Okay, so I’ve been wanting to get my hands dirty with a bike project for a while, and I finally dove in. I picked up an old EN 125 – nothing fancy, just a basic commuter bike. My goal? Turn this thing into a cool cafe racer. I’m no pro mechanic, but I’m pretty handy, and I love figuring things out as I go.
The Beginning – Getting the Bike and Stripping it Down
First things first, I found a used EN 125 that was running, but looked pretty rough. The price was right, so I hauled it back to my garage. The real fun began with tearing it down. I mean, really tearing it down. I took off the seat, the fenders, the side panels, the lights… basically everything that wasn’t essential to the engine and frame.
I labeled everything as I took it off. I used a lot of masking tape and a Sharpie! This sounds basic, but it saved me a ton of headaches later when I was putting things back together (or trying to figure out what I wasn’t putting back on).
Chopping and Changing – The Frame and Seat
Next up, the frame. I wanted that classic cafe racer look, so I knew I had to do something about the rear end. I’m going for a more aggressive line. I took some measurements and started by chopping the seat according to the size and design that I was going for.
After that the new seat. I found a cafe racer-style seat that looked pretty good. The mounting was a bit tricky, but I had already chopped and customized it so I had to get it right. I had to make some brackets from scratch – lots of measuring, cutting, and test-fitting. It was a bit frustrating at times, but eventually, I got it solid.
The Details – Clip-ons, Rearsets, and Exhaust
Now for some of the fun stuff. I swapped out the original handlebars for clip-ons. This instantly changed the riding position, making it much more aggressive and sporty. I also installed some rearset footpegs. This was another challenge, as I had to figure out the linkage for the brake and shifter. Again, more custom brackets and a lot of fiddling around.
For the exhaust, I picked up a used after-market pipe and shortened. It’s louder, but not obnoxious (I hope!). It definitely gives the bike a throatier sound, which I like.
Finishing Touches – Lights, Paint, and the Little Things
I replaced the stock headlight with a smaller, round one. I also swapped out the bulky turn signals for some tiny LED ones. These small changes made a big difference in the overall look of the bike.
I’m not a painter, and wanted to keep things simple. I cleaned up the tank and side panels, applied some primer, and then gave it a coat of matte black. Looks good for a first try.
Finally, I spent a lot of time on the little details: cleaning up wiring, replacing old bolts, and generally making sure everything was tight and secure.
It’s been a learning experience, for sure. There were definitely moments of frustration, but seeing the finished product (or at least, my version of finished) is incredibly satisfying. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine, and I built it.
