We are currently slap bang in the middle of a huge retro bike fad, and right at the heart of this retro bike craze is the Café Racer.
Every manufacturer has their take on this particular design, which is pretty strange considering the fact that back when they were actually a “thing” they were all heavily modified motorcycles. Now you can buy them like this straight from the factory.
Some manufacturers take the “retro” bit really seriously, others have put a bit of a modern spin on it, all bases have been covered. If you want to race between cafés, these are the best bikes for the job.
8 Ducati Sport 1000
The only bike that isn’t currently on sale, is also arguably the most stunning. It beat the trend by over a decade and paid the price.
Admittedly the Ducati was typically overpriced and that is the main reason it flopped so spectacularly, but today it serves as a relative bargain considering its status as a future classic.
7 Kawasaki Z650RS
One brand that is taking its range of retro bikes very seriously is Kawasaki, the 650 platform is their most versatile but finds its most suitable guise in the form of the RS.
The combination of a comfortable riding position, attractive price, respectable performance, and incredible looks makes this one of the best value offerings. It also comes with all the modern amenities you would expect from a brand-new motorcycle, unlike some of the more “authentic” café racers out there.
6 Triumph Thruxton RS
Triumph has technically been doing the café racer thing longer than anyone, and the Thruxton platform is now iconic in its own right.
It saw off the challenge of Ducati in the early 2000s, and held onto its niche until café racers hit the mainstream market. Since then, it has become the staple for those willing to spend a little extra for the most authentic, most powerful café racer on the market.
5 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650
Nobody does budget bikes quite like Royal Enfield, the 650 is to date their best platform, and although all their bikes maintain a retro feel, the interceptor is a real café racer.
It makes a respectable 47 horsepower which is more than enough for this end of the market, with a base price of under $6,000 it offers incredible value. It was met with rave reviews when it came out and has proven to be pretty reliable so far, too.
4 Kawasaki W800 Café
With the Z650RS and Z900RS they cover their bases pretty well, but those are both modern motorcycles dressed like old café racers, what if you want something more authentic?
If that is the case team green still has you covered, the W800 is an air-cooled machine that looks and feels like it time traveled from the 60s, unfortunately, it is still priced like a new bike…
3 Yamaha XSR700
No engine is as versatile as the Yamaha CP2, from sportbikes to Adventure bikes you will find the CP2 in quite literally every type of motorcycle. The funny thing about it is that it actually works, every single time.
If you are after a modern café racer it is more or less a dead heat between this and the Z650RS, they both offer astonishing value, but the Yamaha does have the Kawa licked in terms of power delivery. It is just more fun to ride
2 Triumph Street Twin
Between this and the Thruxton, it might feel like it is from the Stone Age, but that technically makes this more authentic than the big bore, big fun Thruxton.
It is still fairly expensive compared to the other “authentic” café racers that are more period correct, air-cooled, and generally slower. It has one distinct advantage though, it is very much a British bike, and for many, that makes the extra cost worth it…
1 Norton V4CR
Norton has a storied history, often putting racing in front of turning a profit, and it has caused them to stumble as a company more than once. Their most recent resurgence, under the watchful eye of Indian giant TVS, does give us some hope that they might stick around a little longer this time.
Instead of harking back to the “good old days” their latest creation is anything but old school underneath. The V4CR is a 180-horsepower superbike, simply masquerading as a café racer. It is a café racer on steroids, one that we would call foul on if it were made by anyone but Norton, the company who gave birth to the very idea of café racing, and this is the gun they brought to the fist fight.
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