13 Used Motorcycles That Are Best Avoided

Motorcycles are meant to be fun, but some models completely failed in that regard. Instead, they probably scared some people away from ever buying a two-wheeler again.

These days, there aren’t really any bad bikes, but we don’t have to go far back in time to find some horrid examples.

Whether it’s due to terrible riding dynamics or poor build quality, or both, the following 13 motorcycles are definitely best avoided.

Bimota V-Due

Looks-wise, the Bimota V-Due is spot-on. It’s easily among the most attractive sports bikes from this era. It also has an excellent chassis, at least by late-1990s standards.

However, once we get to the engine, it all starts to fall apart. In fact, it was so bad, it ended up bankrupting the Italian company. By the mid-1990s, everyone was moving away from two-stroke engines, but Bimota still decided to give it a go. The new 499cc two-stroke V-twin produced 105 hp, but the fuel injection system was so bad, it made the bike unrideable.

Kawasaki H2 Mach IV

The modern-day Kawasaki H2 lineup is excellent in every way. However, the original H2 from 1972 was a very different beast. While a 748cc 3-cylinder, 2-stroke engine with 75 hp and 57 lb-ft of torque doesn’t sound very beastly, it didn’t take long for the H2 to earn its “Widow Maker” nickname.

Part of that was because of how it delivered that power. At first, nothing would happen, but as soon as it hit 6500 rpm, all the horses arrived at once. Combined with horrible brakes and a frame that may as well have been made of rubber, the original H2 was a scary experience to ride, even for seasoned riders.

Hyosung GT650R

Hyosung, a Korean bike manufacturer, is known for its cheap motorcycles with appalling build quality — similar to Korean cars from the 1990s and early 2000s. Strangely, they did get many of the GT650R’s essentials kind of right, but somehow, the bike was worse than the sum of its parts.

It’s by far the worst bike in its segment, and even when it was new, reviews recommended that riders should look elsewhere, as this dreary pile of boredom could potentially make people turn their backs on bikes.

Suzuki TL 1000 S

Suzuki has built many excellent bikes over the years, and the TL 1000 S really could’ve been one of them. Its 125 hp V-twin engine was a beast, especially since there was no traction control and electronic rider aids in those days.

That said, the TL 1000 S suffered from some serious issues. The handling is best described as twitchy, and the rear suspension suffered from a design flaw that made it seize up.

AMF-Era Harley-Davidson Sportster

AMF took control of Harley-Davidson in 1969, and remained in charge until 1981, when Willie G. Davidson and Vaughn Beals, along with other investors, bought the legendary American motorcycle company.

While AMF deserves credit for keeping H-D alive, this period is also mostly remembered for horrible build quality and bad bikes. Sportsters from this era make a regular appearance on lists of the worst motorcycles ever built. These bikes were unreliable, suffered from severe vibrations, and the handling was non-existent.

Harley-Davidson Street Rod

Harley-Davidson’s Street lineup didn’t last long. Hardcore Harley enthusiasts weren’t interested, and the bikes weren’t exciting enough to compete with foreign brands. In one last Hail Mary attempt, Harley launched the Street Rod, based on the Street 750, but with more power, better brakes, improved suspension, and better ground clearance.

The Street Rod should’ve been a success, but it flopped spectacularly. H-D overpromised and underdelivered, and the Street Rod’s ergonomics clearly weren’t designed for humans. However, all is not lost. If you’re willing to spend some money on sorting out its issues, it can be turned into a decent bike.

Ducati Paso 750

Ducati is no stranger to severely flawed bikes, but the Paso 750 that arrived in the mid-1980s may just be the worst of them all. It’s not the worst-looking bike the Italians have made, as Massimo Tamburini knows a thing or two about motorcycle design.

Due to how the L-twin engine was mounted, it needed an auxiliary fuel pump, and the twin carbs were replaced with a single Weber unit. This setup meant the carb would flood, making the bike unrideable at lower speeds. There were other carb-related issues as well, such as the choke being stuck in the open position, and you can also add every other issue Ducati was known for at the time.

BMW F650 Funduro

By the early 1990s, BMW had created two new motorcycle segments — sport adventure tourers and the off-road ready ADV bikes. It only made sense to combine the two into one. Enter the F650 Funduro.

There were several different styles of the Funduro, such as the Strada for road riding, and the GS for the adventurous crowd. Unfortunately, it was neither fun nor durable. In fact, it suffered from downright dangerous flaws and was severely unreliable.

Victory V92C

While bikes made in the late 1990s were nothing like the advanced machines we have today, the Victory V92C was archaic even for that era. It was so agricultural, even Harleys of the time came across as futuristic in comparison.

There’s no doubt that Victory wanted a slice of Harley’s market pie, but since the V92C both looked and felt like a bike from the 1960s, very few riders took the bait. These days, with retro designs going strong, it may be tempting to buy one, but a short test ride will probably be enough to convince you to avoid it.

Maico 700

Maico first introduced the 700 in the 1980s, because who doesn’t like an overly powerful motocross bike?! It didn’t take long to earn a reputation as one of the scariest bikes on the market.

Packing a 80-hp 700cc 2-stroke engine, the 220-lb Maico 700 was near-impossible to control, no matter how good the rider’s throttle control was. It was eventually discontinued, but resurrected in 2009, remaining in production through 2014, and has recently risen from the ashes once again.

Turbocharged Motorcycles From The 1980s

In the 1980s, turbocharging technology was still a fairly new and exciting concept. To the Japanese Big Four, it made perfect sense to experiment with turbos on their bikes, but in 20/20 hindsight, it wasn’t a good idea.

This era saw the introduction of the Kawasaki GPZ750 Turbo, Honda CX500 Turbo, Yamaha XJ650 Turbo, and Suzuki XN85. There’s no denying that turbochargers added plenty of power, but this power was accompanied by lots of turbo lag. The fact that there’s a red-hot turbo close to the rider’s legs was also far from ideal.

Harley-Davidson XR1200

Everyone was excited when Harley-Davidson announced a bike that was heavily inspired by the iconic, flat-track-dominating XR750. In 2008, the XR1200 arrived, and the disappointment was palpable.

This could’ve been the greatest Sportster H-D ever made, but instead, it was a dud with questionable design. While it handled better than the brand’s other bikes, it couldn’t keep up with the Japanese and European offerings.

Aprilia Moto 6.5

These days, practically no one remembers the hideous Aprilia Moto 6.5, which is weird, seeing as it’s one of the most hideous motorcycles ever made.

It wasn’t just the styling that was bad, the whole bike was like a tribute to dreariness. With a humdrum chassis and engine, the riding experience was best described as forgettable. If the Aprilia Moto 6.5 was someone’s first introduction to the two-wheeled world, they probably ran away and never looked back.