Bikeexif
12.12.2011, 20:34
http://www.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/honda-cb450-cafe-racer.jpg
Eric Meglasson lives in Bend, Oregon, and his motorcycling journey has had its fair share of twists and turns. �Over the years, my bikes kept getting faster and faster,� says Eric. �But I started longing for a slower, more fun, naked bike to ride on the street at more reasonable speeds.� Although Eric owned a Monster, he�d been collecting images of caf? racers for years. �I loved the pure, shiny caf? racers, but also loved the fat tired, matt-finish bikes. I didn�t even know the term Brat existed at that point.� While recovering from knee surgery after a supermoto race accident, Eric sold a dirt bike to free up some dollars�and started researching his next purchase. �I probably looked at every motorcycle on Bike EXIF. After several weeks of Craigslist and eBay shopping, I stumbled upon �Rusty�. I was blown away. The second I saw this Honda cafe racer, I knew it was exactly what I wanted.�
http://www.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/honda-cb450-cafe-racer-1.jpg
The CB450 was built by Jared Johnson of Holiday Customs (http://www.holidaycustoms.blogspot.com/), a one-man builder in Portland, Oregon, who shares a shop space with two other builders. The engine has been revitalized with an overbore kit from Superior Sleeve & Machine in Milwaukie. The airbox has been removed, and cone filters fitted. The custom straight pipes are raw steel (�requires lots of WD-40 to keep the rust at bay�) with custom baffle inserts �to keep my neighbors happy�. To accentuate the clean look, the flat bars have a sanded raw steel finish and house just levers and the throttle�no instruments at all. �The local coppers have looked at it, but don�t seem to mind, as long as I hand signal,� says Eric.
The suspension has been lowered 1 1/2 � all around with shorter rear shocks and lowered triple clamps; the wheels are 18� front and rear, shod with 18 x 4.5� Coker tires. The frame has been bobbed at the back, with tabs shaved off, and fitted with a custom seat pan. Aside from the paintwork, the finish on the bike is mostly wire brush on the shinier metalwork, with matt black everywhere else.
http://www.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/honda-cb450-cafe-racer-2.jpg
After buying his cafe racer, Eric tidied the bike up still further with a complete re-wire, and now does all his own maintenance. And he�s been inspired to get his hands increasingly dirty. �I�ve started my own project bike, a 1982 Virago inspired by Classified Moto (http://www.bikeexif.com/1982-yamaha-virago)�and I�m also helping a couple of friends with their own builds.�
Great to see another home builder in the making�especially one with such good taste.
Images by Alan Brandt Photography (http://www.alanbrandtphoto.com/).
http://www.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/honda-cb450-cafe-racer-3.jpg
http://www.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/honda-cb450-cafe-racer-4.jpg
Eric Meglasson lives in Bend, Oregon, and his motorcycling journey has had its fair share of twists and turns. �Over the years, my bikes kept getting faster and faster,� says Eric. �But I started longing for a slower, more fun, naked bike to ride on the street at more reasonable speeds.� Although Eric owned a Monster, he�d been collecting images of caf? racers for years. �I loved the pure, shiny caf? racers, but also loved the fat tired, matt-finish bikes. I didn�t even know the term Brat existed at that point.� While recovering from knee surgery after a supermoto race accident, Eric sold a dirt bike to free up some dollars�and started researching his next purchase. �I probably looked at every motorcycle on Bike EXIF. After several weeks of Craigslist and eBay shopping, I stumbled upon �Rusty�. I was blown away. The second I saw this Honda cafe racer, I knew it was exactly what I wanted.�
http://www.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/honda-cb450-cafe-racer-1.jpg
The CB450 was built by Jared Johnson of Holiday Customs (http://www.holidaycustoms.blogspot.com/), a one-man builder in Portland, Oregon, who shares a shop space with two other builders. The engine has been revitalized with an overbore kit from Superior Sleeve & Machine in Milwaukie. The airbox has been removed, and cone filters fitted. The custom straight pipes are raw steel (�requires lots of WD-40 to keep the rust at bay�) with custom baffle inserts �to keep my neighbors happy�. To accentuate the clean look, the flat bars have a sanded raw steel finish and house just levers and the throttle�no instruments at all. �The local coppers have looked at it, but don�t seem to mind, as long as I hand signal,� says Eric.
The suspension has been lowered 1 1/2 � all around with shorter rear shocks and lowered triple clamps; the wheels are 18� front and rear, shod with 18 x 4.5� Coker tires. The frame has been bobbed at the back, with tabs shaved off, and fitted with a custom seat pan. Aside from the paintwork, the finish on the bike is mostly wire brush on the shinier metalwork, with matt black everywhere else.
http://www.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/honda-cb450-cafe-racer-2.jpg
After buying his cafe racer, Eric tidied the bike up still further with a complete re-wire, and now does all his own maintenance. And he�s been inspired to get his hands increasingly dirty. �I�ve started my own project bike, a 1982 Virago inspired by Classified Moto (http://www.bikeexif.com/1982-yamaha-virago)�and I�m also helping a couple of friends with their own builds.�
Great to see another home builder in the making�especially one with such good taste.
Images by Alan Brandt Photography (http://www.alanbrandtphoto.com/).
http://www.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/honda-cb450-cafe-racer-3.jpg
http://www.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/honda-cb450-cafe-racer-4.jpg