By their nature, cafe racers don’t lend themselves well to big guys. they can make you feel cramped at the best of times and if you’re taller than 6ft it can get uncomfortable very quickly. here I look at the options for those bigger guys who have their hearts set on a cafe racer.
what is the best cafe racer for the big ones? The Kawasaki Z900R Cafe has a seat height of 820mm, a wheelbase of 1470mm and an overall length of 2100mm, making it the largest cafe racer in production. With a seat height of 829mm, a wheelbase of 1500mm and an overall length of 2175mm, the Yamaha XJR1300 Racer was the largest but ceased production in 2016. However, they are still available on the second hand market. hand.
Reading: Cafe racer for tall riders
I’ve listed the sizes of most of the most popular production cafe racers below. as you will see, the seat height and wheelbase can differ considerably.
other cafe racers for adults
- yamaha xsr900 abarth – seat height 830mm and wheelbase 1440mm
- triumph thruxton r: 810mm seat height and 1415mm wheelbase
- norton commando 961 cafe racer – 810mm seat height and 1400mm wheelbase
- bmw r nine t racer – seat height 805mm and wheelbase 1491mm
- ducati scrambler cafe racer – seat height 805mm and wheelbase 1436mm
- kawasaki w800 street: seat height is only 770mm
- the seat height of the triumph street cup is 780mm
- yamaha xv950 racer is a 765mm bass
the seat heights in the list above only vary by a total of 25mm, but look at the wheelbase dimensions: it varies by 91mm, which is just over 3 1/2 inches
the following cafe racers would be considered too small for a big guy.
seat height
To match the seat heights listed above to your particular body type, use your crotch-to-floor measurement, also known as your inseam measurement.
remember, however, that how far you can put your feet on the ground when sitting on the motorcycle will depend on the width of the seat. manufacturers may use a wider seat (especially three- or four-cylinder machines) to force their wider thighs. this, in turn, means it’s harder to get your feet down due to the way your legs are forced when they wrap around the seat.
Your best bet is to use this guide to build your list of potential cafe racers, then go to your local dealers and sit down with them and see how they feel.
pin positioning
Peg height can also be an issue. you find a cafe racer with a proper seat height for a tall guy and realize your heel positions are forward and your knees are tucked under your chin!
give a yamaha xsr900 the cafe racer treatment
This is what I would do if I was 6’5″ and desperate for a cafe racer. Hop on a stock Yamaha XSR900 and make sure it fits you. it’s one of the bigger bikes so it should be fine.
Assuming you find it suitable, you can buy a new one for £8899 or a low mileage second hand for around £5500 to £6000.
The next thing is to customize it yourself by transforming your standard xsr900 into a cafe racer ideal for someone your height.
yamaha sells a range of accessories for the xsr900 including different seats, seat covers, rear kits etc.
The rear assemblies in particular are great for the tall rider as they have a lot of adjustability. There are also a host of companies that sell aftermarket handlebars and towers. this means you should be able to play around with your leg and arm position making sure you end up with something close to a comfortable position.
It’s worth noting that most riders find the cafe racer position uncomfortable, regardless of size. when i spent an afternoon on the r nine t racer my wrists were killing me for a couple of days!
build your own cafe racer
building your own cafe racer from a suitable donor bike is another option you might want to consider. a build yourself (or have someone build one for you) would ensure you end up with a cafe racer that’s ideal for a tall rider.
See also: Top 20+ quán cafe đẹp ở xã đàn hay nhất, bạn nên biết
How much does it cost to build a cafe racer? not as much as you would think. particularly if you choose your donor carefully. full kits are available for the most popular donors and you should be able to convert them yourself for no more than £1k.
for a big guy who wants to build a cafe racer, you’ll want any of the superbikes from the late ’70s to early ’80s as your donor.
something like a honda cb900 or 1100f supersports or a kawasaki z1r or gpz900 would be ideal. These bikes are big machines and make great cafe racer conversions for the tall rider.
You will have to sit on the motorcycle of your potential donor. Don’t be discouraged if it’s not a perfect fit, as you’ll be able to make final adjustments with the peg and seat positioning.
related questions
what if I’m too big for even the xjr1300 racer and don’t have the skills or time to build my own cafe racer?
If you’re too tall for a cafe racer, consider a scrambler or flat tracker. To be honest, the lines between these and cafe racers are blurring in the custom scene anyway. anything listed on ebay that is slightly customized will show up as a bobber/scrambler/cafe racer.
I took your advice and got the z900r cafe, why do I still feel like I need more space?
a brief history of the cafe racer movement. There’s a reason the cafe racer movement was built around racing your custom motorcycle against a song on the cafe’s jukebox: it wasn’t so awkward anymore.
if you want a comfortable motorcycle, you should consider something other than a cafe racer.
Have I missed a cafe racer suitable for a great cyclist? please let me know in the comments below.
See also: No excuses: testing Tokyos anti-procrastination cafe
