Cafe racer and Chopper

The cafe racer has something in common with the chopper or bobber scene in the USA where riders rejected the large transportation-oriented motorcycles of the time. Both took factory produced motorcycles, removed parts deemed unnecessary and made them loud by removing muffler baffles for freer exhaust flow and perhaps to draw a little attention to themselves as well. Both looked to make the standard factory motorcycles faster and lighter, although the difference between the nature of the US and European motorcycles and road systems led to somewhat different results. While the Americans favored a long and low cruiser style of motorcycle for straight line comfort, the Europeans preferred a higher, more nimble and better handling motorcycle suited to the more twisting roads of their nations

Japs Style

 
3 Januari 2010. Semua orang juga tau kalau negara Jepang adalah produsen motor terbesar di dunia, dan mereka memiliki sejumlah merek motor yang sudah terkenal, HONDA, YAMAHA, KAWASAKI, dan SUZUKI.  Asal tau saja, ternyata modifikasi motor yang lagi ngetrend sekarang ini khususnya di Indonesia bukan lagi memainkan motor Jepang keluaran terbaru, tetapi juga modifikasi motor lawas alias motor tua jadi selera Jepang dengan sebutan ‘Japs Style’. Yang berkembang bukan saja modif untuk motor lawas Jepang, tetapi juga diikuti oleh motor-motor lawas Amerika (HD) dan juga motor Eropa lainnya.

Sejarah Singkat Japs Style

Sebenarnya modif aliran Japs Style ini memang sudah cukup lama beredar, sejak tahun 1990-an aliran Japs Style sudah dikenal di Husibuya Tokyo Jepang dengan sebutan Braddty Style.

Dalam perkembangannya, Japs Style memiliki berbagai macam aliran, antara lain Braty Style, Street Tracker, Flat Tracker, Street Demon, Japaneesse South Carolina, dan juga Cafe’ Racer. Jadi, pada awalnya muda-mudi Jepang mencontek gaya builder Amerika yang dikenal dengan desain Socal (South California), disana mereka mengadopsi motor pabrikan negaranya sendiri.

Japs Style di Indonesia

Bagaimana sejarahnya aliran Japs Style sampai ke Indonesia? Dari beberapa literatur yang ada, konon modif ini dibawa oleh anak muda asal Bandung, yaitu Franky Morry Astorianto pemilik bengkel modifikasi motor ‘Yasashi Garage’. Yang tidak disangka adalah, Franky tidak pernah menyangka kalau hobi dari utak-atik motor yang dilakoninya kini bisa menjadi bisnis yang menjanjikan. Dengan bendera usaha Yasashi Garage, ia bersama dengan 5 orang builder lainnya siap menyulap motor tua jadi macho.

Lagi-lagi Bandung memang segalanya bagi dunia bikers. Bandung sangat dikenal dengan ide-ide, maupun kreatifitas yang luar biasa, bahkan sangat liar dalam berkreasi. Punya gaya, maupun khas modifikasi dari berbagai belahan dunia, termasuk desain modif dari negeri Sakura Jepang ataupun negara lainnya.

1951 Triumph Thunderbird drag bike

The year is 1954 and 15 year old drag racer Bobby Sirkegian positions his '51 Triumph Thunderbird alongside a souped-up, barebones hot rod. Art Barker host of the hit TV show "You Asked For It" drops the flag and the two high powered machines launch off down the Pomona, California drag strip. The race appears to be neck and neck but as the two cross the finish line Bobby is a full bike length in front. It's a defining moment in automotive television history and a huge boost for Triumph motorcycle popularity in the United States. Now almost 60 years later the "Baby Mine" Triumph Thunderbird is as stunning as ever and has just changed hands after being in Bobbies possession since he retired from drag racing in 1956.

Bobbers vs choppers

Bobbers are related to choppers in that they represent a minimalistic approach where the motorcycle is stripped of parts or accessories not needed but bobbers generally retain the characteristics of the stock frame.
The principal difference between a bobber and chopper is that bobbers are typically built around unmodified frames. Chopper frames are often cut and welded into shape. Bobbers also often lack most of the chopper's aesthetic characteristics such as chromed parts and elongated forks. Thus, bobbers are fairly easy to create from stock motorcycles and are generally hand built.
The term chopper started to be used from the late 1960s onwards, for motorcycles whose frames had been customized to have a greater angle at which the front suspension protruded with smaller fuel tanks and tall handlebars called ape hangers. For many owners, the difference between bobbers and choppers doesn't come down to what's on the motorcycle but what isn't on it and whether it has a short front end or a long front end, stretched suspension defining it as a chopper.
Whereas customized motorcycles can be extremely expensive, bobber builders tend to adopt an economical approach involving old, second hand, recycled parts and hand machined items redolent of the period before the mass-market motorcycle accessory industry had developed.