Top 5 Requested Classic Motorcycle Reviews for 2025

Sometimes a manufacturer just gets it right the first time. In the modern era of traction control, radar-assisted cruise control, turn-sensitive ABS, and wheelie assist, there’s something truly special about a motorcycle that clings to the “less is more” ethos.

Time comes for us all, and unfortunately that fact applies to our favorite new motorcycles as well. It’s anyone’s guess how much longer the five bikes below will continue to survive on “bold new graphics” alone, but for now these are the models our readers most want to see reviewed against the latest and greatest in the segment.

Suzuki’s DR650 is one of the longest-running and most beloved used motorcycles of all time, and as such it should come as no surprise to absolutely anyone that it’s first on this list. Essentially unchanged since 1996, the Bush Pig’s proven formula of easy maintenance, unwavering reliability, and balanced performance on and off-road are as relevant now as they were 30 years ago.

Better on the dirt than Kawasaki’s KLR650 yet more highway-friendly than Honda’s XR650L, the DR650 is widely regarded as the Goldilocks thumper if old-school engineering and big-bore torque are what you crave. Add in the fact that the DR650′s aftermarket support is just as legendary as the bike itself (thanks, ProCycle) and you’ve got a machine that still competes with the latest and greatest for pennies on the dollar. Who wouldn’t want to read that comparison?

Related: 2025 Suzuki DR650 Preview

Yamaha’s first TW200 rolled off the production line in 1987. That’s 37 years of ongoing production, and in that time no other manufacturer has managed to squeeze more charm and character out of a more-than-modest 196cc of displacement. With its fat tires, square headlight, and short stature, you won’t mistake the little “T-Dub” for anything else on the road, trail, or ranch, although you may have a tough time separating one built this year from one built in the previous millennium.

A grand total of two significant changes have been made to the TW (that’s short for Trail Way, by the way) over the years, and they both occurred back in 2001: The front brake was swapped from a drum to a disc (the rear drum is still standard equipment) and the kickstart was removed entirely. We’d argue that the TW remains the quintessential “farm bike” all these years later, and while it isn’t the only option in the segment, its slow-chugging, easy-to-ride, and utterly unstoppable nature have made it the most infamous of all time.

Related: 2023 Yamaha TW200 Review

Speaking of farm bikes, Yamaha’s other farm bike, the XT250, is another one we get a lot of requests for. Another simple street-legal dual sport from the bLU cRU, the XT250 has been around in one form or another since 1980, but its most recent iteration hit the streets back in 2008 and has remained largely unchanged since.

This beginner-friendly motorcycle was updated from carburetion to fuel injection back in 2013, yet aside from that Yamaha has stuck to its guns for 18 years and counting. Having spent a fair amount of time on both the current XT250 and the XT225 that came before it, we’d argue that the XT’s charm lies in its rare combination of a low seat and high ground clearance, making it an easygoing off-roader that’s still surprisingly capable and confidence inspiring in the dirt.

Related: 2025 Yamaha XT250 Preview

There are plenty of good reasons to love living in the USA, and Suzuki’s GSX-R750 is a prime example. Euro 4 emissions may have killed the middleweight Gixxer everywhere else on the planet, but you can still buy a brand spankin’ new one here in the States that’s exactly like the last one you bought back in 2011.

With an analog tach, zero electronic aids to speak of, and no option for ABS braking, the GSX-R750 is clearly showing its age, but it still strikes the sweet spot between supersport handling and superbike torque that always made it such a well-rounded machine. There are plenty of more affordable, practical, and tech-laden options in the middleweight sportbike segment out there, but the race-replica GSX-R750 remains in a class of its own all these years later.

Related: 2025 Suzuki GSX-R750 Preview

Honda’s XR650L celebrated its 30th birthday last year, having been in constant production since 1993. A proper time capsule of a motorcycle, the carbureted XR-L is about as analog as they come from its air-cooled single to its clunky square speedometer.

Be that as it may, 11 inches of well-sorted suspension travel never goes out of style, and the same could be said for the XR’s reliably simple 644cc engine and proper 21/18-inch wheel combo. Much like the DR650 above, the XR also enjoys a wealth of aftermarket support making it a popular choice as a turn-key desert dual sport or a cost-effective adventure machine.

Related: 2025 Honda XR650L Dual Sport Preview