Whether you’ve been a fan of the two wheelers for a while now or if you’re just now getting into it, you should definitely know exactly which brand you can always count on to deliver the best product on the market.
The truth is that even if you’ve been looking into purchasing a motorcycle for a while now you should still know that there are a ton of brands out there, and not all of them offer the same level of comfort, reliability and overall quality as others do.
This is why in this short guide we will point you towards the 25 best motorcycle brands in 2023. There are going to be a few obvious picks in our line up, but we’re also going to show you some lesser-known names thrown around which might catch your eye too.
So, without further ado, let’s start off with the number 25 on our list:
Vespa
Although they only produce cool looking scooters, Vespa is still a very reputable choice for any motorcycle enthusiast out there. While they offer some relatively expensive small motorcycles, you can still find a few more affordable options too, and you can be sure that their quality won’t be any less impressive than what the other picks on this list have to offer.
The iconic Italian brand officially came into existence in 1944, and its name comes from the original creator, Enrico Piaggio, who stated that “It looks like a wasp”. Ever since then, the name sort of stuck and they’ve been rolling with it to this day.
Beta
While most people would usually assume that the Japanese offer the best bikes on the market, the Italian are actually keeping up in terms of quality all thanks to brands such as Beta and Vespa flooding the market.
They first started back in 1904 with push bikes, but by the end of the 40s they were already on their way to selling what is probably one of the best motorized bikes on the market.
They have their very own engine in them, and they can be the best choice on the market for advanced riders that can handle the power of their trials bikes.
Gas Gas
While this brand may sound a bit goofy because of their strange name, their quality doesn’t lie as it is one of the best on the market. The name actually does have a very endearing origin too, as it represents a popular saying in Spanish which translates to “Fast Fast”, aka what you say when you give your motorcycle some gas to make it faster.
They offer some incredible trials bikes which have been used to win championships in the past and on top of that they have their own selection of children’s bikes known as Supermotard.
Husqvarna
Although there have been a lot of problems coming from Husqvarna over the years, specifically related to the continuous changes in ownership, their quality has never faltered. Regardless of whether you’ve tried looking into motorcycle brands or not in the past, you most likely have seen that Husky logo as it is probably one of the most recognizable logos on the motorcycle market.
Their Vitpilen & Svartpilen bikes are literally out of this world, so if you’re looking to ride your bike in a more urban setting you cannot go wrong with Husqvarna.
SYM Motors
While being one of the underdogs in the motorcycle industry can definitely help you get a more loyal fanbase overall, we still would like it a lot more if SYM Motors could receive a little more recognition because they are masters at their craft.
SYM Motors is the top motorcycle brand in Vietnam, and while their rides are usually more so referred to as budget choices for the common seller, they are still incredibly powerful asphalt burners which can easily keep up with any of the other brands on this list.
Hero
This is by far the best motorcycle brand to have ever come out of New Delhi, India, and that’s a fact. After becoming a staple of the country’s engineering they have also spread worldwide because of how utterly insane their built quality really is.
They represent the largest two-wheeler manufacturer in the world, and so they also hold onto a market share of 46%, and that is all because they simply put are some of the best in the whole industry. Definitely go for this brand if you’re looking for affordable bikes which can tear up asphalt regardless of where you’re heading.
Bimota
There are plenty of Italian built motorcycles out there, but very few can keep up with the incredibly talented hands that work for Bimota. The company was originally built in 1973 by Valerio Bianchi, Giuseppe Morri and Massimo Tamburini, and ever since they hit the scene, they’ve been releasing incredible bikes both in terms of design and quality every year.
Many would argue that this is the brand that got a very large portion of Italy into riding two wheelers, and who are we to argue against that? The quality doesn’t lie, and we can assure you no motorcycle enthusiast would ever say no to one of these beauties.
Victory
Here we have what is quite possibly one of the most surprising American motorcycle brands. They were originally brought to the marketplace in 1998 and they’ve continued to deliver some incredible bikes with every single one of their releases.
The Victory Motorcycles brand was originally designed to be a direct competitor to Harley-Davidso, to the point where they used to fine tune their bikes to attack the niche that the Harley-Davidson brand would usually dominate in.
That was in the past however, as nowadays they’ve moved past that stage and are more so focused on creating their very own style of bikes as they’ve always wanted to.
Norton
Here we have another Italian motorcycle brand, but this one’s a bit different. It originally started as a small metal components seller, only for the two brilliant minds of Claudio and Gianfranco Castiglioni to go into the motorcycle industry, changing it with each one of their releases since 1978.
They have never made a mistake when it comes to their craft, and many would argue that if you want to truly feel the power behind the motor, you need to drive a Norton because once you do, you can never look back again.
Bajaj
Moving onto our next pick, we have a very strange and yet endearing motorcycle brand by the name of Bajaj, also coming from India. The funniest part about it is definitely the fact that they are the sixth-largest manufacturers of motorcycles in the world, and yet that’s not what they are most known for.
Instead, they are mostly known for their three-wheeler bikes, as they are leading the market with these. While they definitely represent more of an acquired taste than the normal two-wheelers out there, they are still incredible to gawk at and most importantly, they are incredible sounding monsters that can easily tear up the asphalt every time you feel like it.
Benelli
No, we’re not talking about the shotguns, although you could definitely argue that these bikes are even more intimidating to look at than any gun in the world. Benelli started manufacturing bikes back in 1911, and they’ve been really taking up the market ever since, creating some of the most stylish bikes that you’ll ever see.
Their business motto is simple yet effective, they will not settle for anything other than perfection. Can perfection be achieved? Have you seen their latest models? We believe that those should definitely answer your question right up.
Indian Motorcycle
While not actually made in India, Indian Motorcycle is a renowned American motorcycle manufacturer that has been leading the market for a very long time now. Ever since they were first introduced to the world back in 1901, they managed to truly make a name for themselves, catching the eye of any two-wheeler enthusiast thanks to their overall simplistic and downright badass design choice.
These are mostly referred to as “the man’s motorcycle”, and while we wouldn’t necessarily exclude any other gender from using them, we can definitely say that these bikes that they’ve been releasing as of late are definitely running on a mixture of gas and testosterone if you catch our drift.
Royal Enfield
This motorcycle brand usually prides itself with the tag of “the oldest global motorcycle brand in continuous production”, and while that is technically true, we have a better one for them: “The best motorcycles that will make you feel like you’re always listening to Rock music while you ride them”.
They are cool, they are downright badass, they are the one and only Royal Enfield. You simply put cannot go wrong with this brand, even their most affordable picks are worth every penny and then some.
Moto Guzzi
Moto Guzzi actually represents the oldest European motorcycle manufacturer in the world, which definitely says a lot considering just how hard it has been to keep themselves afloat in the industry with so much competition afoot.
They originally started as one of the best-selling motorcycle brands in Italy, but they soon branched off into the rest of Europe, eventually making it into the American market as well. Nowadays, they are known as the go-to motorcycle brand that you invest in if you want to make sure that your money goes into a product that will last you for the rest of your life.
MV Agusta
MV Agusta is another Italian motorcycle brand, known for just how much they’ve actually tried to change the industry over the years. Ever since they first popped out of the shadows, bringing forth their idea of what the ideal motorcycle was at the time, they’ve been trying their hardest to make the ultimate bike, with each experiment bringing them closer to what they would refer to as perfection.
While definitely an acquired taste, their company has managed to really put themselves out there and still make it through the oversaturated market despite taking more risks that any other motorcycle brand out there.
KTM
KTM represent what is possibly the most famous motorcycle brand in Austria. They first started launching bikes in the 90s and although they haven’t had the best track record when they first came out, they truly revolutionized the market soon after, really bringing in more and more fans to the two-wheeler craze than most any other bike brands out there.
You can find their bikes usually plastered with brandings, as they are so incredible looking that most other companies including Red Bull can’t help but try to get your attention using their incredible designs. When it comes to dirt bikes, there’s probably no other motorcycle manufacturer out there that even comes close to KTM.
Aprilia
This Italian motorcycle brand is one of the many companies that is currently owned by Piaggio. While they originally started off with scooters, they soon branched off into making fully-fledged motorcycles, and soon after they had their names in the record books.
They are known for the large sport bikes that they’ve released as of late, including the 1,000 cc V-twin RSV Millie and the V4 RSV4.
They are extremely popular amongst road-racer fans, so if you’re a fan of that definitely go for an Aprilia when shopping for a good two-wheeler to add to your collection.
Suzuki
If you know Suzuki you probably know that they’re always trying to be the best at what they do. This Japanese company has really changed the game, as even people that don’t like bikes can safely say that they’d love to own a Suzuki in their collection.
They specialize in both street use motorcycles and dirt bikes which have been used to win competitions in MotoGP for a very long time now. They usually paint their bikes in blue and white, but you can also find various other color patterns as well.
Harley-Davidson
It’s Harley-Davidson, you can’t go wrong with this name. That is literally how we would describe this legendary brand. The American motorcycle manufacturer started off back in 1903 and they’ve quickly managed to take over the world, creating some of the most badass motorcycle designs ever since.
They are exceptional both in quality and in style and they’ve built a cult-like following that appreciates all their bikes, even the brand new LiveWire, a bike that managed to shock and awe electric motorcycle lovers. Harley-Davidson bikes instantly stand out through sharpness, coolness and why not, meanness.
BMW
BMW Motorrad first started off in Germany as the motorcycle variant to BMW. Because BMW was already one of the leading names in the market it wasn’t hard for them to make an impression in this niche as well, and they’ve truly managed to keep delivering some of the best bikes we’ve ever had the pleasure of riding in the past couple of years now.
They even managed to achieve record sales for a few years in a row, really solidifying the fact that they are more than just a fancy name, they have made some of the best bikes on the market and it truly shows in both their quality and their overall look.
Triumph
If you’re looking for a British-made motorcycle then there’s no better choice out there than Triumph. They had their humble beginnings in the 1980s, and although they started off as just another British motorcycle brand, they really managed to spread across the seas with over 85 percent of their motorcycles being shipped abroad nowadays.
They have managed to reach record sales as of 2017 too, with well over 9,400 units being sold. Needless to say, you can’t go wrong with Triumph, especially if you’re a big fan of scrambler motorcycles.
Kawasaki
Let’s be honest here, the Japanese know what they’re doing, and they’ve been showing off to the rest of their world with their incredible motorcycles for a very long time now thanks to the brilliant people that work at Kawasaki.
With the slogan “Let the good times roll!” they’ve pretty much been on top of their game ever since they first made a name for themselves back in 1961. If you’re looking for a cool sport bike, the Kawasaki Z650 is one of the fastest new motorcycles out there.
Ducati
Ducati is one of the leading motorcycle manufacturers in the world, and for good reason too. Although they first started off in Italy, they truly managed to hit the jackpot abroad as they’ve managed to continuously take over sales around the world with ease ever since they made their very first model.
They are currently owned by Audi, itself owned by the Volkswagen Group, and that might be a testament to their overall amazing quality, as they combine gorgeous Italian styling and raw power with German engineering. Simply put, do you want a high quality bike that you can ride on any sort of terrain available? Go for a Ducati, you will not be disappointed in the slightest.
Honda
Honda is the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, and there has never been a more fitting ruler in the industry before. While they first started gaining some attention back in 1958, they’ve been on a continuous rise since, making history with every single one of their releases to the point where people don’t even question their choices anymore.
They take a lot of risks with their choices, but they always know what to invest in and what to show off. This is why they are ranked so high everywhere you look.
Yamaha
Was there ever any doubt? Yamaha is a literal staple of the motorcycle industry and that’s a fact. This Japanese brand is the second largest in the world when it comes to motorcycle sales, but they also manufacture marine products such as boats and outboard motors and they’re the leading name in water vehicle sales.
They are simply put the kings and there’s no other way to put it. Get a Yamaha, you can’t do better.
Conclusion
So, there you have them, the 25 best motorcycle brands in the world. Each of them can offer a great addition to your bike collection or the gateway into what is probably one of the coolest markets you’ll ever get to be a part of. Which of these brands makes the best motorcycles for you? Be sure to let us know.
