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Whether it was due to poor marketing, wrong timing or fate, these motorcycle flops deserve a second chance to change your mind.

Motorcycle history is full of ups and downs, as some ventures have been enormously successful, while others have failed from the get-go. You probably already know about successful motorcycles like the Honda Super Cub, Kawasaki Ninja, and Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, but what about those that got many things right but somehow still flopped sales-wise, leading to their discontinuation?

For some of these flops, the issue is that they didn’t enter the market at the right time and couldn’t find the right audience. Other reasons for these motorcycles failing despite having the right traits for success have to do with their price tags. But regardless of why these motorcycles flopped, we think they deserve a second chance.

Related: 8 Of The Biggest Motorcycle Flops Of All Time

The Ducati Sport 1000 was one of the retro-styled motorcycles that make up the Sport Classic lineup. Despite having all the recipes for success, including a V-twin engine, it somehow failed badly, lasting from 2006-2009. Since the Ducati Sport 1000 draws inspiration from the 1973 Ducati 750 Sport, with the looks of a café racer, there’s no doubt about its handling, agility, and speed.

The Ducati Sport 1000 was short-lived because of poor sales. It seems the global economic crisis of 2008 also played a role in the demise of the Ducati Sport 1000. Apart from that, the Ducati Sport 1000 was ahead of its time and wasn’t exactly comfortable for long-distance trips.

The KTM RC8 is a street-legal superbike that wasn’t lacking in the performance department or styling, but the manufacturer had to put it out of production in 2015. Producing up to 170 hp and 91 lb-ft of torque means that the RC8 is not supposed to be on the street.

Government restrictions also forced the production of the flagship Supersport KTM RC8 to stop, as it was too fast for European roads. But given the stellar performance traits of the RC8, we would love to see it in production again, even if it’s for only track use.

At first glance, you might mistake the Honda CB1000, which was launched over 30 years ago for the Japanese manufacturer’s latest retro bike, the CB1100. Honda introduced the CB1000 dubbed the “Project Big One” to compete with the likes of the Kawasaki ZR1100 and the Suzuki GSX1100, which offered motorcycle fairings.

However, offering motorcycle fairings to cater to riders who want to reduce air drag and deflect wind, means that Honda has to raise the cost of production and invariably the price tag. Following the dwindling sales as a result of that decision, Honda had to pull the plug on the CB1000 in 1996.

Related: This Is What We Love About The Honda CB 500 X

The Yamaha MT-01 was unveiled as a concept bike at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1999, instantly winning the hearts of the public, but it wasn’t until 2005 that the production model was launched. Starting on a high note, the Yamaha MT-01 won the Open Category award at the annual Motorcycle Design Awards in 2004.

With its cruiser-style 1,670 cc overhead valve V-twin engine, the Yamaha MT-01 puts out 88.9 hp and 110.9 lb-ft. The ‘Masters of Torque’ machine has a roadster chassis complete with multi-adjustable suspension and radial brakes. However, customers describe it as overbearingly heavy and expensive, so sales dwindled until production stopped in 2012.

The Buell XB12X Ulysses offers a lively and rewarding riding experience and is particularly great for pulling off monos and stoppies. With an output of 102 hp from a big Harley V-twin engine and a weight of 421 pounds, the Buell XB12X Ulysses is more powerful and lighter than the Ducati Multistrada and BMW GS motorcycles.

With the big reserves of textured V-twin torque and 17-inch, the Buell XB12X Ulysses has better cornering ability than many sports bikes. However, it never really hit the mainstream because it couldn’t find the right audience, forcing Harley-Davidson to shut it down in 2009.

With the launch of the RST 1000 Futura in 2001, it seems like Aprilia could finally compete with the Honda VFR sports tourer. The Aprilia RST 1000 Futura gets its energy from a detuned version of the Rotax-built 60-degree V-twin engine. When it comes to riding quality, the Italian sports touring bike is soft and comfy.

However, it won’t be a stretch to describe the RST 1000 Futura’s styling as quirky, even though it is roomy with plenty of luggage space. Being a total flop sales-wise, Aprilia pulled the plug in 2003 just after two years in production.

After folding up due to financial difficulties, Moto Morini was revived in 1996 and launched several new bikes including the 1200 Granpasso. The Moto Morini 1200 Granpasso is not exactly the most stylish sports bike, with its brawny front forks and massive windscreen, but you can’t deny its adventurous nature.

Powering the Granpasso 1200 is a 1,187cc engine that makes up to 116 hp and 76 lb-ft of torque. However, with adventure sports bikes like the Triumph Explorer XC and the BMW R 1200 Adventure selling at a cheaper price, the Moto Morini Granpasso couldn’t stay in the market for long.

Related: Here's Everything We Know About The Moto Morini X-Cape

The GTS 1000 is Yamaha’s replacement for the FJ1200, with significant improvements following the introduction of the RADD forkless single-shock front suspension. As Yamaha’s first sport-tourer, expectations were high for the GTS 1000, which arrived in 1993.

The 1,002cc DOHC, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled inline 4-cylinder engine that works with a 5-speed transmission cranks out 100 hp. Despite delivering impressive stability and braking, customers think the GTS 1000 is a bit too heavy and expensive. With no major advantage over the more affordable Honda ST1100 Pan European, settling for the GTS 1000 wasn’t exactly a wise decision.

The MV Agusta Brutale 920 is an aesthetically pleasing naked bike with raw performance. The four-cylinder 921cc engine produces up to 129 hp. Weighing about 403 pounds with a length of 80 inches, the MV Agusta Brutale 920 is one of the most compact and lightweight naked bikes.

Despite the aggressive styling, dynamic engine performance, and awesome riding experience, MV Agusta failed to market and distribute the Brutale 920 rightly, so it was short-lived.

Aiming at a standard motorcycle for urban commuters, BMW Motorrad offered the F650CS from 2001 to 2005. Its offbeat styling is quite attractive particularly due to unique features like the single-sided swingarm, modular soft case, and a toothed belt drive.

Producing only 44.2 hp and 44.2 lb-ft of torque from the Rotax single-cylinder engine, the BMW F650CS couldn’t compete with more powerful liter-class superbikes that go for a similar price range. Just a year after its launch, the BMW F650CS sales tanked and by 2005 it was gone—but we hope not for good.

Peter Akpejeluh is a content writer with years of experience in the automotive industry. His love for cars makes crafting colorful stories around them quite effortless. When Peter is not developing automotive content, you can find him taking one of his favorite cars for a spin.