COFFEE CAFÉ BIKE gets us pumping. But we understand: not all of us have the time and energy to give it our all. cafe racer build. Luckily, the manufacturers are here to compel with vintage and cafe-inspired bikes that have the styling of older bikes, but they have modern amenities like ABS. and traction control.
These eight fun bikes are great for those who are learning to ride or for those of us who don’t need 120 horsepower to have a good time. The important thing is that they all have a nice vintage look that even the folks at Ace Café will probably nod in.
The Yamaha XSR700, especially in black and gold, looks like a modern version of the John Player Special Lotus. Yamaha took its interesting two-cylinder MT-07 689cc and then gave it a classic look. Sure, we’d love the Kenny Roberts-style graphics more, but the XSR700 blends modern touches like a liquid-cooled tandem engine with counterweights to smooth it out.
It has LED headlights, a long flat saddle and a giant round taillight that sets it apart from the MT-07. The XSR700 weighs just 410 pounds, or 185 pounds, making it a light companion ready to travel over zigzag mountains and in tight parking lots.
A lot has been made of the Kawasaki Z900RS and its classic looks with modern handling. Well, the Z650RS is what happened when Kawasaki decided to downsize the 900’s furry styling. Kawasaki successfully took the Z650 and modernized its styling to create the RS. That means you get Kawi’s smooth (if not particularly powerful) 650cc four-cylinder engine, classic fuel tank, lower bars and matching round headlights.
Like the Yamaha, it also has some modern touches. In this case, you have a slipper clutch to keep the rear wheel from locking during gearshifts and ABS. Although it has a modern suspension, only the rear is adjustable and is only for the front load. However, to the naked eye, this bike looks like it was in the 1978 Kawasaki catalog.
The cheapest Ducati is also one of the most interesting. For 2023, the Scrambler version in Icon trim takes the styling of 1970s killer Scramblers/cafés with long saddles and low bars, and adds a twin 803cc engine (don’t ask). ) has Ducati’s quick turns (don’t ask).
It’s a bit more expensive than the others on this list and will likely require a bit more long-term maintenance with its fancy Desmodromic valves. But to get into high-performance motorcycles with ease, it’s hard to beat Icon. Behind that old-school tech, you get ABS, different drive modes, traction control, and LED lights.
Of course we must include win The Speed Twin 900 on our list of beginner cafe racers Last year, it was called the Street Twin, but with some newly updated graphics to look like its larger 1200cc sibling, it had a name update for 2023. When most of us think Triumph, we think Bonneville. But we think the SpeedTwin also captures Bonnie’s classic cafe style, but in a cheaper and friendlier package.
For 2023, the Speed Twin is powered by a twin 900cc water-cooled Bonneville engine that produces enough power for most driving styles. Don’t expect to catch up with the Daytona, but with 64hp, it has plenty of power under the long, narrow, step-by-step saddle and classic fuel tank.
Few brands have a longstanding reputation like Royal Enfield. Today, the company is working to overcome the reputation of the old Bullet 500 and instead produce bikes with modern electronics and classic sleek looks. We love the continental trim that comes with the café chairs and low bars on the showroom floor.
The 650 looks like part of a ’70s race car, and they ride in that part, too, with power and sound that makes you feel like you’re riding something made in the Nixon era. But unlike a classic bike, the Enfield will start every time thanks to a streamlined modern fuel injection system. 650 Enfield is also a good platform for custom build.
Mandello del Laro, Moto Guzzi of Italy always makes beautiful motorcycles. Although they have been updated over the years, the company has not strayed from the horizontal 90-degree V-twin layout. Today’s V7 SeriesThe smallest in the lineup, comes with a new 853 cc engine that delivers much more power than the old 744 cc engine that was discontinued after 2020.
While other companies proudly introduce their new round headlights and classic styling, Guzzi has never strayed from that style. In some ways, it’s hard to call the V7 a classic bike, because it’s really a follow-up that, with the right paint job, could be mistaken for an early 1980s 850 T3. However, like the others, it has ABS, traction control and bright LEDs.
If you want to put a smile on everyone’s face at the cafe, show up on Honda’s new Monkey Bike. Looking like a 1970s minibike, featuring 12-inch tires and a 125 cc engine, this bike is small and fun. But it only weighs 231 pounds, or 104 pounds, so there isn’t much weight for that air-cooled single to move.
To build the Monkey, Honda just takes a Grom and equips it with a classic saddle, fuel tank and headlights. While it looks comically small, the Monkey is a real bike with fuel injection, ABS on both hydraulic disc brakes and a 5-speed transmission. And, that’s more fun than being a container of things you know what to do around town, while also providing a good platform for a custom cafe racer.
