“If you want something done, do it yourself”. Try following that mantra when it comes to building a custom motorcycle....
JoinedApril 30, 2018
Articles2,449
Geoff launched Return of the Cafe Racers in 2006 as a place to document his very first cafe racer build. He has also worked as the editor of the independent custom motorcycle magazine Tank Moto, contributed to other online publication like BikeExif and co-hosted several Australian automotive events. Geoff also regularly visits custom bike events around the world as a special guest or media partner.
The Katze is finally out of the Tasche. BMW Motorrad has unveiled its highly anticipated R18 concept. As we all...
Every motorcyclist dreams of escaping the daily grind on their two-wheeled steed. Just imagine how fun it would be ditching...
We love cafe racers trimmed to perfection. Bikes built for a narrow purpose. A ride with lights removed, brackets cut...
Mentioning Grand Tourer and cafe racer in the same sentence isn’t something you’ll see me do often. That’s because bikes...
Down here in Australia winter is just around the corner and with it comes the end of the automotive festival...
My dog doesn’t care for the Yamaha XSR900. When I arrive home on any other motorcycle the small ball of...
The hotter it gets, the harder it is to properly suit up for a ride — over 35c, the idea...
Take the most powerful engine in the Triumph modern classic range and shoehorn it into one of the most revered...
I’ve said it before and I will say it again. The most beautiful engines ever made were the v-twins manufactured...
Over the past 5 years, I’ve been lucky enough to visit is a wide range of custom automotive shows around...
Russia’s not just the home of borscht, vodka and Oscarworthy dashcam footage. In recent years there’s been some stellar motorcycle...
When you choose to travel on two wheels, you accept the fact you’ll get a little wet on occasion. Waterproof...
One of the many amazing bikes on display at this year’s Handbuilt show in Austin was Dustin Kott’s BMW R80....
Luxembourg’s Blacktrack Motors have been steadily ramping things up since they started back in 2015. They kicked things off with...
Years ago I saw some pictures of a very low, very mean blue CB750 cafe racer and it was a...
O, to be a motorcycle journalist in the 1970s. When men were hairy, and bikes were lairy. With their barely-there...
You would think that after ten years of hearing rider feedback on every kind of riding gear imaginable a company...
The cafe racer in BMW’s R nineT heritage series won hearts with its sleek styling. However, motorcycle journalists brought a...
After literally killing his Kawasaki KLR650 Fort Nine’s “tell it like it is” vlogger Ryan Kluftinger has resurrected the bike in...
Brushed alloy is the new chrome. There are zero performance benefits from its use, but boy does it look good....
As the world’s largest producer of motorcycles, it comes as no surprise that Honda cafe racer builds are commonplace here...
If you ride a Ducati and don’t get tingles when you see the letters NCR it’s time for a history...
For more than a decade I’ve stayed true to this websites cafe racer theme. I can assure you this was...
Ask anyone who’s ever tried. Running a successful custom motorcycle shop is no easy feat. Now imagine only having 2...
For custom motorcycle builders making ends meet is a tough gig. Sometimes it takes more than just waiting for customers...
If you’re already familiar with Sena, it’s probably through their lineup of Bluetooth riding accessories. They’ve long been supplying riders...
In 1986 girls swooned and guys headed to the nearest motorcycle dealership at the sight of Tom Cruise astride his Top...
I’ve seen enough BMW cafe racer builds to last a lifetime. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to see any...
Is it a Ducati 748/749 with bigger muscles or a trimmed down 1098? The Ducati 848 was a new bike in...
Over the years I’ve featured thousands of custom motorcycles built by talented folks from all over the world. Some have...
There are plenty of custom motorcycles born of mixed parentage. Some should never have been conceived and yet others like...
The line between motorcycle riding gear and everyday streetwear has well and truly been blurred. Whether you’re riding to work...
Having the luxury of being able to build motorcycles at your own pace isn’t something most professional workshops enjoy. For...
When Honda finally joined the new wave modern retro movement with the CB1000R Neo Sports Cafe we knew it was...
Today’s edition of Sunday Screening is brought to you by the chaps at The Bike Shed London. In this film,...
When a builder chooses to convert a tourer into a cafe racer it’s always a bit of a surprise to...
While most aspects of motorcycle design have come a long way since the 70s, there and several that haven’t. Take...
Good mates building bikes together. That’s essentially what you’ll find at Bold Motorcycles HQ, which happens to be a home...
The reason the Schott Perfecto jacket looks like the original leather motorcycle jacket is because it IS the original leather...
It’s been 3 years since the release of Triumph’s water-cooled Bonneville range. Amongst the first of the new Modern Classics...
The notion of building a cafe racer using a Ducati platform brings a few ideal donors to mind. The most obvious...
We’ve always found video to be one of the most inspiring forms of media. Over the years we’ve seen some...
If you have ever delved into the chopper scene you’re sure to have heard of the brand Biltwell. Based in...
The Honda CB400 Super Four is a run of the mill naked UJM which first hit the streets back in...
The story behind the success of Brisbane’s Ellaspede workshop is one of good old Aussie grit and determination. They started...
There are so many things to consider when buying new jeans for the bike. Cut, colour, style… but hang on...
One place where form should never compromise function is in the world of motorcycle customisation. This is particularly relevant when...
There are plenty of arguments for why you should build a cafe racer of your own rather than have it...
Royal Enfield lay claim to producing the world’s longest constant production motorcycle design. The first Royal Enfield Bullet rolled out...
Harley-Davidson is the indisputable king of cruisers. Sure they’ve dabbled with a few racing bikes in the past, but they...
If your search for the perfect motorcycle backpack is coming up trumps, perhaps it’s time to change tack. This cross-body, single strap...
I’m in Sydney for the Australian release of the new Royal Enfield 650 twins. During the next couple of days,...
After the success of the ‘Speed’ and ‘Sakura’ motorcycle gloves English riding gear outfit, 78 Motor Co, has released an all-new...
Anyone who works on motorcycles knows the importance of a good stand. Raising your motorcycle up off the floor gives...
Triumph certainly seem to have gotten the formula right when they released their Thruxton R. I’ve heard both seasoned motorcycle...
If you’re looking to add a touch of Steve McQueen style to your riding clobber then Fuel Motorcycles have just...
I’m proud to call Australia home and it’s because of my love for this big hot island down under that...
It’s not often I hear of custom workshops offering 3-year warranties. However, new Bulgarian workshop Thracian bikes are doing just...
There are only a handful of automotive films that I regard as truly great. Sitting at the top of the...
Rich in wildlife and beautiful scenery the Kangaroo Valley in New South Wales is one of Australia’s hidden gems. Divided...
It may come as a surprise, but cafe racers aren’t the only style of custom motorcycle I admire. Back when...
For most of its existence, the AMD World Championship of bike building has focused on chopper styled builds. Thankfully in...
Although I spend a lot of time traveling to international shows, what excites me the most is the work of...
In the world of modern-retro motorcycles, there’s a new player who is somewhat of a black sheep. That’s mainly due...
When Eric Buell released the Buell M2 Cyclone it sat in a sweet spot in his tubular framed range. The...
When you are the organiser of what is arguably the biggest custom motorcycle event in the world it goes without...
From the crew at Australian riding gear outfit Akin, comes the second edition of their awesome Alpha motorcycle jacket. After...
That’s a wrap for another year of cafe racer coverage from around the globe. This year was Return of the...
It’s not every day you find yourself handing out an award at one of the world’s most prestigious custom automotive...
This year was the 27th anniversary of the Mooneyes Yokohama Hot Rod and Custom Show. Yes, you read that right....
Most of the bikes in the Bandit9 portfolio would look right at home exhibited in London’s Tate Modern. Bandit9 chief...
One of the better ways to beat the doldrums at the office is to ride to work. But if you...
London based Helmet manufacturer Hedon has expanded their range to include a revolutionary new motorcycle jacket. The Mirage is a reflective...
Building one-off projects for individual customers has its benefits, but it isn’t the most reliable income model for a custom...
While ground up builds that push the boundaries of design and engineering are great, its the less ostentatious projects that...
Any helmet company can build a retro-styled helmet. But Bell Helmets has the history to back up all claims to...
Restaurant, hotel and casino chain Hard Rock Cafe are set to open their latest hotel venture on the Spanish island...
The motorcycle industry as a whole has been struggling through declining sales for several years now. There are plenty of...
The custom motorcycle world has been full of collaborations in the past few years. Manufacturers have recognised the influence custom...
I am Nigel Petrie from Engineered To Slide and I want to share with you my new BMW R Nine...
Each year more than 100,000 riders gather at 650 locations around the world to ride as one. The majority of...
I never thought I was a fan of muscle bikes until I rode a Yamaha XJR1300. It was in 2015...
You go to the trouble of picking out your riding gear, yet when the rain comes, you’re stuck covering it...
With many of the major car manufacturers now developing electric vehicles it was only a matter of time before motorcycle...
If you’ve read my ride review of the 2018 Kawasaki Z900RS or its cafe racer counterpart, you’d know I‘m rather...
I’ve been an invited guest at Kustomfest Indonesia for 5 years now. Thanks to the show I’ve made some great...
When a customer brought his ’76 Moto Guzzi Le Mans 850 to Czech workshop ‘Gas & Oil Motorcycles’ they were...
The Skorpion Sport was produced by German motorcycle manufacturer MZ (Motorrad und Zweiradwerk) between 1994 and 2004. Although you may have never...
I’d been burning around town on the Svartpilen 401 for a week. The time had finally come to exchange it...
When you’re laying down your hard earned cash on an item of riding gear it’s always nice if it suits...
Too much hype can lead to disappointment. We see it almost every time Apple reveals a new product or there’s...
Rebuilding wrecked bikes means being prepared to take on some real challenges. When Marc Roissetter bought his Ducati Monster 1100...
Biltwell has been producing retro styled helmets since before many of the larger manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon. Unfortunately for...
Tom John, the man behind Purpose Built Moto, has 13 years of electrical contracting work up his sleeves. This is...
It’s been almost a year since I featured Andy Mergerle’s Honda CB750 cafe racer project. It’s not often I publish...
Earlier this month I ventured to Indonesia with Luke from Fuel Tank. This was our 5th year attending the Kustomfest...
The Roads We Ride collaboration between Transport for NSW, Pipeburn and Stories of Bike continues with a journey into New...
When you ride, you adapt — to the conditions on the road, to the weather, to the day. If you...
Anyone who has a passion for Italian motorcycles is sure to know the significance of Bimota. The small privately owned...
