The History

Café racers are the original sport motorcycles. They originated among British motorcycle enthusiasts of the 1950s in London. Café racers were standard production bikes modified by their owners and optimized for speed and handling for quick rides over short distances. Piloting some of these motorbikes were the Ton-Up Boys. Ton-Up Boys were a British biker subculture that took their style from Marlon Brando’s film The Wild One and the Royal Air Force of WWII. Their name stems from the ability to reach speeds over 100MPH…or “The Ton”. The distinct style of the café racers has since become popular around the world, and some manufacturers produce factory-made models that are available in the showrooms.

The Cup

At the STAGECOACH Classic Motorcycle Rally presented by JRC Engineering, the spirit of the café racer an ton-up culture are celebrated. On Saturday evening, The Ton-Up Cup is presented to the owner of the motorbike that best represents Ton-up spirit and style, regardless of age or marque of the motorbike!