Vintage Cafe Racer Jackets

[Dinerman]

Cut down cafe racer

 

[Sloan1874]

Seems a waste of a rather nice cafe racer to me. [huh]

 

[navetsea]

that one is clearly unlined, probably too much hassle going into the sleeves

 

[rocketeer]

Wikipedia states the following:

"A cafe racer[1] (/ˈkæff reɪsər/kaff racer)[2][3][4] is a term used for a type of motorcycle, as well as the motorcyclists who ride them. Both meanings have their roots in the 1960s British Rocker or Ton-up boy subculture, although the type of motorcycles were also common in Italy, France[5] and other European countries. The term, which originally arose as an insult from motorcycle enthusiasts towards riders who they thought were playing at being a road racer but merely parked outside cafes,[6] refers to a style of motorcycles that were and are used for fast rides from one transport cafe[7][8] or coffee bar to another.[9]"

Just retro looked this topic
Thats just about spot on really, especially the pronunciation Kaff rather than Cafeyhayhay.
Today us Power Ranger types also have a name for those who think they are wannabe track stars, we call them Sunday Morning Rossi's. After Valentino, rather than Francis

I had a great jacket back in the 1980s, yes it was a short stand mandarin but we just called them bike jackets.
Was it Aero who coined the name for the jacket when they brought out a style they named Cafe Racer?
Shame about the jacket with the cut off arms, looked a nice jacket, but, well thats the owners choice.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Over here until the naughties I always heard them called bike jackets with a mandarin collar. Don't know the Rossi fellows you are referring to but I get the jist.

The reason for the cut off sleeves may well have been damage. My dog once chewed the sleeves of one of my leather jackets and damaged them beyond repair.

 

[rocketeer]

Over here until the naughties I always heard them called bike jackets with a mandarin collar. Don't know the Rossi fellows you are referring to but I get the jist.

The reason for the cut off sleeves may well have been damage. My dog once chewed the sleeves of one of my leather jackets and damaged them beyond repair.

Valentino Rossi is a current motorcycle Grand prix champion, a bit like Mike Halewood or Agostini their day. Francis Rossi is a member of an old rock group Status Quo