COVER STORY
mix of intensity and laid back attitude. He clearly won’t tolerate any Enrico shares. The term developed among British motorcycle enthusi-
chintz in his construction, but his home base is called Carpy’s Cafe for asts of the late 1950s and 1960s. The name couldn’t be more literal.
a reason. He doesn’t want to take it all too seriously. In the end, it’s all It was and is defined by short, high-speed rides between cafés, or as
just about speed, simplicity and style. Enrico puts it “drinking establishments.”
“As a motorcycle dispatch rider in the City of London back in the
The motorcycles themselves are “lightweight, lightly powered and
day, ‘Time was of the Essence’”, Carpenter says. “Sure wished I had optimized for speed and handling rather than comfort.” In short, these
a CT Scuderia back then, as I had trips to the House of Commons, are no hogs. They tend to feature low-mounted handlebars, prominent
Buckingham Palace and the Home Office quite regularly.” seat cowling and elongated fuel tanks. One story, perhaps myth, is that
Cafe Racers and watches are related in many ways, according to
café racers would “record race.” Put a record on the jukebox, tear out
Carpenter. They are both mechanical, have gears sprockets and mov- of the café and race to a predetermined spot and return before the
ing parts. Also, they don’t take much to wind up. record could finish playing. Seems to fit, whether true or not.
“The tick tick of the watch’s own heart beat coincides with the tick
tick of my motor when she is cooling down,” he says.
Racing motorcycles is always about time on the track, Carpenter
said. Even to this day, it is all about the fastest time.
“Strap on a Scuderia timepiece and sling your leg over your ma-
chine and both mechanical internals become as one,” he said.
Still, finding one narrative thread about this fast growing culture
Enrico’s most colorful line, simply called the Corsa Café Racer
series, is a bullhead chrono with checkered flag insignia all around the
outside of the chapter ring. The engine is a multi-jewel Swiss made
Ronda quartz and the enameled dial protected by a sapphire crystal
rests inside a moderately sized, by today’s standards, 44mm case.
“Our design details really differentiate ourselves; we experiment
with various motorcycle materials and finishes such as carbon fiber
isn’t easy. You’ll discover competing histories and mythos of just what and cast iron, making us one of few brands that create a backside
café racing is when doing research about the sport, if you can even design and finish that is just as interesting as the dial.,” Enrico says.
call it a sport. Since there is no clear definition, we’ll go with the one
32 | AboutTime Magazine
Enrico comes from a family of watchmakers. His grandfather,