6 Of The Cheapest Cafe Racer Motorcycles You Can Buy In 2024

There are more than a few main types of motorcycles: whether they're designed to fill the needs of motorcyclists destined for touring the country, adventurous types that venture beyond the reach of paved roads, or those with the need for speed and sporty styles directly descended from the race track. Motorcycles known today as "café racers" are an early example of racing inspired motorcycle design, or is it the other way around?

The earliest café racers were simply standard motorcycles meant for economical transportation. However, they were often stripped of any unnecessary equipment, other than the occasional small fairing and windscreen, to improve performance and handling. Characteristics of modern café racer motorcycles include slightly rear-set foot peg placement, low handlebars, and often, a retro-style that's becoming increasingly modern. 

Of course, each manufacturer puts its unique spin on the café racer class. Some, like the Triumph Thruxton Final Edition, have an MSRP of nearly $18,000. Fortunately, six of the cheapest café racer motorcycles available in 2024 are offered with prices between $5,599 and $8,899, including models from Kawasaki, Husqvarna, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, and Yamaha.

If you counted five manufacturers listed for this rundown of the six cheapest café racer motorcycles available in 2024, that's because Kawasaki has two models that made the list. You'll find the other Kawasaki café racer further down the list, but the cheapest example is the diminutive 2025 Kawasaki W230, priced at $5,599. While it's not the best example of a classic café racer motorcycle, its retro-standard style represents the basis for the class' origins.

The beginner-friendly Kawasaki W230 boasts a comfortable riding position, LED headlight, anti-lock disc brakes, and dual analog gauges with an incorporated LCD screen. In addition, the 223cc air-cooled engine features fuel injection and four-stroke operation to deliver smooth predictable power. If you're a fan of the W230 style, but would like more power and don't mind spending the extra money, take a look at the 2025 Kawasaki W800. Kawasaki lists the W800 price at $10,399, but with its larger 773cc engine, it might be worth it if you have the budget.

Like Kawasaki, Husqvarna offers two standard-style motorcycles it calls the Vitpilen and Svartpilen. The Husqvarna Vitpilen features café racer style, while the Svartpilen is a scrambler style motorcycle. Both models come as 401 and 801 variants, offer individual style with similar features, and carry identical MSRP for their 401 variants.

The Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, priced at $5,899, is the next-cheapest entrant on the list of affordable café racers. While Husqvarna doesn't reveal the price of its Vitpilen 801, given the identical pricing of Vitpilen and Svartpilen 401 models, it's likely the Vitpilen 801 price will be close to the Svartpilen 801 MSRP of $10,899, as reported by Cycle World.

The 2024 model year marked the debut of the newest generation of the Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 with a host of upgrades: like a new steel-trellis frame, cast aluminum swing arm, lighter weight 398.6cc four-stroke engine, adjustable suspension, Bluetooth connectivity, and electronic rider aids. While Husqvarna calls the Vitpilen 401 an "Urban Roadster," Vitpilen translates to "white arrow." As such, the 401 comes with tank shrouds painted white, but the Vitpilen 801 breaks convention with its yellow or silver paint schemes.

Legend has it that Café Racing was born in the 1960s, as people would race self-modified motorcycles between transport cafes (similar to U.S. truck stops) scattered across England. Royal Enfield, with a deep history of manufacturing motorcycles dating back to 1901, got in on the fun with its Continental GT — a 250cc café racer released in 1964.

With its position at the top of the Royal Enfield lineup of motorcycles, the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 remains affordable with an MSRP starting at $6,349. While that price includes the classic Continental GT 650 styling, LED headlamp, and 648cc parallel-twin four-stroke engine, it limits color options to Rocker Red or British Racing Green. Other color schemes such as Slipstream Blue, Apex Grey, and Dux Deluxe raise the MSRP by as much as $800.

Royal Enfield claims its Continental GT 650 "recaptures the spirit of the café racer culture." There's little doubt that Royal Enfield motorcycles were among the stripped down and modified bikes present in the early days of café racing. The 2024 Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 features modern touches like cast alloy wheels and an on-board USB port to charge your cell phone, in addition to its "tried-and-tested suspension" with twin external-reservoir gas-charged shock absorbers.

It seems like the Suzuki SV650 is always in the running for any "Best of" motorcycle list. It has appeared on SlashGear lists of most reliable, most fuel efficient, most popular, best for new riders, and a number of best alternatives to a variety of popular motorcycles, even drawing comparisons to the Kawasaki Ninja 650.

Admittedly, the 2024 Suzuki SV650 ABS blurs the line between café racer and naked sport bike. That said, its all around good manners, affordable $7,949 MSRP, and sheer numbers on the road make it a great choice for anyone interested in modifying a motorcycle to ride from one truck stop to another with a group of friends.

The 2024 Suzuki SV650 ABS features a Glass Sparkle Black paint job, with a dark-gold metallic finish applied to its exposed trellis framework, and five-spoke cast aluminum alloy wheels. It also features a dual-overhead-cam 645cc V-twin engine, something a little different than you'll find elsewhere in the class. If you really want to turn heads, and live in an area where it's available or can import it, consider the Suzuki SV650X (pictured above).

The 2024 Yamaha XSR700, which starts at an MSRP of $8,899, is among the most expensive café racer motorcycles we'll include on this list. Based on Yamaha's popular MT-07, the XSR700 uses the same 689cc liquid-cooled inline twin-cylinder dual-overhead cam engine. The CP2 engine features a 270-degree cross-plane crankshaft and offset cylinder block designed to reduce internal engine friction and deliver "outstanding low to mid-range torque." The two-cylinder engine's vibration is controlled by a geared counter-balance system.

The XSR700, part of Yamaha's "Sport Heritage" lineup, derives its café racer ergonomics by "altering the rider triangle" with a longer fuel tank moving the seating position rearward, inducing a slight forward-leaning riding position when compared to the MT-07. The Yamaha XSR900, with its $10,299 MSRP — also a Sport Heritage stablemate — uses the same 847cc CP3 engine as the MT-09. The XSR900 features café racer ergonomics similar to the XSR700, but boasts a striking Heritage White color scheme with red and black accents as opposed to the XSR700's subdued Raven Black.

The Kawasaki Z650RS is the final addition to our list of six relatively inexpensive café racers, tying the Yamaha XSR700 with its $8,899 MSRP. The classic paint scheme, dual round instrument gauges, and shorty exhaust give the Kawasaki Z650RS a retro-look on par with the other motorcycles on this list. While its taller bars push it into standard bike territory, the basis for a café racer is evident.

The 649cc parallel-twin engine provides the Kawasaki Z650RS with 67 horsepower, enough to push it to a top speed of nearly 120 mph. With that much power and speed, and during adverse conditions, the included three-mode traction control and disc brake ABS could come in handy. The retro-styled bike also includes other modern features like a multifunction LCD screen integrated into the analog gauges, an LED headlamp concealed in a round housing, ABS, and the Assist & Slipper Clutch provides light lever pull and worry-free downshifts.

For the ultimate café racer style, the Z650RS' larger stablemate, the Kawasaki Z900RS Cafe includes racing-inspired front cowl to complete the look. However, its $12,899 MSRP keeps it well out of the range of cheapest café racer motorcycles you can buy in 2024.