10 Classic Motorcycles that NEED TO MAKE A COMEBACK 

MY first street bike was a 1971 cb 350 with high rise handlebars. I remember having to stand on the front doorstep to ride. Next bike I traded for a cb 450. Man, those were the days.

I had 3 Honda 450's. I had a 68 and 70 CB and a 71 CL (orange) Some of the best bikes and most fun I ever had. I currently own a 1970 Norton Commando 750 and wish that the Japaese would revise the design of this thing and build some of these again WITH DISC BRAKES ! (PLEASE)

Although I sort of wished I had bought a CB450 in the '70s, it was NOT a simple bike. In fact, I doubt if Honda actually made much money on the model.

@@stancoleshill8925 You sure it was a cb 70 or a CT trail 70 ,1969 ? Oh you must be talking about the year models. I guess.

Ummmm... Rose tinted spectacles aside, I recall riding a well loaded CB350K4 two up down the Shap fellside of the M6 motorway and by 90 mph the front felt 'marginal'. Scraping the ton (its BIG hill) it was scarier than an R1 is at ton 70. 🙄

The XS2 650 in 270 degree crank.

Had a 1973 RD350 and a 1977 RD400.. Loved them, wish I still had both of them..

I had a 1971 500 H1 Mach III that ran and had a good title. I was moving and nobody wanted it. I took it to the scrap yard and they said any other day they'd pay me but, that day was inventory day. They did let me push it off onto the pile for free. I do like and have old bikes. I do see most of them have a bad future. Either they're going right to the scrap pile because nobody's going to work on them/pay somebody to work on them or their new owners are going to start a "cafe racer project" that will never get done or get done and they're, understandably, afraid to ride it.

Transfer-Port injection? (Cleans them up quite a bit)

I had a mint 75 RD350. It would rip your head off up to 60mph!

Seriously. I'd pay a little extra for a kick start. It's a great backup plan for when the battery dies, plus it can score you some cool points when you start it up in front of the pub.

@@Friscorockhead Not any more. Even the mid-sized bikes have EFI. Battery dies, no EFI. You cannot even push start a modern EFI bike with a dead battery.

@@johncasteel1780 The price of progress 🤑 Even if you had just a couple of volts remaining the fact you can't switch the bleedin lights off on the latest generation doesn't entirely help. Still, you place control in the hands of professionally handwringing maiden aunt nanny politicians and there's a kind of inevitability.

@@babboon5764 You want to talk "professionally handwringing maiden aunt nanny politicians", think about the 85 mph speedos on cars in the '80s.

I have had a few bikes where the starter wasn't that reliable, and I can say I would not use the kikstarter if I didn't have to.

Cool. Do you still ride it?

I had a 1976 red Honda 750 4 cylinder only kept it for two years because I decided to upgrade to a Goldwing but I wish I still had my CB 750 four-cylinder

Yes, you are right.

@@flightforensics4523 kick starters are used by your leg to kick start a bike. A lotnof scooters still have kick starters on them.

@@flightforensics4523 Yes

Not with my knees

My kick start days are over, I'm in my mid 70s and still riding.

I just posted about the sl350!! I have all 3. K0-k2. But to be honest I have one of each sl made. Including the 90 and the sl/xl250k0. It’s an addiction. May take my 350 out today as the suns out and sky’s are blue

I put over three odometer readings on my 175. Lost it in a move, it just disappeared. I still miss it, it was fun ro ride and reliable. Not perfect but...so close. Better tires and less weight is all it needed.

@@hondaxl250k0 You lucky basard! Have a fun ride and enjoy them as much as time allows you.

@@darrellcook8253 where are you from? If I told you how many bikes I actually have in total you probably need new underwear.. you near Ohio by chance? I have enough parts to build a few 175s.

@@hondaxl250k0 I'm in northern California up by Clearlake. I'm on VA disability and SS. I'd work for a chance to build another, I've been neck deep in the 175s innards and 90s, also 350s. At one time my friends brought their dead and wounded to me so I could resurrect them. They're as much fun to work on as ride.

The Honda CB350 was the first 'big' bike I owned after graduating High School in 1972. It was a sweet, smooth ride I'll always remember fondly.

I own the modern iteration of the CB350 here in India. It's a single cylinder with a long stroke engine and it feels great and practical. The engine is quite boring though, but it makes a great commuter cum tourer for our conditions here.

@@Aakarsh1068 Agreed. The CB350 was an ideal commuter bike, and great for weekend outings too. It'd definitely make a superb retro bike. I could see myself owning one again if Honda decided to make a faithful reproduction.

@@Aakarsh1068 to bad it's not a twin👍

@@emdoubleu1530 Yes it's a great little machine and a head turner too. I do miss the punch on the highways though, whenever I'm on a tour. That's my only gripe with it.

check out the cb1100ex

Better have 5-10g for one in great original condition

I had a 1971 SL350. I bet they outsold the 175 2 to 1.

My dad still has a handful of Yamaha dts.250s and 360s in California

Dt 175 was my first bike very similar

…and the CB1100 is…what?

@@davidhayter8516 the CB1100 is too much displacement, too heavy, too complicated to adjust valve tappet clearance. The ? thru 2004 Nighthawk CB750 had hydraulic lifters. Just take the 2004 version and fuel inject it (add ABS if you have to for regulations).

By the real thing. Don't waste your money.

It's hard to make a 250 single weigh below 120 kg these days.

@@PrimoStracciatella or as close to it as possible.

@@frankmarkovcijr5459 I grew up on 70-125 ccs 2 and 4 stroke bikes, mostly Japanese, my favourites were small displacements Kawasaki 2 strokes, I currently own a T120 with all the creature comforts you can think of, riding modes, abs, traction, heated grips, cruise control but it weighs 235 kgs+ . I have also owned a T100 (2007, pre 270 degree crank) and I must admit I liked the T100 better, but what I have been yearning for are small displacement, lighter, agile bikes, I think 350-400 cc is the sweet spot. Real thing IMO is a bit subjective. Thanks for your comment though.

@@biker1581 That raises the price. KTM would be able to do it, but they're expensive. Even Honda and RE 350 singles weigh 180+ kg.

The book arrived and it is really fantastic. Who knew Bart had talent for writing as well as video creation! Its easter Sunday and the book will be an easter present for my three wonderful grandkids.

I have 5 motorcycles and the oldest one currently is my X-6 Scrambler. It still looks new and is also the most ridden in my garage.

Had a '75 T500 (drum brakes), fairly quick motor, but it went around corners like a bamboo koala.

I live in the uk and we don’t really need large heavy bikes here given the state of the roads and the volume of traffic. I downsized from a honda ST 1300 to a CBR600F4 and it’s a much more pleasurable ride.

RIGHT ON! The GT-500 twin was one to the most marvelous machines I've ever ridden. It was fast, and it yet could pull away from a standing start in 3rd gear. Amazingly reliable and long lived with a butter-smooth 5 speed gearbox. And just darn fun to ride. It was an everyday-go-to-work tool ... or tape up the light lenses on Sunday and give everyone on the track a run for their money. In the rain it could better the pure race machines. Pure love for these bygones.

You beat me to it - Yes Honda CX500 / CX650, Honda Deauville 700.. ;)

A GB750 if it looks like the 400 with the fairing, where do I signup, I'm like you I would prefer a 500 like Ryan and yourself I love the middle weight bikes 350 to 750 but 650 seems to be my favorite, at least right now. As for Triumph, they are not triumphs they are and I'm pretty sure they are Chinese bikes with the triumph badge just the same as the Harley HD350 and X500, if nobody minds me pointing out, China is in cahoots with a Country the is guilty of many many war crimes, Shame on Harley and Triumph. Bart if I'm wrong about the origins of the bikes please I will not be offended if you correct me.

​​​​@@karlsquire8148You're wrong on Triumph, they are their own designs and manufactured in Thailand and Taiwan. High quality but not cheap!

Yamaha xs 650 or Yamaha xt500?

@@karlsquire8148 Some Triumphs are currently made in Thailand and the supposed Baby Bonnies will be made in India with Bajaj motors.

@@mattdog1982 I have an XT600. Would love a 500 or 650 twin street bike like the TX or XS.

honda cb350 is available in the market its completley new

My father had a Yamaha/Honda dealership for years he has some really cool 70s Dt s RD 350 I think some hodakas a few early 60 s bikes and we a storing one of Dave Ekins 60s 250 similar to the one he first rode in baja

Nice job Bart but my kids are grown up now, you're 20 years too late for me!

@@stevechapman7 Dang I knew I should have written this 20 years ago...

Came here to say this. If you want a retro bike, nothing is more retro than Janus.

Made with cheap Chinese engines!!!!!

@@albertwolf731 Halcyon 450 engine is from SWM, Milan. Italy. The Halcyon 250 is sourced from China.

I found that China also makes tools and more out of peanut butter well metal that's soft as !

A piece of heaven. That 550's on my next restoration list.

Royal Enfield owns that space now. The Interceptor and Continental GT are what we have now that is closest to an affordable standard motorcycle with classic style.

I have 4 CX500s, 2 of them Plastic Maggots. 3 of them are going to go soon and I know I'm not going to get much for them.

Yes on the W800 and the W650 before that. They sure didn't sell though did they?

@@jerrym3261 I guess that's why only a few manufacturers make modern classics. Plus they're competing against all the existing 2nd hand ones

@@cbuzz2371 Yeah, elsewhere here I commented that if you want a rider, for the price you would pay for a repop, you could get 2, 3 or more originals. I have 4 CX500s, 3 of those need to go away and today I saw on FB Marketplace somebody giving away free a '82 CX500. It was one of those "cafe racer projects" only got as far as taking it completely apart but, said it ran great before he started work. It went pending quick but, I bet it never gets up and running again. The old bikes are out there getting scrapped everyday because nobody wants to do some work.

One of the things with that is that the more street-oriented adventure bikes have kinda taken some of the light touring market. And, a lot of the rest of that light touring market wants more of a sport tourer anyway, which often means chain drive... Honda used to sell what you want with a bit less displacement, the NT700V, but replaced it with the chain-drive NT1100 in Europe (and not at all in the US), which is basically a purely on-road version of the Africa Twin. Honda will sell you a full set of luggage for a Transalp, NC750X (if you're fine with 58 hp and a DCT), or Forza 750/X-ADV (if you're in Europe, and again, if you're fine with 58 hp and a DCT, and also it looking like a scooter, but it does get you full fairing coverage - these effectively replace the old Silver Wing), if you're fine with a chain. Looking at the other Japanese options in that rough size class... Yamaha does have the Tracer 9 (and 7 in Europe), Kawasaki has the Versys 650 (on the street-biased side of adventure), and Suzuki has the V-Strom 650 and "V"-Strom 800. Of course, all of this is chain drive, not shaft drive... ...but if we're including scooters, and willing to accept a lack of side cases and even less power, and you're in Europe, there's always the Yamaha TMAX 560, with belt drive (IIRC it's been like a decade since the TMAX has been imported to the US). And, if you're willing to accept aftermarket top and side cases, there's the Kymco AK 550i, also with belt drive (Shad sells mounts for both top and side for that model).

I love this!

I had a cl360 that I rode literally all over Texas for years. Wish I still had it!

It wouldn't even need to be 750. I'd be happy with a KH400

Hey thanks!!

Still own mine 83 red rsd still on original exhausts ...42 thou miles ... My baby ...

Seconded. I had two back in the early 80s (one new, one I bought as a wreck for 50quid and repaired and used as a despatch bike). Bring it back Honda!

Two stroke? The EPA would kill it.

Or road toad , super rat ? Cool Hodakas

The sr400 was kept in production till 2023. Longest running production of any bike ever. Mostly for the Asian market. Glad I kept my sr500.

Paulketchupwitheveryting767 I have my 1979 Yamaha SR 500 sitting in my garage called it Brutus The Bastad 😂 . Once you get the knack of starting it it's a old thumper & a pleasure to ride . Idles & shakes at traffic lights. I think too many compared it to British bikes

MY FIRST BIKE WAS A 305 Scrambler WHAT A TURD POS OF SHIT SECOND BIKE A RD350. WHAT A DIFFERENCE !

I asked for a retro Honda 250 Scrambler.

P

Okay

Agreed. Honda and the other Japanese companies are chasing the boomer cash now.

It's not how much they'd sell them for, it's how few of them that would sell. If you want a rider, just about all of these old bikes can be had two, three or more for that $5000.

I hope you guys love it!

And didn't they growl lovely with a Dunstall fitted ?

Those original CB750K's handled poorly to me and Honda fixed that in 1979 with that dohc model, so nice.