Cafe Racer

So... I really don't think this is all that great, but I have wanted to build a cafe racer since before cafe racers were cool.  I wanted a supermoto before anyone knew what they were.  I wanted to build a "replica" board track racer of a Flying Merkel, but every single time, someone beats me too it.  I just never have the time or money to do it before it gets cool.  That means that the next big thing will be home built frakenstien military bikes- and I'm already starting to see "zombie apocalypse" bikes, which means my next great idea will have been done before I get a chance to do it.

Anyways, I've been working on this for well over a year now.  This bike is POJ, if you read back aways I wrote several "chapters" about finding and fixing it up- it was my first ever bike.  I am slowly working on turning it into a Cafe, but without and permanent cutting / hacking so I could someday restore it back to original if I wanted.  Its getting closer, but I hit a snag trying to find a plug for the oil pump, so I thought what the heck, lets try making a tank.

Here's where I'm at.




Pretty ugly, but its a start.  The seat will get cut way down and the tank will be cut down an inch on the top and almost two off of the bottom, marked with the lines here:

 

It's been a fun project, just a very slowwww one.  I plan on making the first tank out of plain old cold rolled sheet, but I'm going to try brazing- something I've never done but would like to at least be able to show my students.  If all goes well, I will make a second one out of aluminum sheet.  Never really worked with aluminum, so that could be interesting.  REALLY need to figure out what to do about the oil pump plug and finish up the kickstand and rearsets- they are close, just need a spring for the kickstand and a cross brace for the rearsets.  Yes, those are bmx bicycle pegs for foot pegs...