When I think of the best cafe racers, I usually think of old bikes that can be transformed into cafe racers, but many motorcycle manufacturers have adopted the cafe-style onto their new bikes. You now don’t have to customize a machine to get that cafe racer look. You can buy it from the factory.
This is preferable for the folks who don’t have the time, skills, or tools to do so themselves. You can always go to a custom shop, which I highly recommend, but if you just want a factory cafe racer, there are some good ones out there.
Here’s a look at the best cafe racers you can buy from major manufacturers. These machines will give you the look you want with the reliability and support you need.
1. Moto Guzzi V7 III Racer LE
I’m a sucker for a good Moto Guzzi. There’s something about the brand and its unique looking bikes and its different engine that just gets me going. In terms of best cafe racers, I put the Moto Guzzi V7 III Racer LE at the top of my list. The bike looks fantastic, with a sporty chassis and suspension, and a 744cc transverse V-twin engine making 52 hp and 44 lb-ft of torque. If you want a beautiful European cafe racer, this is a good choice.
- Price: $9,990
- Company Website
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2. Triumph Thruxton 1200 R
Taking the Thruxton foundation to new heights, the Triumph Thruxton 1200 R is a bike that has a more engaged riding position, is more aggressive overall, higher spec brakes and suspension, and beautiful styling. It’s Triumph’s true cafe racer, and a killer bike overall. The liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine is 1,200cc and it makes 97 hp and 83 lb-ft of torque. If a UK cafe racer is what you’re looking for, then this is the bike to get, though you can also go for the standard Thruxton if you’re not looking to pony up the big bucks for the R.
- Price: $15,400
- Company Website
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3. Kawasaki Z900RS Cafe
Are you looking for retro cafe racer styling in a modern machine that will run forever and be easily serviced at the dealership? Then the Kawasaki Z900RS Cafe might be for you. This bike looks killer and it features a liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 948cc. The engine makes 72.3 lb-ft of torque. It’s a powerful and beautiful machine with Japanese reliability at a reasonable price.
- Price: $11,799
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4. Royal Enfield Continental GT
Channeling that cafe racer styling, the Royal Enfield Continental GT takes the company’s new 650cc twin engine to its logical audience. This retro-styled machine is a killer bike that’s a good all-around machine. It’s sporty enough to have some fun, but it’s not the most hardcore, sporty cafe racer offering out there. Also, the price is right, so you can take your 47 horsepower and 38.3 lb-ft of peak torque to a twisty road and still have money left over for lunch. This is a darn good bike for the money.
- Price: $5,999
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5. Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer
The Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer sounds like a bit of an odd bike. Is it a scrambler or cafe racer? Well, it’s a cafe racer built on a scrambler platform. It might not be the most elegant approach to building a cafe racer, but I do have to say this bike is still a very good machine. It blends the competent chassis and suspensions of the Ducati Scrambler and the 803cc L-twin Desmodromic-valve engine that makes 73 hp with some cafe racer styling. It’s a winner in my book.
- Price: $11,995
- Company Website
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Other Great Cafe Racer Models
As I said above, my favorite cafe racer bikes are ones you build yourself from a Honda CB or a Yamaha XS. However, the cafe racer aesthetic is an important one and there are other options out there if the five shown here don’t strike your fancy.
The Janus Motorcycles Phoenix 250 springs to mind. It’s affordable, simple, and American made. Another good option from an American company is the Cleveland CycleWerks Misfit Gen II. Both of these bikes come with a price tag under the best cafe racers I’ve showcased above. They’re modest machines by comparison, but they’re still very good bikes and will scratch that Cafe Racer itch.
