| The Ace Cafe, located in London’s Ace Corner, | | | | them all is the BSA Gold Star –its DBD34 Clubman |
| North Circular Road Stonebridge, is one of the most | | | | version is any collector’s dream and represents the |
| concurred reunion points by Cafe Racer enthusiasts. It | | | | quintessential Cafe Racer- which basic concept dated |
| reunited about one thousand bikes in the early 60’s | | | | back to the early 30’s. Amongst the best |
| welcoming visitors 24 hours a day. | | | | manufacturers we can mention are: Eddie Dow (Gold |
| Cafe Racer enthusiasts arrived around eight | | | | Star) or the Rickman brothers Don and Derek |
| o’clock, waiting for the clock to mark midnight so | | | | Rickman (Metisse chassis builders for the Bultaco |
| they would clear the street and get ready for the | | | | Pursang), who created the first Tribsa back in 1959, |
| burn-ups all the way to the Bussy Bee, another biking | | | | after putting together a Triumph motor and a BSA |
| culture icon located twelve miles away from ACE on | | | | chassis. |
| Watford. There were times in which they decided to | | | | The British motorcycle manufacturers had to keep the |
| ride their Cafe Racer jewels to Club 59. Along with | | | | pace on the ever-growing Cafe Racer market, hence, |
| jukeboxes, a new activity was born, it consisted on | | | | they built the Royal Enfield Continental GT and the |
| putting a record on, get on the bike, ride a | | | | always beautiful Velocette Thruxton Venom, but they |
| pre-established course and return to the bar before | | | | would pay a high price for not being aggressive |
| the song was over. This open-street course consisted | | | | enough as it took them a decade to launch such |
| of typically three to four miles, including bridges, | | | | models. Something that Japanese maker Honda was |
| intersections and curves making it really hard to | | | | going to take advantage of introducing the CB 750, a |
| complete due to the cars, pedestrians or anything that | | | | modern, reliable, safe, and well-equipped tour-cylinder |
| could get in your way while accelerating to full throttle. | | | | machine. |
| In order to complete the course, the rider would have | | | | The last expression of the Cafe Racer culture was |
| to maintain an average speed of 68 MPH, giving these | | | | the Norton John Player with its huge white body and |
| daredevils an adrenaline rush that few could handle. | | | | black exhaust. Although Britain claims to be the place |
| The typical Cafe Racer was either a mono or twin | | | | where the movement began, this did not prevented |
| cylinder between 500cc. and 850cc. –needless to | | | | Italian makers to grab a piece of the market by |
| say that they all were made in Britain- some examples | | | | introducing the Ducati 750. Cafe Racer and |
| of such bikes are: Matchless G12 CSR and G15; | | | | Harley-Davidson are also related in Harley |
| Norton Atlas, Dominator and 650SS; Royal Enfield | | | | Davidson’s most sporting bike in its history, the |
| Super Meteor, Constellation and Continental; Triumph | | | | XLCR 1000, a monument with seductive lines derived |
| Trophy and Bonneville; BSA Lightning, Spitfire, Shooting | | | | from the Sportster. |
| Star, Super Rocket and Thunderbolt; Velocette | | | | What started as a reunion amongst some friends that |
| Venom and Viper Clubman; Vincent Grey Flash an so | | | | preferred a power bike that suited better for their |
| on. | | | | highways and country roads, has become part of not |
| Although the above mentioned bikes are icons | | | | only European culture, but part of the motorcycling |
| nowadays, there is no doubt that the true pioneer of | | | | history of the twentieth century post WWII. |