10 Motorcycles That Have Earned Cult Status

The term “cult classic” gets thrown around quite a bit these days. But, it is pretty hard to ascertain what it takes for anything, let alone a motorcycle, to achieve cult status. The one thing we can say for certain is that it isn’t necessarily down to commercial success – although the bikes on this list certainly were – but rather a dedicated, passionate following.

One look at the forums for any of these bikes will most certainly confirm that all of these bikes have a loyal following. But, that certainly doesn’t paint the full picture. For us, what really makes a bike special is the story behind it. Some of these bikes brought something new to the industry, others were just ridiculously fast, and one bike even helped win a war. All these bikes have a story to tell, and have truly earned their cult status.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including Ducati. Buying a used motorcycle always has an element of risk attached, so please do your research, and proceed with caution. The motorcycles on this list go from oldest to newest.

1942 Harley-Davidson WLA

Price Range: $13,000 – $15,000

So many of us will have a grandfather, or great-grandfather who owned one of these bikes. Each bike was made during WWII, and as such was designated a 1942 model even if it was built in a different year. At the time, it was designed to be a durable war machine, but after the war it was basic transport. It almost single-handedly kick-started the custom motorcycle scene, with everyone modifying their bikes to make them look a little different, and a little less like war machines.

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1955 Vespa 150 GS

Price Range: $20,000 – $25,000

The Vespa is as much a cultural icon as it is a scooter, and while it may not have been the first of its kind, it certainly popularized the genre. Designed by somebody who didn’t even like motorcycles, to some, the Vespa represents something of an “anti-motorcycle” for people who needed basic – and somewhat fashionable – transport. No matter which way you look at it, it has earned its legendary status. This 50s model is not the original Vespa design, but it is by some margin the most iconic.

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1969 Honda CB750

Price Range: $5,000 – $7,000

Other established brands didn’t really see the Japanese manufacturers as much of a threat, until this came out in 1969. The CB750 was the first UJM, or “Universal Japanese Motorcycle,” a motorcycle reliable enough to commute on, comfortable enough to ride across the country, and affordable enough for most people to buy. With this, the Japanese manufacturers had well and truly arrived.

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1975 Harley-Davidson XR750

Price Range: $25,000 – $30,000

By not building a road-going version of these bikes, Harley certainly dropped the ball in the 70s. That said, pretty much everything Harley did in the 70s resembled a dropped ball, with the unique exception of this iconic race bike. All the way through the decade, it dominated flat track racing. Evel Knievel also rode it from one crazy stunt to another, and it became a symbol of everything right about the company.

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1984 Kawasaki Ninja GPz900R

Price Range: $7,000 – $9,000

For a time, this was the fastest bike on the planet, but its cameo in the movie Top Gun arguably made even more of an impact. Cast alongside fighter jets, this became a symbol of speed and the Ninja nomenclature would also from then on forever be associated with speed. The Gixxer 750 would come out the following year and go on to define the sports bike segment, but it was this bike that really kick-started the speed wars between the Japanese manufacturers.

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1985 Honda Gold Wing GL1200

Price Range: $1,000 – $3,000

Determined to make a more comfortable motorcycle for long distance travel, Honda came out with the Gold Wing GL1200 in the mid-80s. Fairings were not uncommon at the time, they were just widely considered an aftermarket accessory. This was the first bike to come out with a full touring fairing as standard fitment. It reshaped the touring segment as we knew it, and also went on to become one of the most ubiquitous motorcycles ever made.

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1990 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy

Price Range: $8,000 – $10,000

The Fat Boy represents another motorcycle that owes much of its legendary status to its appearance in a movie. Terminator 2 became a big part of 90s pop culture, and the image of Schwarzenegger riding it will most likely outlast the bike itself. The design persevered, and the modern version has not strayed too far from the original.

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1993 Ducati Monster 900

Price Range: $3,000 – $5,000

The original Monster was essentially cobbled together from different sports bike parts Ducati had lying around back in the early 90s. It was developed and later manufactured on a shoestring budget, yet, it proved to be a massive sales success for the company. Suffice to say it was more than the sum of its parts, reinventing the “standard” motorcycle as we knew it back then, and introducing us to the naked sports bike.

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1995 Kawasaki KLR650

Price Range: $1,000 – $3,000

We tried to include something from every major segment on this list, but this is arguably the only bike that is so versatile it could represent multiple segments. Over the years, this durable dual-sport evolved into one of the most popular motorcycles for travel. Its go-anywhere nature, unerring reliability and general affordability make it an ideal tool for the job, and it has won over legions of fans from all over the world.

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1999 Suzuki Hayabusa

Price Range: $3,000 – $5,000

The first generation Hayabusa is a legend within the motorcycle industry for effectively ending the speed wars the aforementioned Ninja started. Deemed too fast for its own good – because it really was – and unsafe on roads like the Autobahn where speed is unrestricted. It brought about the Gentleman’s Agreement, where all the major motorcycle brands agreed to henceforth restrict all new motorcycles to a top speed of 186 MPH (or 300km/h).

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