Five ‘modern classic’ motorcycles you can buy for under £5k – including model used by Star Wars legend in TV show
AN expert has shared their top five “modern classic” motorcycles that you can buy for under £5,000 – including a TV icon and a discontinued superbike.
Eric Barros, better known as Yammie Noob, revealed his picks on his YouTube channel, praising the “distinct and impactful” models that have stood head and shoulders above the rest in recent years.
Eric said: “When you hear the term ‘classic motorcycle‘ you might think of pivotal models from a bygone era.
“Each motorcycle is drastically different in most aspects, but similar in the way that they excelled beyond the expectations of riders and manufacturers at the time.
“But there is an additional way to think about modern classic motorcycles.
“These are bikes from relatively recent history that have been so distinct and impactful that they’ve already begun to earn classic status.
“Not every classic bike needs to look like it was made in the 1960s.”
Yamaha R6
A legend of motorsport, the R6 claimed both rider and manufacturer titles in the 2011 Supersport World Championship following its 2006 release.
The model was the first sport bike to produce over 100 horsepower in stock form and reached 127 horsepower by the end of its production run, with a top speed of 161mph.
The standard, road-going version was scrapped in 2020, but Yamaha still produces a Race variant, legal only on the track, which can be bought new for just £13,000.
However, if you want to ride one on the road, you can buy a 2019 example second-hand for just £11,000, while older models can go as low as £2,000.
Honda VFR800
Beginning life as part of Honda’s experimentation with an “innovative” V4 engine setup in the 1980s, the VFR800 won praise for its smooth ride and “awesome” sound.
It enjoyed a four-decade production run before being scrapped back in 2021.
They can now be found online for as little as £3,000 for older models.
Triumph Daytona 675
Described by Eric as “the most perfect sport bike ever made”, the Daytona wowed riders with its unique ergonomics and surprisingly powerful three-cylinder engine.
He added: “It’s a classic bike because it’s just so special.
“It’s so unique in its riding style and character.
“And it ain’t hard on the eyes either.
“It is just right in so many ways.”
Despite being discontinued in 2017, it is still easily available and cheap to buy, with Daytona’s listed online for around £4,000.
BMW R1150GS
The R1150GS is one of the most rugged and dependable tourers on the market.
It’s motorway-munching and off-road credentials were more than validated when it successfully carried Star Wars actor Ewan McGregor and fellow film star Charlie Boorman 19,000 miles from London to New York.
The epic journey, which was the subject of the iconic film The Long Way Round, saw the pair travel eastwards from the UK to the US, tackling the harshest terrain along the way.
The model was only produced for five years from 1999 to 2004, but can still be found in good nick for under £3,000.
Suzuki GSX-R 750
The GSX-R 750 made its bow way back in 1985 and is still in production in North America today, so it’s clearly doing something right.
Sadly, it was discontinued in the European market in 2018, in part due to ever-tightening EU environmental rules.
They are still available second-hand for around £5,000 and provide plenty of bang for your buck with a 175mph top speed.