(文章轉自wikipedia)
現階段我們稱的英倫風格，
其實就是指早期的比賽車種，
old school race bike.
cafe racer，是一種摩托車，也可以說是一種騎乘者，兩種解釋的根(roots)都是在60 年代英國的反傳統文化搖滾樂或ton up俱樂部，雖然他們在義大利以及德國或是其他歐洲國家也有相同之處。
rockers(搖滾樂家)想要一輛快速, 個人特色的和特別腳踏車可以沿著新建的動脈機動車路和在英國的鎮和城市附近的一些街道來運輸咖啡。且要能夠達到100 英哩每小時(簡單地叫"噸") 。沿著路徑，騎士會從咖啡館離開並且回來，在音樂撥放機撥完完整的一首曲子之前， 沿著這樣路線出發並且回到咖啡館。稱為記錄賽跑。這些事情被記憶著就好比大家喜歡rockabilly的音樂，且他們的圖像現今也被存放在rockabilly的文化館。
一個最典型的範例，那就是從nw london的north circular路上的ace cafe到hanger lane連接點(也就是現在很有名的hanger lane 旋轉系統)然後回去，目標當然是完成紀錄，也就是音樂撥放機的曲子撥完以前要回去，當時最有名的就是eddie cochran的曲調，換算成現在也不過2分鐘長度。
一台cafe racer摩托車是強調速度以及操控性，放棄舒適性的車款。cafe racer的人體工學、操控介面幾乎都是抄襲當時的GP道路競賽，長油箱，後移的小且隆起的椅墊，最大的特稱就是那低，且窄的手把，提供高速時精準的操控性，並且使得車手可以捲曲起來降低高速時所形成的風阻。也因為這樣的設計，因此人體工學上車體也經常配置腳踏後移，或是後移的腳踏板加上腳控制器。在那個典型賽車的時代，一半的賽車或是完全的賽車都會將整流罩設置在手把上或是車架上。
The bikes had a raw, utilitarian and stripped-down appearance while the engines were tuned for maximum speed. These motorcycles were lean,light and handled road surfaces well. The most defining machine of its heyday was the homemade Norton Featherbed framed and Triumph Bonneville engined machine called "The Triton".It used the most common and fastest racing engine combined with thebest handling frame of its day, the Featherbed frame by NortonMotorcycles. Those with less money could opt for a "Tribsa" - the Triumph engine in a BSA frame.
這種摩托車有一個嚴厲的、功利主義的且拆下所有的外裝，將引擎設定成最高速度，這種摩托車精瘦，輕量，掌控路況良好。全盛時期定義這個的是Norton全手工製作的車架，配上Triumph Bonneville的引擎，稱為"Triton"。Triton是當時最共同且最快的引擎配上最佳處理的車架(NortonMotorcycles製作)。花少點錢的話可以擁有'Tribsa" 一台Triumph的引擎配上BSA的車架。
Cafe Racers v. Choppers The cafe racer has a lot in common with the chopperor bobber scene in the USA and both have their roots with post-WorldWar II veterans. Riders rejected the large transportation-orientedmotorcycles of the time by taking these motorcycles and removing partsdeemed unnecessary. While American GIs would take military-spec HarleyDavidsons and "chop" off anything unnecessary to improve performance,European veterans took similar measures with their motorcycles. Bothlooked to make the standard factory motorcycles faster and lighter,although the difference between the nature of the US and European roadsystems led to somewhat different results. While the Americans favoureda low heavy cruiser style of motorcycle for straightline comfort, theEuropeans preferred a higher, more nimble motorcycle better suited tothe more twisting roads of their nations. In Britain, many roads can betraced to Roman origin and even older roads following terrain. Therewere no interstates/autobahn type roads until late 1950's. 'A' roadswere(are) better surfaced and wider with multiple travel lanes inbuilt-up areas or between urban areas but may be only two laneundivided highway in low traffic areas (such as the M1_motorway).It must be remembered that it was also a style born largely out of thepoverty of Post-War Europe and so not given to the excesses of laterHarley-Davidson Billet-Barge style customisation.
Evolution of Cafe Racer StyleCafe racer styling evolved throughout the time of their popularity.By the mid-70's, Japanese bikes had overtaken British bikes in themarketplace, and the look of real Grand Prix racing bikes had changed.The hand-made, frequently unpainted aluminium racing petrol/gas tanks of the 1960s had evolved into square, narrow, fiberglasstanks. More and more, three- and four-cylinder Hondas and Kawasakiswere the basis for cafe racer conversions. By 1978, a number ofmanufacturers had taken notice of the cafe racer boom and wereproducing factory cafe racers, most notably the Harley-Davidson XLCR, the Ducati Super Sport models and the Kawasaki Z1R. In 1979, Suzuki offered the cafe-style GS1000S.
While the first cafe racer conversions amounted to a nearly completere-engineering of the motorcycle, by the mid-70s riders began modifyingstandard production motorcycles into so-called "cafe racers" by simplyequipping them with clubman bars and a small "bubble" quarter fairingaround the headlight. A number of European manufacturers, including Aspes, Benelli, BMW, Bultaco & Derbiproduced factory "cafe" variants of their standard motorcycles in thismanner, without any modifications made to make them faster or morepowerful. Once cafe racer styling became just that--a styling exercisethat served no functional purpose and simply made bike less comfortableto ride--the trend quickly waned in popularity. Soon afterwards, mostnew sportbikes began featuring integral bodywork from the factory,negating the need or ability to retrofit an aftermarket cafe fairing.
Cafe Racer SubcultureThe term Cafe racer is still used to describe motorcycles of acertain style and some motorcyclists still use this term inself-description. Worthy of mentioning here is that an entire newsub-culture has evolved since the heyday of the Rockers. The 'CafeRacers', a term that existed in the 1950s and 1960s to refer to bikeriders of the race track, but is used now to describe motorcycle riderswho choose classic/vintage British, Italian or Japanese motorbikes fromthe 50s-to late 1970s as their bike of choice, over other styles ofbikes.
These Cafe Racers do not follow the fashion/music subculture of the Rockers,old or new, but dress in a more modern and comfortable appearance withonly a hint of likeness to the Rockers style. Common Levi jeans,generic motorcycle jackets, boots and/or shoes with modern helmetsbeing the norm, instead of the very specific brand names, styles andlook established by the Rockers. These Cafe Racers have taken elementsof the American Greaser, British Rocker and modern motorcycle riderlook to create a style all their own.
Because the effects of drinking alcohol are detrimental for operating a motor vehicle, it is obvious why Cafe Racers choose to stop for drinks of coffeerather than alcohol. The operating of motorcycles after consumingalcohol is somewhat acceptable to the image of riding choppers orcruisers further making them the antithesis of Cafe Racing. Alighthearted term has arisen for motorcyclists who dare to ride betweenplaces where they can consume alcohol, such as a tavern, called "TtT Racing" which is a play of words on Tourist Trophyand an anagram of riding from: "Tavern-to-Tavern". Though amotorcyclist doesn't have to actually drink any coffee to qualify as aCafe Racer it is logically implied, however impairing skills withalcohol does generally disqualify a person from being referred to asany type of "racer" while under the influence. The term "TtT Racing"does not require that the participants were attempting any type ofracing feat, merely that they were riding between places to consumealcohol.
Cafe Racers Today While the knowledge of the term remains widespread, it is oftenapplied by the uninformed to nearly any bike with a flat seat and lowhandlebars. The more recent term "Streetfighter"is sometimes applied to cafe racers, and vice versa. However,"streetfighter" describes the practice of stripping theoriginal-equipment full fairing and other bodywork off spar-framed"race-replica" sport bikes popular in recent years. The canonicalprofile of a cafe racer and a streetfighter are quite distinct.
Classic cafe racer style has made a comeback recently, thankslargely to the increased interest in vintage motorcycles in general.The baby boomerswere responsible for a surge in motorcycle sales in the late 1960s and'70s, and many of this generation now find themselves with the time anddiscretionary income to recreate the bikes they had--or wished tohave--in their younger years.
<還好多... 慢慢翻譯= =>
[ 本帖最後由 gayforum 於 2008-1-23 18:44 編輯 ] |
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