Top 5 modern classics that you can buy in India

Top 5 modern classics

While the definition is quite subjective, a modern classic is essentially a motorcycle or scooter that would send you on a trip down the memory lane. Complete with old-school styling and a retro charm that would draw a nod from the purists, a modern classic is designed to stand out of the crowd. While they might have the grace and quirks of a vintage bike, their modern underpinnings and cycle parts ensure that they are way more reliable and dynamic than their forefathers. Here is our list of five modern classics that you can buy in India today.

1. Vespa VXL 125 (Rs 84,484)

Since 1946, Vespa has stuck to a retro school styling for its scooters which has become an indispensible part of its charm. When the Vespa range was first launched here, they brought in a breath of fresh air to a market which until then was full of conservative and boring scooters. The only automatic offering in this list, the Vespa VXL 125 offers a perfect blend of vintage style and modern underpinnings which make it one of the most desirable scooters in the Indian market.

2. Royal Enfield Classic 500 (Rs 1.78 lakh)

An ode to the hallowed Bullet brand which boasts of having the longest production run in the history of motorcycles, the Royal Enfield Classic 500 embodies the old-school charm and quirks in a modern avatar. Though the styling has quintessentially been the same over the past six decades, the Classic 500 gets modern touches like an electronic fuel injection system and a front disc brake. Apart from a slew of retro paint schemes, the Classic 500 is also available in special editions like the Desert Storm, Squadron Blue, Battle Green and the Chrome.

3. Ducati Scrambler Classic (Rs 7.61 lakh)

Ducati’s answer to the Triumph Bonneville range, the Scrambler Classic is a spiritual successor to the Italian manufacturer’s original Scrambler motorcycles of the 1960s and 1970s.It perfectly portrays the minimalist approach of the original 250cc and 450cc Scramblers, albeit with modern underpinnings. Retro cues like aluminium panelled tear drop shaped fuel tank, leather seat and the spoke wheels coexist with a modern 803cc L-twin engine, LED DRLs and a digital console, offering the best of both worlds.

4. Triumph Thruxton R (Rs 8.70 lakh)

The Thruxton in itself might be a relatively new brand, but it still carries the soul of the traditional Triumph grand prix racers from the 1960s. Based on the Bonneville T120’s platform, the Thruxton R represents the remarkable evolution of the iconic cafe racers of the bygone era. Armed with sophisticated suspension and brakes, a torquey engine and sticky tyres, the Thruxton R is one of the sportiest modern classics that you can buy.

5. Indian Scout (Rs 13.11 lakh)

Indian Motorcycles revived the iconic ‘Scout’ moniker last year after a hiatus of almost seven decades. A spiritual successor of the original motorcycles of the 1930s and 1940s, the Indian Scout is quite the polar opposite of the rest of Indian portfolio. Built on a new cast aluminium chassis and powered by a 1133cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine, the Scout is the lightest motorcycle in the Indian’s portfolio. Developed from ground up to be a fast motorcycle, the Scout is a light and versatile bike that appeals to cruiser enthusiasts.