The 14 Best Cafe Racers You Can Buy In 2022

So you want a cool looking sporty retro motorcycle? Well a production Cafe Racer ought to fit the bill, and here are 14 of the best on the market at the moment in price order ascending.

1. FB Mondial HPS 125 (From £3,799)

Starting off truly at the bottom end of the price spectrum, we’ve got the FB Mondial HPS 125 for just under 4 grand. It has to be said it’s a very striking and unusual looking bike for the money that’ll be sure to turn heard, with the gold anodised hardware, wavy discs, swingarm mounted license plate, high level exhausts, and bold graphics.

Performance specs aren’t going to set the world alight, but a little 125 like this is really built to be an accessible first bike with a bit of extra style. And accessible it is with a low seat height of 785mm and a very manageable weight of 130kg. Certainly one to consider if you’re on a strict budget but want something that looks quite impressive. They also do it in a faired version if that’s your thing.

Scores

  • Looks: 5/10

  • Performance: 1/10

  • Affordability: 10/10

2. Herald Cafe 400 (From £4,499)

Moving up a little in terms of price, performance, and stature we’ve got the Herald Cafe 400. The styling here is a little more traditional and I think it looks very nice indeed - like a mini Triumph Thruxton which is a big complement when it comes to cafe racers.

Its 397cc single cylinder engine makes 27hp, and there’s decent suspension and twin discs up front, so there ought to be a bit more fun to be had than the Mondial. And yet it’s still only 165kg and 790mm in the seat, so again a great choice for the novice or anyone looking for a nippy little city bike. It also comes as a 125 which is also well priced at less than 3 grand.

Scores

  • Looks: 6/10

  • Performance: 3/10

  • Affordability: 9/10

3. Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 (From £5,249)

If you fancy something something that looks a little more modern though, then look no further than the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401. At a touch over 5 grand you get a very sweet looking bike that’s almost futuristic, but with some classic cafe styling cues with the round headlight, spoked wheels, and clip on bars.

Performance is a little more serious than the Herald with 44hp made by a similar sized engine, and there’s decent hardware with suspension from WP and brakes from ByBre (the budget-friendly sub-brand of Brembo). I’ve not ridden this 401 yet, but the 701 version is somewhat similar and I had an absolute hoot with that bike when I borrowed one for a couple of weeks. They’re light, agile and sporty, but relatively modest on power so you can really feel like you’re giving it a good thrashing on the road. Brilliant!

Scores

  • Looks: 7/10

  • Performance: 5/10

  • Affordability: 8/10

4. Royal Enfield Continental GT (From £6,239)

Next up we’ve got the Continental GT from Royal Enfield - a very well priced bike that’s proven to be super popular since it was launched a few years back. It gets their 650cc twin-cylinder engine isn’t necessarily going to deliver hair-raising levels of performance (47hp peak and it weights 212kg), but it’s got a beautiful character, feel, and sound which makes it perfect for those chilled Sunday back road excursions.

From a styling perspective I think they’ve absolutely nailed it as well - it’s almost the exact form factor you’d imagine when you hear the words “cafe racer”. And there are plenty of vivid colour choices too, with my personal favourite being their classic Rocker Red.

There is of course their more upright Interceptor 650 to consider which I think outsells the Conti by a huge margin, but if you can cope with the reach down to the clip-on style bars then I’d go for the more sporty looking bike .

Scores

  • Looks: 8/10

  • Performance: 4/10

  • Affordability: 8/10

5. Suzuki SV650X (From £7,199)

But for less than a grand more, you might want to take a close look at the Suzuki SV650X. Granted it doesn’t quite deliver on the proper cafe racer looks - the tuck and roll brown seat and mini fairing are just token measures on a modern platform - but for 7 grand you’re getting pretty decent performance and all the character of a genuine V-twin.

72hp is the sort of power level where it becomes not-boring to ride on the road, and with a cheeky little slip-on the soundtrack will also contribute to the entertainment. The SV is a proven bike and still super popular with even experienced riders, with this X version just adding a little bit of cafe charm.

Scores

  • Looks: 5/10

  • Performance: 6/10

  • Affordability: 7/10

6. Yamaha XSR700 (From £8,000)

But before you pull the trigger, definitely take a look at the XSR700 from Yamaha which is in direct competition with the SV650X. Yes it’s a little more spendy, but you get a retro package on top of the MT-07 platform which is one of the most joyously playful bikes you can buy in the middleweight category. At the heart of it we’ve got the CP2 parellel twin which is deployed extensively across the Yamaha lineup from the Tracer 7 tourer, to the Tenere adventure bike, to the R7 supersport, and ultimately it’s so good that it works in pretty much any scenario.

The only downside of the XSR is that it’s clearly a bodykit on a modern engine and chassis, and so it doesn’t look anywhere near as cohesive as something like the Enfield. I wouldn’t say that it’s ugly, but it just doesn’t have the finesse or timeless lines or neatness of finish. Whether that really matters depends on whether you’re a bit of a poser or not, but you’re reading a list of the best cafe racers so let’s assume you are. In which case, it does matter.

Scores

  • Looks: 3/10

  • Performance: 6/10

  • Affordability: 7/10

7. CCM Spitfire Six (From £9,995)

One thing I will say to the detriment of the XSR and the SV650 is that you do see quite a lot of them out and about, and part of the cafe racer appeal is to perhaps own something that’s a little less mainstream. It’s quite a jump up in price to 10 grand, but that sort of money will get you a beautiful machine from CCM which is a lot less common, and also open to customer configuration if yo'u’ve got a little more budget.

They used to make a genuine cafe racer model, but it was a limited run and they’ve all long been sold. So you’ll have to settle for the Spitfire Six and then spec it up as close to a cafe racer as you can. You’re not going to get the most exhilarating bike possible for 10 grand, but what a beautiful thing to own and ride.

Scores

  • Looks: 8/10

  • Performance: 5/10

  • Affordability: 6/10

8. Yamaha XSR900 (From £10,200)

Now if you do want the most exhilarating bike possible for 10 grand then I can tell you straight away, certainly in the retro segment, it’s the XSR900 from Yamaha. This bike is the big brother of the XSR700, and it basically takes the triple cylinder engine and chassis from their MT-09 modern naked and styles it up to hark back to the Yamaha race bikes of the late 80s and early 90s.

Visually the seat unit is more than a little divisive, but I reckon if you spec it with the fly-screen from the Yamaha accessories catalogue it balances the bike out a little and gives it a smidge of that fairing-and-seat-hump cafe look. Again like the 700 it’s not the most cohesive or flowing design on the list, but it’s a ridiculously fun bike to ride with bags of performance that will always leave you with a massive grin.

Scores

  • Looks: 5/10

  • Performance: 8/10

  • Affordability: 6/10

9. Ducati Scrambler Nightshift (£10,395)

Also around the 10k mark I present you with another option, and that’s the Ducati Scrambler Nightshift. It’s similar in spec to the base 800 Icon model, but ups the level of finish with stealthy grey paint, side number boards, a bench seat, spoked wheels, and some flat handlebars for a slightly more road-biased riding position.

The standout feature of the Nightshift for me is the engine, with an 803cc air-cooled L-twin than provides some genuine old school vibes that aren’t present in bikes like the XSR900. And although it’s pretty laid back (73hp peak), there’s still enough performance there for a fairly lively rip on a country back road.

Scores

  • Looks: 7/10

  • Performance: 6/10

  • Affordability: 6/10

10. Kawasaki Z900RS (From £11,229)

From Kawasaki we have the Z900RS, and it offers something a little different in that it’s the only inline-4 engine on this list. Twins are the default in the retro segment so it’s sometimes nice to see something else, and the Kawasaki certainly delivers the smooth, revvy fun that you’d expect from this configuration. It’s also fitting to the bike’s heritage, with the visual design heavily referencing the iconic Z1 of the 1970s which was also powered by an inline-4.

In fact the styling is one of the major strengths of the Z900RS - I’m yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like it. Previously it was also available in a cafe racer variant that had a proper retro looking bikini fairing, although it appears to have been discontinued now which is a shame. But the naked version is still a great choice for anyone looking for sweet styling combined with modern-day performance.

Scores

  • Looks: 9/10

  • Performance: 7/10

  • Affordability: 5/10

11. Triumph Thruxton RS (From £13,395)

But is there a bike that does the modern day cafe racer thing better than the Triumph Thruxton RS? I think not. It’s one of those perfectly proportioned motorcycles, especially with the accessory fairing, and the level of detail and finish is typical Triumph. It’s just a beautiful thing to behold.

And yet on the road, it performs as well. The Bonneville parallel twin is an absolute peach, there are Ohlins shocks and Brembo brakes, the tech is on point too with a few riding modes and switchable traction control. I just don’t see what’s not to like about this bike. Perhaps the riding position is a little low, but if it isn’t to your tastes then the Speed Twin offers basically the same spec with upright bars. But if a genuine cafe racer is what you want then it doesn’t get much closer than this.

Scores

  • Looks: 10/10

  • Performance: 7/10

  • Affordability: 4/10

12. Triumph Speed Triple RR (From £17,950)

Now I know I’ll get a few comments that I’m playing fast and loose with the definition of a cafe racer, but perhaps consider the Speed Triple RR as the thoroughly modern equivalent of the Thruxton RS. It was born out of the Speed Triple RS which is Triumph’s iconic sporty naked road bike, but adds a bit of a cafe racer feel with a single round headlight and half fairing. You also get a more canted forward riding position, and semi-active electronic Ohlins suspension, and the result is something that both looks and performs beautifully.

Scores

  • Looks: 9/10

  • Performance: 10/10

  • Affordability: 3/10

13. MV Agusta Superveloce (From £18,980)

In a similar vain, the Superveloce from MV Agusta is a fast, modern, techy machine derived from the F3 800 sports bike, but with a slightly more retro aesthetic that just about qualifies it for inclusion on this list. In fact it’s visually quite similar to the Speed Triple RR with the small round headlight and bold red paint option, but the MV came first by a good few years.

Other retro touches include the leather tank strap, alcantara seat, and pointed tail section with another round light. And on some models you get spoked wheels and a beautiful triple exit exhaust system with 2 on one side, one on the other, just like the MV Agustas of many years ago. An incredible looking bike with the performance to match, but they don’t come cheap.

Scores

  • Looks: 10/10

  • Performance: 10/10

  • Affordability: 2/10

14. Norton V4CR (From £44,000?)

But the top of the pricing ladder in the cafe racer world has to be the V4CR from Norton. It’s a naked adaptation of their V4SV sports bike, and although we don’t have a final price yet I wouldn’t expect it to be any less than the £44k of its faired sibling.

So what do you get for your money? Well a 185hp V4 engine for a start, as well as top spec equipment from Ohlins and Brembo, and a beautiful mirror-polished chassis made in-house at their new facility in the UK. There’s also a decent tech package with a few riding modes and lean-sensitive rider aids. But still - you could get all this spec elsewhere for a lot less cash. So you’d have to be into the brand and the heritage and the idea of owning something exclusive to justify the expenditure.

Scores

  • Looks: 7/10

  • Performance: 10/10

  • Affordability: 1/10

Verdict

But which one would I actually buy if it were my money and I was trying to fulfil the definition of a cafe racer? Well for me there’s only one choice if you’ve got a decent budget and that’s the Thruxton RS because it’s got the looks, the performance, and yet still a bit of old-school charm. On a budget I’d probably take the Enfield Continental GT - it’s about half the price, although it’s about half the power, but it’s got about 90% of the looks.

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