Tuesday, April 7, 2009

For sale: Enfield café is fruit of hard labor

A dramatic café racer made from a 1976 Royal Enfield 350 is for sale on eBay in Las Vegas, Nev. The red racer is now a 535cc machine, with five-speed transmission converted to right-shift with set-back linkage. The front brake is still a drum, but it has been drilled for a period-correct appearance.

The builder says he used sheet metal, not Fiberglas and spared no expense. His Buy It Now Price is $5,500, which does not seem excessive when you consider the labor involved. He writes:

"It is the one I thought I’d never sell; I am letting go only because I need space in the garage and I don’t ride it much. This bike has never failed to grab attention the few miles I have ridden it so far.

"Of course one look at the pictures will tell you that the inspiration has come from the quintessential café racer, the Triton and the granddaddy of all, the Manx! The theme of this build was beauty and lightness. However only when you start building one do you discover that an Enfield’s short wheelbase and loop frame simply isn’t going to co-operate with you unless you make the right changes here and there to achieve the right silhouette and riding posture.

"The tank mounts were made and remade thrice, seat pan was modified twice and I went through four rear fenders before arriving at this one!"

The seller is offering free shipping, a rarity.


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