up the front of the motorcycle, while others like to use smaller units coupled with a 1/2 fairing or similar. Gauge positioning, chain-drive conversions, tail-lights, air-intakes, grips, and mirrors are all minor touches that can be altered in any number of ways to give the bike a unique Cafe Racer styling of its own. Build on!

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