10 Hondas That Still Feel Modern Years Later

Honda has made it a habit to produce overbuilt motorcycles. This is something usually meant as a compliment, but this is not always the case. This conservative approach is also where innovation goes to die, and in some unique cases, when the brand has attempted to innovate, there has been a degree of pushback.

The most recent example of this is the whole concept of an automatic motorcycle. Initially, these automatic motorcycles were not well received, but over time, these bikes have proven to be perfectly reliable. Innovation is always necessary, and it is these more innovative models that still feel modern today.

Related

10 New And Used Honda Motorcycles That Are Worth Every Penny

From sports bikes to cruisers and dual-sports, all of these deliver serious performance and value.

1998 CBR1100XX

Price Range: $3,000 – $5,000

Honda 

Speed was selling motorcycles back in the 90s, and in an effort to get a leg up on the competition, Honda developed this legendary superbike. By modern standards, it is a big, heavy motorcycle and not particularly sporty, but it is still fast. It is also overbuilt and comfortable. So, today, it is commonly used as a budget sport tourer, and given the opportunity, it will still show modern sports bikes a clean pair of heels on the straights.

Specifications

2005 Gold Wing GL1800

Price Range: $8,000 – $10,000

Honda

With the introduction of the smooth-running flat six, Honda had more or less perfected the Gold Wing. While the brand continues to add innovative new features to the latest model, the old bike will suffice if all you are after is a comfortable long-distance tourer. These motorcycles were designed to accumulate miles, so as long as you stay on top of basic maintenance, they will keep going forever.

Specifications

2005 Honda Rune

Price Range: $11,000 – $13,000

Honda

The Rune is a pretty good example of why giving engineers free rein doesn’t always work. From a distance, this looks like your average chromed-out metric cruiser, but once you get closer, you quickly realize that simply is not the case. It has a host of one-off parts, and everything was so well put together. These bikes all still look new even after two decades of use. While this might seem like a lot of money for a bike this old, Honda reportedly lost tens of thousands of dollars on each bike that was sold. Plus, they will almost certainly appreciate in value over the next decade or so.

Specifications

Related

Here’s How Much A 20-Year-Old Honda Rune Is Worth Today

Condition is more important than mileage when you own a piece of motorcycle history like the Honda Rune

2008 VFR800 Interceptor

Price Range: $5,000 – $7,000

Bring a Trailer

Honda’s 750cc V4 had something of an inauspicious start to life back in the 80s. Its cams had a tendency to dissolve over time, and these early models are often referred to as “chocolate camshaft” bikes. This “chocolate cam” fiasco was quickly rectified, and over the years, the displacement went up, but so did its weight. By the early 00s, the VFR800 had evolved into one of the finest middle-displacement sport tourers money could buy. Both comfortable and reliable enough for the long haul.

Specifications

2009 DN-01

Price Range: $4,000 – $6,000

Honda

The Dream New concept 1, or DN-01 for short, is a truly bizarre motorcycle. With maxi-scooters selling well throughout Europe and cruisers selling well in the US, Honda had the bright idea of combining the two platforms. Its Human Friendly automatic Transmission – HFT for short (Honda does love an acronym) – was coupled to a relatively underpowered twin. Although automatic motorcycles have since caught on, this was, and still is, a bridge too far for most riders. But, if you want something different…

Specifications

2013 CBR600RR

Price Range: $7,000 – $9,000

Honda

All the way through the 00s, supersports got huge amounts of money thrown at them, with racing success, or even just racing presence, yielding sales. Over time, the buying public wised up to the fact that these bikes, while fun, were incredibly impractical. Consumer trends shifted, development slowed, and emissions restrictions curtailed real-world performance. The death of the original inline-four supersport has been a long, painful one, but for now, they do still exist. While there is a new version getting sold in other markets, the CBR600RR currently sold in the US is identical to the 2013 model.

Specifications

2016 VFR1200X DCT

Price Range: $6,000 – $8,000

Honda

Honda’s venerable V4 and ultra-modern DCT transmission briefly overlapped. Crossover motorcycles were still a relatively new concept in 2016, and sales for this enormous machine were far from exceptional. Today, crossovers can be found in all shapes and sizes, and if you want one in XL, this might be a great option, because they certainly offer a lot of bang for the buck today.

Specifications

Related

10 Adventure-Touring Bikes Perfect For Couples Who Love To Explore

The most affordable touring bike here is the first-ever Royal Enfield with a liquid-cooled engine, capable of doing it all.

2017 Africa Twin

Price Range: $6,000 – $8,000

Honda

Honda effectively replaced the aforementioned VFR1200X with the new Africa Twin, a genuine ADV. Over time, it has proven to be just as reliable as any Honda product, and this original version is a little less complex than the modern equivalent. It took Honda a while to join the adventure bike trend, but it is fair to say the Africa Twin has proven to be one of the very best ADVs money can buy.

Specifications

2017 CBR1000RR Fireblade

Price Range: $11,000 – $13,000

Honda

Just like the supersport, the CBR1000RR is still on sale today as a more budget-friendly liter bike option. Back in 2017, this was the halo-model Fireblade, and while it no longer wears that coveted moniker, it is still every bit as good. Its used value serves to underscore this fact, as it has not depreciated quite as much as any of the other bikes on this list. It is, after all, still a thoroughly modern sports bike.

Specifications

2020 Rebel 500 ABS

Price Range: $3,000 – $5,000

Honda

The Rebel 500 is one of the best entry-level cruisers currently on the market. It is one of those bikes that you can conceivably learn to ride on and keep for a very long time. While it isn’t exactly the most powerful motorcycle in the world, it will get up to highway speed and stay there for as long as your butt will allow. Unfortunately, it is a pretty compact motorcycle, so if you are on the taller side, it might feel too cramped.

Specifications