Six retro-style motorcycles for under £8,000 including iconic Triumph & beginner-friendly Honda
MOTORCYCLE experts have revealed the six best retro-styled bikes you can pick up for less than £8,000.
Top options include an iconic Triumph roadster and a beginner-friendly, super-cheap Honda.
The team over at Motobob ran through some of their top picks for new bikes which provide a bit of an old-school feel on a budget.
Riders can still pick up some gorgeously designed machines brand from major brands for about half the price of the average used car.
And there’s no shortage of power either, with the majority ranging between 400cc and 650cc in capacity.
Royal Enfield HNTR350
Starting off with one of the cheapest models on the list, the HNTR350 clocks in at just £3,899 in its basic trim.
While the experts did say it doesn’t quite pack the punch they’d like at motorway speed, they recommended it as a perfect “economical city bike.”
But if you really need the extra horses, even Shotgun 650 (the brand’s newest bike) will still only set you back £6,899.
That model also boasts a particular focus on customisation, allowing riders to play around with the spec themselves and pimp their ride at home with minimal tools.
Fantic Caballero
The Caballero rockets onto the list as a bit of a wild card, coming from lesser-known Italian manufacturer Fantic.
The brand is no new kid on the block, though, as it dates back to 1968, expanding to the UK in the ’70s.
It even bought former rival Minarelli from Yamaha in 2020, adding to its technical prowess.
With a name meaning Gentleman in Spanish, the Cabellero lives up to its refined image while still offering a bargain price.
The model is available in a range of specs, including Scrambler and Rally versions, as well as a choice of 125cc, 500cc or 700cc.
The mid-range 500cc deluxe is on sale through the brand’s approved dealers in the UK for just £6,949.
Honda Monkey
The Monkey may not get you above 60mph thanks to its titchy 125cc single-cylinder engine but the nostalgic micro-bike is a barrel of laughs all the same.
The model was originally produced as the Honda Z from 1961-99 and became a cult icon in its day.
It was then revived in 2018 and can now be picked up for just £4,049.
Best of all, thanks to its low-capacity engine, it only requires a CBT certificate to ride one rather than a full licence.
This can be achieved through a one-day training course at a cost of around £150.
Triumph Speed 400
Triumph has, quite rightly, put the Speed 400 front-and-centre in its “modern classics” lineup.
The retro roadster only costs £4,995 and is a great mid-level bike for an experienced rider.
Triumph described the model as “beautiful, responsive and agile” and lauded its ’80s-inspired design.
It’s so good it also made the list of the best “bang for buck” bikes under £6,000.
Elsewhere, those looking for a more off-road focus can pick up the similarly excellent Scrambler 400X at £5,595.
Kawasaki 650RS
The largest capacity bike at this price point, the Z650RS is ideal for those “who like the Kawasaki aesthetic but don’t need something too serious in terms of performance”.
It’s powered by the Japanese brand’s well-loved parallel twin 650cc engine which has gained a reputation for reliability.
But if you do want to crank up the pace, you can always splash out a little more for the Z900RS, which boasts a four-cylinder engine, for just over £11,000.
BSA Gold Star
The Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) was an icon of 20th Century Britain.
Famed for its impact on the foundation of the British bike scene in the inter-war years, the brand eventually collapsed in 1970 but still leaves UK riders bathing in a warm glow of nostalgia any time it’s brought up.
However, since 2016, it has not just been brought up, but resurrected thanks to a takeover by global motors giant Mahindra.
BSA is one of a slew of legendary British automotive brands, including Jaguar Land Rover and Royal Enfield, to come under Indian ownership in recent years.
And the company has now harkened back to its roots by releasing the simply beautiful Gold Star.
Powered by a chunky 652cc single-cylinder, a nod to the revolutionary engine technology that first built the brand, the new bike brings the beloved ’40s-era designs into the modern day.
With all its heritage and engineering prowess, it will only cost you £6,800.