While outright speed is not necessarily the idea behind the current crop of modern classic or retro motorcycles, that’s not to say that the manufacturers have foregone that element in the pursuit of styling excellence. Nor have they forgotten to make the motorcycles dynamically brilliant, providing the perfect blend of show and go. As with under-1000cc modern classic models, there is a wide choice of over-1000cc models to choose from, and the best of them are in this list.

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10 BMW RnineT

BMW RnineT studio shot
BMW

Just as much of a surprise as the S1000RR superbike, the RnineT showed once and for all that BMW actually had a fun side to it. While the RnineT is unashamedly retro, it is also a completely made-up model, having no bearing on any previous BMW model: it was a style for style’s sake. Named for both 90 years of BMW Motorrad and also a throwback to the R90S sports model from the 1970s, BMW intended the RnineT to be a blank canvas for customization, although the bike as it rolled off the production line was custom enough for many owners. Powered by the old, air-cooled, 1170cc boxer twin engine producing around 110 horsepower, the RnineT was so successful that BMW committed to continuing production of the engine for a further ten years, despite it having been replaced by the liquid-cooled boxer twin for all BMW’s other models. The RnineT is a versatile all-rounder with just the right level of retro style married to modern dynamics. Several distinct variations on the theme have appeared, although the best - in our eyes, at least - the café racer-inspired RnineT racer, is no longer made.

9 Triumph Speed Twin 1200

Triumph Speed Twin 1200 studio shot
Triumph

In reality, it would be possible to fill at least half of this list with Triumph Bonneville-based models, but that would mean leaving out some other great bikes that qualify, so we’ve decided on the three main styles Triumph offers. First up is the brilliant Speed Twin 1200, which is in essence the Thruxton R but packaged as a roadster, not a café racer. It is not only sportier to ride than the Bonneville T120, but it also looks sportier, with its forward-raked stance. But none of this is at the expense of comfort, which remains impressive. The styling is as perfect as the performance is scintillating, while the beauty in the details is second-to-none. Somehow, Triumph has given the Speed Twin 1200 the ride quality, poise, dynamics, and braking power of the Street or Speed Triple and managed to avoid the long-distance discomfort of the Thruxton. The ride quality is sumptuous but taut, the engine exhilarating, the brakes full of power and feel and the chassis and suspension, despite the lack of adjustment, near perfect. Overall, very hard to beat if your requirements are comfort and performance with a large dose of style.

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8 Indian Scout Sixty

Indian Scout Sixty static shot
Indian

Everything that Indian has done could be bundled into the modern classic theme, from the largest cruisers down to this, the Scout Sixty, which could be the best of them all! The Scout Sixty comes with a 1000cc version of the 1200cc V-Twin engine found in the Scout, producing 78 horsepower and 65 pound-feet of torque, more than enough to give excellent performance in a completely accessible package. It might be physically small but it gives a big bike riding experience. The seat height is a ridiculously low 25.6-inches, meaning even the shortest rider can ride with confidence but, somehow, it doesn’t feel too small for taller riders. It has a feet-and-arms-forward riding position which can spell trouble on longer rides on other bikes but is largely absent on the Scout Sixty. It is beautifully styled and the fit and finish is near-perfect, although you’ll have to shell out more for a pillion seat and pegs.

7 Ducati Scrambler 1100 Pro

Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport Pro studio shot
Ducati

Ducati introduced the new Scrambler back in 2015, and it was an immediate success, introducing more people to Ducati motorcycling than any model before or since. The original Scrambler came with an 803cc version of the air-cooled V-Twin engine, while the style copied that of the original Ducati Scrambler models of the 1960s. Then, in 2018, Ducati announced the Scrambler 1100, featuring an 86 horsepower/65 pound-feet of torque version of the same V-Twin (or L-Twin, if you want to be pedantic) engine. There are two models: the base 1100 Pro and the up-spec 1100 Sport Pro, which has uprated suspension and a slightly more aggressive riding position. Fully modern electronics feature lean-sensitive ABS and traction control but, as with all Ducatis, it's the engine that is the real talking point, being at once smooth, punchy, and with plenty of grunt while also sounding great, even with stock mufflers. There’s plenty of performance, but it’s all so unintimidating and accessible, the chassis having excellent dynamics no matter which model you choose.

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6 Triumph Scrambler 1200XE

Triumph Scrambler 1200XE Studio shot
Triumph

Along with the Thruxton R, the Triumph Scrambler 1200XE is the perfect example of Triumph’s design philosophy, developed with every new generation of a given model: great bikes turning into brilliant bikes. The original Scrambler 900 was nothing more than a Bonneville with chunky tires and a high-mounted exhaust: a styling exercise. For the next generation, Triumph turned the Scrambler into a proper adventure scrambler, complete with a tall stance, top-spec suspension and brakes, and more than enough off-road ability coupled with wonderful road manners and performance. The engine is based on that of the Thruxton R, being the high-power version of the 1200cc parallel twin. Off-road it has all the low-down lugging power you need, while on tar, it’s fast and smooth, the chassis matching it with poise and a lovely taut feeling, belying the long travel Öhlins and Showa suspension. It’s not so much a retro motorcycle as a thoroughly modern adventure scrambler which just happens to have retro styling and is all the better for it. The electronics are the match of any other adventure bike, the ride-by-wire throttle response perfect for off-road riding, the comfort surprisingly good despite the thin seat, and the quality of fit and finish is second to none: the only plastic on the bike are the side panels - everything else is steel or aluminum and beautifully conceived and finished. Style, ability, performance: the perfect motorcycle?

5 BMW R18

A parked BMW R18
BMW

As with the RnineT, no one saw this coming! BMW out-retro’ed everyone else in one fell swoop. The R18 takes inspiration from the very earliest BMW motorcycles, which were in production from 1923. The engine, which is the largest engine BMW has ever produced - 1802cc - can trace its lineage right back to the first boxer twin engine, along with the shaft drive and the gloss black paint with white pinstriping. Typical BMW, it’s beautifully executed and of very high quality throughout. The engine produces 91 horsepower and a stonking 116 foot-pounds of torque, which is enough to give this 761-pound beast a pretty spritely performance, while the chassis and suspension encourage a sportier riding style than the length and weight might suggest. A little disconcerting at first, you soon get used to the weight and the way the huge engine twists the bike to the left when you start up, but it never loses its novelty. Of course, the R18 has its sights set firmly on the U.S. and Harley-Davidson’s stranglehold on the cruiser market. To that end, there are now several variations on the R18 theme, including a fully-dressed touring cruiser model, the Transcontinental. Just like the RnineT, however, BMW intends the R18 to be a blank canvas for customization, something that has not been lost on the custom builders in the world. And, oh, those jokers at BMW; there are three riding modes but, in place of the normal Sport, Road, and Rain, on the R18 you get Rock, Roll, and Rain! Ho Ho Ho!

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4 Suzuki Katana

Suzuki Katana studio shot
Suzuki

Suzuki caused a huge stir back in 1982 when it unveiled the original Katana, designed by the ex-BMW chief of styling Hans Muth. It was a styling job - a radical one, at that - applied to the GSX1100, a four-cylinder sports bike, and to say it caused a stir, would be an understatement. When Suzuki decided to jump on the retro bandwagon, there really was only one bike it could use for inspiration. The base for the new Katana is the GSX-S1000F, a sports touring model using the 150 horsepower, 80 pound-feet of torque engine from the 2005 GSX-R1000. The new Katana retains all of the running gear, suspension, and brakes of the GSX-S1000F and that is no bad thing as that model was particularly polished and effective in its intended role. If anything, the design of the fairing and tank works much better now than it did back in 1982. Maybe we’re more familiar with it, or maybe it just looks more at home among today's design languages utilized by motorcycle manufacturers. Electronics are non-IMU-based, so there’s no lean-sensitive traction control or ABS but the chassis is so well-behaved that you would have t be really ham-fisted to get it out of shape. Big, not-too-heavy and comfortable with a good slice of uniqueness.

3 Indian FTR1200

Indian FTR1200 studio shot
Indian

Indian really took everyone by surprise with the FTR1200. Here was a manufacturer of large, heavy cruisers in the American idiom turning the pages back to past sporting glories to create something new. It was Indian’s equivalent of the Harley-Davidson Pan America adventure bike: a bold move but one that produced a bike out of all keeping with Indian’s traditional offering and being brilliant to boot. The engine is a tuned version of the 1200cc Scout V-Twin, pushing out 118 horsepower and 87 foot-pounds of torque, giving excellent performance in the flat-track-inspired chassis which endowed it with handling to match the performance, not to mention retro good looks. Four models were announced: the base model, the semi-off-road Rally, the higher-spec ’S’, and the all-singing Carbon with top-spec suspension and lots of carbon fiber. The only slight issue was odd-sized wheels and tires - 19/18-inch front/rear, which has been rectified for 2022 with 17-inch wheels front and rear, making it even better on-road thanks to a wider tire selection.

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2 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Revival

Harley Davidson Electra Glide Revival static shot
Harley-Davidson

Critics would argue that all Harley-Davidson builds are retro bikes, the basic idea not having changed for 100 years! But you don’t top sales charts in your home country year upon year without doing something right, so who are we to criticize? Harley has dipped into the pot marked ‘retro’ before and, let’s face it, there are a lot of models from which to draw inspiration. For the Electra Glide Revival, it’s not too difficult to head all the way back to 1969 and the original Electra Glide to see exactly where Harley’s marketing people are coming from. The biggest design cue is the white and black single seat, which sits at a relatively lofty 30.9-inches, making the Electra Glide Revival much roomier for taller riders and promoting a slightly downward reach to the handlebars. It also means the top edge of the batwing fairing is well below eye level and, therefore, your head seems to sit well in the airstream. The bike is fitted with Harley-Davidson’s Milwaukee-Eight engine in 114 cubic-inch guise, meaning 118 pound-feet of torque to haul the 862-pound weight around: it’s all needed but it's so smooth and the torque curve starting so low down that it never feels breathless. You get lean-sensitive ABS and traction control and electronic anti-rear wheel lock-up when downshifting and hill-hold control is a useful feature. Braking via three-disc brakes is up to coping with the bulk. But the best thing about the Electra Glide Revival is the way it looks: all of a sudden it's 1969 again, and you’re on the lookout for Marianne Faithful on her Electra Glide!

1 Triumph Thruxton 1200R

Triumph Thruxton R studio shot
Triumph

Like the Scrambler 1200, Triumph knocked it out of the ballpark with the next-generation Thruxton café racer. The Thruxton 1200R took everything from the old Thruxton 900 and turned it up to 11, without making it so extreme that only a few could ride it. It somehow manages to look and feel like a café racer without requiring the rider to contort himself into a ball: it’s at once a sporty and relaxed riding position, and I’ve no idea how Triumph has done that, but I do know that once you’ve ridden it, you never forget it. Everywhere, it’s beautiful: from the polished aluminum top yoke to the twin clocks, from the long, sculpted tank to the cocky upsweep of the mufflers, from the gold-finished Showa forks to the twin Öhlins piggy-back shocks: it is a thing of grace and purposefulness, which is all backed up by a fantastic riding experience. The engine is the 1200cc High Power parallel twin, with 103 horsepower and 83 pound-feet of torque: it just pulls and pulls with the right amount of vibration and so much character. It’s every bit as good as any other sports bike you’d care to mention, just infinitely more accessible and, arguably, better looking. One of the great motorcycles of the 21st century.