The big Japanese brands have built some awesome UJM/retro bikes but as far as I remember, most of them didn’t sell well. Kawasaki’s W650 comes to mind.

All correct. The author is describing an aesthetic as opposed to speccing a bike, based on nostalgia for a time that they didn’t know.

Honestly, I don’t see the benefit of a flat seat. All my bikes have a higher pillion seat, meaning they can see the road and we don’t bang helmets when I slow down...

Triumph has a few good options here.. : the Bonneville (t100 or T120), or the Street Twin, or the Scrambler. Clearly they arent japanese, but they do have the style, handling and comfort of that sort. Go test ride a latest generation Bonneville and you’ll find a perfect example of the formula you mention!  

XSR900 - with a different seat is just the Tracer.  Or just buy the Yamaha flat seat for the previous XSR900, https://leadersrpmshop.com/yamaha-new-oem-flat-seat-b2g-f47e0-v0-00/

Triumph Bonnevilles exist you know? Not quite the HP/weight specs you are looking for but close.

The used market was so flooded with sub-$500 UJMs for 30+ years that they developed a reputation as something not worth paying for I suppose.

Except for maybe the shape/styling, none of it is what Amber’s looking for, but I’d love to see Honda dust off the CB1100 (and honestly, given my riding skill, build a lower-displacement variant, although I’d hate to give up the 4-cyl).

Kawasaki W800 is the most UJM bike out there these days, it’s just not that popular. Suzuki TU 250 is a proper UJM as well. There have been other retro throwbacks like the CB1000. None of them did amazing.

As an owner of a first-gen XSR900 and having ridden the Z900RS, believe me when I say a flat bench seat is the last thing you want on any bike in this class. Kinja (or whatever it’s called now) won’t let me upload the photo, but triple-digit power and a roughly 450 lb weight equals a one way ticket to Wheelie City.

Came here to say this:
“Also: 3-figure power and a bench seat are a bad mix.”

UJM were either light and a little light on power, or powerful and a bit porky.

My new used SV650 feels pretty close but nowhere near three-figure horsepower

Were UJM’s known for being particularly light? A CB750 (possibly the UJM’est of UJM’s) was like 480lbs.

You mentioned the XSR 900, but failed to mention the XSR 700. 74 horsepower and 50 lb/ft of torque, at the crank, is very close to the UJM of old. It weighs 410 lbs wet, has a bench seat and is sporty thanks to it sharing the MT-07/R7 platform. Slap an Akra exhaust, intake, velocity stacks on and tune it and you’ll be…

I think the problem is that the Triumph Bonneville exists, so there’s already a UJM (because a UJM was just a british motorcycle that actually worked) and I think there’s more than enough modern bonevilles for everyone who wants a UJM.

Aren’t we kind of talking about the mid range adv bikes? 450ish lbs. Hp in the 75-100 range, which is certainly enough to get out of its own way. Upright seating position. There is a reason banana seats dont really exist anymore. The little transition from lower front to slightly higher back seat gives the passenger a…

Triumph speed twin 1200?  The Triumphs are about the only bikes that look anything like the UJM’s of the 70's that have modern power output and a flat seat.

The markets are great, the economy is going up behind it, but it is fake. Taxes reduced, pollution standards dropped and stocks will rise as companies are more profitable. What do they do with that profit, buy the stock back. Not as much investment or increases in pay. So the rich make out on stock prices and the rest…

Those people who bought Harleys because of Easy Rider: did they watch the movie all the way through to the end?