Royal Enfield Continental GT 650-Based Chai Shop Racer Is A Desi Take On Cafe Racer

Built by Goa-based Jugaad Goa custom shop, this minimalist motorcycle seamlessly blends the old with the new

The Royal Enfield 650 twins have inspired many custom bike builders to come up with their own iterations, but few have managed to achieve a unique look like the Chai Shop Racer. First showcased at the 2019 Rider Mania, the 650cc custom cafe racer is based on the Continental GT 650. Little is known about the  Goa-based custom chop shop Jugaad Goa except that its owner Paul Smith likes to have his creations devoid of paintwork. That kind of explains the bare metal finish the Chai Shop Racer sports.

As the name suggests, the Chai Shop Racer is inspired by the innumerable tiny tea shops that dot every alley of India. It also seems like an apt name, like a desi version of the cafe racer culture. The custom bike’s minimalist bodywork hides a lot of the painstaking work that’s gone into creating it. Except for the 650cc air-cooled lump, nothing looks familiar and there is a good reason for it. The frame was hand-built using mild steel while the minimalist bodywork is made by beating aluminium into shape and riveting them together. Even the fitting like the footpegs, levers and handlebar grips are made of brass. The large, old-school looking hubs have been machined from solid billet aluminium and mated to the existing 18-inch spoke wheels. The front end appears to be raked out and the entire bike seems like it has been lowered. 

The air-cooled 650cc motor appears untouched. This parallel-twin unit does duty in both the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 and the Interceptor 650. In stock form, it delivers 48PS and 52Nm, and if pushed can reach 160kmph. The Chai Shop Racer gets slash-cut straight-through exhausts that should make it sound er... bratty.

We love the Chai Shop Racer for its raw look and minimalist appeal. It also gets a touch of modernism in the form of the LED headlamp. This is one neatly executed custom bike that gets our vote.