When it comes to motorcycles, different riders have different things they look for in their definition of a perfect bike. Some crave the speeds that only high-horsepower superbikes can provide, some look for stylish cruisers for weekend road trips, and urban dwellers look for small bikes to weave through traffic jams.
As such, choosing the most iconic motorcycles out of the thousands that have existed over the decades can be highly subjective and polarizing. But most riders agree that there have been several truly groundbreaking designs that move certain motorcycles to the front of the pack. The following are ten motorcycles that will go down in history as the greatest of all time.
10 BMW R32
A century ago, BMW was looking for a sustainable way to transition out of building aircraft engines. At the time, the BMW director, Franz Josef Popp, saw an opportunity in the motorcycling market. This led to the development of BMW's first-ever bike, the iconic R32.
The bike had a newly-implemented 494cc M2B33 engine capable of 8.5 hp and a top speed of 60 mph. The R32 was the first bike to establish the boxer-twin, shaft-drive powertrain layout that BMW still uses today.
9 Harley-Davidson XR750
When it comes to racing pedigree, few bikes can rival the Harley-Davidson XR750. The bike was introduced in 1969 as a way for Harley-Davidson to compete in the AMA Grand National Championship, where it competed against the best bikes from Japan and Britain.
Over its tenure, the XR750 garnered the most wins out of any other bike in the AMA history, piloted by greats like Joe Kopp, Jared Mees, Brad Baker, Scott Parker, and Jay Springsteen. The XR750 retired from the competition in 2016 and was replaced by the XG750R.
8 Velocette Viper
The Viper is one of the most-wanted classic motorcycles manufactured by Velocette in the 50s. Every collector wants to own this machine. One of the Viper's most interesting elements is its unique design that featured glass fiber enclosed panels unheard of in the 50s. It also had a 349cc motor that had a bi-metal cylinder fitted with high compression pistons.
Velocette also released some special edition Vipers with extra-large gas tanks that enabled the bike to drive at high speeds for long periods. This helped the Viper earn a record of driving at 100 mph for 24 hours straight.
7 Ducati 750SS
The 1974 Ducati 750 Super Sport is the holy grail of Ducatis and the bike that helped the Italian manufacturer become one of the industry leaders. The bike was based on the 750-cc racer that Paul Smart had used to win the 1972 Imola 200.
However, it did have some differences from the Imola '72 bikes, with the most obvious one being the adoption of Brembo front brakes and a center-axle fork. Only 401 examples of the 'round case' Ducati 750SS were built, and those that survive today can easily fetch well over $100,000.
6 Yamaha Virago
The Virago is a mean-looking motorcycle that bears the mark as Yamaha's first-ever V-twin cruiser bike. Introduced in 1981, the Virago was also one of the first bikes to use a mono-shock rear suspension, which helped advance the industry. The bike was an instant hit, which led to Yamaha introducing a 500cc and 900cc variant.
In 1984, Yamaha decided to replace the mono-shock design with a dual-shock rear suspension. The newly-revised Virago was such a hit in North America that Harley-Davidson, fearing the massive loss of customers, urged US policymakers to impose tariffs on imported bikes.
5 Indian Chief
Introduced in 1947, the Indian Chief is one of the coolest-looking bikes ever made and one of the manufacturer's most recognizable platforms. The Chief was built around a 1,200-cc engine that allowed it to hit 85 mph in just the third gear, which was amazing at the time. It had a left foot clutch and a hand-operated shifter near its gas tank that looked weird but good.
Unlike the classic Harley-Davidson models it was competing against, the Chief has rear suspension, which drastically improved ride quality. Though not for everyone, the Chief is still one of the top choices among bike purists and collectors, particularly the 1950 Indian Chief Black Hawk edition.
4 Britten V1000
The Britten V1000 may be the rarest bike on this list, but most motorcycling enthusiasts have at least heard of it. The V1000 is the brainchild and life's work of John Britten, a visionary who unfortunately died in 1995 at 45.
John Britten designed and hand-built the V1000 in a garage on New Zealand's South Island with his friends' help. Little did he know that the bike would end up challenging and beating the best twin-cylinder bikes that mainstream manufacturers had to offer in races held in Daytona, Europe, and other parts of the world. Only 10 V1000s were ever built.
3 Ducati 999R
With the 999R, Ducati took the best aspects of its successful 996, 998, and 916 platforms and encompassed them into one dominant package. Ducati started producing the 999R in 2003 and would continue to do so until 2006.
The 999R competed in various World Superbike championships and came under heavy critical acclaim due to its controversial design. However, its performance on the racetrack proved that Ducati's design orientation was still one of the best thanks to an L-twin desmodromic engine that produced respectable power and torque figures. The 999R's performance-oriented suspension system and trellis chassis also made it one of the most precise bikes of its time and one of the best bikes to ever grace a racetrack.
2 Triumph Bonneville
Triumph needs no introduction, having been one of the most popular bike manufacturers over the last century. Of all the iconic bikes that the British company has produced, the Bonneville has been their most successful model since it was first introduced in 1959.
Interestingly, the bike was named after Utah's infamous Bonneville Salt Flats, a desert location where prominent bike manufacturers competed to break land speed records. The Bonneville had a parallel-twin four-stroke engine that allowed it to hit 115 mph, which was unheard of back then. Other than the crazy speed, the "Bonnie" had a cool design and low-slung seat that made it popular among celebrities and professional racers of the day.
1 Aprilia RS250
When it comes to design, the Aprilia RS250 can only be compared to a Swiss watch; precision in all aspects with each component serving a distinct purpose. Introduced in 1995, the RS250 was inspired by the RSW250 Grand Prix motorcycle that Valentino Rossi used in MotoGP races.
It had a 249-cc liquid-cooled V-Twin engine housed in a twin-spar frame with thin-walled monocoque reinforcements. What made the RS250 a hit, particularly among young riders, was that it was easy to work on, had good suspension and brakes for its price, and was one of the first production bikes to include a lap timer on the dashboard.