On a recent CMCCV ride, at the start someone counted up the club-eligible bikes, then was corrected by another club member as he had included a 2008 Triumph T100.
That is an example of what the designers intended with “retro” or “classic” new-production models. Motorcycle manufacturers now embracing this world-wide niche market segment include Ducati, Harley Davidson, Norton (almost available),Moto Guzzi and Triumph but arguably Suzuki started it all.In the early 1990s Suzuki resurrected its big bore air-cooled fours from the seventies/eighties to sell alongside later-technology models. Suzuki again called the range GSX and cynics called it a too-clever strategy for extracting further use of factory tooling which had already paid for itself many times over.
Nowadays all the retro bike makers push the promotion of “Classic riding without the maintenance/reliability/durability hassles of the original machine”. Seemingly it works, as I think Triumph’s top seller world- wide is the Bonneville range and Harley’s Sportster retro models are a major part of its business.
Agree with the concept or not, but don’t be too surprised, as many were when some Japanese bikes assumed “classic” status, if today’s new production retro models become desirable to restore and preserve like we treat older Nortons, Ducatis, Triumphs, Guzzis. BMW s, et.al.
And we should not overlook the smaller builders producing “replica” Indians, Vincents, Nortons, etc. with new technology to avoid the problems of the old ‘uns.

Jack Youdan.