DIVIn Café Racers, master photographer Michael Lichter and motorcycle culture expert Paul d’Orléans visually trace café racer motorcycles from their origins in the mid-twentieth century all the way into modern times. /div

The Café Racer is one of the most enduring styles of motorcycle ever created, capturing the rebellious spirit of the 50s. From original Triton-building Rockers to modern-day Sunday riders on Thruxton 900s, there are thousands of enthusiasts across the world who aspire to own an old school road burner. A look back at the glory days of the Café Racer, from Friday night dices on the North Circular, through the street specials craze of the Seventies, to the modern day revival. Interviews with some of the old school regulars at the Ace Café, and an in-depth look at the great British bike builders like Norman Hyde, Steve and Lester Harris, the Rickman brothers and Paul Dunstall. Featuring a huge, global Café Racer directory – listing specialist builders, spares suppliers, websites etc – alongside a unique mix of personal memories, unseen photos, iconic machines and chassis builders in profile, this book is a must for any ton-up rider.

A nostalgic look at the coffee-bar motorcycle culture of the 1950s and 60s. The book features photographs of souped-up BSAs, Triumphs, Nortons and Ducatis with technical analyses of some of the best bikes produced, from the Triumph Bonneville to the Harris Moto Guzzi.

What's old is new again, and the newest trend on the block is Cafe Racers. Written by well-known motorcycle and automotive author Doug Mitchel, How to Build a Café Racer starts with a history lesson. While those first bikes were built in the UK for racing from cafe to cafe, the current rage for Cafe Racers has definitely spread to the US. Converting a stock motorcycle to a Cafe Racer requires more than a fairing and a few decals. The book starts with chapters on planning and choosing an appropriate bike, followed by chapters that detail the modifications that will likely be embraced by anyone converting a stocker to a rocker. From shocks and tires to engine modifications, Doug's book lays out each type of modification and how it's best carried through. The center of the book holds a gallery of finished bikes. These are not just Triumphs or Nortons, but nearly every brand imaginable from Japan, Italy, the UK, and Germany. The final chapters include two, start-to-finish cafe builds. This is the chance for the reader to see how professional shops take a stock Honda, Triumph, or Ducati and convert it into a fast, sexy, and functional Cafe Racer, ready to race from cafe to cafe on Saturday night, or around the race track on Sunday afternoon.

DIVA photographic chronology of some of the fastest, most stylish, and most individualized bikes in motorcycling history./divDIV/divDIVOriginally used as a slur against riders who used hopped-up motorcycles to travel from one transport café to another, “café racer� describes a bike genre that first became popular in 1960s British rocker subculture—although the motorcycles were also common in Italy, France, and other European countries. The rebellious rock-and-roll counterculture is what first inspired these fast, personalized, and distinctive bikes, with their owners often racing down public roads in excess of 100 miles per hour (“ton up,� in British slang), leading to their public branding as “ton-up boys.� Café Racers traces café racer motorcycles from their origins in the mid-twentieth century all the way into modern times, where the style has made a recent comeback in North America and Europe alike, through the museum-quality portraiture of top motorcycle photographer Michael Lichter and the text of motorcycle culture expert Paul d’Orléans. Chronologically illustrated with fascinating historical photography, the book travels through the numerous ever-morphing and unique eras of these nimble, lean, light, and head-turning machines. Café Racers visually celebrates a motorcycle riding culture as complex as the vast array of bikes within it./div

Ton Up! A Century of Café Racer Speed and Style focuses on the story of the ton-up boys and their café racers. But it's much more than just that. Illustrated with historic and modern photos and featuring a text by one of the world’s motorcycle historians, it's really the story of motorcycle speed and style evolved from the early 1900s right through today. Cafe racers are most associated with the young, rebellious rock-and-rollers of 1960s Britain. These riders created the quintessential café racers—fast motorcycles customized to resemble the racing bikes of the period. They were called “café racers” because their riders raced on public roads, from one café to the next. The goal was to do “the ton” (exceed 100 miles per hour) on these runs, which led to their designation as “ton-up boys.” Today, ton-up culture is more popular than ever and recognized worldwide with a following of young and long-time riders alike.With Ton Up!, enjoy a scenic ride through the history of this vibrant scene.

A celebration of the spectacular cafe racers from around the globe created by individuals, and all based on Italian motorcycles.