Best overall KTM 390 Duke $5899
Highest overall score (82/100) — the strongest balance of specs, value and recency in this group.
See on Amazon →Independent · sourced · Updated July 2026
Best Motorcycles (2026)
The best overall motorcycle is KTM 390 Duke ($5899). The best value motorcycle is Kawasaki Ninja 500 ($5299). The cheapest is Kawasaki Ninja 500 at $5299. 10 motorcycles compared from $5299 to $24999 across 10 brands — every figure sourced, updated July 2026.
10 motorcycles compared on the specs that matter and US price — ranked cheapest-first. Every spec and price links to its source and the date we captured it.
Our data Across the 10 motorcycles we priced, the most expensive lists for 23% more than the best-specced one — BMW R 1300 GS at $20,395 — so the premium mostly buys the badge, not better hardware. Premium Myth study, as of July 2026.
Which motorcycle should you buy?
Three buyer-intent picks from the algorithmic ranking below — no paid placement.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified 2026-07-11; live price may differ.
Key takeaways
- Lowest price: Kawasaki Ninja 500 at $5299 (Base US MSRP $5,299 for the 2024 Kawasaki Ninja 500 (non-ABS). Cycle World states "Ninja 500 non-ABS ($5,299)" and lists "MSRP: $5,299 / $5,699–$5,899 (ABS)"; Motorcycle.com lists "2024 Kawasaki Ninja 500 Base $5,299 MSRP" (ABS variant $5,699). Excludes destination charge ($450 per Motorcycle.com).).
- Typical price: from $5299, median $12945, up to $24999 — across 10 priced.
- Tracked: 10 products across 10 brands, current through 2026-07-11.
- Compared on: Motorcycle type, Engine displacement cc, Engine configuration, Horsepower hp, Torque lb (ft), Seat height (in).
Best by the numbers
Objective winners — each is the leader on one measured spec, with the figure. No subjective ranking.
- Lowest price: Kawasaki Ninja 500 ($5299)
- Newest: Harley-Davidson Street Glide (2026)
- Highest horsepowerHp: BMW R 1300 GS (145 horsepowerHp)
- Lowest wetWeightLbs: KTM 390 Duke (363.8 wetWeightLbs)
- Highest fuelCapacityGal: Harley-Davidson Street Glide (6 fuelCapacityGal)
- Highest transmissionSpeeds: Harley-Davidson Street Glide (6 transmissionSpeeds)
Top 3 by quality
An algorithmic overall ranking from the data on this page — value for money, spec strength, and recency. 100% data-driven, no paid placement.
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KTM 390 Duke Quality score 82/100 Best value -
Kawasaki Ninja 500 Quality score 65/100 Best value -
Suzuki GSX-8S Quality score 60/100 Newest
How we rank: Value 45% · Spec strength 35% · Recency 20%. Scores are computed only within this category from published specs and prices — never influenced by commissions or placement. Method & open data →
What to look for
How to read the comparison — what each key spec means and the range across these motorcycles.
- Horsepower hp — higher is better (this group: 45 to 145).
Comparison
| Compare | # | Motorcycle | Price | Motorcycle type | Engine displacement cc | Engine configuration | Horsepower hp | Torque lb (ft) | Seat height (in) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kawasaki Ninja 500 | $5299 | sport | 451 | parallel-twin | 51 | 31.7 | 30.9 | cycleworld.com | |
| 2 | KTM 390 Duke | $5899 | naked | 398.7 | single | 45 | — | 32.3 | ktm.com | |
| 3 | Suzuki GSX-8S | $9249 | naked | 776 | parallel-twin | — | — | 31.9 | suzukicycles.com | |
| 4 |  Yamaha MT-09 | $10899 | naked | 890 | inline-3 | — | 68.6 | 32.5 | yamahamotorsports.com | |
| 5 |  Triumph Bonneville T120 | $12895 | — | 1200 | parallel-twin | 79 | 77.4 | 31.1 | triumphmotorcycles.com | |
| 6 |  Ducati Monster | $12995 | naked | 937 | v-twin | 111 | 69 | 32.3 | ducati.com | |
| 7 |  Indian Scout | $13999 | cruiser | 1250 | v-twin | 105 | 82 | 26.8 | cyclenews.com | |
| 8 |  Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin | $15199 | adventure | 1084 | parallel-twin | — | — | 34.3 | powersports.honda.com | |
| 9 |  BMW R 1300 GS | $20395 | adventure | 1300 | boxer-twin | 145 | 110 | 33.4 | bmwmotorcycles.com | |
| 10 |  Harley-Davidson Street Glide | $24999 | touring | — | v-twin | 105 | 130 | — | harley-davidson.com |
Specs are as published by the manufacturer (or a reputable spec source where the official page was unavailable); prices are US launch MSRP. Full per-product records and all spec columns are in our open dataset.
Popular comparisons
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest motorcycle?
Kawasaki Ninja 500 is the cheapest at $5299 (Base US MSRP $5,299 for the 2024 Kawasaki Ninja 500 (non-ABS). Cycle World states "Ninja 500 non-ABS ($5,299)" and lists "MSRP: $5,299 / $5,699–$5,899 (ABS)"; Motorcycle.com lists "2024 Kawasaki Ninja 500 Base $5,299 MSRP" (ABS variant $5,699). Excludes destination charge ($450 per Motorcycle.com).), as of 2026-07-11.
How much does motorcycles cost?
Across the 10 motorcycles with a published price, the median is $12945, ranging from $5299 to $24999, as of 2026-07-11.
Which motorcycle is best by the numbers?
Lowest price: Kawasaki Ninja 500 ($5299). Newest: Harley-Davidson Street Glide (2026). Highest horsepowerHp: BMW R 1300 GS (145 horsepowerHp).
How many motorcycles are compared here?
10 motorcycles across 10 brands, with US price and key specs, current through 2026-07-11.
What is the best overall motorcycle?
KTM 390 Duke ($5899) — Highest overall score (82/100) — the strongest balance of specs, value and recency in this group.
What is the best value motorcycle?
Kawasaki Ninja 500 ($5299) — Most specification per dollar of any motorcycles here at $5299.
What is the most capable motorcycle?
BMW R 1300 GS ($20395) — Leads this group on the measured specs — a premium pick at $20395.
More hardware comparisons
How we compiled this
Covers street-legal, currently-sold two-wheeled motorcycles offered at a published US MSRP. Excludes scooters, mopeds, off-road-only / closed-course competition bikes, three-wheelers, and side-by-sides. Price is base US MSRP in USD, excluding destination and setup. motorcycleType is the manufacturer/segment class as an enum (cruiser, touring, sport, sport-touring, adventure, naked, standard, dual-sport). engineDisplacementCc is total engine displacement in cubic centimeters (cc). engineConfiguration is an enum describing cylinder layout (single, parallel-twin, v-twin, inline-3, inline-4, v4, boxer-twin). horsepowerHp is manufacturer-claimed peak crankshaft power in horsepower (hp); null if not disclosed. torqueLbFt is manufacturer-claimed peak torque in pound-feet (lb-ft); null if not disclosed. seatHeightIn is standard/unladen seat height in inches. wetWeightLbs is curb / wet weight (all fluids and full fuel tank) in pounds; if the maker lists only dry weight, that is noted in provenance. fuelCapacityGal is fuel tank capacity in US gallons. transmissionSpeeds is the number of forward gears as an integer. finalDrive is an enum (chain, belt, shaft). coolingType is an enum (liquid, air, oil-air). absEquipped is a boolean: true if anti-lock braking is standard equipment.
Last verified 2026-07-11. We re-check published specs and prices on a recurring cadence and update this page when they change.
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