Top 10 Best Retro Style New Motorcycles
Top 10 Retro Style New Motorcycles You Can Buy in the UK
Classic looks, modern running gear, and all the excuses you’ll ever need to “take the long way home”.
Retro style bikes are everywhere right now. You get that proper old-school charm – round headlights, wire wheels, bench seats and plenty of chrome – but with fuel injection, ABS and the kind of reliability that doesn’t leave you stranded at the side of the A-road wondering if you remembered to pack the tool roll.
This isn’t a lab test or a sales pitch. It’s a friendly run-through of ten brilliant retro-style new motorcycles you can buy in the UK, written with everyday riding in mind. Whether you’re stepping up from a 125, coming back to biking after a break, or just fancy something with proper classic lines, there will be something here that fits.
Prices and specs shift a bit between years, colours and dealers, so treat any money chat as ballpark. Always check with your local dealer before you start selling the sofa.
Triumph Bonneville T120
The definitive modern Brit classic
If you drew a “motorbike” as a kid, it probably looked a lot like this.
The Bonneville T120 is Triumph’s flagship modern classic and it absolutely leans into that heritage look. You get the traditional tank shape, classic clock-style dials and a relaxed bench seat, but underneath it’s a thoroughly modern machine with a big torquey 1200 twin, proper brakes and rider aids. It’s the kind of bike that happily rolls into town, cruises through villages and still has enough shove for an enthusiastic blast down your favourite B-road.
On the road it feels solid, grown up and very British. The riding position is easy-going, there’s plenty of room for a pillion and it has that calm, reassuring feel that makes long days in the saddle a pleasure. If you want one bike that can do Sunday ride-outs, touring and posing outside the café without breaking a sweat, the T120 is a brilliant place to start.
Royal Enfield Interceptor 650
The people’s retro twin
Classic looks, real-world performance and a price that still feels almost too sensible.
The Interceptor 650 has become a bit of a hero bike. It looks like something from a 60s postcard, with its slim tank, twin shocks and air-cooled style twin, but it starts on the button and just gets on with the job. Power is A2-friendly and the engine’s character more than makes up for any spec sheet numbers, with a lovely thrum and a relaxed, unhurried feel that suits British roads perfectly.
It’s also one of the easiest bikes on this list to customise. Bars, pipes, seats, luggage, suspension upgrades – there is a huge pile of bits to choose from if you like personalising your ride at the weekend with a brew and a box of spanners. For newer riders or anyone who wants a simple, honest retro that doesn’t destroy the bank account, the Interceptor is a cracking choice.
Kawasaki Z900RS
70s superbike vibes with modern muscle
A tribute to the legendary Zed, with an engine that is very much from this century.
The Z900RS is what happens when Kawasaki looks back at the iconic Z1 and decides to bring that spirit into the present. The paint schemes, the bodywork lines and the stance are pure seventies superbike, but the motor and chassis are share-a-grin-with-your-mates levels of lively. It has the smooth shove of a modern inline-four, the reassurance of traction control, and the sort of all-round capability that makes it just as happy scratching down twisties as it is doing long days in the saddle.
Despite the retro look, it behaves like a well-sorted modern road bike. The riding position is natural, the handling is confident, and the brakes are exactly what you want when the road opens up and you accidentally discover the upper end of the speedo. It’s ideal for experienced riders who still want a bit of fizz and excitement from their “sensible grown-up” retro.
Moto Guzzi V7
The laid-back shaft-drive charmer
Sideways V-twin, shaft drive and a proper long-distance, take-the-scenic-route attitude.
The V7 has been at the heart of Moto Guzzi’s range for decades, and the latest versions keep that familiar silhouette while quietly updating everything underneath. You get an air-cooled transverse V-twin that sticks out either side of the tank, a shaft drive to keep things low-maintenance, and a riding position that encourages you to relax your shoulders and enjoy the view rather than chase lap times.
It’s a brilliant bike for riders who want character without hassle. The engine has a gentle rock and pulse that gives the bike a lot of personality, but it’s never annoying. The shaft drive means no chain cleaning after a wet ride, and the whole package feels like it’s built for long weekends away, not just short hops to the local café, even if you do end up there a lot.
Ducati Scrambler Icon
Playful, colourful and very, very cool
A modern classic that doesn’t take itself too seriously, even if the spec sheet does.
The Scrambler Icon helped kick-start the current retro wave and the latest versions keep that playful DNA alive. You get an air-cooled V-twin, light weight, a comfy upright riding position and styling that looks equally at home in the city or parked outside a surf café somewhere windswept and dramatic. It has that unmistakable Ducati feel, but tuned for fun and friendliness rather than outright aggression.
Tech-wise, the newer models bring in modern electronics and a smart dash, but what matters most is how it rides. It feels light on its feet, easy to manoeuvre in traffic and lively enough to put a big stupid grin on your face when you find a twisty road and decide the scenic route is absolutely the correct choice again.
Yamaha XSR700
The “Faster Sons” all-rounder
The heart of an MT-07 wrapped in retro styling and a very cheeky attitude.
Yamaha’s XSR700 is built around the same beloved twin as the MT-07, which means bags of usable torque, a friendly nature and enough punch to keep things interesting for a long time. The difference is in the styling and feel. The XSR brings in classic tank lines, a round headlight and a more old-school stance while keeping the same light, flickable chassis that has made the MT such a hit.
It’s a brilliant “one bike does it all” choice. It commutes without complaint, takes on back-road fun at the weekend and doesn’t feel out of place turning up at bike nights or ride-outs with a mixed bunch of machines. If you want something that feels modern to ride but looks like it belongs in a vintage poster, the XSR700 hits that sweet spot.
Triumph Speed Twin 900
Approachable and effortlessly cool
Formerly the Street Twin, now with a name that matches how it looks in photos.
The Speed Twin 900 takes Triumph’s smaller-capacity modern classic twin and wraps it in a compact, custom-ready package. It has enough grunt to be fun without ever feeling intimidating, and the size makes it unintimidating in tight city streets or on narrow country lanes. It’s one of those bikes that just feels “right” from the moment you sit on it.
In day-to-day use it’s hugely friendly. The seat height is reasonable, the controls feel light and the whole bike has that “hop on and go for a quick blast” appeal. For riders stepping up from smaller machines or returning after some time off, it’s a very easy way to get into the modern classic world without jumping straight to a big T120.
BSA Gold Star 650
A classic name reborn
Old-school single-cylinder attitude, brand new bike feel.
The revived Gold Star 650 leans hard into nostalgia. The tank shape, the pinstripes and the overall stance all nod to the original, but under the retro suit you get a modern single with fuel injection, decent brakes and the sort of manners that make weekday riding just as enjoyable as Sunday runs. It has a different flavour to the endless twins on the market, with a lazier, thumpier feel.
It’s ideal if you like to take life at a calmer pace. Rather than screaming for revs, it’s about short-shifted gears, relaxed cruising and enjoying the road at a sensible, license-friendly rate. Parked up, it looks like something your grandad might have told stories about, but you get to enjoy it without worrying about ancient electrics.
Royal Enfield Classic 350
Slowing down and enjoying the ride
Not about speed, all about feel.
The Classic 350 is proof that you do not need big horsepower numbers to have a great time on a bike. It looks beautifully old-fashioned, with lots of metal, proper mudguards and timeless paint jobs, and the little single-cylinder engine chugs along happily at real-world speeds. It’s the kind of bike that turns every ride into a mini event, even if you’re just nipping out for milk.
For new riders or anyone who wants maximum charm for sensible money, it is a lovely option. It encourages you to pick smaller roads, enjoy the scenery and remember why you wanted a motorbike in the first place. You finish rides on a Classic 350 feeling calmer than when you started, which is not something you can say about every machine.
Kawasaki W800
The gentlemanly twin
Looks like it should come with a waxed cotton jacket and a flask of tea.
The W800 is Kawasaki’s take on the classic British twin formula. It’s air-cooled, beautifully styled and deliberately unhurried. From the bevel-drive style cam details to the old-school clocks, it really leans into the traditional aesthetic, but you still get modern touches where they matter, including ABS and properly sorted suspension and brakes.
Out on the road, it’s smooth, gentle and extremely likeable. It’s not here to win drag races; it’s here to waft along back roads, soak up the view and arrive with your nerves intact. If you want something with heaps of classic charm and a very relaxed attitude, the W800 is well worth a look.
Choosing your retro: heart, head and biscuits
Picking between these bikes isn’t really about which one is “best” on paper; it’s about what fits your riding life. If you spend a lot of time on motorways or carrying a pillion, the bigger twins and the Z900RS are going to make life easier. If you mostly buzz around town and head for back roads at the weekend, something lighter like the XSR700, Scrambler Icon or Interceptor might suit you better. And if you’re just starting out or coming back gently, the Classic 350 and Speed Twin 900 are wonderfully friendly places to begin.
The nice thing about the modern retro scene is that there’s room for everyone. Whatever you ride, you still get the same freedom, the same head-clearing blast and the same chance to sit in a café afterwards talking bikes, bodges, and biscuits while your lid drips on the floor.
Ride, chat, repeat – the Lid Life way
However you like your retro – loud and lairy, calm and classic, or somewhere in between – there’s a bike out there with your name on it. When you do find it and you’re ready to move your old pride and joy on, remember you can list it in the Lid Life classifieds for free and keep that upgrade money for fuel, tyres and bacon baps instead. We’re a rider-built, self-funded home for bikers, and the whole idea is simple: more mates, more knowledge, more laughs, more riding.
Welcome aboard – mind the oil stains, share your wins and disasters in the forums, and let us know which retro you’d pick for the next ride-out. Sun’s out or rain bouncing off the tank, we’re all in it for the same thing: that buzz you get every time you grab your lid and head for the open road.
