Honda motorcycles are usually seen as the sensible choice in the segment. The kind of bikes that you can depend on and trust like an old friend. They are reliable, cheap to maintain, and usually quite affordable. That’s the reason why Honda bikes generally tend to hold value better than their rivals, especially the likes of KTM or Ducati.But Honda is much more than just that; it has made some of the most iconic motorcycles in the world, including the first-ever superbike, the scooter that liberated some countries, and the fastest bike in the world. Many of these models — instead of just holding value — have risen drastically, becoming collectors’ specials along the way. Here are ten such Honda motorcycles. 1967 Honda CB77 Super Hawk Used Value: Around $5,000 Bring a TrailerThe Honda CB77 Super Hawk is considered to be Honda’s first-ever sports bike. But it has a dual personality that many of the bikes of its time had. It is lightweight and has a low, comfortable 30-inch seat height. Yet its 28-horsepower engine makes it surprisingly fast, reaching speeds of over 100 miles per hour.Bring a TrailerThe Super Hawk is also part of pop culture, and it’s the bike used by author Robert M. Pirsig in the famous book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. It is this cultural significance that has made it a cheap collector’s bike today, with excellent examples fetching over $9,000, according to J.D. Power. 1981 Honda MotoCompo Used Value: Around $5,000 Bring A TrailerThe MotoCompo is one of the quirkiest bikes ever made; it was designed to fit in the trunk space of the new-for-1981 Honda City hatchback, once the pegs, bars, and seats were folded in. Honda intended it to be used as a short-distance commuter, so you could park your car further out and save money while riding the MotoCompo to your destination.Bring A TrailerHonda projected the MotoCompo to sell 10,000 units per month, but it only managed to move some 53,400. This rarity and the fact that all the MotoCompos present in the US are privately imported have made it quite a collectible today. It was initially priced at 80k yen (roughly $340 then or $900 today), but it can go for as high as $10,000 at auctions. 1992 Honda CBR900RR Fireblade Used Value: Around $10,000 to $14,000 HondaThe CBR900RR Fireblade is a landmark motorcycle in sports bike history. It was Tadao Baba’s dream child, built around the Total Control principle. In a time when superbikes were all about straight-line speed, Baba san wanted to build a superbike that could take hard corners without compromising speed. The result was a superbike with one of the best power-to-weight ratios of its era.HondaIf nothing, the CBR900RR Fireblade is worth collecting simply for its early-90s charming design. But it has become a cult favorite today. Fortunately, it’s still relatively affordable, and you can find a well-maintained one for over $10,000. If you’re eyeing this icon on two wheels, we’d recommend haste, as they are skyrocketing in value quickly. 1978 Honda CBX1000 Super Sport Used Value: Around $15,000 Bring a TrailerAn inline-six engine is perfectly balanced, vibe-free, and offers brilliantly linear power delivery. And the CBX1000 Super Sport is the best example of an inline-six engine application on two wheels. Built to top the already legendary CB750, the CB is known for its breezy riding experience and an insane exhaust note at high revs.Bring a TrailerIt is an engineering marvel that didn’t get the fame it deserved back then. Enthusiasts today are realizing that and driving the demand up for this rare bike. With only 300 units making it to the US, you can expect to spend over $15k on this motorcycle. Just note that current owners report that the CBX1000 is notoriously expensive to restore. 2004 Honda Valkyrie Rune Used Value: Around $24,000 (Pristine Condition) HondaThe Honda Valkyrie Rune is an example where a manufacturer throws profit margin out the window to make something unforgettable. With complete creative freedom, Honda’s design team made a flat-six-powered cruiser with a radial design, an integrated radiator grill, and a trailing bottom-link suspension. The Valkyrie Rune, when it came out, was the ultimate showpiece and flagship motorcycle for Honda.HondaThe Valkyrie Rune is an over-engineered cruiser, and it is said to cost Honda over $100,000 to produce, though it sold for just $25k when new. It’s safe to assume Honda chalked up the loss of nearly $225 million to marketing expenses then. While the Valkyrie Rune hasn’t gone up in value today, it has maintained its position well enough to make the headlines whenever a pristine-condition model goes up for sale. 1969 Honda CB750 Used Value: Around $25,000 Bring a TrailerThe CB750 was Honda’s first major success, but for the motorcycling culture, it represents much more. It was the world’s first transverse inline-four-engine motorcycle, which earned it the title of the first-ever superbike. It pushed the boundaries of performance, taking British twins and singles head-on and setting the stage for speed wars and superbikes.The CB750 is a gorgeous example of a universal Japanese motorcycle (UJM) that’s worth checking out if you ever come across one. Fortunately, Honda sold over 400k CB750s, so they are quite easy to find. Classic.com estimates its average value at $24,775, but you can find cheaper examples, too. Although we’d avoid the ones that have been butchered into cafe racers. 1994 Honda RVF750 RC45 Used Value: Over $30,000 HondaThe RVF750 RC45 was the successor to the racetrack-dominating RC30 sports bike, featuring a V4 engine and all the race-bike abilities. It had to; it’s a homologation special of the best kind. Those who have ridden it praise it for its highly refined manners that are said to be better than even some modern superbikes.While the RC45 lacked the flair of the Ducati 916 or the Bimota SB6, it’s still impressive and has stood the test of time. Plus, its retro sports-bike design has aged quite well and belongs in every serious sports bike collector’s garage. You can find running examples for around $30k, but extremely low-mileage examples can go for as high as $100,000 at auctions. 1987 Honda VFR750R RC30 Used Value: Over $50,000 The VFR750R RC30 preceded the RC45, and you shouldn’t confuse it with the CFR750F. This one is a pure homologation special, and Honda didn’t spare any expense in its development. It featured a lightened version of the VFR750F V4 engine with a 360-degree firing order like the RVF racers, which gave it better drive out of corners. It’s no wonder that the RC30 had riders win championships aboard it.The RC30 was an expensive motorcycle when new, yet many of them ended up on the track. Even today, many riders still compete in classic racing events aboard the RC30, so the demand is always high. Only 3,000 units were ever made to satisfy homologation requirements, which also makes it quite rare. Expect low-mileage examples to go for well over $50k at auctions. 1992 Honda NR750 Used Value: Over $100,000 HondaThe NR750 is the result of Honda’s obsession with oval pistons that brought the benefits of a V8 engine within the four-cylinder confines of Grand Prix racing regulations. When new, it was the closest thing you could buy to a GP bike. This is a technical tour de force, featuring a quasi-V8 engine and many firsts for Honda, including electronic fuel injection, USD forks, and carbon fiber fairings.What makes the NR750 even more special is that, even today, it still feels extreme and over-engineered. Its influence is reflected in sports bikes that followed, including the legendary Ducati 916. Since it was too complex and expensive to produce, Honda only made 322 of these and sold them for $60k. Today, they are valued at well over $100,000. 2015 Honda RC213V-S Used Value: Over $200,000 HondaThe Honda RC213V-S is a literal MotoGP bike with headlights and plates. In stock condition, it offered a docile 150 horsepower, but slapping on the Sports Kit unleashed over 200 horsepower with an ear-bleeding exhaust note. The lucky few who have ridden this race replica report a surreal and terrifying riding experience that’s hard to match by most motorcycles ever made.HondaThe RC213V-S never reached its intended production, and Honda could only manage 123 units before production ended. And given its extreme nature, it’s super high in demand today, being valued at well over $200k at auctions. In fact, an extremely low-mileage RC213V-S with just 44 miles auctioned for $230,050 in 2023, and the bike is expected to go further up in value in the future.Source: Honda, J.D. Power, Classic.com
