How To Build a Budget Café Racer or Scrambler

Tearing your bike down. 

You may want to avoid it, but trust me, just get it done. If you need engine work done and you can take the motor already removed to a mechanic you’re already streets ahead! Go to your local grocery store and buy a ton of cheap Tupperware containers, as you’re pulling it down label the tubs and separate as much as practical into small groups of where your small parts and fasteners came from. Separate parts into tubs labelled things like Front brake, Swing arm bushings, Engine mount bolts, rear suspension, separate as much as you can and re-assembling your bike will be super easy.

Rebuild the small stuff yourself.

I’m not talking about the whole engine here, If I’m honest I don’t do that myself anyway. I’d rather trust a great mechanic who knows his stuff far better than I do. That said, there are a lot of simple things you can rebuild/fix that will save you dollars! 

• Brake callipers – These are usually seized-up on older bikes, buy a brake seal kit and/or replacement piston for your model motorcycle and have at this yourself. It’s quite simple once you pull apart the seized caliper. The use of a heat gun while stripping these can be really helpful.
• Wheel, swingarm, head stem bearings – Often really cheap to replace, and easy to do. Remove your old bearings (heat gun helps here again) and take them to a local bearing shop to get replacements. If you search out on eBay for your bike type bearings you’ll normally be overcharged. I call this the novice moto guy tax, eBay sellers will realize mechanics don’t search for ‘cx500 wheel bearings’ and assume you don’t know how cheap they should be, then charge you double for it.
• Fork seals – You will need some special tools at times but once you get the forks apart you’re on easy street. There’s a heap of articles out there with info on the process and fork seals will cost your $50 max, again available from a local bearings and seals place.
• Clutch – Another simple job that’s detailed well in your workshop manual. Get yourself a clutch kit and swap them out if needed. If your budget Café Racer project has been sitting a while, chances are you will need it. You’ll need the fibre plates, but if the clutch hasn’t been to hell and back you’ll normally be able to re-use your steel plates. Just check them for marks and warping and give them a clean up with some Scotchbrite. I’d recommend doing this toward the end of your project as you don’t want your clutch sitting dry for months on end after replacing it.
• Carburettors – The dreaded carby clean up. They are a lot more complicated than the other components on your bike but remember these 4 things while doing it and you’ll be fine.
  – Keep everything clean! Tidy your work area of dust and anything else, lay down a lint free cloth before you start
  – Separate parts carb by carb and even further if needed (top slide and bottom bowl)
  – Tight enough is tight enough, be extremely careful of overtightening and cross threading your brass jets and parts
  – Take pictures as you tear them down if you need to for reference when piecing them back together.

You can get yourself a gasket and O-ring kit by searching your carb type and number. then grab some carburettor cleaning solution and make sure they are pristine before putting them back together, a bit of compressed air cleaning helps too.