10 Japanese Motorcycles That Turn Heads Like Supermodels 

For all the fastest, most powerful, or genre-defining motorcycles the Japanese Big Four manufacturers have produced, they have also given us some of the most beautiful motorcycles ever made. For instance, the Honda NR750, a bike so iconic that it inspired the legendary Ducati 916, Massimo Tamburini’s magnum opus. There was also the Kawasaki Z1, Honda Super Cub, Suzuki TL1000R, and so many more. The list is long.

Fast-forward to today, and the Big Four continue to produce some equally stunning motorcycles. What’s more, these motorcycles either dominate their respective segments or give segment leaders a run for their money. Some are stunning simply for their looks, while others attract the crowd with their performance-inspired design. Here are ten Japanese motorcycles that turn heads like supermodels.

Suzuki GSX-R1000R

Starting Price: TBA

Suzuki

Suzuki has finally updated its flagship superbike for 2026, giving it a pair of winglets and heritage-inspired colors. These updates make the already gorgeous yet straightforward motorcycle even better. While it isn’t the sharpest (looking) tool in the shed today, it is bound to age well over the years. Unfortunately, that still doesn’t compensate for the otherwise disappointing update, as the GSX-R1000R has less power than its rivals, misses out on top-spec components, like Brembo Stylema calipers, and still features an ugly LCD dash.

Design Highlights

• Aerodynamic winglets draw inspiration from Suzuki’s Team Suzuki CN Challenge bike at the 2024 Suzuka 8 Hour endurance race
• Suzuki also offers optional carbon fiber winglets that look even better
• Features a stylish new titanium silencer that’s more compact, giving the tail a sleek look
• 40th Anniversary model features new graphics and special emblems on the side, tank, and key fob

Performance Specs

Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom

Starting Price: $9,899

Kawasaki

Among the gorgeous Kawasaki Vulcan models, the Vulcan 900 Custom stands out the most with its custom-inspired design. It features a hardtail look, complemented by wide drag bars, forward-set pegs, and a teardrop fuel tank. Adding more flavor are pinstriped wheels, slash cut exhausts, and highlights on the V-twin’s cooling fins. And its blacked-out design is subtly complemented by chrome handlebars, headlight cover, and mirrors. With such a cool custom design, this Japanese cruiser can easily hold its own against its American rivals.

Design Highlights

• Custom-style elements include wide drag bars, forward-mounted pegs, and a teardrop fuel tank
• Wheels have subtle pinstripes on them, and the front wheel is large at 21 inches
• Highlighted cooling fins on the V-twin create contrast with the otherwise blacked-out engine covers
• Neatly tucked rear shock gives it a hardtail look without compromising on comfort

Performance Specs

Honda Fury

Starting Price: $11,499

Honda

Who knew Japanese manufacturers were so good at building choppers? Enter the Honda Fury, a factory custom-style chopper with a sleek, low stance. Focusing on minimalism, the large V-twin engine sits at the heart of the bike, held by a raked-out steel frame. Then there’s the drooping teardrop fuel tank, a 200 series rear wheel, deep seat, and plenty of chrome garnish that give it character. This slender Japanese chopper is truly a classic in the making.

Design Highlights

• Rear single-shock suspension gives it a hardtail chopper look
• Final shaft drive is neatly woven into the design, minimizing clutter and maintenance
• Shiny V-twin engine sits at the center of the bike’s design
• Low seat height integrates with the slender design, adding to the bike’s custom styling

Performance Specs

Kawasaki Z900 RS

Starting Price: $12,649

Kawasaki

The Kawasaki Z900 RS is based on the standard Z900, but does away with the sharp Sugomi design for a pure retro look with minimal bodywork and old-school color options. The result is a stunning motorcycle that pays homage to older UJM motorcycles, particularly the Z1 900. But don’t mistake it for just a retro bike; it packs the same Z900 performance that’s ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. This bike is what you get when you combine the best of both worlds: retro design and modern performance.

Design Highlights

• Easily one of the most beautiful motorcycles currently on sale
• Iconic teardrop tank is a modern recreation of the original Z1’s tank
• Color options are carefully chosen to echo the Z1, too
• Z900 RS Cafe adds a bikini fairing, stepped seat, and dropped bars
• Timeless design with minimal bodywork, making for a pure retro look

Performance Specs

Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S.

Starting Price: $15,599

Suzuki

There are a few motorcycles from Japan that have such a bold road presence as the Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S., which is short for blacked-out special Suzuki. It’s a stretched-out metric cruiser, powered by a massive V-twin engine, and despite its long, sweeping curves, it manages to bring plenty of aggression to the table. For those looking for a larger-than-life road presence, the M109R B.O.S.S. has no real alternative, except the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy.

Design Highlights

• Low, long stance of the bike screams muscle, giving it a commanding road presence
• Two-tone paint scheme adds to its custom-style charm
• Unique headlight nacelle gives it an unmistakable, aggressive look
• Engine features symmetrical highlighted cooling fins that contrast with the blacked-out engine covers

Suzuki Hayabusa

Starting Price: $19,399

Suzuki

The Suzuki Hayabusa’s design has always been more about aerodynamics and less about style, and the current generation polishes that iconic silhouette for modern times. It remains bulbous with a narrow front cowl, but with contemporary design elements that don’t make it look as fugly as the older models. It’s still a bit controversial, though, but given its muscular stance and reputation for high-speed performance, it is bound to turn heads wherever it goes.

Design Highlights

• Bulbous, rounded wind-cheating fairing reduces drag at high speed, giving it one of the best drag coefficient figures
• Vertically stacked headlight design is necessary for fitting within the narrow frontal cowl for optimal aerodynamics
• Subtle chrome on the side fairing expresses the bike’s performance while drawing wind away from the rider
• Still features the old-school Hayabusa Kanji symbol on the side fairing

Performance Specs

Yamaha YZF-R1M

Starting Price: $27,699

Yamaha

The Yamaha R1 is one of the few motorcycles that, despite being a decade old, manages to look as fresh as ever, and in its R1M avatar, it’s hard to fault. The R1M is the ultimate interpretation of the R-Series design, complete with MotoGP-inspired winglets, discreet headlights, and full carbon fiber bodywork. Every part of the bike screams performance, which is where it truly shines; it’s the fastest Yamaha ever made, after all!

Design Highlights

• Iconic R-Series styling beautifully integrates bodywork with sleek, stylish lines and an aggressive aerodynamic profile
• Full carbon fiber bodywork, including windscreen fairing, side fairing, front fender, and tail section
• Polished aluminum swingarm that complements the bike’s carbon fiber-dominated design
• Top of the airbox cover features a unique, serialized numbered R1M badge

Performance Specs

Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP

Starting Price: $28,999

Honda

If there’s one superbike that can give Italian sports bikes a run for their money, it’s the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, with a ravishing design that somehow looks too exotic for the Honda tag. It’s inspired by the RC213V MotoGP racing program, which is made better with the Grand Prix Red color scheme. There’s also plenty of top-end components peeking through, like the Brembo brakes and Ohlins suspension. It looks nothing short of a race bike.

Design Highlights

• Designed on the Total Control principles, with a low-set fuel tank cover and a minimal screen
• Bodywork is aggressively cut to maximize aerodynamic efficiency
• Akrapovic titanium exhaust, Ohlins electronic suspension, and winglets add to its race bike-like character
• Dramatic form that follows track-ready performance

Performance Specs

Honda Gold Wing Tour 50th Anniversary

Starting Price: $29,200

Honda

The Honda Gold Wing is the gold standard for touring motorcycles, and in its 50th Anniversary avatar, it sets new standards for design, too. It features a custom-like livery with special color options, including two-tone inserts and commemorative badging that further improve its unmissable commanding presence on the road. Being a Honda, it manages to bring this extravagance without looking tacky, giving Harley-Davidson CVOs a run for their money.

Design Highlights

• Custom livery is inspried by older Gold Wings and other trunkless models, like the Valkyrie and F6B
• Special Gold Wing emblem, 50th Anniversary and since 1975 badging showcase its legacy
• Special color options with two-tone inserts give it a luxurious feel and road presence
• Custom paint work complements its contemporary and aerodynamic design

Performance Specs

Kawasaki Ninja H2

Starting Price: $32,700

Kawasaki

Nowhere does form follow function as on the Ninja H2, a two-wheeled supercharged monster that takes the Sugomi formula to the extreme. It’s an engineering marvel, with every bit of the bike designed to help it go fast and flex Kawasaki’s engineering prowess. It’s no wonder that this spaceship-like, fighter jet-inspired motorcycle can not only turn heads but also attract a crowd wherever it stops. Warning: The chances of neck injury are high if you try to catch it going fast on a racetrack.

Design Highlights

• Mirror stays feature airfoil cross-sections with Gunrey flaps that contribute to downforce
• Mirror-like paint finish is self-healing
• Carbon fiber wings are designed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Aerospace Division and are inspired by fighter jets
• River Mark emblem on the upper cowl is reserved for historically significant Kawasaki bikes
• Brutal Sugomi design pairs well with the bike’s brutal performance

Performance Specs