Custom Honda CB200 Cafe Racer Looks Like the Work of Pros, Is Actually an Amateur Build
William Tisnes isn’t a professional custom bike builder, nor does he indulge in fully-fledged projects on a regular basis. Hailing from sunny Florida, the man is a huge car-tuning aficionado who documents his undertakings on Instagram. We’re not here to talk about his four-wheeled endeavors, though, instead focusing on how he’s translated his skillset into the realm of two wheels.
That leads us to this breathtaking Honda CB200 cafe racer – his very first custom motorcycle and one of the best amateur-built specimens of its kind. It started out as a 1974 model in need of a comprehensive overhaul, and William was determined to have it gracefully reincarnated in custom form. He got the ball rolling with a complete teardown, before tackling the CB200’s frame and ditching its rear section altogether.
Up next, a neat loop-style subframe was fabricated from scratch, complete with new shock mounts and an incorporated LED lighting strip at the back. Rear-end suspension duties are now assigned to RFY shock absorbers with dual-rate springs and piggyback reservoirs. At the front end, William used fresh triple clamps to install the repurposed forks of a 1973-model CB350, together with a modern steering damper.
The stock braking equipment up north was retained, but it’s been thoroughly revamped to perform as well as it did on day one. Moreover, the whole shebang is operated via a stainless-steel brake line and a premium master cylinder. This takes us to the motorcycle’s cockpit area, which is occupied by clip-on handlebars wearing plain Renthal grips, underslung mirrors, and bar-end turn signals from Motogadget.
Complementing these sporty clip-ons are billet aluminum rearsets supplied by Dime City Cycles. Interestingly enough, the twin factory dials were kept and treated to a comprehensive refurbishment, instead of being swapped with aftermarket hardware. Going back to the unsprung sector for a minute, we notice replacement rims laced to the stock wheel hubs via stainless-steel spokes.
A grippy contact patch is ensured by ContiClassicAttack rubber from Continental’s range, and the hubs were both refurbished for an ultra-clean look. In terms of bodywork, William Tisnes kept the original fuel tank while deleting everything else. The tank was stripped of its paint and embellished with a custom strap up top, now fronting a brown leather saddle upholstered by Tuffside. As you can tell, there are no fenders to speak of.
The only other piece of bodywork is a stylish cafe racer tail section, and a new headlight will henceforth illuminate the way ahead. Moving on to the engine-related work, our protagonist performed an invigorating makeover inside out, then he tasked Hutch’s Welding with creating a rad stainless-steel exhaust system. Aftermarket pod filters are present on the intake side of things, and the finishing touch comes in the form of a snazzy color scheme.
That leads us to this breathtaking Honda CB200 cafe racer – his very first custom motorcycle and one of the best amateur-built specimens of its kind. It started out as a 1974 model in need of a comprehensive overhaul, and William was determined to have it gracefully reincarnated in custom form. He got the ball rolling with a complete teardown, before tackling the CB200’s frame and ditching its rear section altogether.
Up next, a neat loop-style subframe was fabricated from scratch, complete with new shock mounts and an incorporated LED lighting strip at the back. Rear-end suspension duties are now assigned to RFY shock absorbers with dual-rate springs and piggyback reservoirs. At the front end, William used fresh triple clamps to install the repurposed forks of a 1973-model CB350, together with a modern steering damper.
The stock braking equipment up north was retained, but it’s been thoroughly revamped to perform as well as it did on day one. Moreover, the whole shebang is operated via a stainless-steel brake line and a premium master cylinder. This takes us to the motorcycle’s cockpit area, which is occupied by clip-on handlebars wearing plain Renthal grips, underslung mirrors, and bar-end turn signals from Motogadget.
Complementing these sporty clip-ons are billet aluminum rearsets supplied by Dime City Cycles. Interestingly enough, the twin factory dials were kept and treated to a comprehensive refurbishment, instead of being swapped with aftermarket hardware. Going back to the unsprung sector for a minute, we notice replacement rims laced to the stock wheel hubs via stainless-steel spokes.
A grippy contact patch is ensured by ContiClassicAttack rubber from Continental’s range, and the hubs were both refurbished for an ultra-clean look. In terms of bodywork, William Tisnes kept the original fuel tank while deleting everything else. The tank was stripped of its paint and embellished with a custom strap up top, now fronting a brown leather saddle upholstered by Tuffside. As you can tell, there are no fenders to speak of.
The only other piece of bodywork is a stylish cafe racer tail section, and a new headlight will henceforth illuminate the way ahead. Moving on to the engine-related work, our protagonist performed an invigorating makeover inside out, then he tasked Hutch’s Welding with creating a rad stainless-steel exhaust system. Aftermarket pod filters are present on the intake side of things, and the finishing touch comes in the form of a snazzy color scheme.
