Some of us would like that era back, even though we know that electronics will not relinquish its hold on our lives. Or our motorcycles. And if you want antique motorcycles, this list is for you. Here are ten bikes that prove old-fashioned technology still works.
Kawasaki KLR650
Price: $6,999
We’ll start with the poster boy for the title of this article. The KLR650 is designed to be unbreakable and has minimal electronics. There’s an LCD screen, the engine has liquid cooling and fuel injection, and ABS is now an optional extra for which Kawasaki charges an extra $200. Apart from that and a few styling changes, the car hasn’t really changed in the last twenty years – and it doesn’t really need to.
Engine type | Single cylinder |
Displacement | 652cc |
Maximum power | 38.5 hp at 9,000 rpm |
Maximum torque | 39.1 LB-FT @ 4,500 rpm |
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650
Price: $7,899
Royal Enfield experienced a renaissance of sorts almost a decade ago when it started working on its 650cc parallel twin engine. The Super Meteor 650 features an air-cooled SOHC design with a firing order of 270 degrees. It prioritizes torque and reliability over high horsepower, and it has proven that Royal Enfields can be reliable too. In terms of electronics you don’t get much other than the ‘Tripper’ TFT pod – it’s all mechanical goodness that adds up to an enjoyable drive.
Engine type | 270° I2 |
Displacement | 648cc |
Maximum power | 47 hp at 7,250 rpm |
Maximum torque | 38.6 LB-FT @ 5,650 rpm |
Suzuki SV650ABS
Price: $8,149
We could write here exactly what we did for the KLR, and it would all add up. The SV650’s claim to fame was that it was a budget alternative to the Ducati Monster at launch. But gradually it turned out to be something special in itself. It remains a very simple machine with a throttle cable and no electronics other than the injection and ignition, and it doesn’t detract from how fun it is.
Engine type | 90° V-twin |
Displacement | 645cc |
Maximum power | 73 hp at 8,500 rpm |
Maximum torque | 47.2 LB-FT @ 8,100 rpm |
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Honda shadow phantom
Price: $8,699
The Shadow is the only middleweight cruiser that opts for a driveshaft. There is a good reason for this: if you have a transverse engine, a driveshaft in a motorcycle means enormous transmission losses. This in turn means lower performance and lower fuel consumption. The Shadow has stuck to this transverse engine and driveshaft formula for decades, and still manages to make it work. It works so well that it was updated in 2024 with ABS and a rear disc brake.
Engine type | 52° V-twin |
Displacement | 745cc |
Maximum power | 44.9 hp at 5,500 rpm |
Maximum torque | 47.9 LB-FT @ 3,500 rpm |
Honda CRF450RL
Price: $10,099
The CRF450RL is not as extreme as other 450cc enduro-type dual-sport bikes. Honda has given it a character that makes it usable on an almost daily basis, with great engineering. Exotic materials are used to keep weight down: there’s an aluminum twin-spar chassis, a titanium fuel tank and a lithium-ion battery. The knobby tires can make life difficult on the highway, so urethane has been injected into the swingarm to reduce resonance. The result is a great motorcycle that doesn’t use electronics as a crutch.
Engine type | Single cylinder |
Displacement | 449cc |
Maximum power | 52.9 hp at 9,000 rpm |
Maximum torque | 35.4 LB-FT @ 7,000 rpm |
Yamaha Tenere 700
Price: $10,999
The Tenere 700 recently received an update that made life easier. Before that it was so agricultural that it had a throttle cable and no traction control! Now there are two riding modes, switchable traction control and an optional two-way quickshifter. These are the basics for a middleweight adventure bike today, and they help make the Tenere a better bike to live with. Its brilliance still lies in the fact that it’s light and set up to be great off-road – and that’s down to great engineering, plain and simple.
Engine type | 270° I2 |
Displacement | 689cc |
Maximum power | 72.4 hp at 9,000 rpm |
Maximum torque | 50.2 LB-FT @ 6,500 rpm |
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Suzuki GSX-R750
Price: $13,249
Sports bikes are always looking to shave a fraction of a second off a lap time. The easiest way to do this is to add more power, reduce weight and nowadays calibrate the electronics. This chase for the last tenths of a second works when racing, but if you’re someone who wants to work on themselves, this isn’t really necessary. The GSX-R750 understands this and gives you only the basic requirements. There’s a fully adjustable suspension, monobloc front brake calipers and an engine and chassis that lets you have fun on both road and track.
Engine type | i4 |
Displacement | 749cc |
Maximum power | 148 hp at 13,200 rpm |
Maximum torque | 63.7 LB-FT @ 11,200 rpm |
Suzuki Boulevard M109R
Price: $15,799
The big Boulevard is a motor cruiser that turns twenty years old this year. When it came out, things were done mechanically, so Suzuki designed a V-twin with some of the largest pistons the automotive world had ever seen. The rear tire at launch was the widest ever seen on a production motorcycle. It is extremely reliable, but rumor has it that during development the engine’s torque kept breaking the gearbox. Suzuki therefore had to limit the torque electronically. This is the kind of electronic control we can get behind!
Engine type | 54° V-twin |
Displacement | 1,783 cc |
Maximum power | 123 hp at 6,200 rpm |
Maximum torque | 118 LB-FT @ 3200 rpm |
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R
Price: $17,599
Since we’re talking big engines, the Ninja ZX-14R has the largest four-cylinder engine ever fitted to a production motorcycle. This motorcycle was built to beat the Hayabusa, and by extension the production record for top speed. Kawasaki proved its speed on the drag strip with a certain Rickey Gadson, making this motorcycle an example of the “no substitute for displacement” slogan. It remains stubbornly stuck to its roots, and when emissions standards catch up (and they will), it will mean the end of one of the greatest motorcycles in history.
Engine type | i4 |
Displacement | 1,441 cc |
Maximum power | 200 hp at 10,500 rpm |
Maximum torque | 113.2 LB-FT @ 7,500 rpm |
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Harley Davidson Fatboy
Price: $22,599
Featuring Harley’s full safety package, the Fat Boy also has a by-wire throttle and riding mode, but in this case it uses the electronics to enhance the experience of riding a motorcycle that is firmly based on the past. The design has been updated to look modern, but it is every inch the historic Fat Boy design. Even the engine gets water cooling for the heads to increase reliability, but it sticks with pushrods as the customer prefers the look and feel. This is old-fashioned technology with a completely different perspective!
Engine type | 45° V-twin |
Displacement | 1,917 cc |
Maximum power | 104 hp at 4,800 rpm |
Maximum torque | 126 LB-FT @ 3,000 rpm |
Sources: Kawasaki USA, Suzuki bicycles
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