Everything in life is temporary, whether it’s your favorite phone, person, or motorcycle. Old things go out, new things come in, and then, all you’re left with are memories. As the motorcycle industry grows, it is inevitable that some models will eventually end up as assembly line parts. While some models remain in production for a few years, others might stay for decades. But at some point, it has to come to an end. So today, we focus on motorcycles which left such a lasting impression on our minds, that we can’t help but wish they could come back to life.
The list below comprises 10 such motorcycles from all around the world (Japan, America, Europe, Britain) and from your favorite bikemakers (Harley-Davidson, MV Agusta, KTM, Yamaha). All these were discontinued between 2010 and 2023, and each has been sold in America at some point. You can no longer buy them here, so be ready to get some serious throwback once you go through the article. Without further ado, let’s dive in.
Here Are The Most Powerful Naked Bikes From All Popular Brands
With a 0-62 mph time of 3.15 seconds, the most powerful naked bike here is also the quickest of the lot.
Harley-Davidson Cross Bones
Production Years: 2008 to 2011
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
|---|---|---|
|
1,584cc V-Twin |
75 HP |
93 LB-FT |
When discussing Harley-Davidson models worthy of revival, the obvious candidates come to mind immediately. But what about the Cross Bones? This underappreciated gem merged old-school bobber aesthetics with modern performance and rider-friendly technology, creating a machine that looked spectacular and delivered genuine thrills. It was a cruiser with attitude, one that refused to follow the predictable path.
The Cross Bones embodied the bobber philosophy in its purest form — strip away everything unnecessary and let the engine do the talking. Every design element reinforced this mission: wire-spoke wheels, a chopped front fender, that unmistakable Springer front end, slash-cut exhaust pipes, and a sprung solo saddle. The result was a motorcycle that commanded attention wherever it appeared. For a new generation of riders seeking something with authentic character and visual impact, the Cross Bones would make a compelling addition to the current lineup. Few modern motorcycles capture that raw, rebellious spirit quite so effectively.
Cagiva Mito
Production Years: 1989 to 2012
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
|---|---|---|
|
125cc 2-Stroke |
34 HP |
16.9 LB-FT |
125cc sports bikes might sound too boring to you, but some OG examples can smoke modern-day 400-500cc offerings. The Cagiva Mito was exactly that – a little 125cc sports bike that challenged the prevalent belief that “bigger is better.” It chose minimal weight to attain its performance. Not that it lacked performance, as its 125cc engine produced 34 horsepower, which is twice as much as the typical 125cc bike of today and higher than a Honda CBR300R. This is also the beast on which Valentino Rossi won his first world championship. And you know what? Massimo Tamburini himself created the design shortly after he designed the Ducati 916!
Harley-Davidson XR1200
Production Years: 2008 to 2013
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
|---|---|---|
|
1,202cc V-Twin |
91 HP |
73.7 LB-FT |
Think iconic Harley-Davidsons from the last 15 years, and the XR1200 will surely spring to mind. It’s one of the company’s most gutsy motorcycles in its over 100-year life, commonly dubbed as the sportiest Harley-Davidson ever. Credit for that title goes to the XR’s unique flat-track-inspired nature, evident from high-quality suspension, wheels, and, of course, a grin-worthy V-twin powerhouse.
In 2010, Harley introduced a spruced-up version of the XR, called the XR1200X. It came with a Batman-inspired all-black aesthetic, topped by upgraded Showa USD forks and piggyback shocks. We’d love to see the XR1200X make a comeback in these times when the market is way more open-minded and welcoming than in the last decade. Just picture a sporty naked Harley-Davidson armed with the new Revolution Max 1250cc engine. Bonus points if it’s in the same tune as the 150-HP Pan America. We’re drooling already!
KTM RC8
Production Years: 2008 to 2015
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
|---|---|---|
|
1,195cc V-Twin |
173 HP |
90 LB-FT |
The RC 390 has earned plenty of admirers, and some consider it the finest sport bike KTM has ever produced. But those of us who remember the 1190 RC8 know better. That machine remains KTM’s only true full-blooded superbike — a genuine track weapon that proved the Austrian manufacturer could compete with the established players.
At its heart sat a 1,195cc V-twin producing just north of 170 horsepower and a formidable 90 pound-feet of torque, figures that placed it among the segment leaders. The engine was housed in a tubular steel trellis frame, suspended by fully adjustable 43mm inverted forks up front and a monoshock at the rear.
With persistent rumors of an RC 990 circulating through the motorcycle community, it’s impossible not to imagine a spiritual successor to the RC8. KTM now has an even more potent weapon at its disposal: the 1,350cc V-twin currently powering the 1390 Super Duke. With nearly 190 horsepower on tap, that engine slotted into a dedicated supersport chassis could make a serious statement in the liter-plus sportbike category.
10 Powerful Inline-Four Motorcycles That Are Not Sports Bikes
The most powerful inline-4 motorcycle here is a gorgeous-looking Italian naked bike with 208 horsepower.
Aprilia Caponord 1200
Production Years: 2013 to 2015
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
|---|---|---|
|
1,197cc V-Twin |
125 HP |
85 LB-FT |
Adventure motorcycles aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when Aprilia enters the conversation. Yet back in 2013, the Italian manufacturer made a serious play for the segment with the Caponord 1200. This was no half-measure — it was a fully committed adventure tourer built around a 1,197cc V-twin producing 125 horsepower, channeled through a six-speed gearbox.
Since the Caponord’s departure, Aprilia has been absent from the large-displacement adventure category entirely. Given the segment’s continued growth and the brand’s engineering prowess, a return feels overdue.
The tantalizing possibility? Aprilia now possesses one of the most celebrated powerplants in motorcycling — the 1,077cc V4 that has dominated World Superbike competition and earned universal praise in the RSV4 and Tuono. Imagine that engine retuned for adventure duty, wrapped in a chassis designed for both tarmac and trail. Such a machine wouldn’t just compete with the Ducati Multistrada V4 — it might surpass it.
Harley-Davidson VRSC Lineup
Production Years: 2002 to 2017
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
|---|---|---|
|
1,247cc V-Twin |
123 HP |
84 LB-FT |
Just like the XR1200, Harley’s VRSC lineup is more than suitable for a comeback. It continues to be a hit in the used motorcycle market, thanks to its unmatched muscle bike aesthetic and then-unique liquid-cooled V-twin powerhouse. The latter made it the most powerful H-D cruiser during the early 2010s, with an output of around 123 ponies–a figure higher than Harley’s current most powerful cruiser, the 121-horsepower Sportster S. This performance, along with its top-quality cycle parts, helped Harley make a name for itself in the drag racing world, too. A modern-day V-Rod could do the same!
MV Agusta F4
Production Years: 1999 to 2018
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
|---|---|---|
|
998cc Inline-Four |
195 HP |
85 LB-FT |
If you’re into liter-class sport bikes, we can bet you know about the MV Agusta F4. Ever since its debut, the motorcycle served as one of the most beautiful superbikes money could buy. And it wasn’t just a looker either, as the F4 enjoyed the status of the ‘world’s fastest production motorcycle’ in the late 2000s. In fact, MV Agusta also launched a ‘312’ model of its sports bike, where the number denoted its unrestricted top speed.
The Italian bikemaker pulled its plug in 2018, leaving a hole in the heart of fans as well as its own lineup. To date, there’s no liter-class sport bike in the company’s lineup, and we’d love nothing more than to see the F4 make a comeback. We have full faith it’d shake up the populated 1,000cc segment, enough to make Ducati and BMW bite their nails.
Yamaha YZF-R6
Production Years: 1999 to 2020
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
|---|---|---|
|
599cc Inline-Four |
117 HP |
49 LB-FT |
This is a no-brainer. Ever since Yamaha pulled the plug on the R6, there’s been a gaping hole in its YZF lineup. Yes, the YZF-R7 somewhat helped calm down fanatics, but there’s no denying the OG supersport is still dearly missed. After all, nothing really comes close to the supersport’s 599cc, inline-four engine that could scream to almost 17,000 RPM!
Aside from the gaping hole, its comeback makes more sense looking at the market. Kawasaki resurrected its Ninja ZX-6R for 2023 and Honda quickly followed in with its 2024 CBR600RR. So looks like the 600cc supersport segment is back in fashion, and we’d love to see Yamaha hop on the trend. A distant dream, considering Team Blue has a YZF-R9 in the works instead.
10 Discontinued Cruiser Motorcycles You Might Have Forgotten
It is easy to forget about these cruisers, as we get accustomed to new modernized offerings
Yamaha V-Max
Production Years: 1985 to 2020
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
|---|---|---|
|
1,679 cc V4 |
197 HP |
123 LB-FT |
What’s Japanese, has a V4 engine, and can smoke superbikes off the line? Yes, we’re talking about the iconic Yamaha V-Max. It’s probably one of the fastest cruiser motorcycles ever built by a Japanese bikemaker, credit to its 1,679cc, V4 engine with 197 horsepower and 123 pound-feet. Not only is this a lot higher than the best of Harley-Davidsons, but it’s even more than the Ducati Diavel V4 and the Triumph Rocket 3. Given how insane these numbers are and how epic the Team Blue cruiser looked, can you blame us for wanting it to come back on sale?
Aprilia Dorsoduro
Production Years: 2008 to 2021
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
|---|---|---|
|
896cc Twin-Cylinder |
95 HP |
66 LB-FT |
Another Aprilia motorcycle we can’t get out of our minds is the Dorsoduro–the company’s take on the supermoto segment. The stripped-back offering started life as a 750cc in 2008, then switched to a 1,200cc setup (same as the Caponord), and finally, featured a near-900cc powerhouse before its demise. In its last iteration, the Dorsoduro was one of the few true-blue rivals of the Ducati Hypermotard.
It had an 896cc powerhouse, with a more than entertaining 95 horsepower and 66 pound-feet. An edgy design, underseat exhausts, and quality underpinnings further gave it an advantage over its rivals. With Ducati’s new Hypermotard 698 in the picture, Aprilia could benefit strongly from a Dorsoduro 660. Don’t you think?
Kawasaki Concours 14
Production Years: 2007 to 2022
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
|---|---|---|
|
1,352cc Inline-Four |
158 HP |
100 LB-FT |
The Kawasaki Concours is another Japanese motorcycle that fell victim to worldwide emission regulations. Originally launched in 2007 as a successor to the OG Concours, it featured many creature comforts like an economical riding indicator, fuel economy assistance mode, traction control, KIPASS (Kawasaki’s wireless key-fob activation system), and ABS. As more and more sport touring riders switched to adventure motorcycles, the Concours’ demise was already clearly indicated by the writing on the wall. The bike was ultimately pulled from Kawasaki’s lineup in 2022.
10 Exciting Motorcycles Coming In 2026
Spoiler alert: the list includes a small-capacity Harley-Davidson coming next year
Honda CB1100RS
Production Years: 2010 to 2022
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
|---|---|---|
|
1,140cc Twin-Cylinder |
88 HP |
68.5 LB-FT |
No matter how modern motorcycles get, old-school bikes just hit differently. This is why the Honda CB1100 is on the list. It first debuted in 2010, but our focus here is on its RS version, which broke cover in 2017 as a sportier alternative to the 1100. Arch-rival to the renowned Triumph Thruxton 1200, Honda slapped on plenty of fancy bits on the RS. 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, dual-bending Showa forks, sporty rubber, and Ohlins shock absorbers. Considering Honda’s international lineup has no retro options, the RS is well worthy of a second chance. We think it could do good numbers, especially with the Thruxton being set to be pulled out of Triumph’s lineup.