Without a crystal ball or a copy of the Grays Sports Almanac, it’s impossible to predict the future. And yet, that’s the task that faces manufacturers when designing new motorcycles. It takes years to bring a bike to market. It’s a best-guess exercise that involves analysing current trends, navigating ever-tightening emissions laws, and keeping core customers onside. Sometimes, OEMs get it right. Other times, they create something that flops in the moment, only to become wildly popular years later. And, once in a while, the need to stay ahead of the curve leaves an already-beloved model in the dust, setting it up for cult status down the line.
Each of the following five motorcycles falls into one or more of those categories. All of them were discontinued within the past six years—and while some of them sold better than others when new, each is special in its own way. I don’t have a crystal ball or a copy of the Grays Sports Almanac. But if I had to roll the dice, I’d bet on these as the next wave of future classics to hit the scene. I recommend snagging one now, before everyone else catches on.
BMW R nineT
The BMW R nineT had a nine-year run before the Bavarian marque replaced it with the newer R 12 platform. But while the R 12 boasts neat details (like a cleaner bone line) and is reportedly easier to customise, it’s just not quite as cool as its predecessor. It’s also considerably more expensive. BMW took a big swing with the nineT. Pitched as a heritage model, it was more of a contemporary homage to the brand’s classic boxers than a true modern classic. But its minimalistic aesthetic, simple air-and oil-cooled boxer motor, and lack of gadgetry were appealing.
The nineT rose rapidly in popularity, no doubt spurred on by the myriad custom examples commissioned by BMW itself. These days, a lightly used nineT can be had for reasonable money—and there’s no shortage of aftermarket parts and kits to turn it into something spicy. For my money, I’d take a first-generation R nineT Scrambler. Its 19” front wheel makes for a more relaxed ride than the 17” hoop on the R nineT Roadster, and its right-side-up forks look the part.
Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight
Adding the Evolution Sportster to this list is a no-brainer. The Evo platform was already iconic when H-D discontinued it six years ago, and the ‘new’ Sportster is a hot mess. Personally, I’d rather throw my hard-earned cash at a late model Sportster Forty-Eight. Pretty much any Evo Sporty will actually do, but the Forty-Eight is particularly sweet. You get the larger Sportster 1200 motor, packaged in a bobbed cruiser with chunky 16” wheels and compact proportions. It’s effortlessly cool out of the box, and it’s infinitely customisable.
Hardcore Sportster aficionados might cite any number of the Evo Sporty’s innumerable iterations as better options, but the Forty-Eight’s relatively young age makes it a shoo-in. It’s the last of the best, and will keep ticking for years to come.
Indian FTR 1200
As is customary, the internet was abuzz with opinions when the Indian FTR 1200 broke cover seven years ago. It was maligned for not looking exactly like the track-only concept bike that it was based on, and pundits were quick to point out its porky 234.5-kilo wet weight. What many missed was how gutsy a move the FTR was for Indian. Its 19F/18R wheels and dirt-track-style tyres were committed to the flat track vibe, and it had little room for a passenger or luggage, making it a pretty niche offering.
Indian released the FTR in a few different models and eventually downsized the wheels in a bid to make it a little more mainstream. But it never really found its groove, and was dropped from the American company’s range last year. More’s the pity. The Indian FTR, although indeed heavy, is a cracking motorcycle. It looks great, it’s a hoot to ride, and it’ll go down in history as a highlight in Indian’s modern-day resurgence.
Ducati Monster 821
The Monster has been a part of Ducati’s catalogue for over three decades. And although it’s come in different shapes and sizes over that era, almost every version of it has sported a trellis frame—until now. Revealed in 2020, the new Ducati Monster not only ditched the hallmark trellis frame, but also most of the design cues that made every one of its predecessors nice to look at. I hated it then, and time has done little to change my mind.
If you want the last of the ‘old’ Monsters, get your hands on a lightly used Ducati Monster 821. Manufactured from 2014 until 2020, the 821 was not only the last trellis-framed Monster, but it was also drop-dead gorgeous and bonkers on the road. With 110-ish horsepower on tap, it hit the sweet spot between its two stablemates at the time—the Monster 797 and Monster 1200. It was aesthetically on point, too, taking design cues from some of the best Monsters that preceded it. And that means it’ll only get better with age.
Triumph Thruxton 1200 RS
Triumph has been on a roll over the past few decades, but few motorcycles epitomise this like the Thruxton 1200 RS. The brief was to create a high-performing café racer on the company’s revitalised liquid-cooled Bonneville platform, and they executed it flawlessly. The first Triumph Thruxton—released during the modern Bonneville’s air-cooled era—was a bike that scored high on looks, but low on comfort. (And that’s being generous.) So when it came time to design a new Thruxton, they started from scratch.
Sold alongside chart-toppers like the Bonneville T120 and Bobber, the Triumph Thruxton 1200 RS was purpose-built from the word go. Its peachy 1,200 cc engine was matched to café racer-specific controls that, although low-slung, were surprisingly comfortable. It came with a unique fuel tank to distinguish it even more, 17” aluminium rims, and, in ‘RS’ trim, Brembo brakes and adjustable Showa and Öhlins suspension.
It was arguably one of the best factory café racers to hit the scene. And since it’s been discontinued, it’s sure to become a collector’s piece in no time.
Words by Wes Reyneke.