Winter Weightloss for a budding Cafe Racer

Winter is the best time to make changes to my Triumph Bonneville. Previously, I wanted my bonnie to have that 70s classic look. Lately however, I want more of a cafe racer look. I've already replaced the stock handlebars with clubman handlebars. To get more of an aggressive look of a cafe racer, I "bobbed" the rear fender. Using my handy Dremel tool, I cut off most of the tail section off the fender. I left just enough for a new Lucas type rear brake light.

Marking cut lines

Cutting with Dremel tool

Finished cut

After cutting, I filed and sanded the edges so that its smooth to the touch. I used touched up paint to paint the edge and finished it off with a clear lacquer. I'm really happy with the new fender. Not only does it look good, I also saved a lot of money by not buying a fender eliminator kit.

I got rid of the large Emgo plastic signal lights that I had and replaced them with smaller brushed aluminum bullet signal lights. I used a 90 degree aft mount to mount the rear signal lights. I really like the look of the brushed aluminum, so I went ahead and replaced my tail light in the same finish.

Left signal light and tail light

Last year I bought these cool handlebar mirrors from eBay. I was waiting for this time to replace my stock "Mickey Mouse" mirrors. I think these mirrors are actually from China. I find a lot of really cool aftermarket stuff from the far east. I bought these because it comes with 1" adapters. The location of these mirrors lends itself naturally to my riding position. Now I don't have to look up to see whats behind me.

Left side

Right side

While I had the front light assembly dismantled (I also was working on rewiring the tachometer), it was a good time to relocate the ignition key using a relocation bracket. I needed to do this since I started using the clubman bars and having the shorter front signal lights. And also the ignition key's original location really dumb. The new location is much more convenient.

Ignition key relocated

To finish off the cafe racer look (for now), I wrapped my old header pipes with titanium exhaust wraps. I like the look. Some riders don't, but I think it gives the bike more attitude. It's a simple enough process but can be prone to mistakes if you don't take your time. The wrap can easily fray, so be gentle but firm when wrapping. I used stainless steel tie wraps to secure the ends. You can get these from Home Depot. I also used copper wiring for added security. After wrapping, fire up the bike and get ready to see a lot of smoke. I actually rode the bike during a cold winter night. The wrap will set in about half an hour.

Right side header wrapped

Here are other new but smaller items that I highly recommend getting:

Quick Release Seat Screws - Can't say enough good things about these. They are convenient and actually look nice.
Mirror Hole Plugs - These cover up the unsightly holes from where the stock mirrors were mounted into.
Turn Signal Adapter Plates - These gives a clean look to the front signal light mounts.

Are you a cafe racer enthusiast? Are you in a middle of a project? Share photos or links of your work.