We love motorcycles for many reasons. Of these, performance is usually at the top, given that they are lighter and smaller. So even with barely 100 horsepower, the power-to-weight ratio is intense enough to smoke some expensive sports cars. However, horsepower isn’t everything.
There are certain types of customers who don’t worry about horsepower and prefer easy, smooth rides rather than high horsepower figures and maximum performance. For them, the roadster category is usually the place to be. These throwback naked motorcycles allow you to enjoy a unique combination of retro design with modern quality and reliability. Like their design, they don’t have to focus solely on performance to show you a good time. Here are ten of them.
Yamaha XSR700
Price: $8,599
Except for the XSR700, Yamaha’s 700 cc machines get an update in 2025. This does not mean that it is an inferior product; If anything, this is the best Yamaha you can buy today. Its simplicity helps with longevity, with the XSR700s known to achieve high mileage figures without any major issues. It helps that its looks are timeless, too, and a very sweet chassis backs it up.
|
engine type |
‘CP2’ 270° I2 |
|
displacement |
689 cc |
|
maximum power |
72 hp @ 8,750 rpm |
|
maximum torque |
49.4 lb-ft @ 6,500 rpm |
Royal Enfield INT650
Price: $6,149
The Super Meteor 650 gets a lot of love because it is a cruiser that offers big road presence without the high cost. But we forget its roadster sibling: the INT650. It’s an excellent effort with good performance and beautiful handling, and now there’s a mature platform with an upcoming model that will have an even bigger engine. Also, reliability has been top notch, which is not what we expected from Royal Enfield at the time of its launch in 2018.
|
engine type |
270° I2 |
|
displacement |
648 cc |
|
maximum power |
47 hp @ 7,250 rpm |
|
maximum torque |
38.6 lb-ft @ 5,650 rpm |
Yamaha XSR900
Price: $10,599
The XSR900 is essentially the bigger brother of the XSR700. This is a completely modern motorcycle based on the MT-09, so you get a six-axis IMU, by-wire throttle, and a two-way quickshifter. The engine makes you want to ride hard, the chassis is extremely agile, and the styling is timeless enough to make it feel more premium than bikes that cost $5,000 more. The only reason not to get one might be that there is a Honda available at the same price that is bigger – but not necessarily better. There isn’t much to go wrong here.
|
engine type |
Crossplane I3 |
|
displacement |
889 cc |
|
maximum power |
117 hp @ 10,000 rpm |
|
maximum torque |
69 lb-ft @ 7,000 rpm |
Honda CB1000F
Price: $10,599
The CB1000F is one of the newest entrants in the roadster sector, and it has really set the cat among the pigeons. This is thanks to the price, which is exactly the same as the XSR900, although the four-cylinder offers a liter bike experience. It also has a six-axis IMU and a by-wire throttle, so it’s not lacking in features either. The only place where you can find fault with it is that it is bigger and heavier than the Yamaha. The question isn’t that it quietly offers the best value in its segment.
|
engine type |
i4 |
|
displacement |
999 cc |
|
maximum power |
122 hp @ 9,000 rpm |
|
maximum torque |
76 lb-ft @ 8,000 rpm |
Moto Guzzi V7 Sport
Price: $10,990
The V7 Sport is one of the modern classics that brings retro cool without the headaches as it has a better feature list despite the relatively minor increase in price. It has twin front brake discs from Brembo with radial monobloc callipers, paired with a safety net, including a six-axis IMU, by-wire throttle and cruise control. What impresses here is its longitudinal V-twin engine with its heads protruding from below on either side of the fuel tank. Its orientation also means that it is one of the few motorcycles available with a driveshaft.
|
engine type |
longitudinal 90° v-twin |
|
displacement |
853 cc |
|
maximum power |
67.3 hp @ 6,900 rpm |
|
maximum torque |
58.3 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm |
Triumph Speed Twin 900
Price: $11,495
The Speed Twin 900 may be at the opposite end of the range as the sportiest Speed Twin, but it’s no slouch. Its cool retro exterior might distract you from the fact that this is also a motorcycle that’s genuinely enjoyable to ride. For example, it has a whopping 59 pound-feet of torque that operates at a very low 3,800 rpm. Plus, it’s loaded with all the modern electronic features you could want, like by-wire throttle, six-axis IMU and even an assist and slipper clutch.
|
engine type |
270° I2 |
|
displacement |
900 cc |
|
maximum power |
63.1 hp @ 7,500 rpm |
|
maximum torque |
59 lb-ft @ 3,800 rpm |
Kawasaki Z900RS
Price: $12,899
Kawasaki’s Z900RS is very similar to the XSR900 and CB1000F, but it has one big advantage over both of them: the Z900RS Café. It is one of the few retro-style roadsters for which a fairing kit is available in the US market. It looks amazing even without it, but the café looks next level. If you’re willing to spend more money, you can also get a more premium version with quality suspension upgrades, but the chassis and engine will remain simple with a focus on a mix of performance, comfort and real-world reliability.
|
engine type |
i4 |
|
displacement |
948 cc |
|
maximum power |
110 hp @ 8,500 rpm |
|
maximum torque |
72.3 lb-ft @ 6,500 rpm |
Triumph Speed Twin 1200
Price: $15,395
The Speed Twin 1200 RS grabs headlines because it looks like a modern classic. But if we’re honest, we’d prefer the Speed Twin 1200 if we had to drive it every day. It has similar performance but without the committed riding position, traded for all-day comfort. It also has quality parts like Marzocchi suspension, by-wire throttle, six-axis IMU and massive torque at low rpm. However, the two-way quickshifter is not available as an option either.
|
engine type |
270° I2 |
|
displacement |
1,200 cc |
|
maximum power |
103.6 hp @ 7,750 rpm |
|
maximum torque |
82.6 lb-ft @ 4,250 rpm |
BMW R 12 S
Price: $17,245
The BMW R 12 nineT is the roadster version of the R 12, a sleeper cruiser that everyone ignores. And it is a cafe racer based on the Ninety platform. While the base price of the R12S is listed at a little over $17,000, when you add bits like the fairing in these photos, it rises to over $22,000. Still, you get a light, rev-happy, lively roadster that’s packed with features and feels completely unique thanks to the boxer-twin engine, shaft drive and all the quirks that make a BMW a BMW.
|
engine type |
longitudinal boxer twin |
|
displacement |
1,170 cc |
|
maximum power |
109 hp @ 7,000 rpm |
|
maximum torque |
85 lb-ft @ 6,500 rpm |
indian ftr 1200
Price: $13,499
The FTR long stood as the American brand’s only true roadster, and sadly that came to an end recently. There’s a chance you can buy one new now, but a used model from last year’s new sale should cost you about $12,185. The top-spec Carbon version with all the advanced bits (Ohlins suspension, for example) should cost you a little more than $16,035. Even the base model had a ZF Sachs fully adjustable suspension, Brembo brakes with T-drive rotors, and a 120 horsepower liquid-cooled V-twin engine. It’s a real shame that FTR isn’t around anymore, because it was Buy Indian if you want to ride every weekend.
|
engine type |
60° v-twin |
|
displacement |
1,203 cc |
|
maximum power |
120 hp |
|
maximum torque |
87 lb-ft @ 6,000 rpm |
Source: Yamaha Motorsports, Triumph Motorcycles
