Dipping a toe into the classic motorbike market can be a real minefield for the uninitiated.
Older bikes can take more maintenance and fettling than modern ones, and bikes needing a lot of work can be money pits that will have you tearing your hair out in frustration.
But are there some older bikes that you can pick up for a song, which offer day-to-day reliability, kudos and which might give you a chance of at least getting your money back when you come to sell it.
Of course, any older bike can cause problems and while some examples will be mint, others will be hanging. Challenged with a theoretical budget of just £4000, the Insidebikes team set about finding five cheap modern classics that we think can be had for a bargain.
Yamaha YZF-R1 (1998-1999)
The first generation Yamaha R1 (model code 4XV) should be a nailed on classic. It’s the bike that transformed superbikes and defined the layout for the 21st century sports bike we know today, with its 1000cc inline four engine and compact chassis.
Despite its classic status, very few early R1s are commanding massive premiums. The problem, for sellers at least, was that they were just so damn popular back in the day, meaning that there are still plenty out there – even 20 years on. And because the R1 was launched at a time when 1000cc fours were ineligible to compete in the main race series (where 750cc was the limit for four-cylinder bikes), very few found themselves tuned to the nuts and destroyed in the gravel traps of Brands Hatch and Cadwell Park (unlike the legendary RC350LC almost two decades earlier).
Yamaha made two colour schemes (red and white or blue and white) and the red/white combo is definitely more popular. Low mileage minters are being advertised by dealers at upwards of £9000, but that is the exception rather than the rule, and usable examples can be found for comfortably under our £4000 budget.
Many bikes were modified with, ahem, period accessories back in the day, meaning tinted screens, race replica paint jobs, anodised bolts and the likes. These can sometimes hide the fact that the bike has been crashed and rebuilt using non-standard parts, although often they were just fitted by owners who thought they were cool.
However as bikes approach that collectable stage, stock is always preferable and standard bikes tend to command the best prices on the second-hand market. Don’t rule out lightly modified examples though, as mods like a good quality exhaust end can and crash protection can add to the aesthetic and practicality if you are more interested in riding than collecting.
Ducati 900SS (1991-1998)
The name Ducati is synonymous with classic bikes and big bills, and if you’re thinking of a model from the iconic 916 line you’ll be hard pressed to find one for much less than five figures these days.
But there are still Ducatis which can deliver that classic Italian V-twin experience for more modest money, and no bike in this list feels more traditional than the 900SS.
The revamped, Cagiva-owned, Ducati launched the 900SS in 1988, using the company’s old 904cc two-valve air-cooled desmodromic valve engine, wrapped in a steel trellis for which the company would become famous. It was updated to this version for 1991.
The result is a light and extremely soulful motorcycle, even if the claimed power output is just over 70bhp (which in itself is somewhat optimistic). Comfort isn’t the best and Ducatis of this era are not exactly renowned for their reliability. The simple design is great for DIY tinkerers, but servicing will be expensive through a garage, especially as they famously need their cambelt replaced every two years.
Smaller capacity SS models can make even cheaper alternatives. They deliver the same soulful sound and, despite lower spec chassis components, most of the riding experience for a fraction of the cost. Dismiss the rare 400SS as it is vastly underpowered. The 600SS was popular back in the day, but it was barely more powerful than the 400, and many were badly neglected by rookie riders. The 750SS made a good compromise though and are great value – although the 900 will always be more popular with buyers when time comes to move it on.
Aprilia Moto 6.5 (1995-2002)
Fancy something a little bit unusual for an urban commute? How about checking out Aprilia’s oft-derided Moto 6.5?
Yep, this 649cc single was never popular when it was launched in 1995 – so why should it be a consideration today?
Well, Aprilia tried to do something different with the Moto 6.5. They employed famed industrial designer Philippe Starcke, more known for his work on trendy household products than motorcycles, and the result was generally panned by dyed in the wool bikers.
The prolific Frenchman’s first bike looked cool to non bikers and got plenty of attention in the fashion mags, even if it never translated to sales in the showroom.
Beneath the swooping lines lies a simple commuter powered by the five-valve Rotax engine shared with the BMW F650 and Aprilia’s own Pegaso. As a town bike it works well enough, but it’s modest and hardly a classic, is it?
As an investment, there are almost certainly better options, but Starcke’s work is highly sought after and found in museums around the world. Will his association with the Moto 6.5 see prices rocket one day? Maybe, maybe not, but prices have stiffened up in recent years. It’s also a novel bike that might even gain the respect of the Shoreditch set, if that’s your kind of thing.
BMW R1100S (1998-2005)
The 1990s were a time of change for BMW Motorrad.
Having been seen as fuddy duddy purveyors of Teutonic tourers in the 1980s, the Bavarian giants made a raft of changes to its range in the 1990s in a bid to broaden appeal.
A range of singles, the F650 series, opened up the brand to younger riders, while 1997’s wacky cruiser, the R1200C, was an attempt to reach out to a wider audience.
The sports bike market was also tackled and this R1100S of 1998 became a real cult classic.
Going up against sports bikes that followed a generic race replica template, the unique R1100S was a BMW first and foremost – witness the oil-cooled boxer twin engine, shaft drive and Telelever front end. Options included heated grips and panniers. As a sports bike, it was definitely an oddball.
Power was 98bhp and dry weight 208kg, making it sporty by BMW standards but a long, long way from a Honda FireBlade. It could go though, and to promote the fact BMW even had a one-make race series featuring star riders and taking place alongside MotoGP races.
That race series is one of the key reasons why the R1100S is an emerging classic. Race heritage goes hand in hand with classic status and BMW produced a number of Boxer Cup Replicas over the years, with upgraded suspension, sports exhaust, steel brake lines and carbon fibre bits and pieces. These already command a premium and are unlikely to be found within our £4000 budget, however clean (most are very well looked after) standard bikes can be had for less than £3000.
Triumph Bonneville (2001-2007)
Hinckley Triumphs have never really found their way into collectable territory, yet, even though the earliest examples are now knocking on for 30 years old.
One of the breakthrough models for John Bloor’s came 10 years into the brand’s rebirth, in 2001, when the Bonneville name was revived with a retro styled, modern day, twin harking back to the 1960s icon.
These new Bonnevilles gained a huge following and played their part in turning Triumph from a plucky underdog to the company we know today. The looks were totally on point, even if the motor was much smoother and lacked the charisma of the Meriden originals.
Residuals on these Hinckley Bonnies have remained strong, although they’ve never really been considered classic bikes in their own right.
That could happen one day though, especially as Triumph has now moved the vast majority of its production to Thailand. Later fuel injected models (from around 2008) were assembled in Thailand, but the early carburettor fed models were British designed and built – making them the ones to look out for as future classic buys.
First year bikes had the 790cc engine and was a little underpowered. Later T100 models gained 75cc, and although these weren’t exactly rip snorters they deliver a welcome performance boost and make brilliant city bikes and B road cruisers, which are well built and reliable. The cruiser style Bonneville America is also available, although these are less sought after by Triumph aficionados. All make a good platform for modification, so get in there before the chop shops take an angle grinder to them all.
Photos: manufacturer supplied/Wikipedia
