Fashions come and go, but some bikes have established themselves as two-wheeled style icons thanks to their groundbreaking design. These bikes need little introduction as their silhouettes have been around for years and their model names ingrained within popular culture – sometimes hitting the big screen.
Here are five great used options whose timeless design has seen them become style icons. Being cool never goes out of fashion and bikes don’t get much cooler than these five…
Read on for our expert guide to style icon motorbikes!
About as classic and as stylish as a motorcycle gets
A name that needs no introduction – it took until 2016 for Triumph to release a big-capacity Bonneville – but when they did, they knocked it out of the park. Stunning to look at and powered by an effortless parallel-twin motor, the Bonnie is a fabulous two-up cruiser that has lots of tech and a wonderful attention to detail. The Bonnie is a touch heavy-handling due to its relaxed nature and 18in front wheel but this helps it retain a sure-footed feel in bends.
The T120 models came in two variants – standard and Black. The standard T120 features chrome details on its engine and cases alongside a chrome exhaust, wheel rims, grab rail, indicators and mirrors. It comes in single colours as well as the option of two-tone schemes, which give it a more retro theme and are often based on colours from the 1950s and 1960s. The black is identical in spec to the stock T120 but has all its chrome details blacked out and comes with a brown seat in more muted single colour paint choices.
The Bonneville’s 1200cc HT (High Torque) engine may look old school but it is thoroughly modern with some clever engineering integrated to give it a retro look. Despite its liquid-cooled nature, the barrels retain fins to assist with cooling, and while its 270° crank gives it a dose of character, twin balancer shafts reduce vibrations. The head is designed to be narrow and runs a single overhead cam with finger followers to allow the engine’s studs to be exposed as a nod to 1950s Bonnie motors, whilst the fuel injection system is concealed in carb-style covers. There are even old-school spark plug caps.
Early Monsters are getting rare, but the M1000 is good value.
The iconic Monster changed Ducati’s fortunes in 1993, forming the sales bedrock that allowed the firm to invest in racing and headline-grabbing models such as the 916 . Despite gaining water cooling in the S4 generation, the air-cooled M900 and M1000 have the quintessential Monster ‘hunched-up’ silhouette and ‘less is more’ design philosophy, giving them more visual appeal.
An icon of the 1970s – and perfect for just monkeying around…
Initially a kids’ plaything in a Tokyo amusement park in 1961, the Monkey became the poster bike of the free love generation. Reintroduced in 2018, the Monkey is as basic as it gets, but its air-cooled two‑valve engine is bulletproof. Larger riders look a bit daft on one, but there is something cool about a Monkey and people always smile when they see one. And it can average over 120mpg.
Suzuki’s modern retro celebrated a 1980s icon but failed to cut it.
When Suzuki asked German firm Target Design to create a radical concept in 1980, Hans Muth didn’t disappoint. The GSX1100E Katana gained a cult following, leading to Suzuki reinventing it for a modern audience in 2019. Based on the GSX-S platform, the new Katana looked great but flopped due to a disappointing fuel range (it has a 12‑litr…