In this video we're going to show you our favourite eight modern classic motorcycles
to buy in 2022. We chose these bikes based on their heritage, what they look like, and how they
ride. Modern classics are becoming more and more popular these days for all types of people who
want a classic feel and look, with modern riding technology and reliability. Worth mentioning here,
that for a bike to be on this list it has to look more like a modern classic than a modern retro.
For reference, we would consider bikes like the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 or Moto Guzzi V7
to be modern classics. Whereas a Ducati Scrambler or a Yamaha XSR900 to be more of a modern retro.
Of course these are just our opinions and the dividing lines are blurred, but worth noting
it has been considered. So, no modern retros, no classic cruisers, and no exotic machines
have been included as they will have videos of their own. We thought a lot about this list and
it's not a worse to best, more a collection of bikes to look at if you're into modern classics.
Some manufacturers like Royal Enfield, Triumph and Kawasaki have many modern classics within their
range. So, for balance we have chosen two of our favourites from each. As always let us know what
you think in the comments below, and stay tuned until the end of the video for some modern classic
worthy mentions that we think you'll like. Let's get started. Number 1. Royal Enfield Interceptor
650. If you're looking at modern classics, it's hard to go past Royal Enfield. They have two bikes
on our list and the first one is the Interceptor 650. This bike is one of the best selling bikes in
the UK right now. It was originally launched alongside the Royal Enfield Continental GT,
but the Interceptor 650 is the more popular model by far. The engine is a fuel-injected, air-cooled,
648cc parallel twin four-stroke. It develops 47 horsepower and 52 newton metres of torque.
Transmission is 6 speed, and it has a curb weight of 216 kilograms.
Various colour options are available, and on-the-road price for this bike
starts at £6,039. Number 2. Royal Enfield Classic 350. The Royal Enfield Classic 350
is based on the 1948 model G2 or Bullet, which is known to have the longest unchanged production run
of any motorcycle. When designing this bike the Royal Enfield team didn't want anything on
the bike that was for the aesthetic value alone. Everything needed to be purposeful and functional.
However, even though the design is quite minimal the Classic 350 still has modern conveniences
like electric start, USB port, and ABS. The engine is a fuel-injected, air-cooled, 349cc
single cylinder four stroke, with a balancer shaft to minimise vibrations. It develops 20 horsepower
and 27 newton metres of torque. Transmission is 5 speed, and curb weight is 195 kilograms.
Again, various colour options are available, and on-the-road price for this bike starts at £4,439.
Number 3. BSA Gold Star. [John] Hashtag BSA is back. But not only BSA, the Gold Star is
back in five different variations. So you're getting a red, green, silver,
and black edition. But the flagship model is this one. The sheen edition. So this evokes the DBD34
more than all of them with its special polished chrome guards, polished tank, polished sections
on the engine casings. It really does look like the original DBD34. It's a low revving, easy
riding bike, but with the essence of the original Gold Star. It looks to be a fantastic machine.
[Narrator] The engine is a fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, 652cc single-cylinder four-stroke.
However, it still retains the engine fins to give it the look and style of the original Goldie.
It develops 45 horsepower, and 55 newton metres of torque. Transmission is 5 speed,
and curb weight is 213 kilograms. We love how the designers of this bike have stayed true
to the design of the original one, but added many modern refinements.
[Ashish Joshi] In terms of character we've worked really hard at keeping things simple.
So we've made a motorcycle which is meant for riding pleasure. It may not be the fastest, it
may not be the biggest, but it is definitely going to put a smile on your face. [Narrator] Price for
the Gold Star is not confirmed as yet. Number 4. Triumph Speed Twin. The very first Triumph Speed
Twin was released in 1938. It was the first truly successful parallel twin of its time
and was the bike responsible for the survival of the brand after the Second World War. The engine
is a fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, 1200cc parallel twin four-stroke. It develops 98 horsepower and
112 newton metres of torque. Transmission is 6 speed, and curb weight is 216 kilograms. Price for
the speed twin starts at £11,000. [Stuart Wood] Now the Speed Twin is actually, in a lot of ways,
very similar to the Thruxton. But we've put higher handlebars. It's got slightly more affordable
level of specification. So, where the Thruxton will cost you £13,125 you can buy a Speed Twin
for £11,000 on-the-road. So that's a really large difference in price with all the geometry
and most of the capability of a Thruxton. More relaxed riding position. Really great fun bike
on the street. If you want the absolute ultimate go for the Thruxton, but this for me is a really
nice motorcycle to ride. [Narrator] Triumph have one of the largest ranges of modern classics on
the market, with many different colours, variations and accessories to choose from.
Number 5. Triumph Bonneville T120. The very first Bonneville was launched in 1959.
The name is derived from Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, where riders and manufacturers attempt
to break land speed records on their bikes. The engine is a fuel-injected, liquid cooled,
1200cc parallel twin four-stroke. It develops 79 horsepower, and 105 newton metres of torque.
Transmission is 6 speed, and curb weight is 236 kilograms. Price for the Bonneville starts
at £11,000. [Stuart Wood] The bike we've got here, the T120. Now this is a very recognisable
modern Bonneville okay. So our objective when we designed the T120 was to fully embrace
the look, the style, and the character of the original Bonneville, but to actually create a
completely contemporary motorcycle. Now all of the technology that's built into this bike is hidden.
It's stuff that you need, stuff that suits modern riders, modern roads, modern conditions,
and it gives us all of our durability and reliability that everyone expects now. When
we designed this bike we were trying to design a range of bikes. So we've got a 900 and a 1200.
And what we wanted to do was to create a bike that had all that modern performance,
but in the same package size as our previous Generation 900. And what we've managed to achieve
is to package the 1200cc engine into a smaller package than previously, which has allowed us to
basically get the looks of the bike even more authentic. So again, this isn't a pastiche, this
isn't an old bike, this is a thoroughly modern motorcycle for current roads, current conditions,
current rider expectations, but with all the looks and style of a Bonneville.
[Narrator] Number 6. Moto Guzzi V7. This model carries the same name as the Moto Guzzi V7 Sport
released in 1971. There are various models to choose from in the V7 lineup,
but our pick would be the V7 Special 850, which is the most classic looking with its graphics,
chrome, spoked wheels, polished aluminum and analog dials. The engine is a fuel-injected,
air-cooled, 853cc V-twin four-stroke. It develops 64 horsepower, and 73 newton metres of torque.
Transmission is 6 speed and its curb weight is 223 kilograms. Moto Guzzi has great heritage,
and their bikes have a good reputation for reliability. Price for this bike starts at £8, 200.
Number 7. Kawasaki W800. This bike has been around on and off since 2011 and is based on the 1966
Kawasaki W1, which was based on the BSA A7, hence the similarities in appearance. The engine is a
fuel-injected, air-cooled, 773cc vertical twin four-stroke, tuned for low to mid-range torque.
It develops 46 horsepower and has 63 newton metres of torque. Transmission is 5 speed, and curb weight
is 221 kilograms. [Craig Watson] W800, this one here is what we call the Street Model.
We run three different types of W800. The Street, and the Classic, and of course the Cafe.
Very successful for us in a sort of low volume sector. A little dream of a bike. And I suppose
the key with this bike is how it rides. The Street has a raised handlebar compared
to both the Cafe and the Standard. And what you're going to get with all of this is some character,
some fantastic noise, and interestingly one of the things that was key to the
development of this bike was the sound engineers, to make sure we had a bike
that sounded like a true classic motorcycle. [Narrator] Price for the W800 starts at £8,399.
Number 8. Kawasaki Z900RS. First released in 2017 this bike has the basic engine and chassis package
from the conventional Z900 roadster, with a dash of 70s style. It is a direct descendant of the
1970s Z1 which was noted for being the first large capacity Japanese four-stroke superbike. We like
the Z900RS 50th Anniversary Edition, but there's many other colours and models to choose from.
The engine on the Z900RS is a fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, 948cc inline four-stroke. It
develops 109 horsepower, and 98.5 newton metres of torque. Transmission is 6 speed, and curb
weight is 215 kilograms. [Craig Watson] So now we're across at the far corner of the stand with
Z900RS SE. The update on the very successful Z900RS, to take it to SE spec, is Brembo brakes,
the gold forks, the gold wheels, a fantastic yellow kai paint scheme and also an Ohlins rear
shock. But new for '22 is the Z650RS. Expanding the RS family, this is a real classic retro feel
bike, looking back to the 70s, in this green colour scheme that was available back then, with
the gold wheels. We run this in three different colour schemes. But the key to this bike is how
it rides. This is all to do with fun and easy. [Narrator] Price for the Z900RS starts at £10,849
and £7,649 for the Z650RS. That's our top eight. So now it's time for some quick worthy mentions.
First up, the Janus Halcyon 450. This bike is not a replica of another bike and is purpose-built.
We love the old-school look and feel, and the relaxed riding style. Unfortunately the Janus
motorcycles are only available in the USA. But, if you like this style and want something you can
buy in the UK, you might like the Wardill 4. The Wardill Motorcycle Company was originally
established in the UK in 1927. Mark Wardill, the owner of the company is the grandson of one of
the designers of the original bike. At the heart of the design is a raw riding experience and a
direct connection with the road. And that's it, there's our top eight favorite modern classics.
What did you think of this video and our selections? Let us know in the comments.