Kaffe Maschine Guzzi

[professor]

http://www.returnofthecaferacers.com/2012/02/moto-guzzi-cafe-racers-by-kaffe.html

What is the consensus on these bikes? 

[twhitaker]

What is the consensus on these bikes?

They are old.

[canuguzzi]

Wonderful bikes. I especially like the T3 engined model.

[fotoguzzi]

not very practical unless parked.

[NCAmother]

They look beautiful.  This is a pretty cool company in New York
http://www.motoborgotaro.com

[Vasco DG]

Replace the term 'Cafe' with the term 'Chopper' and you get the picture.

Boring, derivative, built-from-a-catalogue dross that all look damn near identical.

Pete

[professor]

I do wonder if some are indeed ride worthy.

[NCAmother]

I do wonder if some are indeed ride worthy.

depends on how you ride, but for more than a few hours you might start getting aches, or not.  There must be a giant group of Guzzi modifiers/bikers in australia, that makes them mental, because seeing a guzzi is already kinda rare in the U.S., let alone a chopped "cafe racer".  I don't have negative feelings for a person or group of persons who customize bikes.  To be honest, I've never seen a cafe'd Guzzi custom ever, and I live on the central coast of California, smack dab between Los Angeles and San Francisco

[professor]

You live in one of the best places to ride in the US. I've been to the central coast many times. Well worth the effort. 

[professor]

http://www.officinerossopuro.it/moto/

A Guzzi rider in Italy sent me this this morning
 
I don't think anyone on this side has done anything like this. Some "chopper" stuff laced into the shop as well.

[nobleswood]

 

I can't help but admire the workmanship !

[Scud]

I love the cafe look and could probably make room for any of those fine pieces of work in my living room, er, I mean garage.

Every now and then I think it would be fun to find a suitably neglected bike and do a cafe conversion. But... if this is a fad, then there are going to be some lovely cafe bikes available for good prices in the next few years.

A cafe bike is supposed to fun to ride short distances - it's a runabout and not great for the longer rides that I prefer.  But I have a short commute, so one could add some joy to the daily trek.

[wahoo650]

Cafe'd a Yamaha xs650 several years ago, sold it after 15 years to help finance my '14 V7 stone.  Stop and go around town it became uncomfortable, but for slicing through the park or out on the open road it was very comfortable.  At speed the wind helps hold you up so weight on your hands/wrists is minimized.  My seat was from http://www.hotwingglass.com/index.html and the closed cell foam used was extremely comfortable and eliminated most of the vibes too.  It's all in how the bike is set up.  Down fall to a lot of cafe's now is the trend of lowering them, leaving very little if any suspension travel.  That and the fat, old style firestones or worse- knobbies!