OK, so one thing that bike manufacturers have never been shy about is coming up with interesting names. Some motorcycle names have stood the test of time, along with the bike they represent. Others have, thankfully, been taken to the motorcycle junkyard in the sky.

Here are some of the best motorcycle names ever to hit the industry:

1. Katana. This one rocks. The name invokes sleek, sharp and deadly steel, and the bike more or less lives up to the name. A good idea.
2. Ninja. With apologies to all of you pirate devotees, anything named after ninjas is cool. The only thing cooler is if this one were combined with the Katana. Then, you’d not only have a sword, but one wielded by a ninja.
3. Goldwing. For me, this one has always invoked the memory of Burt Reynolds Trans Am in Smokey and the Bandit. The Goldwing is Honda’s version of Burt’s Trans Am. Therefore, it makes the “cool” list.
4. Valkyrie. This bike looks like it was inspired by Ancient Nordic female warriors. It has a strong feel to it, and riding one makes you believe you could crush any puny human with a mere pinch.
5. Thundercat. Maybe I just loved the cartoon as a kid, but I always pictured Lion-O riding one of these. I wonder if Mum-ra required him to carry motorcycle insurance?

Unfortunately, there have been more not-so-cool motorcycle names than there have been cool ones. I’ll limit my list to 5, though, just to keep things fair:

1. Dominator. This might have been an OK name if the bike weren’t so wimpy.
2. Eliminator. This one suffers from the same problem. This bike looks and rides like anything but an eliminator. “Eliminated” might have been more appropriate.
3. Fazer. Really? Shall I set your motorcycle to “stun?” Perhaps the remake will be better than the original.
4. Pan-European. This sounds more like an airline than it does a motorcycle. Even if you do try to associate it with a motorcycle, you wind up thinking more of a delivery scooter than a real bike.
5. V-Max. OK, I’ll be the one to say it. Any motorcycle whose name sounds like a feminine hygiene product really should be taken off the market.

Photo via travellingtamas