Top 10 Best Motorcycle Brands of All Time
From the purr of a cruiser to the roar of a high-performance machine, motorcycles stir something deep inside. The wind, the road, the power between your legs - there's a primal joy in twisting that throttle and letting loose.But which brands have truly left their mark on history? The ones that delivered iconic bikes, revolutionized performance, and earned their place as legends?
Well, that's the big question, isn't it? Everyone's got their favorite. Maybe you're a diehard fan of a brand and its signature style. Maybe you appreciate the raw innovation poured into certain models.
Yamaha Motor Company is renowned for its wide range of motorcycles that cater to various riding preferences, from sportbikes to cruisers. The brand is also a leader in motorcycle racing, securing numerous championships over the years. The Japanese Big 4 are such huge companies that there is only the slightest difference between them. Especially, Honda and Yamaha have the most sales. Kawasaki and Yamaha are known for the best performance and track racing, while Honda and Yamaha are praised for having the best chassis. Suzuki is the most affordable and cheapest of the Japanese brands.
Now, we see Yamaha excelling in performance, offering the easiest handling, being a consumer favorite, and, of course, the YAMAHA brand image - represented by all-time star riders as brand ambassadors (Valentino Rossi, Agostini, Kenny Roberts, Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson, and Jorge Lorenzo).
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. stands out for its innovation in motorcycle engineering and design, offering models that range from off-road to luxury touring. This brand has a strong global presence, celebrated for its reliability and advanced technology. One day I just heard this ear-shattering howl echoing down my street. Almost like a 600 but deeper and throatier. As it got closer, I just knew what it was: Honda CBR1000RR. As it passed, it was confirmed I was right. Truly an insane bike.
My first bike in 1965 was a Honda 305 Superhawk. I was an avid and loyal follower of Honda until they were displaced by Yamaha and Suzuki in my garage and my heart.
Hondas are too expensive for what you get. They are the Nissans of the motorcycle world. Better outright performance, quality, and value come from Yamaha and Suzuki. If Kawasaki ever works out their quality control issues, Honda will be number four.
This was a hard one. I've owned a lot of motorcycles in my life, including Hondas, Yamahas, Husqvarna, KTM/Penton, and Suzuki, and have ridden several other brands. Of all the brands, two keep bubbling to the top: Kawasaki and Yamaha. I've never had a lick of problems with any of them, and that includes models from the early '70s to recent bikes.
The only reason I voted Kawasaki over Yamaha is that I've owned more of them. Both are outstanding motorcycles. Now, if I had to pick my least favorite of the bunch that I have owned, it would be a tie between Harley and Honda. Harleys are not my style. They're great for puttering around town, and if you have money to burn, their touring bikes are okay. But I'd rather have three bikes that excel in several areas than one that can only do one or two well.
Hondas, well, I may just be unlucky, but they have been by far the least reliable brand I have owned and one of the most expensive to fix.
Ducati is the star of pioneering in motorcycle engineering. It has some of the world's best-looking, best-performing, and best-sounding motorcycles. Europe has some of the world's biggest motorcycle brands, and they are known for their astounding engineering. Ducati, MV Agusta, Aprilia, BMW, and KTM, to name a few, are all really good. It's difficult to choose one.
Ducati offers the most aesthetically designed motorbikes, appealing to almost everyone (unbiased), and with quite a muscle to outperform every single major brand. I used to be a Harley fan, with the V-Rod (Night Rod model) being my favorite.
But after its production stopped last year, I searched for motorbikes exhaustively and found the Ducati XDiavel to be my highest intuitively designed bike. Meanwhile, the Fat Bob was there to console me.
BMW Motorrad, the motorcycle brand of BMW Group, is celebrated for its luxury touring, sport, and adventure motorcycles. The brand emphasizes innovation, quality, and performance, offering riders advanced safety features and superior comfort. One thing BMW does that no other bike manufacturer seems to be able to pull off as brilliantly is finely balancing speed and power with comfort and usability. This definitely shows on the S1000XR, which is an amazing machine in a class of its own.
It's pretty much a superbike that you can ride to work on, go shopping with, load up with luggage and travel halfway across the world on, or just simply use as a track tool for those rare occasions where you can properly open it up and exploit the full 160hp.
It's damn well comfortable, but the performance is stratospheric.
Triumph Motorcycles Ltd is a British motorcycle marque that offers a broad range of modern classics, roadsters, and adventure bikes. Known for their distinctive British engineering and design, Triumph motorcycles blend performance with style. I'm a petite woman at 5'1", and I've had two Triumphs: America and now Speedmaster. I can't imagine riding any other brand. I love my Triumph.
My husband tried to buy me a brand-new Harley, and I refused. The look on the Harley salesman's face was priceless when I said, as I was straddling a new Softail, "No, I really want a Triumph!" It's a solid bike, never a problem. It's a 2004 model. I love Triumph!
They're pretty decent, although it's a bit rare to see people zipping down the highway on them. Then again, imported bikes will never beat American classics in terms of availability and popularity in America.
(I own a Yamaha V-Star, so I'm not one to talk, but correct me if I'm wrong.)
Suzuki Motor Corporation offers a diverse range of motorcycles, including sport bikes, cruisers, and dual-purpose models. The company is known for its contributions to motor sports and its commitment to innovation and quality. I've had Honda, Yamaha, Ducati, Harley, Kawasaki, and Suzuki. By far, my Suzuki bikes have been the most fun and have racked up the most miles. The one time I did have a problem, Suzuki didn't drop the ball and fixed the issue.
I can't say the same for Yamaha, though I did like the bikes I had. HD will likely never see another cent of mine. Hondas were reliable and great, just low on power. Kawasaki almost got my vote for favorite. If they would just give a little more attention to build quality, they would have. Ducati was like a really hot girlfriend - a little expensive, but a lot of fun.
Harley-Davidson, Inc. is iconic for its heavyweight motorcycles designed for cruising on highways. Known for their distinctive design and exhaust sound, Harley-Davidsons carry a deep cultural significance within the American motorcycle community. I've been riding for over 40 years and have owned an incredible number of bikes from a variety of manufacturers. While I've enjoyed every bike I've owned, and each had something that made them special and unique, none of them measure up to Harley-Davidson in terms of overall quality and workmanship, dealer network and support, and customer service.
In 28 years, I've never had anything go wrong with any Harley I've owned. And I ride a lot. They are bulletproof.
No other bike manufacturer puts as much into everything that surrounds the ride itself. The rallies, the showrooms, the open days, BBQs, bands - the clothing range is exceptional. No other brand can come close to the Harley experience.
I've had Suzuki, Kawasaki, and BMW over the years, and although they were all great bikes, I always dreamed of owning a Harley since I was a teenager. Now that I have one, it's everything I ever dreamed of.
Hands down, it's the most phenomenal machine I have ever ridden. The beauty, engineering, and innovation are world-class. You really feel like you're driving an exotic machine.
The sound and power of the bike are enough to make you drool, and the look of the bike is an entire story of its own. I ride an MV Agusta almost every day to work, and I still get chills down my spine every time I twist the throttle and hear the exhaust rumble in all its glory.
They are the most awesome Italian motorcycles ever.
Another historical brand, excellence in terms of technical, design, and style.
KTM is the fastest-growing brand in America and among the top worldwide. They currently sell more dirt bikes than Honda and Yamaha combined and are starting to eat into their market share on the road. They have the most advanced motorcycle stability system in the world. These are the best bikes. Period.
I have ridden many motorcycles over the years, and by far, KTM leads the pack. I own several brands, but my KTMs get ridden the most.
Lighter than Yamaha's and Honda's. Better forks and engine management, better brakes. This is the best bike you can buy.
The Newcomers
Very high-quality motorcycle, can compare to Honda and Yamaha.
It's strong, fast, and of good quality.
I have a Keeway 152, the best cafe racer ever!
Great bike in terms of price-to-performance ratio.
Aprilia is the main competitor for Ducati. So far, I've seen nothing less for Aprilia when compared against Ducati. It's just that Aprilia needs to be more visible through better international promotional plans. Anyway, I am truly happy to own my Aprilia Shiver. It is truly awesome!
In my opinion, Aprilia has the best naked bikes in the world (Shiver 750). This bike is full of power and passion.
Best quality, performance, and styling - all for a reasonable price.
Bajaj is the most economical brand. It has always been edgy, especially under the Pulsar name. Bajaj is not about power. It has always been about styling and mileage with good performance, especially its triple-spark technology. It has been leading motorcycle sales in India for a decade now, so my vote goes to Bajaj!
I've been using a Bajaj for six years, and it's quite reliable! Especially the twin-spark technology rocks! Although the bikes need some love and a lot of attention to last a long time, I can live with it as long as it gives me more power and better mileage per gallon.
After some time, speed, mileage, and some other factors won't matter. What will matter is, "What's the feel of it?" and how comfortable it is. Presenting the best combination of an amazing riding experience, best price, and unbeatable mileage is Royal Enfield.
By the way, I also work at Royal Enfield in Oragadam, Chennai. The motorcycle should be experienced by each and every one at least once.
The sound of the machine and the torque it produces - wow! If it had a higher displacement engine, it would surely compete with other brands like HD, Triumph, etc. With this machine, many people are easily completing 2,000 km trips, which is a big deal.
Great machine. Low maintenance.
Awesome bike brand, with utmost reliability and affordability.
The fuel consumption rate is outstanding.
It is the biggest manufacturer. I think this site needs more Indian voters.
Traded in my 2017 Harley Ultra for a 2019 Indian Roadmaster. The Harley was like riding an anvil on wheels compared to the Roadmaster. It's ten pounds heavier than the Harley and about ten times more comfortable and nimble. Also, the electronics are light years ahead of the Harley.
I have my forever bike that I'm going to grow old on. That's how much I love this bike.
Got a new Roadmaster four weeks ago. It now has 3,677 miles, and I love it. Heated seats, grips, a retractable windshield, and six gears are just some of the perks of this beautiful machine. It's a Blue Diamond color, 2016 model.
My wife and I rode the Harley, Gold Wing, and Victory - all full dress - and she liked the Indian best for being a passenger. Very sexy, and no lack of power here.
It's one of the oldest motorcycle brands in the world, and it's a good-looking motorcycle with an affordable price.
In the range of 600cc, it's a budget bike for everyone compared to other bikes.
I feel so bad to see it ranked 18th on the list. This bike should be in the top 10.
Oh, where do I start with Guzzi? The layout? The ease of maintenance? The reliability? The surprisingly low cost of buying, owning, and running one of these things? All this despite being 100% made in Italy? Yep, I'm a Guzzisti, alright. I have long loved Moto Guzzi and wanted one ever since I first saw one.
So you can imagine the joy when I finally bought a Guzzi - a 2002 Nevada. Sure, it's not the quickest, but it's got plenty of torque, sounds awesome, goes off-road without issue, and the genuine parts are much cheaper than aftermarket ones on a Honda. It's tough, too. In an accident that would've totaled most Japanese bikes (and they're great bikes, don't get me wrong), this thing needed a spark plug, a spark cap, and a blinker lens (the blinker itself still works). The only thing I can fault is its lack of power, but hey, you can't have it all.
I own a TVS Star City bike. The product is excellent. I had a great experience in terms of price and class. Even after five years since I purchased it, the performance of the bike is awesome.
The Apache RTR from TVS Motor is an awesome, powerful, fuel-efficient, and reliable bike. Wait for the TVS-BMW partnership because it will definitely rock the world.
Apache is the best bike ever made by an Indian manufacturer, especially the 2012 upgrade, which made it even better.
If Norton is home to Lotus, it's great!
I recently bought a 250 cruiser. It is a great bike, good for a first-time owner. It looks bigger than some models of Harley and offers great value for money.
Hyosung bikes are excellent and reliable. People who say otherwise have never owned one. I've had mine for the past 16 months and haven't had a single problem with it. Plus, it looks amazing.
I have seen many bikes. The Hyosung Aquila 650 Pro is something very sexy, muscular, comfortable, and a value for money. It is a complete package for the intelligent customer.
Why did they stop making these bikes? They're way better than Indian and Harley. I have one and believe that it is tops. I sold my BMW for it and enjoy it thoroughly.
Best bike I have ever ridden. The problem is, they aren't being made anymore and weren't that well-known to begin with. I love how smooth and fast this bike is on long trips. Victory Kingpin.
After owning four Victorys and never having any kind of problems with them, I can say they are by far the best bike around. Having ridden all kinds, they are also the most comfortable.
Reliable bikes. The performance is like that of a Honda, and it's the best seller and number one in Taiwan for scooters and motorcycles. That's why I own one SYM Bonus 110.
I own one of the SYM motorcycles because the SYM brand is one of the best motorcycle brands. It's "pangmasa" and has very good quality.
The SYM is so powerful. It looks like a Honda. I own one, a SYM Bonus 100.
Lamborghini, primarily known for its high-performance luxury sports cars, does not manufacture motorcycles as a core product but has occasionally collaborated on limited edition high-performance bikes. These rare motorcycles are celebrated for their design innovation and luxury, mirroring the brand's automotive ethos.