Best Café Racer Bikes in India 2023-24 – Price, Mileage, Specifications, Colours, Images
Most people nowadays prefer to ride motorcycles which are comfortable to ride over long distances. The level of comfort is so high in these motorcycles that riders can continuously ride for hours without stops. However, there was a time when riders preferred fast motorcycles which are not at all comfortable and required riders to sit in a highly committed riding posture. These bikes are used only for short burst of speeds and are called Café Racers. Here is the price list of the Best Café Racer bikes in India.
Best Café Racer Bikes Price List in India:
| Model | Price (Ex-showroom Delhi) |
| Husqvarna Vitpilen | 2.19 lakh |
| Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 | 3.05 lakh |
Café Racer motorcycles are a separate breed of machines that focus only on short speed bursts and the stints are often short and crisp. The riders of the yesteryears used to challenge each other for short races which usually lasted between two road side cafes. In these races, standard motorcycles were customised with lower-set handlebars or clip-on bars for an aggressive riding posture.
In most cases, the engines were modified to make more power and achieve higher top speeds. Mostly, the pillion seat was removed to make the bikes look race centric units. With time, many companies loved the idea and launched factory made café racer bikes for people who did not have the access to customisations or did not loved to fiddle with their bikes.
The Café Racer bikes are uncomfortable motorcycles which are meant for short stints on the highways or suburban areas to enjoy the thrill of acceleration and a great top speed run. If is quite difficult to tour on these bikes and also come with smaller fuel tank that return short ride range.
At present, in the Indian market, there are only two café racer bikes on sale as a couple of bikes were discontinued after the implementation of BS6 emission norms in 2020. One is from a relatively new brand, Husqvarna and the other bike is known to everyone, the Royal Enfield. Let’s learn more about these café racer bikes which you can purchase from the company dealer near you.
Husqvarna Vitpilen 250
The first bike on this list has to be the Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 as it is the cheaper option of the two machines that are available. Out of the two bikes that Husqvarna launched in India, the Vitpilen is the just another option and is a café racer motorcycle for the young and aggressive riders out there.
In all the ways, be it frame, engine and other components, the Vitpilen is completely developed on the Husqvarna Svartpilen platform which is a streetfighter and scrambled styled bike. Vitpilen 250 is made to entice the young riders who want to own a compact and thrilling modern café racer motorcycle.
The name Vitpilen translates into White Arrow which is shown in the white colour scheme of the bike with contrasting elements. Along with it, there is no other colour option available as of now. For starters, it is a café racer bike and hence, comes with a committed ride posture with lower-set clip-on handlebars. The clip-on bars are positioned lower than the plane of the fuel tank; the rider has to lean over the tank to hold the bars for a sporty and aggressive riding posture. The rider’s seat is high and feels like you are sitting on top of the bike.
Vitpilen is blessed with retro-modern design language with round LED headlight with rest of the lighting system fitted with LED lights all around. On the dashboard, you are blessed with a round-shaped fully-digital LCD instrument cluster offering a range of information to the rider.
Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 derives its propulsion force from a liquid-cooled, 248.8cc, single cylinder, fuel injected engine with 4-valve DOHC head. This mill belts out 29.63 bhp of maximum power at 9000 rpm and 24 Nm torque arriving at 7500 rpm. The engine is paired with a 6-speed gearbox via a slipper clutch for superior ride control.
With all this power on hand, the Husqvarna Vitpilen delivers brilliant performance which is proved with 0 to 100 kmph dash achieves in just 9.25 seconds and a top speed of over 150 kmph. For a new BS6 bike, these number are amazing and the bike is a force to reckon with.
With a sheer committed riding posture, the bike is good for café racing stints, short city rides without tackling the traffic and track runs as it gets strong chassis and ride dynamics. The least you can do with this bike is to go on a long-distance touring as you cannot sustain the body pain that you would incur while riding the Vitpilen over long duration.
An important fact about the Husqvarna Vitpilen is that is a compact bike and might remind you of smaller bikes like 125cc to 150cc machines that we see every day. In some cases, the Vitpilen is smaller than commuter bikes too. It features a high seat height of 842 mm which is taller than many adventure bikes on sale in the country.
If you are a short rider under 5 feet 7 inches, you will find it difficult to manage the weight of the bike. The Vitpilen 250 is also not so light at 166 kg of kerb weight and therefore you have to be careful with the bike. Another thing is, the bike seems small for tall riders and here matters go into ironic state. If you are small, you can accommodate but cannot reach the ground and on the other hand, if you are tall who can easily reach the ground, won’t find the bike comfortable and roomy for daily rides.
The Chassis of the Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 is built around the steel trellis frame of the Duke 250 which makes it highly rigid around the corners. At the front, you get a 110 cross section tyre with 150 cross section unit installed at the rear, these tyres are sourced from MRF and offers great grip on dry and wet surface along with confidence inspiring handling characteristics.
Speaking about the fuel efficiency, the Vitpilen 250 is able to return about 30-33 km per litre. It gets a pretty small 9.5-litre fuel tank which can only give out a range of around 300 km from a single tankful on a good day and to be frank, not all days are good.
With a recent hike in the prices, the Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 will now set you back by almost Rs 2.19 lakh ex-showroom, New Delhi. It is also a reasonable price tag when compared to the Duke 250’s sticker price of Rs 2.37 lakh ex-showroom. It was first launched in India at just Rs 1.8 lakh which was much lower priced than the Duke 250 back then.
The company is likely working on to launch more variant of Vitpilen like Vitpilen 125 and Vitpilen 401 which will increase the choices for people looking to purchase Cafe Racer bikes in India. However, the timeline of the new launch are still unknown.
| Model | Husqvarna Vitpilen |
| Engine | 248.8 cc |
| Cooling | Liquid-Cooled |
| Power | 29.63 bhp @ 9,000 rpm |
| Torque | 24 Nm @ 7,500 rpm |
| Gearbox | 6-Speed |
| Front Suspension | USD Fork |
| Rear Suspension | Monoshock |
| Front Tyre | 110/70-R17,54S |
| Rear Tyre | 150/60-R17,66S |
| Front Brake | Disc – 320mm |
| Rear Brake | Disc – 230mm |
| ABS | Dual-Channel |
| Weight | 166 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 9.5 Ltr |
| Mileage | 31 kmpl |
| Top Speed | 146 kmph |
| Price (Ex-showroom Delhi) | 2.19 lakh |
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650
Moving on to the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 which is ridiculously powerful for what it asks for. The price of the bike starts from Rs 3.05 lakh ex-showroom, New Delhi which is nearly Rs 90,000 more expensive than the Vitpilen 250 we talked about. It is a pure classic Café Racer motorcycle from the house of Royal Enfield and is based on the platform of the Interceptor 650 roadster.
Speaking about it being a café racer, the Continental GT 650 comes installed with a lower set clip-on handlebars and rear-set foot pegs offering a sporty riding posture. The riding posture on the GT 650 is more comparable to that of sports tourer bikes and won’t break your back if you decided to go on a weekend getaway. However, it offers enough credibility for you to tackle the twisties on the hills near your city. The riding posture is nowhere committed to that of Yamaha R15 or the RC series of bikes from KTM.
About the colour options, you can get the Continental GT 650 in Rocker Red, Ventura Storm, Dux Deluxe, British Racing Green, Mr Clean (chrome). The single tone colours are priced at Rs 3.05 lakh, for the dual tone, you have to shell out Rs 3.14 lakh ex-showroom. The most expensive paint scheme is the Chrome which carries a price tag of Rs 3.31 lakh ex-showroom New Delhi.
Coming to the powertrain of the GT 650, you get a large capacity 648cc, twin-cylinder, air and oil-cooled fuel injected engine breathing through an 8-valve DOHC head with 4 valves over each cylinder. Being a twin-cylinder moto with 270 degree firing order, the vibrations do not exist on this motorcycle and the engine revs with smoothness of butter. It pumps out 47 bhp of power at 7250 rpm and 52 Nm 5250 rpm.
A 6-speed cog box is mated to the powerplant filled with well-spaced gears that makes it easy to ride the bike in the city as well. It accelerates from 0 to 100 kmph in about 7 seconds with a top speed of 160 kmph. For who are interested in short weekend getaways, you can easily ride it between 100-120 kmph without overheating the engine.
The fuel efficiency is fragile on the Continental GT 650 and is completely dependent on how you ride the bike. Under normal running, you can expect around 23-24 kmpl on the highway runs while 18-20 kmpl is easily achievable in city rides. If you open the throttle and ride over 120 kmph, the fuel economy drops to around 16 kmpl. It gets a 13.7-litre fuel tank that can provide a range of over 300 km under normal riding conditions. With high petrol price in the country, the mileage of GT 650 should be kept under consideration.
Since it is a classic bike, the company has saved cost in offering basic twin-pod analogue dials for speedometer and tachometer with a small LCD unit for readouts like odometer, trip meters and fuel gauge. We expect more interesting meter console in future updates but till then, you have to settle with this. A tripper Navigation system will arrive in the next update and the company is still in the testing process.
You get a pair of telescopic forks at the front with twin shock absorbers dealing with the bumps at the rear. This setup is tuned to offer a balanced side and provides comfortable ride over the bad patches of roads and good high-speed stability. With a seat height of 800 mm, it is an easy to access bike for most riders but 198 kg kerb weight is something to think about.
The way GT 650 decelerates with the same manner as it accelerates as it is equipped with a 300 mm disc brake at the front and 240 mm disc brake unit at the rear for ample braking performance. A dual channel ABS keeps the rider safe under hard braking over loose or wet surface.
The GT 650 is available with a series of accessories and customisation options such as fly screens, bar-end mirrors, machined aluminium parts, touring seat, pillion seat, pillion seat cowl which converts the bike into a single seater, engine guards, leg guards and more.
| Model | Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 |
| Engine | 648 cc |
| Cooling | Oil-Cooled |
| Power | 47 bhp @ 7,250 rpm |
| Torque | 52 Nm @ 5,250 rpm |
| Gearbox | 6-Speed |
| Front Suspension | Telescopic Fork |
| Rear Suspension | Twin-Shock |
| Front Tyre | 100/90- 18″M/C56H |
| Rear Tyre | 130/70- 18″M/C63H |
| Front Brake | Disc – 300mm |
| Rear Brake | Disc – 240mm |
| ABS | Dual-Channel |
| Weight | 198 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 13.7 Ltr |
| Mileage | 25 kmpl |
| Top Speed | 160 kmph |
| Price (Ex-showroom Delhi) | 3.05 lakh |
In Conclusion
This was the list of Best Café Racer bikes in India. We are confident that in the near future, more Café Racer bikes will be launched as the demand for such sporty and aggressive bikes grows.
The prices of bikes mentioned here are ex-showroom price which does not include the RTO tax and bike insurance premium amount. These will be required to be paid during registering of the bike for legal use.
If you already own an old bike, you have to sell bike before you can buy a new one. Also, if you are low on budget or considering an used bike, you can check for second hand bike in used bikes market in your area. However, you have to sell bike in the second hand bike market before you buy a new bike.
We hope that you can choose the right bike for you according to your needs and usage pattern. Which one will you choose and why? Do tell us in the comments section below.
Always wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle, carry your driving licence and follow all the traffic rules to make our roads safer for all. Stay tuned for more from the motorcycling world at AutoBreeds.com.
Best Café Racer Bikes in India Specifications: Engine and Gearbox
| Model | Engine | Cooling | Power | Torque | Gearbox |
| Husqvarna Vitpilen | 248.8 cc | Liquid-Cooled | 29.63 bhp @ 9,000 rpm | 24 Nm @ 7,500 rpm | 6-Speed |
| Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 | 648 cc | Oil-Cooled | 47 bhp @ 7,250 rpm | 52 Nm @ 5,250 rpm | 6-Speed |
Best Café Racer Bikes in India Specifications: Suspension and Tyres
| Model | Front Suspension | Rear Suspension | Front Tyre | Rear Tyre |
| Husqvarna Vitpilen | USD Fork | Monoshock | 110/70-R17,54S | 150/60-R17,66S |
| Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 | Telescopic Fork | Twin-Shock | 100/90- 18″M/C56H | 130/70- 18″M/C63H |
Best Café Racer Bikes in India Specifications: Brakes and Weight
| Model | Front Brake | Rear Brake | ABS | Weight |
| Husqvarna Vitpilen | Disc – 320mm | Disc – 230mm | Dual-Channel | 166 kg |
| Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 | Disc – 300mm | Disc – 240mm | Dual-Channel | 198 kg |
Best Café Racer Bikes in India Specifications: Mileage and Price
| Model | Fuel Tank | Mileage | Top Speed | Price (Ex-showroom Delhi) |
| Husqvarna Vitpilen | 9.5 Ltr | 31 kmpl | 146 kmph | 2.19 lakh |
| Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 | 13.7 Ltr | 25 kmpl | 160 kmph | 3.05 lakh |
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Best Café Racer Bikes in India FAQs
Q: Which is the most affordable Café Racer bike?
A: At present, Husqvarna Vitpilen is the most affordable Café Racer bike in India with a price tag of Rs 2.19 lakh ex-showroom New Delhi.
Q: Which are the popular Café Racer bikes?
A: The popular Café Racer bikes in India are Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 and Royal Enfield Continental GT 650.
Q: Are there any upcoming Café Racer bikes?
A: Yes, there are many upcoming Café Racer bikes in India such as – Ducati Scrambler Café Racer, BMW R Nine T Racer, Husqvarna Vitpilen 125 and Vitpilen 401.
Q: Are Café Racer bikes good for daily commuting?
A: Café Racer bikes are only good for short commuting distance as long commuting will be uncomfortable due to highly committed riding posture.
Q: What is the difference between a Café Racer bike and a sports bike?
A: The major difference between a sports bike and a Café Racer bike is that a Sports bikes are designed to run on the race track with main focus on dynamics whereas Café Racers are usually made for drag racing on straight roads. However, modern Café Racer bikes are good at tackling corners as well.
Q: Which is best Cafe Racer bike in India?
A: Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 is the best Cafe Racer in India at present because of its classic genuine Cafe Race design and powerful twin cylinder engine. It is also the most affordable twin-cylinder engine motorcycle available in India.
Q: Which is the cheapest Cafe Racer bike in India?
A: Cheapest Cafe Racer bike in India is Husqvarna Vitpilen and it is priced at Rs 2.19 lakh ex-showroom, New Delhi.
Q: Which is the best Cafe Racer bike under Rs 2 lakh?
A: At present, there is no Cafe Racer bike available under Rs 2 lakh. The cheapest Cafe Racer in India is The Husqvarna Vitpilen at Rs 2.19 lakh ex-showroom, New Delhi.
Q: What is the top speed of fastest Cafe Racer bike?
A: The top speed of fastest Cafe Racer, Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, is 160 kmph.
