TWO OF A KIND
The modern resurgence of the cafe racer-styled motorcycle is something of an odd one. The original raison d'etre of the cafe racer was, as the name suggests, to race between cafes, or coffee bars or transport caffs.
The immediate thought is of James Dean lookalikes aboard BSA Gold Stars, Vincent vee twins and immaculate Tritons, ripping up the Tarmac and getting adoring looks from Jayne Mansfield stood beside the jukebox. Of course, the truth was somewhat different. Spotty youths, aboard cheap, everyday transport maintained to a minimal standard, all with dreams of being the next Geoff Duke or Giacomo Agostini, but only getting attention not from the local fillies, but the boys in blue . The majority would've been riding BSA Bantams, ClS singles, or maybe even an Ariel Arrow or 350cc AJS or Matchless. A few would've managed to save up enough to afford something really flash - maybe a Velocette Viper, Norton Dominator or even a 650cc Bonneville. Any rose-tinted memories of alloy-tanked Tritons by the dozen and packs of Gold Star Beezas packed outside the Ace Cafe or Busy Bee are surely alcohol-tainted.
But the image of the cafe racer was strong, and many young lads would fit clip-ons, loud exhausts, single seats and mesh flyscreens to their bikes, whatever they were,
