I get the whole "artificial hipster coolness" objection thing re cafe racers. I happen to be a fan of the aesthetic, but that's just me.
Got a question for you: Cafe racers are really just regular bikes with a few accessories. It doesn't have to be neo-retro or have number plates and checkers to capture the spirit.
What do you think of this? To me, it's a tasteful modern take on cafe. This, by the way, is the same model, year and color of my "new" bike. Thinking about doing this conversion to it.