To me, modern is defined as "having brifters" no matter how many cogs on the freehub. No matter how new or old. I've never owned a carbon fiber-framed bike and have no interest whatsoever in getting one. I've had a few aluminum-framed bikes, but don't have a real affinity for them. I'm really only comfortable on a steel-framed bikes, and the most modern I've owned is a late 90's Fuji Finest running 9-speed Ultegra.
It was a good bike, but it never was quite a 'permanent keeper' and was one of the last bikes I sold off in culling down the collection when I moved from Montpelier to Ashland. There was something else that I can't remember which was aluminum frame with carbon fork and rear stays, but it mustn't have made much of an impression on me if I can't remember the make and model.
Then, about five years ago, an old customer of mine gave me a '92 Diamondback Expert (Shimano RSX 3x7) which I figured I'd clean up, ride a couple of time and then sell. Well, I've still got it. I find it pleasant to ride, and it completely takes care of any desire I have for those times when I feel like riding 'state-of-the-art'.
And, although I've looked at a lot of bikes in a lot of bike shops in the interim, I haven't found anything newer that I really feel like owning. The Diamondback is definitely not part of the "permanent collection", but it'll probably hang around until I find another Rossin I just have to own, or something else that turns my head just as much. Or I'd like to pick up one of those 90's vintage Rossin non-lugged frames and transfer all the components over to it. Have looked at a few over the past years, but anything I've found has had problems.
I'm just perfectly happy with topping out at six speed clusters with indexed downtube shifters.