Start Your Engines
Few things are cooler than a motorcycle. From the roar of the engine to the way you look taking your helmet off, the rule of cool may as well be written in tire tracks. Every collection is as varied as the person collecting them, but there are a few bikes simply too iconic to pass up. And with that, let’s go full throttle on the 20 most iconic motorcycles of all time.
1. Honda Super Cub
There’s no better place to start than with the Honda Super Cub. It may not be the oldest bike, or the flashiest, or most expensive, but this charming commuter is the best-selling bike of all time! This single-carriage underbone cycle has been continuously produced since its debut in 1958. Over 100 million Super Cubs have been purchased as of 2017 with no end in sight.
2. Ducati 916
Regularly called the most beautiful bike of all time, Massimo Tamburini’s masterpiece of a sport bike is in a class of its own. When those sleek, sophisticated lines meet the eight-valve, liquid-cooled motor, the Ducati 916 is a perfect synthesis of form and function, handling like nothing else you’ve ridden before.
3. Indian 101 Scout
The best motorcycle in Indian’s catalogue, the 101 Scout is beloved for its durability and adaptability. The low seat and smooth handling made the 101 Scout the go-to bike for hillclimbers, cops, and Wall of Death daredevils. A lightweight and powerful bike that handles just as well on long rides as it does city streets, the Scout was so successful that it saved Indian from closure during the Great Depression.
4. Brough Superior SS100
The Rolls-Royce of motorcycles, every Brough Superior SS100 was made to exact customer specifications down to the handlebars and came with a signed certificate verifying that the bike had been tested at 100 MPH. Nowadays, hitting 100 MPH is a rider’s rite of passage, but in 1924, this was a huge deal. T.E. Lawrence—as in Lawrence of Arabia—was an SS100 fiend, and it was actually his tragic loss of life in a crash that led to crash helmets being required.
5. Kawasaki Triple
Better known as the “widowmaker” due to its unwieldy handling, the Kawasaki Triple’s reputation for danger hasn’t stopped collectors from seeking them out. One of the most powerful models of the 1970s, the Triple embodied the frenetic pace of the disco era. With unmatched acceleration and a three-cylinder engine that begged for a wheelie, only the most skilled or reckless riders could tame a Kawasaki Triple.
6. 1932 BMW R32
After the Treaty of Versailles grounded the German air force, BMW was forced to switch from aircraft to automobile engines. The result of five years of design and testing was the R32, the first bike BMW ever produced. Designed to maximize airflow and avoid issues plaguing newbie riders, the R32 has been BMW’s Boxer bike blueprint for over a century.
Stahlkocher / Freisteller von Auge=mit on Wikimedia
7. Royal Enfield Bullet
It should be no surprise that the British military purchased over 3000 Royal Enfield Bullets during the Second World War; after all, the bike’s name comes from the arms manufacturing borough of London. Much more than a war relic, the Bullet has seen continued use on the home front. The Bullet, and its distinctive “sprung” seat have weathered war, innovation, and changing tastes to become an icon of performance.
Pieter van Everdingen on Wikimedia
8. Confederate R131 Fighter
A Confederate R131 Fighter will set you back a hefty $100,000 USD and with only 10 of each color produced, this is one model you shouldn’t mull over if you can afford it, Built from ultralight aircraft-grade aluminum and carbon fibre, this bike may look mean but it runs like a dream. We wouldn’t blame you for having a little sympathy for the devil, but only if he rode an R131.
9. Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard
This iconic batwing-style bike has been gobbling up pavements for the past 50 years. If your goal is distance without distraction, then this is the Harley for you. Electronic cruise control, twin liquid cooling, and comfy seats will help you and your shotgun rider go the distance without any bumps.
10. Harley-Davidson XR 750
Continuing with the Harley theme, the XR-750 is the bike for those unafraid to get down and dirty. This dirt bike has won more races than any other in AMA history—29 out of 37 National Championships, but who’s counting? This was Evel Knievel’s preferred bike for death-defying stunts, cementing the XR 750 as an American Legend.
11. Triumph T120 Bonneville
No list would be complete without the T120 Bonneville, named for the salt flats where Johnny Allen achieved a whopping 214 mph land record. Its two-tone paint job and classic British design were beloved by the likes of Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Paul Newman, and Steve McQueen. A perfect blend of British design principles and American cool.
12. BMW R60/2
Designed primarily to pull sidecars, the BMW R60/2 was available in jaunty colors such as Grenada red and Dominican blue in addition to standard black. The R60/2 is known for being reliable as a touring vehicle. So reliable, in fact, that Danny Liska rode them all the way from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in one trip!
13. FN Four
First introduced in 1904, this Belgian bike is no relic. It may not be the fastest or the flashiest, but we have the FN Four to thank for the development of the four-cylinder engine. Prior to its debut, most motorcycles were weighed down by design—little more than a regular bike with an engine strapped to it. The FN Four was among the first integrated designs that aspired for more.
Piero at Dutch Wikipedia on Wikimedia
14. 1938 Triumph Speed Twin
The first British parallel twin to find success, the Speed Twin kept Triumph afloat following WWII. The Speed Twin had a dry weight of 365—lighter than singles of the time—without compromising power or torque. With its striking Amaranth red and gold pinstriping, this is one bike that looks as good as it handles.
15. Vincent Black Shadow
Once the fastest motorcycle on Earth with a jaw-dropping (for 1948) top speed of 125 mph, the Vincent Black Shadow was the world’s first superbike. Decimating dragstrips and salt flats, this absolute beast of a machine with its 1000cc v-twin engine, frameless chassis, and sleek black paint job was the only bike to strike fear into the heart of Hunter S. Thompson.
Piero at Dutch Wikipedia on Wikimedia
16. Harley-Davidson WLA
Known as “the Liberator” on the European Front, the Harley WLA is another army bike that’s remained relevant long after the ceasefire. Used for courier, escort, and scouting work in the Korean War and Second World War, the WLA was built to withstand heavy terrain and stay calm under fire. Unfortunately, post-war these bikes were sold as surplus, so few originals survive.
Verein der Freunde und Förderer der Wehrtechnischen Studiensammlung Koblenz e. V. on Wikimedia
17. 1974 Ducati 750SS
The 1974 Super Sport was just barely street-legal when it hit the market, but that didn’t stop riders from adding it to their garages. Fresh off of their win of the Imola 200, Ducati created a bike as unforgiving (torquey motor, heavy clutch) as it is gorgeous. Only 401 of these Green Frames were made, and one was even featured in a Guggenheim Museum exhibit on motorcycles.
18. 1998 Yamaha YZF-R1
With a 1000cc 4-cylinder engine and revolutionary stacked gearbox, the Yamaha YZF-R1 revolutionized sport bikes forever. Designer Kunihiko Miwa’s compact and aerodynamic design set a new standard for speed. The face-melting acceleration and sharp red-and-white paint job make this model stand out from the crowd.
19. Honda GL1100 Gold Wing Interstate
Long-distance touring hasn’t been the same since Honda introduced the first full-dress touring car in 1980. At 672 lbs, the Gold Wing is no featherweight, but that heft is not without reason. From saddlebags designed to accommodate two people’s luggage, a removable trunk, and an optional stereo, the Gold Wing has everything you need for rides down long winding roads.
Knak - fotokongen.dk on Wikimedia
20. 1940 Indian Chief
The “big twin” of the smaller and lighter Scout, the Indian Chief roared its way into history books almost a century ago. With its easily accessible valves for quick maintenance and iconic decorative fenders, the Chief (and its even larger variant the Big Chief) has an often imitated but never duplicated star power. Production on this American icon ceased in 1953 for almost half a century before a modified version debuted in 1999.
