Question - VF750F - Cafe Racer

Is it a little odd to take a donor first gen Interceptor VF750F and rebuild it as a Cafe Racer? I've seen a couple of Magna's (shaft drives) rebuilt as Cafe Racers and I've seen one VF750F rebuilt as a cafe.

 

I'm in the middle of "resto-modding" my bike, which basically means replacing the wheels and suspension with modern units and doing minor cosmetics. There doesn't seem to be a word for that, but I guess quickening up any bike is making it a "cafe racer" now. I say go for it, there's no shortage of real nice stock ones, and lots of guys on here who can help you make it fast and look good.

 

Taking an older production bike and making it one's own is not odd at all. If the bike was some rare one of a kind issue or a racebike with great provenance then maybe.

This also depends on what in one's mind a "Café Racer" is or was. Tons of pix from that era from UK. There is a builder in California that specializes in doing the Café number on Honda 750s and the many iterations of the Yamaha vertical twins that were made for years.

With some digging and careful looking to be found would be old time Café Racers that are shaft drive.

All ya need now is a pudding bowl.

 

I know that there are purists out there in other forums that really share there feelings regarding anyone altering an Interceptor into a "Cafe Racer". And I understand and accept their opinions.
Here is where I'm going. I really like the Yammy xv conversions, but I'm looking for a "V-twin" bike with a chain drive and the "920's" are very hard to find. So.... I came across the VF750 bike line, but alas the Magna and the Sabre are shaft drives and the Interceptor was the only one that was chain drive.
I prefer the Interceptor Rake angle compared to the Magna's, but I would prefer to use the Magna's frame.
I've seen several examples of Interceptors converted to "Cafe Racers" without the seat fairing and using the original gas tank. And ... it just looks a bit odd, I'm sure it rides nice, but it sure isn't even remotely close to being very aerodynamic.
So, maybe my actual question should be, can a VFR750 out of an Interceptor (1986), fit in a 1983 Magna frame with minimal frame alterations (with an understanding that I would have to replace the swing arm as well)? I suspect that the engine mount points would need to be fabricated onto the Magna Frame and that I would probably have to use the Magna's Airbox.
As I'm writing this I can see that there are a lot of unknowns and in the long run, it might be "smarter" to just find a running 1986 VFR750F and spend the time making a custom gas tank.

 

If aerodynamics are what youre after, it would be a pretty bad idea to ditch the original panels I think. It would also be a lot harder to make a sporty bike out of a magna chassis than an interceptor. I think youre right that you're easiest path would just be making a gas tank, seat and maybe rear cowl that look the way you want rather than trying to transform a bike that looks how you want it into one that goes fast.

 

I guess I came across in my update incorrectly. I am not interested in aerodynamics, at least not for this project. I just think using the stock gas tank makes the bike look like a camel with no tail. I've looked at the VFR750F frame and it has some structural limitations that will force me to come up with a tank design that is a lot less wart looking. Any ways, thank you for your input.

 

This link will get you to some current "café racers" and a few VFR versions for good measure. Another source will be VFR "naked" bikes. For some pix of 1960s café bikes see sources for "mods and rockers" and "The Ace Café"

IMO it's your bike and you can do with it what you feel is right except buying a bunch of bolt on farkles from the Harley store..

What I would like to see someday is a hot VFR with a dustbin fairing.