The Problem with the Café Racer Craze

Summary

In this video, Ryan discusses his concerns about the cafe racer trend among new motorcyclists. He worries that beginners are starting with motorcycles that are expensive to maintain and not practical for everyday use. Ryan suggests that new riders should consider reliability and comfort before diving into the cafe racer scene. He recommends either buying a well-maintained classic or a 'new vintage' motorcycle that offers modern reliability with a retro style.

Takeaways

• 🛣️ Comeback Highway 327 is a popular road for sport bike enthusiasts, including Harley riders and ATV users.
• 🏍️ Ryan hasn't seen many cafe racers on this road, and he thinks they might not ride often.
• 🧔 Ryan doesn't have an issue with cafe racers or the people who ride them, but he's concerned about their suitability for beginners.
• 💸 He worries that cafe racers can be expensive to buy and maintain, which might not be ideal for new riders.
• ❄️ Kickstarting and maintaining cafe racers can be challenging, especially in cold weather.
• 🚫 He advises against starting with a cafe racer due to their potential unreliability and the need for extensive modifications.
• 👖 The style associated with cafe racers can be appealing, but Ryan suggests that new riders should consider practicality over style.
• ☕ Ryan compares the intensity of riding a cafe racer to drinking strong coffee, suggesting that new riders might need to 'work up' to it.
• 🛍️ He recommends buying a cafe racer that runs well and has a good maintenance history to avoid common issues.
• 🏁 New vintage motorcycles offer a balance of style and reliability, making them a good option for those interested in cafe racers.
• 🛣️ Ryan wants to see more people enjoying motorcycle riding and the roads, but he's concerned about new riders being deterred by the challenges of cafe racers.

Q & A

What type of motorcycles are popular on Comeback Highway 327 according to Ryan?

Sport bikes, Harleys, and ATVs are popular on Comeback Highway 327.

Why does Ryan think cafe racers are not commonly seen on Comeback Highway 327?

Ryan believes cafe racers are not commonly seen because they are not ridden as often, and he suspects that many new riders who start with cafe racers might not continue riding them regularly.

What is Ryan's main concern about new riders starting with cafe racers?

Ryan's main concern is that cafe racers can be expensive to buy and maintain, and they might not be the best choice for beginners due to their potential unreliability and the complexity of their maintenance.

Why does Ryan suggest that cafe racers might not be suitable for beginners?

Cafe racers might not be suitable for beginners because they often require significant mechanical knowledge to maintain, can be expensive to restore, and may not offer the most comfortable or practical riding experience for those new to motorcycling.

What does Ryan advise for someone considering buying a cafe racer as their first motorcycle?

Ryan advises that if a beginner is set on buying a cafe racer, they should buy one that runs well and has a history of reliability, and to ride it extensively before making any modifications.

What is Ryan's opinion on the cafe racer craze among new motorcyclists?

Ryan is worried that the cafe racer craze might lead to many unfinished project bikes and riders who get discouraged and quit motorcycling due to the challenges associated with maintaining and riding cafe racers.

What alternative does Ryan suggest for someone interested in the cafe racer style but new to motorcycling?

Ryan suggests considering 'new vintage' motorcycles, which offer a vintage style with modern reliability, comfort, and safety features.

Why does Ryan recommend putting significant miles on a motorcycle before modifying it?

Putting miles on a motorcycle before modifying it helps riders understand the bike's reliability and what they genuinely like about it, which can inform their modifications and prevent unnecessary changes.

What are some of the features Ryan appreciates in modern motorcycles that he thinks are important for new riders?

Ryan appreciates features like ABS, traction control, effective lighting, and good brakes in modern motorcycles, as they provide safety and reliability, which are crucial for new riders.

What is Ryan's ultimate goal regarding motorcyclists and the trend of cafe racers?

Ryan's ultimate goal is to see more people enjoying the riding experience, whether on cafe racers or other types of motorcycles, and to ensure that new riders have a positive and safe introduction to motorcycling.

Outlines

00:00

🏍️ Concerns Over Cafe Racers for New Motorcyclists

Ryan discusses his observations on the popularity of Comeback Highway 327 among sport bike enthusiasts, Harley riders, and ATV users. He expresses his admiration for cafe racers, acknowledging their cool factor, but also voices his concerns about their suitability for new riders. He worries that the complexity and maintenance challenges of cafe racers might not be the best introduction to motorcycling. Ryan suggests that beginners might face issues with old, poorly maintained bikes, such as unreliable carburetors and the need for extensive mechanical knowledge to keep them running. He emphasizes that while cafe racers are stylish and unique, they can be overwhelming for those new to the sport, potentially leading to a cycle of buying, struggling with maintenance, and then quitting motorcycling altogether.

05:00

🛣️ Advice for New Motorcyclists on Cafe Racers

Ryan offers advice for new motorcyclists interested in cafe racers. He recommends starting with a well-maintained bike that has a history of reliability, suggesting that new riders should put significant miles on it before considering modifications. This approach allows them to understand the bike's capabilities and to identify which features they genuinely appreciate before making changes. He also suggests considering 'new vintage' motorcycles, which offer the aesthetic of a classic bike with modern reliability and safety features. Ryan stresses the importance of practicality and safety, advising against the removal of fenders and the use of inadequate brakes or seats in the pursuit of a cafe racer look. His ultimate goal is to see more people enjoying the thrill of riding motorcycles, regardless of the type, and to avoid the pitfalls of getting caught up in trends that might detract from the riding experience.

Keywords

💡Cafe Racer

A cafe racer is a type of motorcycle that originated in the UK in the 1960s. It is characterized by its stripped-down, minimalist design and is often customized for speed and style. In the video, the speaker expresses a concern that cafe racers might not be the best choice for beginners due to their potential unreliability and the need for extensive modification, which can be overwhelming for new riders.

💡Sport Bike

A sport bike, also known as a sportbike, is a type of motorcycle designed for high-performance riding, typically featuring a lightweight frame and powerful engine. The video mentions sport bikes as one of the popular types of motorcycles seen on the road, alongside Harleys and ATVs, indicating the diversity of motorcycle enthusiasts.

💡Harley

Harley refers to Harley-Davidson, an iconic American motorcycle manufacturer known for its heavyweight motorcycles and distinctive styling. In the script, the speaker mentions 'Harley dudes' to represent a segment of motorcyclists who prefer the classic, powerful, and cultural appeal of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

💡ATV

An ATV, or all-terrain vehicle, is a vehicle designed for off-road use, with features like large tires and high ground clearance. The mention of ATV riders in the video script highlights the broad range of motorized off-road enthusiasts who also enjoy the Comeback Highway 327.

💡Beginners

In the context of the video, beginners refer to new motorcyclists who are just starting to ride. The speaker expresses concern about beginners starting with cafe racers due to the potential complexity and cost of maintaining and modifying these bikes, which could deter new riders from continuing in motorcycling.

💡Reliability

Reliability in the video refers to the dependability and consistency of a motorcycle's performance. The speaker suggests that new riders should consider reliability as an important factor when choosing their first motorcycle, as it can affect their overall riding experience and safety.

💡Modification

Modification, as used in the video, involves customizing or altering a motorcycle to improve its performance or appearance. The script discusses the common practice of modifying cafe racers, but also warns of the potential pitfalls for beginners who may not have the necessary skills or resources to maintain a modified bike.

💡New Vintage Motorcycle

A new vintage motorcycle, as mentioned in the video, is a modern bike that is designed to have a retro or classic look. The speaker recommends these for new riders interested in the cafe racer style because they offer the aesthetic appeal of vintage bikes with the reliability and modern features of new motorcycles.

💡Safety

Safety in the context of the video pertains to the protection of riders from harm while riding. The speaker emphasizes the importance of safety features such as ABS, traction control, and effective brakes, especially for beginners who may not have the experience to handle less forgiving machines.

💡Riding Experience

The riding experience encompasses the overall sensation and enjoyment a rider gets from operating a motorcycle. The video script discusses how different types of motorcycles, such as cafe racers and new vintage bikes, can offer unique riding experiences, with the former being more challenging and the latter more comfortable and accessible for new riders.

Highlights

Comback Highway 327 is a popular road for sport bike enthusiasts, including Harley riders and ATV riders.

Cafe racers are not commonly seen on this road, possibly due to their infrequent use.

The speaker is not against cafe racers or the culture surrounding them, but has concerns about their suitability for beginners.

Cafe racers can be expensive to buy and maintain, which might not be ideal for new riders.

Older cafe racers may require extensive mechanical knowledge and maintenance, which could be daunting for novices.

The speaker suggests that new riders should start with motorcycles that are reliable and comfortable.

Cafe racers often have thin seats and clip-on handlebars, which might not be comfortable for long rides.

The advice is to buy a motorcycle that runs well and ride it extensively before considering modifications.

New vintage motorcycles offer a blend of classic style and modern reliability, making them suitable for new riders.

New vintage motorcycles come with modern safety features like ABS and traction control.

The speaker recommends new riders to consider used new vintage motorcycles for their first bike.

The speaker expresses a desire to see more people, regardless of their bike type, enjoying the ride.

The speaker is concerned about new riders getting discouraged by the trend and giving up on motorcycling.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of choosing a motorcycle that suits the rider's needs and not just following trends.

The overall message is to enjoy motorcycling and make informed decisions when choosing a bike.

Transcripts

hello I'm Ryan f9 and this road behind

me here is comeback highway 327

this road is super popular with sport

bike guys Harley dudes ATV riders like

myself I think the only type of bike

that I haven't actually seen out here

yet today is a cafe racer all right but

to be honest though as I was sort of

saying I'm not really surprised but I

don't see many cafe racers out here

that's because I don't think they

actually get rid in all that often

that's sort of my problem with them I

don't know a problem with the bikes

themselves I don't have a problem with

the Old Testament beard mason jar

tea-drinking hipsters that ride them

either I'm a bit of a closet hipster

myself one day he'll probably buy a cafe

racer because I think they're so damn

cool no my problem with the cafe racer

craze is really that I just worry about

it for beginners I worry because a lot

of new riders get into motorcycling and

start motorcycling on cafe racers and

that that scares me a little bit because

I think for new riders if you're gonna

start a motorcycling a cafe racer is one

of the shittiest places to actually

start that's my fear and what do I mean

by that well basically I don't think

your first motorcycle should cost four

hundred dollars to buy and four thousand

dollars to put together it shouldn't be

something you have to kick a thousand

times a million times on a chilly

morning just to wake it up you shouldn't

really have to fiddle with crappy

carburetors that are gulping air from

cone filters and sipping fuel from jets

that have been clogged from the last

thirty years of sitting in a barn

somewhere laser the sort of the the

dangers of the 1970s UJ ends that often

get converted into cafe racers now what

else could I say um fool you shouldn't

lean into a lovely curve like this on

suspension that's been crushed by the

heavy hands of a home mechanic at least

not when you're a beginner now you can

go into your first panic stop on drum

brakes

what else can I say your first saddle

sores shouldn't arrive on the second

kilometer most of all though you

shouldn't start motorcycling thinking

that moto style has to be jeans a

flannel shirt flapping in the breeze and

a nice retro open-faced helmet there's

nothing wrong with all these things of

course again I'm really into cafe racers

they're totally cool the thing is those

all these things give the motorcycle a

lot of flavor you know it's it's very

interesting to have an old bike that's

been heavily modified and it's a super

unique ride that's a very flavorful

riding experience but it can be

overpowering to the new motorcyclist now

you don't give a seven-year-old a double

shot of espresso you give them hot

chocolate and then eventually they might

try a mocha and then from there maybe

you go to a Timmy's double-double you

work your way up to the Rio coffee and

that's what a cafe racer is it's the

real coffee

um they're a very flavorful thing to

ride and it's maybe a little bit

overpowering for new motorcyclists

that's where I'm worried about I'm

worried that the cafe racer craze is

creating a whole slew of getting pretty

in here that's looking nice I'm wearing

is creating a whole slew of half

finished project bikes that never really

get ridden I'm worried that it's

creating a bunch of riders who never

actually see how powerful reliable

comfortable a motorcycle like this one

can be I'm worried that it's creating a

generation of would-be motorcyclists

that get into the game get broke get

bored get hurt and then get out

oh there's a lake there there's so many

lakes up here like along this road

everywhere you look it's like another

another little lake none of them are

very big though that's pretty

so does that mean new motorcyclist

should not buy a cafe racer I would say

absolutely not hell to the no you should

buy whatever you want to buy you should

rev the engine on whatever revs your

engine hello I was a little bit guilty

and I passed cyclist because I have an

engine but I guess they're doing it by

choice peddling around um yeah so buy

whatever you want I would say absolutely

newbies feel free to get a cafe racer

just try to do it maybe a little bit

cleverly you know know the risks and

work around them uh one thing I would do

is if I was going to get a 1970s ujm

those really popular motorcycles for

cafe racers what I would do is I would

buy something that runs really well and

has always want run really well not

something that's been you know sat in a

in a garage for any extended period in

its life I know once you have that I

would just ride it and ride it and ride

it because roads like this are awesome

oh look at this

it's kind of scenic and the other curves

just keep coming on this thing but yeah

the main benefit to putting a lot of you

knows maybe five thousand kilometers

between your wheels before you even

think about modifying that bike is that

you realize how reliable it is before

you start throwing money on it you also

realize what you like about it before

you try to change things um you're going

to look at a nice comfortable seat like

this one totally differently once you've

felt the the the benefit of it you know

you might rethink the paper-thin seats

that are really common on cafe racers

you're going to look at clip-on

handlebars differently once you've

experienced the benefit of a proper

riser bar like this one you're going to

look at fenders differently if for sure

because fenders prevents the mud and the

sand and the rain and all that stuff

from ruining every piece of motorcycle

clothing you own so you might reconsider

lobbing those off once you go to

actually turn your bike into a cafe

racer so yeah so buy something that runs

well and ride it a lot because it's

really easy to get bored with the

motorcycle that you can't actually use

while you're you know fixing it up and

all that jazz

another thing I'd recommend and this is

probably what I would do if I was going

to buy a cafe racer is I'll get a new

vintage motorcycle no orange cones

it's rather ominous I don't really see

any danger I don't know I don't know

yeah buy a new vintage motorcycle of

course new vintage is [ __ ] the name

itself is an oxymoron but much like

jumbo shrimp new vintage is a delicious

kind of [ __ ] at the risk of pushing

this metaphor way too far and say that

new vintage motorcycles are a way to

have a tasty riding experience while

still feeling full after and by that I

mean they're very flavorful they have

that cool vintage style but they're also

very fulfilling to ride their fasts are

comfortable they are reliable new

vintage motorcycles some that have ABS

on have traction control all of them

have lights that illuminate the road

like these cars here that I will need to

see at night and brakes that stop you

know so those are very important things

to have especially if you're a beginner

rider and yes of course you can still

make some cafe ish modifications to your

new vintage motorcycle to avoid that

dreaded mainstream I'm thinking of

something like what is it Suzuki's tu

250 EXO Ducati scrambler

they look vintage begin with but yes you

can modify them further as well of

course they are more expensive but hey

you can get a used one low kilometers if

you can wrestle up you know maybe $5,000

to pay up front to me that really beats

paying $3,000 over three years for a

bike that I can barely use in the mean

time so personally for me I would go

with a new vintage motorcycle if I was

trying to get into the cafe racer scene

especially if I was a new to

motorcycling in general ah red signs

like this come on you don't put that on

like a nothing corner like that they got

my hopes up for no reason

disappointing

who

so to sum up basically I just want to

see more people riding motorcycles

taking advantage of these excellent

curves just like that I'm thrilled to

see any type of person on any type of

bike as long as they're out there riding

it I just hate to see my generation of

new motorcyclists falling off the edge

of a very sharp trend by the way I mean

what a ride right how a 327 was awesome