Motorcycling fifty years ago was much simpler. Road bikes, off-road bikes, learner bikes, and sidecar outfits were easily distinguishable. However, the world of motorbikes has evolved significantly since then, becoming wonderfully diverse and sometimes a little complex.
BMW R1250GS Adventure motorbike parked on a scenic overlook, showcasing its touring capabilities and rugged design
If you’re new to the exciting world of motorbikes, welcome! To help you navigate the options, here’s an explanation of the main categories of motorbikes available today.
1. Adventure Bikes
Adventure bikes are styled to evoke images of globetrotting expeditions, much like the two-wheeled equivalent of a Range Rover. Ironically, while they look ready for off-road adventures to places like Kathmandu, they are actually exceptional road bikes. Their weight can make them challenging on true off-road terrain. Most riders appreciate their comfortable upright riding position, excellent weather protection, and forgiving suspension on paved roads. Adventure motorbikes are typically tall machines with larger engines, with the BMW R1250GS (1254cc) being a top seller. However, smaller displacement versions like the Suzuki V-Strom 250 are also available.
Perfect Example: BMW R1250GS
Tell-tale signs: High seat height, distinctive “beak” front fender, riders often wearing textile riding gear.
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2. Cruiser Bikes
Picture a Harley-Davidson, and you’ll instantly understand the cruiser motorbike style. Cruisers are characterized by their long, low profiles and relaxed V-twin engines (two cylinders in a V-shape). While they possess surprising acceleration off the line, often outpacing sports cars, cruisers prioritize style and relaxed riding over outright speed. They are designed for comfortable cruising and making a statement. Harley-Davidson dominates this category, but many manufacturers offer their own versions of cruiser motorbikes.
Perfect Example: Harley Fat Boy
Tell-tale signs: Low seat, extensive chrome detailing, riders often wearing open-face helmets.
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3. Naked Bikes
Naked motorbikes are the modern descendants of classic motorcycles, stripped down to their essentials – two wheels and an engine, without elaborate fairings. They offer a comfortable, upright riding position and are designed for agility and responsive handling, contrasting sharply with the laid-back nature of cruisers. Naked bikes are fun and engaging to ride on twisty roads. Some are incredibly fast, essentially de-faired sportsbikes, while many serve as excellent entry-level and intermediate motorbikes. The absence of fairings also typically makes them more affordable.
Perfect Example: Yamaha MT-07
Tell-tale signs: No fairing exposing the engine, minimalist design, riders typically wearing jeans and a jacket.
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4. Sportsbikes
Sportsbikes, often called race replicas, are street-legal versions of racing motorbikes. They feature full fairings, stiff suspension, and high-performance, finely tuned engines. In ideal conditions, their performance is breathtaking, offering unparalleled racetrack capabilities. However, the aggressive riding position, which puts weight on the wrists and compresses the legs, can be uncomfortable for long rides or city commuting. Although most major manufacturers feature a sportsbike as their flagship model, smaller, more accessible versions are available for beginners.
Perfect Example: Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade
Tell-tale signs: Full aerodynamic fairing, model names often including multiple “R”s, riders typically wearing full racing leathers.
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5. Touring Bikes
Touring motorbikes are large, luxurious machines designed for covering long distances with a passenger and luggage. While many bikes can be used for touring, dedicated tourers are built to make it effortless. A good touring bike allows for comfortable all-day cruising at high speeds, unlike cruisers which are better suited for slower paces. They often come equipped with premium features like stereos, heated seats, and integrated luggage systems with central locking. As expected, these bikes are typically high-end and expensive.
Perfect Example: BMW R1250RT
Tell-tale signs: Large fairing for wind protection, extensive luggage capacity, rider and passenger often using intercom systems.
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6. Sports Tourer Bikes
Sports tourer bikes are a hybrid, blending the characteristics of sportsbikes and touring bikes. They are lighter and more agile than dedicated tourers but offer significantly more comfort than sportsbikes. They represent a good compromise, and were once very popular. However, the rise of adventure bikes, which offer similar comfort with a dash of off-road capability and a more adventurous image, has reduced the sports tourer’s popularity. Nevertheless, they remain a capable and versatile motorbike category.
Perfect Example: Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
Tell-tale signs: Fairing, sporty aesthetic, riders often wearing black leather jackets and pants.
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7. Dual Sport Bikes
For riders needing a motorbike for weekday commutes and weekend trail riding, dual sport bikes (or dual-purpose bikes) are ideal. They are street-legal motorbikes that are also highly capable off-road. Unlike adventure bikes, which are primarily road bikes with off-road styling, dual sports are fundamentally off-road bikes adapted for road use. This means they are light, often half the weight of larger adventure bikes, equipped with mud-gripping tires, and feature large, impact-absorbing front wheels. The trade-off for off-road prowess is reduced road-going refinement; they can be slower and less comfortable for long highway journeys, and their knobby tires can be less stable on paved corners, especially in wet conditions.
Perfect Example: Honda CRF450L
Tell-tale signs: No fairing, often visibly dirty or mud-covered, riders often wearing off-road goggles.
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8. Classic Bikes
A classic motorbike is simply an older motorcycle. Defining “old” is subjective, but most motorcyclists consider bikes built before 1980 to be definitively classic. Subcategories exist within classics, such as veteran (pre-1915) and vintage (pre-1975 according to the Vintage Motorcycle Club, though American definitions may vary). Bikes from 1980 to 1995 can be considered modern classics, depending on their significance. A highly regarded bike like the 1992 Honda Fireblade is undoubtedly a modern classic, while a similarly aged Suzuki GS500 might not be.
Perfect Example: 1969 Triumph Bonneville T120
Tell-tale signs: No fairing, abundant chrome, riders sometimes carrying tool kits or spanners.
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9. Off-Road Bikes
Off-road motorbikes are purpose-built for off-road riding, with no compromises for street legality. They are lightweight, powerfully accelerating, equipped with sophisticated suspension systems, and fitted with knobby tires. Most are designed for competition in motocross (short, obstacle-filled tracks), enduro (longer, natural terrain courses), or trials (obstacle course navigation without foot contact). Some are used for recreational off-road riding, although their lack of street legality limits riding locations.
Perfect Example: KTM 450 SX-F
Tell-tale signs: No fairing, very high seat height, riders often wearing brightly colored riding gear.
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10. Scooter Bikes
Scooters are perhaps the most easily recognizable category, remaining largely unchanged since the original 1947 Vespa. Key features include small wheels, a step-through floorboard, and an automatic transmission. They are excellent for urban transport, offering good weather protection, ample under-seat storage, and ease of use without gears or a clutch – simply twist and go. Larger “maxi-scooters” are available, capable of higher speeds and highway travel.
Perfect Example: Honda PCX125
Tell-tale signs: Small diameter wheels, footboards, riders often dressed in everyday clothing like shirtsleeves.
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11. Moped Bikes
Technically, a moped is a motorcycle with pedals, but today the term generally refers to any motorbike with an engine under 50cc. In many regions, 16-year-olds can ride mopeds with basic training. Mopeds are typically speed-limited, making them less suitable for long distances, but they are fuel-efficient, ideal for city riding, and serve as an accessible entry point to motorcycling.
Perfect Example: Mash Roadstar 50
Tell-tale signs: Very small (50cc) engine, motorcycle styling, riders often operating at full throttle.
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12. Custom Bikes
A custom motorbike is one that has been intentionally and significantly altered in appearance. Customization ranges from artistic expressions and engineering feats to more questionable modifications. Distinct custom styles have emerged, each with its own aesthetic rules and enthusiasts. Choppers feature extended front forks and no rear suspension, trackers resemble dirt track racers, cafe racers evoke 1950s sports bikes, bobbers are stripped down and minimalist, and streetfighters are often sportsbikes modified with higher handlebars and removed fairings.
Perfect Example: Harley chopper
Tell-tale signs: Unique appearance, often featuring many custom-machined parts, riders often displaying pride in their unique machines.
