Cafe look on 850 Interstate

shelbygt · Jul 2, 2012

Decided I'd start a new thread for this...

Saw cafe style seats on Evil Bay before and thought they looked neat. Is there anything you guys would recommend that fit since I think the consensus is to steer clear of the Vietnam seat?

PO of my Interstate put Highrider bars on mine (looks like hell) and I'd like to switch them out. I'd like a cafe windscreen and bars that fit and look right with the windscreen. Suggestions appreciated.

I think the big Interstate tank would look good cafe style. If I'm wrong you won't hurt my feelings. After 3 kids and 25 yrs of marriage you'd have to try pretty hard to do that....

rvich · Jul 2, 2012

Sorta like this?

shelbygt · Jul 2, 2012

Holy shit that looks great!

That's what I'm talkin' about......

shelbygt · Jul 2, 2012

What seat and bars are you using?

rvich · Jul 2, 2012

Its a good looking bike. It isn't mine, it lives in Europe somewhere. Do a search for "Black Betty" to find the original thread. There was recently an interstate tank on Ebay for sale that was damaged with dents on each side from what probably had been somebody's knees. I bid on it but failed to be successful. I was thinking about this bike when I saw the tank. I wouldn't have the guts to do that to a "good" Interstate tank, but one that was already banged around...maybe so.

Russ

shelbygt · Jul 2, 2012

I'd send an image of my bike if I could figure out how to do it? Not sure if administrator has to allow it?

The tank is original black paint with gold pinstripes. No plans to do anything with it since I guess they aren't real common. Just build around it.

tjfisher · Jul 2, 2012

:shock:

wow that's it !!!!! Now I see the final look!!! The interstate tank beat to cafe submission is perfect !

shelbygt · Jul 2, 2012

Hard to tell what he had to start with. Could be a real improvement over what he had. I've seen some mangled up rusty garbage I'd never use people bring off of life support

Did a search on Black Beauty, showed picture only with no posts.

shelbygt · Jul 2, 2012

Thanks to L.A.B.! He was all over my picture posting question like a dirty shirt.

This is what I'm starting with. Unorganized chaos in my garage as usual. The old girls been well maintained but sat for a few years. I put a Pazon electronic ignition in her, new plugs, and went through the Mikuni carb PO put on. After I figured out the combination to the safe, she's a 1 kicker every time. Just serviced the clutch and put a new weannie on the rear.

Think the bars are Highrider. Had a windshield and a Highrider sissy bar I've already taken off. You guys dig the mud-flap on the front? Need to pull the front wheel off to remove it.

My best friend was killed on an Atlas in '82. This was a bittersweet acquisition, a sacred cow, if you will. That being said, of all the bikes I've had and still have.. If I had to choose one, and only one, this would be it. Way ahead of it's time, in my opinion. Lightweight, handles great, surprising performance, nostalgia, uniqueness... Need I say more. May have to put electric start on it when I'm too old to kick 'er over anymore.

speirmoor · Jul 2, 2012

The Tank you have is too nice to begin with so I'd shelf that and look for a beater somewhere. You can cut out the knee portion flip it over and re weld it to form nice dents on the tank.Corbin have a cafe racer seat that sits nice with the Roadster tank but I've never seen one with the Interstate tank.you will need Rearsets also.

shelbygt · Jul 2, 2012

I like the tank as is and have no plans to modify it. The seat's as nice as the tank so I'm going to bag and tag it. From what I hear, the Roadster and Interstate seats are the same but the mounting brackets are pushed forward on the Interstate seat to accommodate the longer tank. The seat I saw on Evil Bay had an embroidered Norton script on it, which I thought looked cool. Anyone used that seat before care to offer opinions/suggestions?

swooshdave · Jul 2, 2012

shelbygt said:
I like the tank as is and have no plans to modify it. The seat's as nice as the tank so I'm going to bag and tag it. From what I hear, the Roadster and Interstate seats are the same but the mounting brackets are pushed forward on the Interstate seat to accommodate the longer tank. The seat I saw on Evil Bay had an embroidered Norton script on it, which I thought looked cool. Anyone used that seat before care to offer opinions/suggestions?

Link to the ebay listing you are talking about?

ashman · Jul 2, 2012

The seat I have on my Wideline Featherbed framed 850 has a Interstate seat with the hump (caferacer style), I got it from Burtons British Bikes in England, it fits perfect and is very comfortable and it looks good.

Ashley

rvich · Jul 2, 2012

Here is a link for what I did on my Interstate. I cut down a roadster seat to fit, so it now looks like a solo seat. I can change back to the Interstate seat in moments of course. The two seats are positioned differently to accomodate the length of the tanks, but the Interstate seat is substantially beefier as well.

interstate-seat-option-t8672-15.html?hilit=interstate option

Russ

shelbygt · Jul 2, 2012

Here's the link I was looking at..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Norton-Commando ... 017wt_1110

bwolfie · Jul 2, 2012

I made my own version of that seat and had it upholstered in town, All In it cost me $250. That is with an aluminum base and real dead cow hide.
I am very happy with the result, and it is exactly what I wanted. Check out boat upholstery shops for materials. Reasonably priced. Leather came off of eBay.

shelbygt · Jul 2, 2012

At $188 plus a scorching $85, you heard it, $85 shipping the total comes to $273. They aren't giving it away. I don't mind paying a fair price, I just want a good "cafe look" seat that fits the Interstate. I like the Norton logo on it.

shelbygt · Jul 2, 2012

Bwolfie, that seat looks nice!

mikegray660 · Jul 2, 2012

in various forms- what i would recommend is getting a roadster seat pan/foam (keeps your legs /knees in more than stock interstate seat) and cutting it to length and shaping the foam for what you want

shelbygt · Jul 2, 2012

mikegray660,

The 2nd and 3rd pictures are exactly the seat I'm looking to put on mine. How do I go about doing it?

Cafe look on 850 Interstate

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