Vintage motorcycles are all the rage right now. Several of the old names have been brought back from the dead, often used on bespoke high-end vintage-looking bikes that are almost too nice to take for a ride.
However, we prefer the real deal, and in many cases, buying an actual vintage bike is cheaper than splurging on one of the remakes.
We’ve curated a list of 14 vintage motorcycles every biker would love to have in their collection, ranging from the early days of the motorized two-wheeler to the mid-1970s.
1912 Cyclone
Cyclone motorcycles were built by Minnesota-based Joerns Motor Manufacturing Company from 1912 through 1917. The Cyclone did well on the race circuits, winning board track and dirt track races well into the 1920s. In 1914, a Cyclone even set a record speed over a one-mile distance.
Cyclones had a 61 cubic-inch, or 996cc, 45-degree V-Twin engine producing 45 hp, making it capable of exceeding 100 mph. Most of these bikes were painted canary-yellow, but there were some dark blue ones, too.
1912 Flying Merkel
The Flying Merkel was produced from 1911 to 1915, but the company founder, Joe Merkel, was involved with motorcycles long before that, designing engines in 1902 and building his own bikes since 1903.
In 1910, he built his first two-cylinder engine, and in 1911, his company was taken over, and they changed the name of his bike from Merkel Light to Flying Merkel. Merkel wasn’t just good with engines, he also developed a “truss fork,” which was a predecessor of the telescopic fork, and introduced an automatically dripping oil feeder, which Harley-Davidson and Indian later copied.
1913 Thor Model U
Thor was founded in 1901 and made parts and castings for brands like Flying Merkel and Harley-Davidson in addition to its own bikes. The Thor Model U debuted in 1913 with a 7 hp V-twin engine. In 1914, Thor increased the engine size from 61 to 76.25 cubic inches. Power was routed to the wheel via a chain drive with clutch.
By 1916, the Model U was considered the brand’s flagship model because of its 50-degree V-twin with mechanical valves, magneto ignition, and three-speed transmission at a time when most bikes used a single-cylinder engine, battery start, and single- or two-speed transmission.
1915 Harley-Davidson Model 11F
In 1915, Harley-Davidson was only 12 years old but already on its 11th motorcycle model — which is why it’s named Model 11F — and it saw some major improvements over its predecessor.
Nestled in its frame was a 61 cubic-inch V-Twin that sent its 11 hp to the rear wheel via a three-speed transmission. Harley-Davidson was the only motorcycle manufacturer that guaranteed their bikes’ quoted power claims in writing.
1917 Henderson Model G
In the 1910s, most motorcycles used single or twin-cylinder engines, but from 1912 until 1931, Henderson built four-cylinder bikes. There are no prizes for guessing that these were among that era’s largest and fastest motorcycles.
Henderson’s bikes were a hit among both daredevils and the police, and the Model G set multiple speed records with Alan Bedell in the saddle. In 1917, he set a new transcontinental long-distance record when he rode from Los Angeles to New York in seven days, sixteen hours, and fifteen minutes.
1920 Indian Scout
The Scout, introduced in 1920, initially had a 37 cubic-inch, or 606cc, V-twin engine, but its displacement was increased to 45 cubic inches in 1927 as a response to the Excelsior Super X.
It was an innovative bike, making it an instant sales success. Even the police liked them, and later models with the larger engines were also sold as a Police Special.
1925 Excelsior Super X
Excelsior Motor Manufacturing & Supply Company built the Super X from 1925 to 1931. This was the first American motorcycle featuring a 45 cubic inch, or 750cc, engine.
The engine was designed by Arthur “Connie” Constantine, Harley-Davidson’s Assistant Chief Engineer, to compete against the Indian Scout, but Walter Davidson reprimanded him and said he wasted the company’s time. Constantine resigned and went to Excelsior, and the Super X became a hit on both the road and track. It was even competitive when racing against bikes with bigger engines.
1923 BMW R32
This is BMW Motorrad Genesis. After making engines for the German air force during WWI, BMW restructured and released the R32 motorcycle in 1923.
Just like the modern BMW motorcycles of today, the R32 had a boxer-twin engine that sent its power to the rear wheel via a shaft final drive. With 494cc, it managed a top speed in the 60 mph region.
1936 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead
Harley-Davidson has made many desirable bikes over the years, but few are as sought-after as the 1936 Knucklehead. This bike is one of the most significant in American motorcycle history.
Its 61 cubic-inch V-Twin was the first overhead-valve engine by Harley-Davidson, and the Knucklehead name comes from the rocker covers that resemble knuckles. This was also the first H-D engine to recirculate the engine oil, and it was a significant improvement over its predecessors.
1924 Brough Superior SS100
Every Brough Superior SS100 was built specifically to the buyer’s request and needs, and due to the level of craftsmanship, it was marketed as “the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles” — with the carmaker’s permission.
The SS100 was powered by a 990cc air-cooled V-Twin engine producing 48 hp, and it came with a signed certificate signed guaranteeing its top speed would exceed 100 mph. By 1928, the Brough Superior SS100 even reached 130 mph in the standing kilometer.
1948 Vincent Black Shadow
Long before anyone had heard of superbikes, the Vincent Black Shadow was the world’s fastest production motorcycle. It was built from 1948 until 1955, and the 998 cc V-Twin engine was mounted to the frame as a stressed member, eliminating the need for a downtube cradle. With 55 hp, the Black Shadow managed to reach a 125 mph top speed.
Hunter S. Thompson refers to the Vincent Black Shadow several times in his book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He wrote, “If you rode the Black Shadow at top speed for any length of time, you would almost certainly die. That is why there are not many life members of the Vincent Black Shadow Society.”
1959 Triumph T120 Bonneville
The 1959 Triumph T120 Bonneville is named after the Bonneville Salt Flats since Johnny Allen set an average two-way speed of 193.3 mph there on his Triumph 650-powered bike, “Devil’s Arrow.”
The Triumph T120 Bonneville was launched mainly for the US market, with the tagline “The Best Motorcycle in the World.” It has a 649cc parallel-twin producing just shy of 50 horses and saw plenty of success on the racetrack.
1968 Norton Commando
Norton introduced the Commando in 1967, and the bike remained in production for a decade. Norton’s parent company went bankrupt the previous year, and the British motorcycle manufacturer realized something had to be done to keep the doors open.
The Commando was created by reworking a race engine from 1947 and ditching Norton’s famous Featherbed frame in favor of a new design. The 750cc engine eventually grew to 850cc, and both versions saw plenty of success on the racetrack.
1974 Ducati 750SS “Green Frame”
In 1974, the Ducati 750SS “Green Frame” put the Italian brand on the map. Ducati was founded in 1926, but it was the 1974 750SS that gave the brand mainstream appeal.
Paul Smart rode a Ducati 750 Imola Desmo racer to victory at the Imola 200 race, resulting in a limited production version of the race bike — the Super Sport 750, commonly called “Green Frame” (for obvious reasons). It looked amazing and sounded even better, and that’s precisely why we want one.