Pixelated decals for miniature café racer ‘papio SS’
CFMOTO introduces the 2026 Papio SS, a ‘miniature’ café racer that illuminates with headlights resembling wide-open eyes. An upgraded and smaller version of the 2024 model, the brand revives the retro styling for the recent motorbike with its orange and beige color palette. Pixelated font face marks the sides of the vehicle, and at the back of the two-wheeler, the rear headlights flash static-looking red lights, its visuals resembling a person wearing glasses and in the moment of gasping as the round exhaust sits just below the pair of glowing ‘eyes.’
The project is built around a clear goal: to create a small motorbike with the layout of a café racer but with the functions of a current urban motorcycle. Starting with the frame, the team adopts steel for its material, taking the load from the engine and the rider and keeping the shape stable during travel. They shaped the frame so it can hold the fairing, the seat, the suspension, and the wheels without bending. This is important because the 2026 café racer Papio SS uses a small chassis, and the layout must keep its form during cornering and braking.
all images courtesty of CFMOTO
CFMOTO uses pod headlights resembling eyes
Lighting and display technology are also part of the design story around the 2026 café racer Papio SS. For this model, CFMOTO uses two LED pod headlights at the front, placed in a way that recalls earlier racing motorcycles that used two round lamps. The LED system gives clear forward lighting while using low electrical power, making the design look as if it were a pair of wide-open eyes. As for the dashboard, the brand adds an LCD display, which shows the speed, fuel information, gear position, and other riding information.
Looking at the wheels, the team includes rims that match the color of the fairing, and they’ve also chosen tires that can strongly grip on city roads and short-distance routes. The clip-on handlebars sit low on the front forks, creating a forward-leaning riding position similar to older café-racer layouts. The seat is placed low so the rider can reach the ground without difficulty, which is useful for new riders and for slow-speed movement. The fairing of the 2026 café racer Papio SS is shaped like older race bikes, but it is made using current production methods. It covers part of the frame, guides air around the engine, and supports the front lights. The goal is not style but function: to give the small motorcycle a clear identity and to show how compact frames can carry full fairings.
CFMOTO introduces the 2026 Papio SS, a ‘miniature’ café racer
the front headlights resemble wide-open eyes
the brand revives the retro styling for the recent motorbike
pixelated font face marks the sides of the vehicle
the rear headlight resemble a pair of eyeglasses
the vehicle is an upgraded and smaller version of the 2024 model
project info:
name: 2026 Papio SS
brand: CFMOTO | @cfmoto_usa
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