Monday, July 23, 2007

West coast choppers tries to create a Cafe Racer-and fails.

From the Kneeslider:

"(The) Honda guys were tossing around ideas for something else to do with their then new (early 2002) VTX 1800 V-Twin engine. Someone came up with the notion that Jesse James might be just the right person to push the envelope a bit so they gave him an engine, some money and said, “Build us a bike.”

Jesse retired to his West Coast Choppers workshop and produced the VTX Cafe Racer, first shown at the Cycle World show in Long Beach. It has an airbag rear suspension, an inboard rear disc brake on the driveshaft, handbuilt frame and bodywork, but in the end, it’s a very interesting example of another direction for these big cruiser V-Twin engines the manufacturers already have in their back rooms.

Although there are many things about this bike that would never see production, it shows that cruisers aren’t the only place for these engines. Could Honda build something like this? Sure. Will they? Chances are slim. They should, but they probably won’t."


3 comments:

mchristian said...

Blech! There's ugly, damned ugly, and then there's this thing ....

Skylar said...

nah it's hot. Jesse's way. He needs a better grip on balance between chrome/gloss red, but he's a good builder, and this is a nice departure from the raked out choppers he's been making for years

Unknown said...

look at the Yamaha Mt-01 similar idea i think.