The Breitling Cafe Racer by Rasta Chopper

The Breitling Cafe Racer by Rasta Chopper

This is the Breitling Café Racer. I have occasionally come across the name of Rasta Chopper, a name more familiar amongst chopper lovers. I also knew that time and again Santiago Chopper has been associated with some brilliant custom bikes and more so with Trikes. What I didn’t knew was that Alan Bernard, the owner of Santiago Chopper was not just into choppers and trikes as evident from the images here. More is the accolade because the bike you see here is a true blue café racer and a great looking bike. From a man who has mostly spent his time on choppers and trikes, it is time well spent behind the café racer. And the reason behind building this bike is something you can only bow your head to… to Alan. All proceeds from the sale of this Cafe Racer will be going to the Curing Kids Cancer Funds, an organization which helps young kids with the dreaded cancer disease.

Now Alan Bernard was a client of a certain French born Georges Martin, a gentleman who was credited in revolutionizing the café Racer movement in 1970s as he specialized in café racers. From gas tanks to handlebars to rear fenders to the frame, George did it all. George had the uncanny ability of turning UJMs (like a 1976 Honda CB750 Four) to go faster than bullets. Inspired by George and of course Alan always had the street racing gene in his blood, he decided to build a café racer. So why the name Breitling? Since Breitling as we know is a swiss watch making company. Actually, Alan previously built a bike for its owner and he also wanted the café racer to be associated with something very precise, like a chronograph, and so thereby the name

So what has gone inside the Breitling? The engine is borrowed from the maniac Kawasaki Z1000 and the frame, well what better than to have a frame built by George Martin himself! The swing arm, wheels and suspension are from a 2007 Suzuki GSX-R600. It also has a Benelli seat. You know George Martin stays in France and to get this bike done, Alan was absolutely sure he needed a Martin frame. To get to the man, he launched a man hunt in France and actually tracked down George Martin. Alan has been part of the Euro clan of 70s Café Racer, the Ton Up Club, Rockers, etc. In the U.S, which has basically a more chopper market, he set shop with the intention of gaining recognisation in a market that is prevalent, but now with age or shall we say, experience on his side, he wanted to build something for himself.