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Café au lait: A Honda CB450 from the Gaucho . Highlands


Honda CB450 cafe racer by Caffeine Customs
Nothing beats Rapid explosion early in the morning through the hills above my house. The air is fresh, it’s sunny, and I don’t have to share the road with many other motor vehicles. I do despite having to share it with a bike — and I’m always surprised how more people choose the pedal over the gas.

This Honda CB450 cafe racer, however, is built for people who like both. This is the seventh bike made by Bruno Costa, of Caffeine Custom in Brazil. And it’s affectionately known as the ‘White Shark’, thanks to its slim, pearl-white monolithic silhouette.

Honda CB450 cafe racer by Caffeine Customs
“The owner is an avid cyclist who wanted a low and narrow motorcycle for short, fun rides around the winding roads of the Gaucho Plateau,” said Bruno. “Mixing a classic cafe racer with modern touches, we made it narrow to accentuate the engine and make it appear larger.”

With the project completed briefly, Bruno chose a 1987 model Honda CB450 TR is the sponsor’s bike. An original CB450 would make a great commuter, but it didn’t set the world on fire in terms of styling. Bruno and his customers feel the same way, so very few of the original bikes are now left.

Honda CB450 cafe racer by Caffeine Customs
The first thing to go are snowflake-style cast wheels. Instead, there are 5-spoke alloy wheels of the later Honda model, which also borrows the front fork cluster. Finished in dark gray and covered with new Pirelli rubber, the new bracelets look far more modern.

The custom front fender is made of steel and doubles as a fork brace. The striking, almost neoclassical design combines nicely with the LED headlights, donated by a Harley V-Rod. This is bolted to the front with a custom bracket.

Honda CB450 cafe racer by Caffeine Customs
On a higher level, Bruno installed a custom upper fork with integrated LED warning lights and a mount for the Motogadget. Motoscope Mini speedometer. Clip-on handlebars, new grips, button switches, turn signals and rearview mirror are also equipped. To keep the cockpit clean, all wiring was threaded inside through the bars.

Honda CB450 cafe racer by Caffeine Customs
Next is the tank, saddle and single tail unit. Bruno describes it as the most challenging part of the build process and it’s easy to see why. Starting with an aftermarket fuel tank, he built a steel saddle and rear bumper, then stitched everything together seamlessly.

The saddle is decorated with Alcantara, and although it looks slim, it is very luxurious compared to the saddles that customers have used. At the rear are integrated LED taillights, projecting from behind the awning visor. The custom aluminum fuel tank cap and laser-cut steel logo on the fuel tank are neat touches.

Honda CB450 cafe racer by Caffeine Customs
Custom bodywork was hard to come by but Bruno nailed it, along with a new rear subframe that supported it. The car was also full of coils, but because space was limited, Bruno had to be very ingenious.

Everything is packed into a tray under the saddle, which can be removed without removing the bodywork. A small Lithium-ion battery is stored under the swingarm.

Honda CB450 cafe racer by Caffeine Customs
Honda’s engine has been refreshed and has a fresh coat of paint to match the wheels. The custom double-walled stainless steel case and exhaust filter frees up a few more horses from the 450.

The aluminum rear wing is fitted for a unique foothold, and Bruno made an aluminum license plate holder to round out the bodywork.

Honda CB450 cafe racer by Caffeine Customs
The end result is a skinny cafe racer with perfect proportions. Reducing weight and tweaking the powertrain certainly benefits the double-torque, but it’s the aesthetics that make this car a winner.

If there was a motorcycle equivalent to a yellow shirt, Bruno would wear it.

Caffeine Custom | Facebook | Instagram | Photo of Paulo Pretz

Honda CB450 cafe racer by Caffeine Customs





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