Top 10 Affordable Modern Classics

Recently, we put together a list of the Top 10 Modern Classic motorcycles. It featured some rare and/or significant motorcycles stretching as far back as 1996. Bikes we think will be highly valuable decades, even centuries, from now. We got a lot of flak for it, too.

Maybe we weren’t clear with the intent. That list featured mainly motorcycles those with deep pockets can afford. Heck, the least expensive bike on that list, the MV Agusta F3, cost $14,000 new. Not to mention, some of the bikes on that list are extremely rare and difficult to find.

We realize the majority of you likely won’t be able to attain such exotica like a Moto Guzzi MGS-01, so here we’ve put together the Top 10 Affordable Modern Classics. Like the previous list, all the bikes on this list must be production motorcycles available in the 1996 model year or after. Unlike that other list, all the picks on this list are currently available for under $10,000.

Sure, these models may not be as exclusive, but they’re still historically significant and much more readily available. Here’s our list.

Talk about a game changer; when the original V-Max was introduced in 1985, everything else suddenly felt inferior in a straight line. In fact, the V-Max arguably introduced the term “muscle cruiser” into the motorcycling lexicon. The fact it was relatively unchanged for 23 years (when the all-new VMax, no dash, was introduced in 2008) meant it still held its own, even amongst much newer competition.

Sure, the V-Max couldn’t negotiate a turn very well (okay, it was awful), but the ferocious dual overhead cam, liquid-cooled, four-valve, 1198cc V-Four — with V-Boost! — was a monster, reportedly making nearly 20 horses more than the Suzuki GSX-R1100 of the day. It was relatively comfy, too, so you could actually ride the thing like a motorcycle, not like an impractical exotic.

Late-model versions in fairly good condition are well under our $10,000 cap, so if you’re in the market, now is the time to buy.

The 1999 Suzuki Hayabusa is the reason why the Japanese manufacturers have a gentleman’s agreement in place to limit the top speed of their motorcycles to 300 kph (186 mph). To stun the industry so much that you get the four major players to agree on something means you’ve accomplished a major feat.

At the time, the all-new 1999 Hayabusa’s 1299cc four cylinder was capable of pushing the bike to speeds up to 194 mph in stock form, nudging the edge of the magic 200-mph mark. The following year, the gentleman’s agreement was established and has been honored to this day, making the ’99 model the fastest stock motorcycle ever built. Needless to say, the original Hayabusa was a beast. And if you can find an unmolested one today, grab it.

“Harley have just done the improbable, nay, impossible by producing a (gasp) water-cooled motor…” is what we wrote in 2002 (has it really been that long?) when Harley-Davidson introduced the VRSCA V-Rod. The thought of H-D producing a thoroughly modern engine astonishes many today just as it did back then.

Of course, Porsche had a significant role in designing the engine, but the fact it exists at all is mind blowing. Look past the motor, which, admittedly is hard to do, and you’re left with a motorcycle that complements the Revolution engine. It’s a capable cruiser able to turn heads down the boulevard, while also carving a canyon at a respectable clip. And it does this with enough muscle to spin the rear tire on command.

The V-Rod is cool, it’s significant and it’s affordable.

When Honda introduced the RC51 (also called the RVT1000R or SVT1000, depending where you are in the world) in 2000, it did so with World Superbike domination in mind. Rule changes for the 2000 WSBK season allowed V-Twins a 1000cc displacement, while four-cylinder machines were limited to 750cc. This meant the venerable (and very sought-after) RC45’s days were over.

As we now know, Colin Edwards captured the WSBK title in the RC51’s first year, while Nicky Hayden beat Mat Mladin the same year to win the AMA Superbike crown. Meanwhile, the street version of the bike was so impressive we wrote, “As nit-picky as we are, there was nothing that we could find to fault.”

The RC51 meets some major criteria for being a collector bike: it was a bold move by Honda, it looks great, it achieved racing success worldwide (Colin Edwards vs. Troy Bayliss, anyone?) and the production model is equally adored by consumers worldwide. Later versions received various minor updates, but the introductory (2000) model will likely be most collectible.

No one ever accused Erik Buell of being an ordinary guy, and, similarly, the motorcycles that bore Erik’s surname were pretty far from the norm. With gas in the frame, oil in the swingarm, a single perimeter front brake disc, sharp geometry and rather impressive handling, the one major knock of all Buells was the archaic, pushrod, air-cooled V-Twin plucked from a Harley Sportster. While fun motorcycles, you almost felt as though Erik should have been allowed more.

Well, ask and you shall receive. Parent company H-D gave the okay to contract Rotax to build a liquid-cooled engine and the resulting motorcycle was the Buell 1125R. While certainly the highest-performing Buell, again, there were questions about the 1125’s identity. It most closely resembled a sportbike, but not exactly. Many enthusiasts weren’t sold on its quirky styling, a condition blamed on decisions handed down from Harley HQ. Further, early models suffered from fuel mapping issues. So while it answered many questions, it raised a few more.

Why is the 1125R significant? Because it symbolizes both a high and a low point for Erik Buell. He finally had a liquid-cooled flagship motorcycle, but as it turned out, H-D would later axe Buell, leaving the moto-visionary out to dry. Erik would later start again with his own company EBR (Erik Buell Racing), and his first model, the 1190RS, was the 1125 he always wanted to build but wasn’t allowed to.

We’ve always maintained that a street-legal supermoto is a one-way ticket to jail, though the fun they provide is completely worth it. But among these license-jeopardizing fun machines, which one is tops? Look no further than the Aprilia SXV 5.5.

A dirtbike stuffed with a 549cc V-Twin pumping nearly 62 horses and 35 ft.-lb. of torque plus 17-inch wheels and proper street tires is a recipe for absolute canyon-shredding performance. Short gearing means the front wheel wants to paw the sky all the time, and you’d be doing a disservice not obliging.

Considering there hasn’t been anything quite like it before or since, the SXV holds a special place in motorcycle history. It’s certainly a unique motorcycle for a specific type, but as Duke said during his time with it, “The Aprilia SXV 5.5 is uncomfortable, impractical and could be the silliest way to spend nearly $10K. And we love it!”

Call it blasphemous if you want, but we’re including a scooter on this list. Not just any scooter though, but the Piaggio MP3 500i.e. Yes it has three wheels and looks like it’s fresh off the set of Mad Max, but the 500cc Thumper is rather stout for a scooter. And, most impressively, this three-wheeler leans!

It turns heads wherever it goes, but it’s also surprisingly capable in the twisty stuff — the two front wheels provide a ton of confidence to lean’er over in turns. The MP3 is enjoyable even for sportbike riders and deserves accolades for its distinctive engineering. It’s a fun scoot, no doubt, but the clincher is its practicality. As Fonzie points out in the video, “You can fit 15 Stone Arrogant Bastards in here!”

At 2.3 liters, the Triumph Rocket III’s three-cylinder engine has a larger displacement than many cars on the road today. It is a big, burly and muscular cruiser able to rip your arms off at the twist of the wrist. And that’s why we like it.

For the record, the last time we tested the Rocket, the 2.3-liter Triple put down nearly 119 horses to the ground. While not a particularly impressive number, the torque figure of 136 ft.-lb. to the wheel makes the Triumph feel like it earns its name. The Rocket III shows the kind of statement a relatively small company can make when not hampered by the corporate bureaucracy of, say, a Japanese manufacturer.

Above all else, the gargantuan engine is the talking point here. It’ll be worth something someday.

The solid workhorse when the 750cc four-cylinder Superbike era came to a close, the Kawasaki ZX-7R was never significantly changed during its eight-year run (1996 – 2003). Yet it endeared itself to loyal followers both on and off the racetrack.

It may have been portly in comparison to its rivals of the time, but many were drawn to its wide, muscular looks that gained a cult following. The engine was nothing to rave about, but the confidence and sure-footedness of the front end is the stuff of legend. Eric Bostrom was once quoted as calling it one of the best front ends he’s ever ridden. Of course, this was on his ZX-7RR AMA Superbike, but you get the idea.

Best of all, 7Rs can be had for cheap these days. Look for low mileage examples, as beaters are practically worth nothing. However, a low-mileage, properly maintained 7R (and especially 7RR) will retain its value well over time.

Not the Ducati you expected to see top this list, was it? While the 916 is a jewel in many a collector’s eye, the 900SS FE, or Final Edition, is arguably as significant. It marked the last of the carbureted, air-cooled Ducati Supersports that debuted at the dawn of the 1990s. Just 800 were produced, and only 300 came to the States. The following year saw the launch of a drastically redesigned and little loved 900SS penned by Pierre Terblanche that eventually killed Ducati’s Supersport line.

Delivering about 70 horses to the ground, it wasn’t the fastest Ducati, but it was nonetheless a fun and capable motorcycle thanks to its light weight. Early Supersports had a reputation for shaky build quality; the FEs, being the last of the line, don’t tend to have those issues. As an added bonus, FEs were the only Supersports to get silver fairings, adding to its uniqueness. Despite its rarity, primo examples can be found for well under the $10K price cap imposed on this list.

We expect the FE’s collectability will be enhanced once Ducati abandons all of its legend-making air-cooled V-Twins, currently remaining in only the Monster line (696, 796, 1100). We doubt they’ll still exist in Ducati’s 2016 lineup. Maybe 2015…