10 Used Motorcycles That Are Practically Bulletproof

Planned obsolescence is no longer just a consumer-electronics problem — it has quietly crept into the motorcycle world, and it is accelerating. Modern bikes arrive loaded with touchscreen dashboards, proprietary electronics, and connectivity modules that deliver a genuinely impressive riding experience right up until the moment they don’t. When a $1,500 display module fails on a ten-year-old bike, the repair bill can exceed the machine’s market value. That is a problem worth thinking about before you buy.

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62 autotech

Not everyone can — or wants to — swap bikes every few years. If you are shopping for something that will still be running strong a decade from now without demanding a fortune in specialist repairs, the answer is usually an older, simpler machine with a track record long enough to speak for itself. The bikes below have earned exactly that reputation. 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.

1996 Kawasaki Vulcan 750

Price Range: $2,000 – $4,000

Kawasaki kept this model in production for nearly two decades — a run that had nothing to do with stunning styling or blistering performance and everything to do with dependability. The secret is a relatively simple layout built around an understressed V-twin that simply refuses to give up. Stay on top of basic maintenance and it will keep ticking over for many years to come. Just be prepared to embrace a slower pace.

Specifications

Read Also 2 week ago The Motorcycle Built For Riders Who Think 300 Miles Is Just The Beginning 25 autotech Engine Type	V-Twin, liquid-cooled
Displacement	749cc
Max Power	66 HP
Transmission	5-speed
Weight	483 lbs (dry)

2000 Suzuki Hayabusa (1st Generation)

Price Range: $3,000 – $5,000

If you are not interested in embracing a slower pace, the first-generation Hayabusa offers all the performance you could ever want, supplemented by unerring reliability. These bikes were engineered to approach 200 mph, and the tolerances built into the design far exceed industry standards. Most riders will never come close to exploring what these machines are capable of — all the same, steer clear of heavily modified examples.

Specifications

2005 Honda Gold Wing GL1800

Price Range: $8,000 – $10,000

Honda

The modern Gold Wing is a great bike that can most certainly accumulate big miles, but it is also far from perfect, and has been recalled a couple of times already. By 2005, the six-cylinder Gold Wing had already been out for a while, and it wasn’t yet adorned with quite so much tech. In our opinion, this is the sweet spot for those after a comfortable, reliable tourer, without the toppings.

Specifications

2010 Honda VFR1200F

Price Range: $5,000 – $7,000

Honda

The VFR1200F marks the end of Honda’s long love affair with the V4 engine configuration. Even by modern standards this is a rapid machine, capable of embarrassing more than a few current sport bikes. Much like the Hayabusa, it is overbuilt to the point that regular use will never put any real strain on the powertrain. Bear in mind, though, that it has a thirsty appetite for fuel, so expect more fuel stops than you would make on a newer sports tourer.

Specifications

2011 Suzuki V-Strom 650

Price Range: $2,000 – $4,000

Suzuki

Back in 2011, this was still more of a middleweight tourer, but in terms of use, several riders were starting to use it as an ADV. Over the years, these V-twins have proven to be incredibly reliable, able to handle all sorts of abuse, and all they need in return is a little basic maintenance. Out of all the bikes on this list, this might not be the most exciting, but it is a genuinely fun ride, and at this price it is most certainly worth a second look.

Specifications

2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R

Price Range: $7,000 – $9,000

Kawasaki

The “quarter mile king” actually shares a platform with the Concours 14, one of the most reliable touring bikes money can buy. While it is possible to find one of those tourers for less money, it will likely already carry a substantial odometer reading. The same-year ZX-14R is far less likely to have been ridden as hard, and you gain a welcome performance bonus without sacrificing much in the way of comfort.

Specifications

2012 Yamaha Super Tenere

Price Range: $6,000 – $8,000

Yamaha

Most people will take one look at the spec sheet of the Super Tenere and simply overlook it. This is a mistake. It is most certainly too heavy to be a proper off-roader, but it truly excels as an adventure-tourer. This large-displacement parallel-twin is pretty much bulletproof, and as long as you pass on the fancy electronic suspension, it will also be easy to maintain.

Specifications

2017 Honda Africa Twin

Price Range: $9,000 – $11,000

Honda

As a broadly like-for-like alternative to the Super Tenere, the Africa Twin brings a degree more off-road competence to the table, though it gives up a little power in the trade. The Unicam engine has lived up to Honda’s lofty reliability standards, and these first-generation bikes are considerably less complicated than the newer version. You lose out on a few nice-to-have features, but you save a few thousand dollars at the same time.

Specifications

2017 Suzuki DR650S

Price Range: $4,000 – $6,000

Suzuki Cycles

Consider this a placeholder of sorts for any of the old 650 singles. If you are after a dual-sport like this, there is not much sense in buying new unless you want the security of a warranty. This is one of the few motorcycles in the world where a warranty is not expressly necessary — it is as proven as any bike can be by now.

Specifications

2021 Yamaha Tenere 700

Price Range: $7,000 – $9,000

When Yamaha first launched the Tenere 700, it offered a genuinely back-to-basics riding experience. Since then it has gained a few tech features and a little weight. Used prices remain relatively strong, but these bikes are the real deal and well worth it if you want a genuine off-road ADV. The CP2 engine has so far proven to be one of the most reliable powerplants ever fitted to a production motorcycle.

Specifications

Sources: OEMs, KBB