The 12 motorcycles that matter

We wouldn't be where we are today without these twelve bikes that changed history and in doing so, reached the coveted status of icon

Honda RC30

Handbuilt in Japan by HRC and available to Fogarty, Hislop and Joe Bloggs, the RC30 was, and is, a little bit special. Read about the Honda VFR750R here.

Yamaha RD350LC YPVS

Thrumming through the early Eighties gloom, Yamaha's Powervalve RD350 inspired young bikers and future racers alike. Read about the Yamaha RD350LC YPVS here.

Yamaha FS1-E

It's the bike that was once parked outside chip shops across the land. Here we look at the Fizzie and all of its 4.8bhp. Long live pedal power! Read about the Yamaha FS1-E here.

Ducati 888

The Ducati 888 is the Great Grandaddy of the 1198 and its awesome racing pedigree bred a road legend whose racing history is crucial to its status. Read about the Ducati 888 here.

Norton Commando

Much-loved and much maligned, the Norton Commando both saved and then helped to kill the British bike industry. Read about the Norton Commando here.

Suzuki RGV250

1989 was a vintage year for hoodlum teenagers worldwide because this was the year Suzuki unleashed the RGV250, the purest and most race-bred two-stroke track tool ever to make it into a showroom. Read about the Suzuki RGV250 here.

Suzuki GT750

Think 750cc, think Suzuki. The GT750 is thee bike that kicked it all off way back in 1972. Somebody put the kettle on... Read about the Suzuki GT750 here.

Yamaha RD400

Post RD350 and pre RD350LC there was the RD400. Cool doesn't even come close. Read about the Yamaha RD400 here.

Kawasaki KR-1

Looking like it had been waved out of pitlane and on to the road, the KR-1 arrived in a puff of blue smoke back in 1988. Read about the Kawasaki KR-1 here.

Suzuki GSX-R1100

Like a nightclub bouncer ripped to the tits on bodybuilding steroids, the big Suzuki GSX-R1100 was not to be messed with. Unless you were rock hard... Read about Suzuki GSX-R1100 here.

Yamaha FZR750R OW01

Where Honda led, others followed. Enter  Yamaha's wannabe RC30-beater, the OW01. Read about the Yamaha FZR750R OW01 here.

Kawasaki ZXR750

The Kawasaki ZXR750 was lean, mean and best in green, meet the best-looking mass production 750 four-cylinder sportsbike ever. Read more about the Kawasaki ZXR750 here.