With the continuous development and evolution of modern motorcycles, it is understandable that some models go by the wayside. Some can’t keep up with emissions, others simply get replaced with something new.
Over the years there have been many bikes we truly wish would make a comeback, and with such a huge nostalgia market, why not? From scramblers to retro racers, every manufacturer has something to offer us. There are however still a few duds we hope will never, ever return.
We're going to look at 5 bikes we want to see in dealerships, and 5 we hope to never see again.
10 Comeback: Ducati 916
Arguably the most beautiful bike ever made, this is one we would love to see make a comeback. All her successors are beautiful in their own right, but don’t really compare.
With the modern looks, and a perfectly capable 821 V-twin ripe for modification they already have the perfect emissions-compliant engine, Ducati could make a mid-range sports bike with no rival!
9 Never Again: Kawasaki H1 500
2-stroke sports bikes died for a reason, emissions problems aside, ride-ability and tractability issues were the real concern for these bigger displacement bikes. As the engine size increased, so did the size of the powerband!
It might have only made 60 horsepower, but on a light bike like this the front wheel will pop up unexpectedly when all those horses rush at you at once. In the hands of an inexperienced rider, it is next stop pavement.
8 Comeback: Honda NR750
Honda needed to stay ahead on the track, so they decided to make a hot rod bike. Finding a way around the race and homologation rules of the time, they effectively made a 750cc V8 - kind of. The oval piston was designed to act like two pistons in one.
This bike was so over-engineered, Honda lost money on each one sold even with the astronomical price-tag. What a blessing it would be to have something like this on the market today.
7 Never Again: Rokon Trail Breaker
Rokon somehow still sell these bikes, unchanged in design from the 1960s original. It is a bizarre creation in the modern world where ATVs and SXS vehicles exist, back then it was an answer to a need with no alternative.
Now, we are not so sure why anyone would choose the Rokon over a used ATV like this.
6 Comeback: Norton F1 Sport
The Wankel engine is all but forgotten today, especially in the motorcycle world with no company successfully making a reliable version.
We think it would be great if the Norton brand, itself making a comeback, brought this technology back and had another go at developing a reliable Wankel. With the more advanced engineering technology available today, it is possible.
5 Never Again: Honda ATC 250R
In the hands of a skilled rider these can be rewarding machines to ride. It is plain to see that it is within that statement lies the problem, most of those who'll buy a three-wheeler are not skilled riders!
Worst of all, some of them think they are, that is where things will go horribly wrong on a not so stable 3-wheeler, as a recreational vehicle this one needs to stay in the 80s where it belongs.
4 Comeback: Yamaha YZF750
As the 600s started getting faster and faster, and the liter bikes got lighter and lighter there just wasn’t any room left in the market for the 750-class sports bike. Only Suzuki persevered and found success within the niche with somewhat outdated engines.
Today the market is a bit different, with a lot of sales happening in the beginner bike segment Yamaha has the perfect opportunity to launch an MT-07/MT-09 based heritage edition YZF sports bike.
3 Never Again: Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe
The classic Harley has been around for decades, and with so many quality issues any model not at the top of the sales charts will be in line for the chop.
It is with no sadness that we say goodbye to the Softail, it had overstayed its welcome and Harley fans have no shortage of alternatives.
2 Comeback: Honda CBR600RR
We need a middle-weight Honda sports bike, and what they have left us with might have a decent top end but it is a shadow of the outgoing 600RR.
Although the CBR650R is great as a beginner bike, that’s not what any good middleweight sports bike should be, case in point the scary fast ZX6R. If not for bikes like these, the development will stagnate, even if we are not Honda fans, we hope to see a new and improved 600RR in the near future.
1 Never Again: Honda Super Cub C50
We would be remiss to be overly critical of the little Cub. It was vital, affordable transportation to millions.
But we have moved on from this slow, dangerous little machine, at this low end of the market e-scooters are the logical choice.