Market guide: Buying a classic motorbike for £5,000 or less

A beautiful day, a great road and a classic motorcycle is a dream combination for many, and one that can easily be a reality with a budget of £5000. Whether you’re after something from the golden age of British bikes in the 1950s and ’60s, a modern classic superbike, or something a little more unusual, we’ve got it covered here with our pick of £5000 classic motorcycles.

BMW R100

BMW today is one of the leading motorcycle manufacturers in the world, but back in the 1970s it was seen as a bit leftfield. Its flat-twin ‘boxer’ engines were beginning to be regarded as a throwback to the company’s 1920s roots, as Japanese firms stormed the sales charts with their multi-cylinder motors and easily accessible performance.

BMW refused to give in to fashion, but it did up the ante in 1976 when the R100 was added to its range. This offered riders a 980cc version of the flat-twin motor with up to 70bhp and a top speed of 125mph for the fully faired R100RS model, which was the first sportsbike to come with this type of bodywork.

For £5000 today, you’ll find a decent spread of R100s and that includes the RS model. You will struggle to find the enduro GS that looks like it’s ready to tackle the Paris-Dakar Rally as it’s become uber collectible. However, you can have the bikini-faired R100S that mixes the simplicity of the basic R100/7 roadster with a bit of wind protection. All of these BMWs are easy to ride and look after, as ideal year-round classics.

BSA A65

Credit - Steve Glover (via Flickr)

The Birmingham Small Arms company started out making guns, pulling the trigger on its first motorcycle in 1910. Early BSAs are highly prized now, but the A65 that was launched in 1962 and ran for a decade is well within the scope of our £5000 budget. That makes this classically styled British ‘twin’ a bit of a bargain compared to many of its contemporaries.

Aside from looking exactly how a British motorcycle of the period should, the A65 delivered genuine 100mph performance and good handling. However, there was the small problem of excessive engine vibration that often led to complete failure when the A65 was new. Fortunately, a group of former employees of BSA offered a cure for this in the 1970s, so almost all bikes on sale today will have improved main bearings, oil pump, and clutch.

There’s 54bhp on hand from the 654cc parallel twin engine and a simple four-speed gearbox, so the A65 is easy and enjoyable to ride. For our budget, you’ll have a pick of plenty of BSA A65s in fine fettle, so take your time to bag the best.

Ducati Monster 900

Credit - Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.

The Ducati Monster 900 saved the Italian motorcycle firm from collapse. While its alluring superbikes were much admired and desired, sales were not enough to prop up the ailing business. In came designer Miguel Galluzzi, who spotted the need for a simple, pared-back Ducati in the shape of the Monster. In creating this model, he also opened up a whole sector of unfaired roadsters in the 1990s that was soon being filled by the Honda Hornet, Suzuki Bandit, and Yamaha Fazer.

It was the Monster that everyone aspired to, though. The looks alone were enough to make you want one, while the chassis from the 888 model and 904cc V-twin from the 900SS were the perfect blend. The exposed trellis-frame chassis painted in a delicate gold contrasted perfectly with the brightly coloured tank, tail and front mudguard. The booming exhaust note from the engine was the icing on the cake, which many owners quickly upgraded with louder, freer flowing silencers.

It may have a modest 67bhp, but the engine punches out plenty of low-rev grunt, so you’re never short of oomph on a Monster. It handles sublimely, too, but just beware of the huge turning circle. That’s not going to put off many riders, especially when you snare a mint Monster well within our budget.

Honda Fireblade

Credit – Honda Motorcycles Europe Ltd

Just as the Nissan Skyline GT-R turned the supercar world on its head in the early 1990s, Honda did the same in the superbike sector. Its CBR900RR Fireblade was the size of a 600cc sports bike but packed the punch of big one litre machines. In an instant, every other superbike contender at the Fireblade’s 1992 launch was simply rendered out of date. It’s a measure of how good the ’Blade was that it took until 1998 and the arrival of the Yamaha R1 before the Honda was beaten.

Early Fireblades with the 122bhp 983cc engine are now in big demand, but you can find them for around £5000. You’ll just have to be quick off the mark to do the deal, while the ‘Foxeye’ model that followed in 1994 with a touch more power is just as sought after, especially in the silver and orange Urban Tiger paint scheme.

Don’t panic, though, as the 1996 CBR900RR-T Fireblade is easily within financial reach and has a larger 918cc engine with 128bhp. It can still cut it alongside the latest superbikes on the road and track with a handy rider onboard, yet it also feels like you’re the one in charge rather than the electronic aids. This model still has the drilled holes in the front fairing that gives these early Fireblades real attitude, too.

Triumph T100

Credit - Triumph Motorcycles Ltd

For many, a classic motorcycle must be a Triumph. It’s easy to see why when the name conjures up so many great models, race wins, and the bikes just look right. For our £5000 budget, the more desirable Triumphs are out of reach but that doesn’t mean settling for second best. With this sort of money in your pocket, the T100A Tiger delivers all the style and riding experience you want from this golden era of Brit bike.

The T100A arrived in 1959 and was a very thorough update and overhaul of the model. It had better front forks, brakes, gearbox, and ‘bathtub’ bodywork that kept more of the weather off the rider and mechanical bits. The 490cc twin-cylinder engine made 32bhp, which was enough for 85mph. That might not have impressed the ton-up brigade on their café racers, but it was plenty for most riders to enjoy and if you wanted more there was always the potent Bonneville.

Today, the T100A is the ideal classic Triumph for Sunday coffee runs, touring, and just enjoying. Parts back-up is good, too, and it’s simple to work on at home.

Have you recently treated yourself a classic bike for £5,000 or less? Tell us which direction you’ve taken in the comments below.