Top 10 Retro-Style Motorcycles to Purchase in 2023

“Some motorcycles look better when they get old.”

Most motorcycle enthusiasts love the traditional looks of motorcycles, and one of the most popular bike categories nowadays is retro-style motorcycles. Nowadays, motorcycles have modern features and futuristic designs. Such motorcycles are also very expensive and luxurious. However, vintage-style motorcycles are again in trend. Custom motorcycle builders have played a massive role in reviving the retro-style motorcycle trend by rebuilding old models. Popular motorcycle companies, including Honda, BMW, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha, started producing retro-style motorcycles that became quite popular. This article discusses the top 10 retro-style motorcycles to purchase in 2023.

The retro-style motorcycles started as naked motorbikes with minimalist designs and classic looks. These motorcycles’ designs are inspired by older models and pay tribute to their minimal and vintage styling. Despite being simple and based on an old model, they are equipped with modern features to ensure a better and safe riding experience. Retro-style motorbikes are fitted with a round headlamp, spoked wheels, and subtle color schemes.

Based on the iconic Kawasaki Z H1 (also known as The Widowmaker), the Kawasaki Z900 RS is a neo-retro standard motorcycle. It has received a vintage-themed styling with a minimal design and a naked-bike look. The 2023 Kawasaki Z900 RS has a round headlamp, retro-style gauges, and a single-piece saddle capable of two-up riding. It is also fitted with a bobber-style front fender and a high-mounted rear mudguard, giving it a taller rear end. The Kawasaki Z900 RS has a blacked-out frame, engine, and front fork with a three-into-one chrome exhaust pipe.

Despite having an old-school look, the Kawasaki Z900 RS has several modern features, including a standard ABS, Kawasaki Traction Control (KTC), assist & slipper clutch, LED lighting, and horizontal back-link rear suspension with adjustable rebound damping. It also has an Ergo-Fit feature for easily customizable riding position and ergonomics.

The Kawasaki Z900 RS is powered by a 948 cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke engine with a six-speed transmission and a sealed chain drive. The 948 cc engine can produce a torque of 98 Nm at 6,500 rpm, ensuring a punchy ride and good handling. The Kawasaki Z900 RS feels light and performs well while turning tight corners.

The BMW R NineT is an innovatively designed retro motorbike with a stylish, modern look. It also comes with a round headlamp and retro-style twin-dial gauges found on most retro bikes. The BMW R NineT is fitted with a golden-color inverted front fork, a blacked-out frame, and a single-piece flat saddle capable of two-up riding. This vehicle’s design was inspired by the classic 1973 BMW R90S and was fitted with a boxer engine. The BMW R NineT is a basic motorcycle and a blank canvas for custom motorcycle builders to customize this motorbike.

The BMW R NineT is fitted with a 1,170 cc air- and oil-cooled Boxer engine capable of a horsepower of 109 hp and a torque of 115.9 Nm. Despite being slightly heavier than most retro-style motorcycles, it still feels light and can attain a top speed of over 124 mph. to have a cleaner look, the BMW R NineT comes with a shaft drive and a claw-shifted six-speed transmission. Compared to the other neo-retro standard motorcycles, the BMW R NineT is quite expensive, with a base price of $15,954. However, the high price is due to having several modern ride-assist features, including LED lights, a standard ABS, two riding modes (Road and Rain), adjustable suspensions, and an Automatic Stability Control (ASC).

Triumph is a popular motorcycle brand for its modern-classic motorcycles with retro looks. The Triumph Thruxton RS is a retro-style café racer bike with a tail cowl, flat solo rider seat, low-mounted clip-on handlebars, and elevated rear end, providing an aggressive riding style for quick rides over short distances. The Triumph Thruxton is an iconic series introduced in 2004 with sports styling and parallel-twin engines. However, the term Thruxton was first used for an endurance racing motorbike designed in the 1950s.

The Triumph Thruxton RS is a fast café racer powered by a 1200 cc liquid-cooled, parallel twin engine capable of a horsepower of 103 hp and a torque of 112 Nm. It is also fitted with a six-speed transmission, a multiple assist clutch, and an O-ring chain for smooth and quick throttle response. For improved responsiveness and a comfortable riding experience, the Triumph Thruxton RS comes with fully adjustable Showa big piston forks and Öhlins dual shock absorbers with a piggyback reservoir. It is also fitted with reliable Brembo dual discs front brake, a single rear disc with Nissin caliper, and a standard ABS for a safer riding experience.

Being an expensive motorbike, the Triumph Thruxton RS comes loaded with several modern features, including heated grips, a traction control system, a throttle map, riding modes (Sport, Rain, and Road), and a USB charging port.

The Yamaha XSR900 is another modern motorbike with classic retro looks. This motorcycle is based on the Yamaha MT-09, one of Yamaha's best-selling motorcycles, providing top-notch performance at an affordable price. The Yamaha XSR900 is a naked, retro-style motorcycle version of the Yamaha MT-09 with the CP3 engine platform and MT-09’s chassis. Being a simple motorbike with no heavy parts, it is easily customizable due to its array of aftermarket parts readily available for a customized experience.

The Yamaha XSR900 is powered by an 890 cc liquid-cooled, an inline three-cylinder engine capable of a horsepower of 117 hp and a torque of 92.87 Nm. It is fitted with a six-speed transmission, a chain drive, and an assist & slipper clutch for smooth ride quality and responsiveness. The preload-adjustable inverted front fork has a wheel travel of 5.1 inches, while the adjustable rear mono-shock has a wheel travel of 5.4 inches.

The Yamaha XSR900’s modern features include a standard ABS, lean-sensitive traction control system, cruise control ride-by-wire throttle with an accelerator position sensor grip, and a 3.5 inches colored TFT display. A Quick Shift System (QSS) allows riders to shift gears without using the clutch for smooth acceleration and less chassis disruption. Despite being fitted with numerous modern ride-assist and safety features, the Yamaha XSR900 is an affordable motorcycle costing only $10,199.

The Indian Chief is a retro cruiser with a classic look inspired by the iconic Indian Chief from the pre-World War era. This motorbike was reintroduced in 1999 with a raked-out front end, a tuck-and-roll solo rider seat, and vintage-style long-skirt fenders. However, the 2023 Indian Chief is a minimalist-design cruiser with a bobber-style front fender, a chopped rear fender, a small round headlamp, seven-spoke wheels, and a blacked-out finish. It is popular among motorcycle enthusiasts due to its being easily customizable.

The Indian Chief is powered by a powerful 1,811 cc air-cooled, Thunderstroke 111 engine capable of horsepower of 74 hp and a torque of 146.42 Nm. It has a six-speed transmission for a better cruising experience on open roads. The Indian Chief’s engine provides smooth power delivery across all gear levels. It is an all-around motorbike with good handling and cornering capabilities due to being lightweight. The rider can also turn tight corners without scrapping its footpegs.

The 2023 Indian Chief also comes with three selectable riding modes (Standard, Tour, and Sport) and an optional ABS for a customized riding experience.

Established in 1921, Moto Guzzi is one of the oldest Italian motorcycle brands. It is a prominent motorcycle brand worldwide due to its innovations, retro-style motorcycles, and eight-cylinder engines. The original Moto Guzzi V7 Sport was launched in 1971 with a café racer styling, including clip-on handlebars and an aggressive riding style. The distinctive feature of the Moto Guzzi V7 Sport was its longitudinally-mounted V-Twin engine which is not common in motorcycles. The two cylinders are perpendicularly mounted to the motorcycle which helps give it a unique look.

Based on the 1971 Moto Guzzi V7 Sport, the 2022 Moto Guzzi V7 is a modern motorbike with retro looks and is available in four variants, including the Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Centenario, V7 Stone, V7 Special Edition, and V7 Special. The Moto Guzzi V7 Special is fitted with the same longitudinally-mounted 853 cc air-cooled engine capable of a horsepower of 64.1 hp at 6,800 rpm and a torque of 73 Nm at 5,000 rpm. It is a lightweight motorcycle with a dry weight of 203 kg, making it quite nimble and agile. The Moto Guzzi V7 Special also has Dunlop Arrowmax StreetSmart tires for better traction and is ideal even in slippery conditions. It comes with a single-piece flat saddle capable of two-up riding with a passenger grab rail. To complement the classic look, the Moto Guzzi V7 Special comes with a Round LED headlamp and retro-style twin-dial gauges.

Another popular Italian motorcycle brand is Ducati, famous for its retro-style motorcycles. Ducati launched the first Scrambler motorcycle in 1962 for both on- and off-roading. In the 2010s, Ducati decided to launch the neo-retro standard motorbikes inspired by the 1962 Ducati Scrambler range. The latest Ducati Scrambler models account for more than 25% of Ducati’s overall sales worldwide.

One of the best neo-retro standard motorbikes with a classic appearance and modern features in the Ducati Scrambler lineup is the Ducati Scrambler Icon. The Ducati Scrambler Icon is powered by a desmodromic 803 cc air-cooled, L-Twin engine capable of a torque of 65.2 Nm at 7,000 rpm and a horsepower of 73 hp at 8,250 rpm. It has a six-speed transmission, a chain drive, and a hydraulically controlled slipper and self-servo wet clutch for smooth ride quality and clutch operation. The Ducati Scrambler Icon is fitted with an upside-down Kayaba 41 mm front fork and a preload adjustable Kayaba rear shock. Both front and rear suspensions have wheel travel of 5.9 inches for comfortable rides on paved and unpaved roads. The Ducati Scrambler Icon’s Pirelli MT 60 RS tires provide better traction on unpaved roads. It has a thin, round LED headlamp, a small TFT digital display, and a flat, dirt bike-style seat.

The Ducati Scrambler Icon has modern ride-assist and safety features, including a Cornering ABS, traction control, and ride-by-wire throttle that provides two riding modes: wet and road. It also has a 4.3 inches color display and a USB socket under the seat.

Triumph is a British brand famous worldwide for its retro-style motorcycle lineup, including the Bonneville series, Triumph Thruxton RS, and Speed Twin 900. The 2020 Triumph Speed Twin 900 is a newer addition to the Triumph modern-classic motorcycle lineup with a round headlamp, single dial gauges, and flat handlebars with wide side mirrors.

The Triumph Speed Twin 900 is fitted with a 900 cc liquid-cooled, Parallel-Twin engine capable of a torque of 80 Nm at 2,800 rpm and a horsepower of 64.1 hp at 7,500 rpm. It has a five-speed transmission, a chain drive, and a torque-assist clutch for smooth gear shifts and clutch operation. Despite being built with retro- looks, the Triumph Speed Twin 900 comes with several modern features, including an ABS, two selectable riding modes (Rain and Road), traction control, and a USB charging socket under the seat.

The Kawasaki W800 is the ideal choice If you are looking for an affordable and reliable modern-classic motorcycle with a standard ABS. This vehicle was based on the Kawasaki W series introduced in 1967. The Kawasaki W800 also shares a resemblance with the Triumph Speed Twin 900. It is powered by a 773 cc air-cooled, Parallel-Twin engine capable of a torque of 62.9 Nm. The Kawasaki W800 has a five-speed return shift transmission, a sealed chain drive, and an assist & slipper clutch to ensure comfortable and smooth riding. The Kawasaki W800 also has a decent fuel tank capacity of 4 gal for daily commutes and city traveling. It is an easy-to-handle motorbike and feels punchy on the road due to being a lightweight motorcycle with a wet weight of 496.1 lbs.

Royal Enfield is a well-known Indian motorcycle brand due to its old-school motorcycle models. There was a time when the Royal Enfield motorcycles were considered conventional, but today they have become quite fashionable as the retro-style motorcycle segment has become quite popular recently.

The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 has a pure classic and balanced look with a round headlamp, twin dial gauges, separate dual chrome mufflers, flat single-piece saddle, and aggressive riding style. It is fitted with a 648 cc air- and oil-cooled, Parallel-Twin engine capable of a torque of 52 Nm at 5,250 rpm and a horsepower of 47 hp at 7,250 rpm. The engine provides smooth power delivery and good throttle response at all gear levels. The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 comes with a six-speed transmission and an assist & slipper clutch for smoother gear shifts. This vehicle also has a 320 mm single front disc, a 240 mm single rear disc, and a standard ABS for reliable braking.

The retro-style motorcycles are popular nowadays with several modern ride-assist and safety features. They are suited for daily commutes, city travel, and quick rides due to their being lightweight, nimble, and agile. The retro-style motorbikes have sportier ergonomics with mid-mounted footrests and low-mounted handlebars.

Retro-style motorcycles usually have a simple design and are easily customizable. They often have a round headlamp, twin-dial gauges, a flat single-piece saddle, and an elevated rear mudguard. Retro-style motorcycles take inspiration from popular classic motorbikes.

If you own a retro-style motorbike, you can add luggage options available at Viking Bags, including saddlebags, tail bags, and tank bags.