Any discussion regarding what is attractive will always be subjective and will quickly escalate into a heated debate. There are, however, some motorcycles that are so achingly stunning that the majority of people would describe them as such and the debates would cease.
For many, the engineering and design of a motorcycle encapsulate its attractiveness, and we are fortunate to live in an era where engineering excellence is evident in so many different motorcycle brands and styles.
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Here is our inventory of the ten most attractive contemporary European motorcycles.
10. Brough Superior
Not just one bike, but an entire manufacturer’s output. Mark Upham revived Brough Superior by commissioning French engineer Thierry Henriette of Boxer Design to design and manufacture a 990cc V-Twin engine and a brand-new Brough Superior from inception.
The new models, with names like SS100, Pendine, and Lawrence, are not only equipped with innovative technology, such as aircraft-sourced Beringer disc brakes, but they are also incredibly attractive.
9. Ducati Panigale V4
Ducatis have always been, at the very least, attractive, and, at the other end of the spectrum, breathtakingly beautiful. The remarkable new V4 engine is the pinnacle of engineering, being only slightly larger than the V-Twin engine it replaces in Ducati’s top-tier sport motorcycles.
8. Langen 2-Stroke
The Langen Two-Stroke, with its 249cc, 90° V-Twin, 75 horsepower two-stroke engine contained in a hand-built chassis, dripping in carbon fiber and exotic metals machined to perfection, flipped conventional wisdom on its head.
Advanced fuel and oil injection reduces emissions to an acceptable level, but the Langen’s design is the true show-stopper for an independent, low-volume manufacturer.
7. CCM Spitfire Café Racer
It is no small feat that the modern CCM Spitfire Cafe Racer combines hand-built elegance with serial production quality. A ridiculously light 319-pound curb weight is slightly compromised by a rough ride, but the 600cc single-cylinder engine sourced from Husqvarna provides more than enough power. The lack of speed is more than made up for by its attractiveness.
6. Triumph Bonneville Speed Twin 1200
Even though it is a close replica of a motorcycle that went out of production more than 50 years ago, the Triumph Bonneville has improved in every aspect, including its appearance.
The latest variant of the high-performance Speed Twin 1200 is arguably the most attractive, with top-tier suspension and braking components and a sportier posture than other models in the lineup.
5. Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE
We make no apologies for including another Triumph on our list. The Bonneville Scrambler line has always had chunky good looks, but when the Scrambler 1200 XE came, it set the bar for throwback motorcycles.
The traditional-shaped steel gas tank fit the appearance wonderfully, recalling tall-suspension scramblers from years ago, and there wasn’t a jarring sound anywhere on the bike.
4. Norton V4 SV
Despite a rocky start for the well-known British brand, Indian manufacturer TVS’ collaboration with Norton has safeguarded its future and will ensure the continued production of the stunning V4 SV sports bike.
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Developed from the near-disastrous V4SS/RR sport bike, practically every component has been reworked to address the motorcycles’ numerous flaws.
Thankfully, one aspect was left alone: the aesthetic, which, like the Langen, is far above what a small, independent company should have been capable of.
3. BMW R 18
BMW has been dipping into the ‘nostalgia’ bucket in recent years, first with the R nineT and now with the R 18, which is unabashed harks back to BMW Motorrad’s origins in the 1920s. The R 18 is long, low, and heavy, with a huge 1800cc boxer twin engine powering it.
If the factory models lacked some of the stripped-down beauty of Roland Sands’ pre-production bespoke versions, the BMW parts catalog allows owners to recreate those appearances if they have enough money.
2. Factory Aprilia RSV4
Nobody said that beauty had to be all delicate curves; there is also beauty in being forceful, and the Aprilia RSV4 Factory is just that.
The real beauty of the RSV4 Factory, perhaps more than any other bike on this list, is the way it goes about its business of going very fast.
1. MV Agusta F4
The motorcycle that reintroduced the iconic brand to the world was a fitting tribute to everything that had come before, easily matching the sheer beauty of the line that had characterized the MV Agusta race bikes of the 1950s and 1960s and carrying the design language of the 1970s forward to the modern era.
Originally powered by a 750cc inline four-cylinder engine delivering 126 horsepower, it was replaced in 2005 with a 1000cc version capable of producing up to 212 horsepower. Strictly speaking, the last model was introduced in 2018, but when a motorcycle is this gorgeous, you should not pass up any opportunity to get one, regardless of its age.
