page_title: Café racer
section_title: Configuration
hierarchical_section_title: Café racer / Configuration
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Toni Grubers Rennmotorrad AJS 7R 350 ccm aus dem Jahre 1962, ausgestellt im Rennsportmuseum des Autohauses Gruber in Weiler im Allgäu, Bayern, Deutschland Italiano: AJS 350 7R del 1962
context_page_description: A café racer is a lightweight, powerful motorcycle optimized for speed and handling rather than comfort – and for quick rides over short distances. With bodywork and control layout recalling early-1960s Grand Prix road racing motorcycles, café racers are noted for their visual minimalism, featuring low-mounted handlebars, prominent seat cowling and elongated fuel tank – and frequently knee-grips indented in the fuel tank.
context_section_description: In addition to light weight, a tuned engine and minimalist bodywork, the café racer typically features distinctive ergonomics.  Dropped bars that are low, narrow handlebars (called "clip-ons")  – enabled the rider to "tuck in", reducing wind resistance and improving control. Along with the rearward located seat, the posture often required rearsets, or rear-set footrests and foot controls, again typical of racing motorcycles of the era. Distinctive half or full race-style fairings were sometimes mounted to the forks or frame.
  John Glimmerveen declared in 2017 that the typical specification of an early café racer would be: swept-back pipes, low-mounted clip-on handlebars or 'Ace' bars, reverse cone megaphone mufflers, TT100 Dunlop tires, rear sets, and larger carburetors (often with inlet trumpet rather than air filters).
  The bikes featured minimalist styling, engines tuned for speed and responsive handling. A typical example was the "Triton", a homemade combination of a Triumph Bonneville engine in a Norton Featherbed frame. A less common hybrid was the "Tribsa" which had a Triumph engine in a BSA duplex frame. Other hybrids café racers included the "NorVin" (a Vincent V-Twin engine in a Featherbed frame), and bikes with racing frames by Rickman or Seeley.
caption: A 1962 AJS 7R 350cc race bike, with features often imitated by café racers
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