The 16 Best Retro-Style Motorcycles On The Market Right Now

Motorcycle design is something that naturally lends itself to a wide variety of outcomes relating to style. This allows designers to work on the machines as mechanical canvases that offer broad interpretations of design aesthetics, leaving us with creations that differ wildly, from a Japanese scooter to an American bagger. This is a great thing for consumers as manufacturers can produce bikes to fit the personal identities of riders with vastly different objectives for what they want out of a motorcycle.

Additionally, designs have changed much over the years, with some vintage and antique designs remaining classic and beautiful expressions of their time. The oldest of these manufacturers are Harley-Davidson in the U.S. and Matchless in the U.K. Many riders appreciate the aesthetics and style of previous eras, but do not relish the idea of actually owning an antique motorcycle as it can accompany a certain level of technical skill and additional maintenance. Therefore, many companies are today making motorcycles that recycle designs of yesterday, while others have never stopped making those old machines. This means today's rider can experience something with the style of yesterday while enjoying the benefits of modern technology and reliable mechanicals. This has resulted in plenty of great vintage-inspired models on the market to choose from. Barring bikes from Harley-Davidson and Indian, since making retro bikes has mostly been their entire business model for years, here are 16 of the best retro motorcycles you can buy right now.

The Royal Enfield story begins pre-World War I in England, eventually being a supplier for the British military through two world wars. The rugged motorcycles would also prove to be popular in the British colony of India, and that led to assembly and then full-scale production in India after independence. The English company closed shop in the late '60s, but the Indians continued with the brand and it still exists to this day.

The company has since produced many different models of motorcycles, including the Bullet from 1931 to 2020. The Enfield Classic line began in 2008 and was updated for the 2022 model year. It is currently the most classically styled motorcycle from the company and it retains not just the style, but many mechanicals of historic models. In a Cycle World review, the bike shows many flaws in a modern context, with throttle response and braking capability being subpar. However, the Classic is a robust, simple, and affordable bike that is perfect for its home market but is also a good choice for budget-conscious and beginning riders in Western markets.

If Arthur Davidson and William Harley had been born in Munich instead of Milwaukee, their company could have built the BMW R 18. In reality, this is BMW's second attempt to garner a larger portion of the huge cruiser market dominated by Harley-Davidson. Its first attempt was the R1200C, which was a complete failure. However, with this go around, it appears BMW has learned from its mistakes, as the R 18 is a beautiful machine backed up by mechanical prowess.

Built around a giant 1,800cc boxer V-twin, the R 18 does double styling duty in representing the BMW R5 of the 1930s while going up against a Harley Fat Boy in terms of style. BMW has executed this one quite well. Its hidden rear suspension gives it the look of an old hardtail and combined with its low and wide seat along with wide, swept-back handlebars make it a genuine contender for buyers of cruisers. While the bike is full of modern technology, Rider Magazine also says it has been kept to a minimum, keeping a clean and uncomplicated machine. Despite its fantastic style, it does come up a bit short by having a harsher ride than it should and excessive vibration. Regardless, in its attempt to build a good-looking cruiser to compete with the Americans, BMW has succeeded.

Ducati is a company known for its innovation and technical expertise as a leading Italian motorcycle manufacturer that has been winning races for decades. While style is always a consideration in creating a new model, power and efficiency are primary concerns. Ducati bikes keep the flash and frills to a minimum while delivering clean and sharp bikes that go in the direction you point them as quickly as possible. Recently, the company has released a model that fits in line with this general direction but seems to use a retro class of motorcycle to guide its style. The end result is a thoroughly modern machine with inspiration from bikes of the past, the Ducati Scrambler.

Scramblers are street bikes that have been stripped down and fitted with knobby tires for use off-road. They have grown in popularity recently but have roots in the 1960s. The new Ducati model fits in line with this but has been designed from the ground up as a dual-purpose bike with the handling characteristic of a road-going street bike. The current Scrambler comes with Ducati's signature L-twin making 73 horsepower and plenty of exposed frame tubing and mechanical bits. The suspension rides a bit higher than average street bikes and the tires are typical of enduro or dual-purpose models. The current Ducati Scrambler is clearly a modern motorcycle, but with roots in the past. Regardless of how and when its styling originated, it is a great-looking bike that is sure to be a blast to ride on dirt and pavement.

We have seen the Honda Monkey before, back when pant legs were flared and hair was long. It is more of a toy than a motorcycle, but if a bike can't be fun like a toy, what good is it? The Monkey began as a side attraction at a Tokyo amusement park owned by Honda in the early '60s. A tiny child-sized motorbike built by Honda with its near-indestructible 49cc engine was introduced and its popularity spurred the company into making so many it entered regular production for sale to the public. Many changes were made to it before 1968 when it arrived stateside as the Mini Trail and later the Monkey due to the adult's silly look while riding them. At first, it was off-road use only but soon received the required lighting for street legal use.

The new Monkey from Honda takes the popularity of retro motorcycles to an extreme conclusion by releasing this new bike in a form nearly identical to the one made around 1978. The engine of the Monkey has grown to 125cc, largely in part to having one readily available from the wildly successful GROM. Updates from the original, besides engine size, include a digital LCD speedometer and display, fuel injection, and ABS disc brakes. The Monkey is more of a neighborhood cruiser meant for downtowns or the narrow streets in a place like Amsterdam or Tokyo, however, anyone who gets on one knows the biggest benefit of owning a Monkey is fun.

While classic Japanese bikes of the '70s are highly fashionable at the moment, and Kawasaki has brought its Z900 back to the future, another model from the brand goes even deeper into the archives. Kawasaki was an aircraft manufacturer when it bought struggling Meguro motorcycles in the early '60s, and the first bike to come from the merger was the 1966 W1. The W1 is a large and powerful bike based on the British BSA and featured a large for Japan 500cc parallel twin. Kawasaki put its aircraft engineering expertise to work to improve it and ended up with a successful launch for the company's new venture.

Kawasaki has since revisited its first model with the current W800 which, at first glance, appears to be indistinguishable from the old W1. One could say this is retro done absolutely right. The W800 is powered by a parallel twin like the original but completely updated with an overhead camshaft, fuel injection, and modern manufacturing practices. It further has ABS disc brakes, a slip and assist clutch, and a contoured and ribbed seat. The W800 is a perfect bike for casual rides and weekend cruises with plenty of power to get on the highway while remaining small enough to easily zip through traffic. It is also unencumbered with technology, displaying nothing but two needles on the gauges and a few warning lights, just like the old days. It is a classic and retro bike in every sense and anyone riding one likely cannot help but feel cool, regardless of how true that may be.

While many retro motorcycles pay tribute to the bikes of the '50s or '70s, Janus takes it back to the beginning. These American-made, hand-built motorcycles resemble machines that came out of the first workshops of Indian or Harley-Davidson before and after WWI. They have a unique appeal and cater to a select rider who values quality craftsmanship and the experience of the ride more than having the biggest and baddest ride on the road. Most Janus models are powered by engines of less than 500cc with top speeds under 60 mph, but they are beautiful machines.

The biggest Janus is the Halcyon 450. Its engine is a 445cc air-cooled single that produces just 30 horsepower. Power goes through a five-speed gearbox, and unlike the bikes of the early 20th century, the Halcyon has disc brakes on both wheels, offering excellent stopping power. The rest of the bike is very much a no-frills affair, with a simple speedometer on the handlebars with a few old-fashioned warning lights on the dial. But the Halcyon is all about style, and its open frame with sprung saddle and deep, curbed fenders all combine to produce a distinctive and classic look. Each Janus is built to order by hand in Indiana, although the engines are imported from China. Sadly, domestic suppliers for small engines are not available.

Although these bikes use small engines from China, that does not mean they are cheap. The range-topping Halcyon's base price is $14,995. The Janus website lists a few models ready to ship, but many, if not most, are built on demand with several custom options available.

When looking for a retro motorcycle, it is hard to get closer to the root of the word retro than the new BSA Gold Star. The company has a long history beginning with the original Birmingham Small Arms Company, which produced firearms and later became a motorcycle manufacturer. BSA bikes were among the best in the world in their heyday but went out of business in the '70s. The resurgent company, under the ownership of Indian automotive group Mahindra, has produced an all-new bike with exceptional details of the past.

The new Gold Star is powered by a single-cylinder engine with a displacement of 652cc running through a five-speed transmission. The engine is derived from a Rotax design, and although the bike looks to be from another time, the components are thoroughly modern. That means it has fuel injection and water cooling as well as Brembo disc brakes and dry sump lubrication. Its 45 horsepower may not win any drag races, but it will keep the bike cruising happily at highway speeds. Manufacturing is based in India, with sales launched initially in Europe with plans to soon enter the American market.

BSA is a brand that is still loved by collectors of classic British bikes, and it looks like Mahindra has brought us a worthy reincarnation. And with prices starting under £7,000 ($8,900), it represents good value as well.

Long hailed for their reliability and build quality, Honda motorcycles are known the world over and ridden daily by millions. With the popularity of the scrambler style of motorcycle today, Honda has also entered the fray with its CL500. New for 2023, the CL500 is a small and stripped-down model with plenty of clearance for trail riding and plenty of power for the highway. Although it adopts the scrambler style, its retro cues are subtle. Regardless, it's a great-looking bike.

Honda based this bike on the Rebel 500 while taking it in a completely different direction. There will be no laid-back cruising on this one as it is set up for riding of a bit more adventurous nature. Its engine is the same reliable dual-overhead cam 471cc parallel twin with liquid cooling and fuel injection. It also retains the six-speed gearbox of the Rebel with an assist-and-slipper clutch, but a large 41-tooth sprocket provides better acceleration. The seat sits relatively high, and the exhaust is routed upward, far away from the pavement. Its tall tires give it a 6.1-inch ground clearance, while an aggressive tread on the tires ensures grip on loose surfaces. Behind the LED headlight are a bright digital gauge and exposed handlebars, forks, and frame. The CL500 is a good all-around machine built to a retro standard with the most modern styling in its class. But it is an attractive bike that should offer miles and miles of carefree riding at a reasonable price. It would be hard to go wrong in choosing this Honda.