Antique, Vintage or Classic Motorcycle? (2024)

FAQs

Antique, Vintage or Classic Motorcycle? ›

If your bike is designed after the post-World War II motorcycles, is at least 25 years old and is engineered with high quality construction, it is considered to be a classic. If your motorcycle is heavily customized and old, then it's a vintage. If it's more than 35 years old, it's definitely an antique.

And while they share similarities, the general consensus is that a classic motorbike is considered to be classic when it's between 20 and 30 years old. Another factor that often distinguishes a vintage bike from a classic bike is how much it's been customised.

Classic, vintage or antique motorcycles are generally at least 25 years old and look the way they were intended to when first manufactured or built. Depending on the insurer, classic bikes as new as 20 years old can be considered vintage, but this isn't always the case.

How many years before a motorcycle becomes a classic? To qualify as a classic, motorcycles typically need to be 25 years old or older.

A common trait between the three categories is that all classic, vintage, and antique models are considered such if they're at least 25 years old. Another common factor in deciding whether a model fits into these categories is whether the bike looks the way it was intended to look when manufactured.

According the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, an antique motorcycle is one that is 35 years or older. This is the only “true” official designation in the U.S., but because some states allow motorcycles to be registered or licensed as antiques after just 20 years, sometimes the definition becomes unclear.

When looking for classic and vintage cars for sale, it's necessary to know their differences. Classic cars are at least 20 years old but not older than 45 years, while vintage cars are 25 years or older. Antique cars are even older, at least 45 years old.

If your motorcycle is heavily customized and old, then it's a vintage. If it's more than 35 years old, it's definitely an antique.

The exact definition may vary among enthusiasts. But generally, vintage bikes refer to bicycle products from over 30 years ago. Dating from the early 1900s up until the 1990s.

Usually, the classic car moniker applies to vehicles over 20 years old. Antique cars are over 45 years old, and vintage cars are built between 1919 and 1930.

What is considered old for a motorcycle? ›

In Terms of Age…

In general, a bike that was manufactured more than 20 years ago is considered old. Of course, for some models, being at least 20 years old makes them vintage. By definition, those that are 35 years old or older are considered antiques. Somewhere in the midst of these two, you have classics.

Classic Motorcycles: bikes that are 20 years or older. Vintage Motorcycles: bikes that are 25 years or older. Antique Motorcycles: bikes that are 35 years or older.

High mileage for a motorcycle can be anywhere from 15,000 miles to 50,000 miles depending on what type of bike it is, where it was ridden, and whether the previous or current owner kept up with maintenance requirements. However, don't just look at mileage when deciding whether a used motorcycle is a good purchase.

Among the more popular models amongst vintage motorcycle buffs are the Indian Chief (the 1940 version is coveted), the 4-cylinder Indian Four and the Scout. Read on to find out what Steve McQueen and James Dean had in common.

If you're dealing with a classic motorcycle or a bike that was manufactured outside the US, finding the VIN tag can be a bit more challenging. Most of the time, it will still be somewhere on the frame or the engine case, but you may need to poke around a bit to find it.

Many bikes have a serial number stamped or engraved on the frame, bottom bracket, or headset. This number often includes information about the bike's manufacturing date. Look for a series of letters or numbers that might indicate the year or month of production.

Usually, a motorcycle is considered to be a classic once it reaches 30-years-old, then it will generally qualify for classic insurance. However, some bikes from 1991 to 2006 can be deemed as 'modern classics'.

Classic Motorcycles: bikes that are 20 years or older. Vintage Motorcycles: bikes that are 25 years or older. Antique Motorcycles: bikes that are 35 years or older.