Motorcycles are better than ever in this modern era, and finding a truly bad motorcycle these days is more uncommon than at any time in motorcycling. With so much good, finding the best takes serious effort. In fact, it takes a year of testing, months of discussion, hours and hours of studying data, and many meetings. This year, as we do every year, we test new models, pit top performers against each other, and work hard to solidify the list of just 10 motorcycles that define the very best of motorcycling. This is Cycle World Ten Best Bikes 2024.
For nearly five decades, CW‘s editors have chosen a single bike in 10 categories as the best. Those categories have changed and evolved to remain relevant to the current motorcycle market. On top of deliberating on the bike choices, we must first determine if the categories still make sense. And this year we’ve made a change: Best Superbike has been replaced by Best Sportbike as the number of fully fledged literbike repli-racers limits our choices. It’s a big change to Ten Best, but it allows for a wider selection of knee-dragging goodness.
Each category has specific criteria including intended usage and displacement. In some, price is considered for value; in others, price is irrelevant when focus and mission take center stage. No decision is made lightly here and every choice is scrutinized. Cycle World Ten Best Bikes 2024 is the culmination of taking the most fun activity ever very, very seriously.
Close your eyes and think of adventure motorcycles. Chances are high that you saw a BMW GS—and for good reason. Since the introduction of the R80 G/S in 1981, BMW has ruled the big-bore ADV scene on sales floors and in the riding public’s eye. With an all-round capability that ticks more boxes and covers more riding scenarios than all others, BMW found the recipe for success in big boxer-powered adventure bikes.
BMW wholly revamped its largest-displacement adventure bike with the R 1300 GS. It’s slimmer, lighter, and more agile, but gives up none of the comfort that helped the R 1250 GS Adventure earn a CW Best Touring Motorcycle award in 2019. The new engine with more displacement and power absolutely shreds, but the engine–and the chassis–retain their essential GS-ness.
What is “GS-ness”? The uncanny ability to quietly deliver long-haul comfort, rail a curvy, max-lean backroad on command, or be so confidence inspiring and capable off-road to allow more people to ride farther than they ever have. This balance and versatility is what’s always made the GS great, but the expansion of the bike’s performance this year is remarkable and what lands it on this elite list.
BMW continues to give the public what it wants and needs in an adventure motorcycle making it a capable all-rounder that can be all things to a wide cross section of riders in the ADV world. That’s why it is the Cycle World Best Adventure Bike 2024.
We knew that Suzuki had a hit on its hands when it introduced the 776cc parallel-twin engine that now powers six models in its lineup. This platform was introduced in 2023 with the V-Strom 800 family—which now includes four submodels—alongside the GSX-8S that won this very Ten Best in 2023. Next in line was the fully faired, practical, and comfortable 2024 GSX-8R sportbike.
After riding the the 8R early in the year both on the track and on the street we were impressed. But we also knew that we needed to put it head-to-head in a shootout to determine if it was as good as we suspected. In the early summer we conducted a multiday comparison test against the also-new Triumph Daytona 660 and Yamaha’s YZF-R7. When the ballots were counted, the GSX-8R was a unanimous winner.
What we love about the GSX-8R is its flexibility. The days of hardcore supersport machines that can slay a racetrack with pinpoint accuracy, but are compromised when it comes to everyday practicality have faded from favor. The 8R is far more comfortable, practical, and better performing in the real world of commuting, errand running, and weekend sport riding than a 600 Supersport. But as we found out, the GSX-8R is a capable machine on the racetrack as well.
The key to its success is the torquey and easy-to-ride nature of the engine, and sporty yet stable and forgiving chassis, good suspension and brakes, class-leading electronics, and ergonomics that work just about anywhere you want to ride the bike. The Suzuki GSX-8R is the most well-rounded middleweight motorcycle we rode all year.
The sportbike world is all about numbers. How much does the bike weigh? How much power does it make? And most importantly, what lap times can it produce? In choosing the Best Sportbike of 2024, we took these things into consideration while also asking much broader questions, like: “If we could take any sportbike to our next trackday, which bike would we be most excited to roll out of the van?” The answer was KTM’s RC 8C.
Developed exclusively for the track, the RC 8C embodies KTM‘s “Ready to Race” philosophy. A modified version of KTM’s 890cc parallel twin delivers more power and a higher rev ceiling, while a phenomenally light 313-pound wet weight offers an almost unparalleled sense of immediacy when charging between apexes. If 200 hp superbikes are blunt-force weapons, then the RC 8C is a precision scalpel offering surgical accuracy only found in purpose-built racebikes.
Mechanical grip is available in spades, but lean-sensitive rider aids are there if you need them. The rest of the build sheet reads like a racer’s dream come true: WP Apex Pro suspension is paired to ultralightweight Dymag forged aluminum wheels, Brembo Stylema front brake calipers, a Brembo 19RSC Corsa Corta master cylinder, and a seemingly endless supply of crash protection. The attention to detail across all aspects of the bike is immediately noticeable too. Nothing was added at random, but chosen specifically for its ability to cut lap times.
The end result is a bike that delivers an experience unlike anything else available directly from a manufacturer. And while, yes, the RC 8C may be available in limited quantities, that small number of machines will leave an oversize mark on the sportbike world, all the while redefining the definition of Best Sportbike.
Twelve. That is the number of months between Aprilia unveiling its RS 457 and the bike being named Cycle World‘s Best Lightweight Streetbike of 2024. Beginner’s luck? Lack of competition? No, and absolutely not. In fact, the lightweight category is one of the most hotly contested segments in motorcycling right now. So how does a rookie become MVP?
Family ties lay the foundation. Yes, the 457 is an all-new bike, but in borrowing design language and technology from the venerable RSV4 and RS 660, Aprilia has powered through the awkward development stage that can stifle new bikes. The result is a motorcycle that caters to entry-level riders while offering a sense of richness not typically found in the small-displacement category; this is not a big bike, but dimensions, lines, and features tell you it’s more than a budget-focused starter bike that riders will quickly outgrow.
A liquid-cooled 457cc parallel-twin engine and cast aluminum twin-spar frame bolster the experience. The former offers smooth power delivery and a rewarding top-end rush, and the latter an incredible sense of stability, especially when matched to the bike’s taut suspension. These are expected traits from any sportbike, but in this platform there’s a perceptible edge to every last component—an edge not typically found on lightweight streetbikes, let alone a rookie to the class. Then again, the RS 457 isn’t your typical entry into the two-wheeled world. It’s a deserving MVP, and quite simply, the Best Lightweight Streetbike of 2024.
There is no prerequisite in the Cycle World Ten Best rule book that a motorcycle must make you laugh inside your helmet to be a title contender—but it sure helps. The Ducati Streetfighter V4 S’ return to the top of the Open-Class Streetbike category is proof.
Technically, it’s not a “return,” since last year’s crown went to the flashier Streetfighter V4 SP2. Carbon fiber wheels and a dry clutch added to that bike’s charm, but factor in the S model’s performance—available at a lower price—and you have a bike that’s every bit as deserving of the spotlight. Put simply, your wallet will love this year’s winner even more, while your adrenal glands will be none the wiser.
Keep in mind, performance isn’t the only weapon in the Streetfighter’s arsenal. The monstrous, 1,103cc V-4 delivers a 173 hp and 75 lb.-ft. of torque on the Cycle World dyno and makes noises that’d rival the Roman army as it marched into battle, but behind that bark is a surprisingly comfortable saddle and an electronics package that effortlessly turns power into forward momentum, street or track. The chassis is precise but doesn’t ask too much of the rider, brakes stop you right now, and the design is hard to stop drooling over.
It’s the Streetfighter’s ability to blend superbike performance with real-world rideability that truly sets it apart. And if there was ever a prerequisite for Best Open-Class Streetbike, it’s the ability to be more things to more riders, all the while making you laugh inside your helmet. Check, check, and check!
The right enduro for the task is heavily influenced by where you live and the terrain you ride. The contrast between the deserts of the western US, the tight and twisty woods of the Southeast, and the mountains of Colorado, Utah, and Idaho, are dramatic. Even so, 300cc two-strokes continue to thrive both in competition and for the weekend warrior. But what if the best attributes of the 300cc two-stroke could be combined with the bottomless power of a 450cc four-stroke? The answer to that question is found in the KTM 450 XCF-W.
The 450 XCF-W uses an engine based on the one found in the 450 SX-F and 450 XC-F four-stroke competition models. But whereas the SX-F is tuned for the aggressive delivery needed in motocross and supercross, the XCF-W is tuned for enduro competition and off-road riding. What that equates to is very good low to midrange power delivery but with the top end you’d expect from a 450. The optional map select switch unlocks two engine tunes, traction control, and a quickshifter, providing even more control over the motorcycle.
For 2024, the XCF-W was updated with a new off-road-optimized frame, a new hollow, die-cast swingarm, and new triple clamps. But the suspension received big updates as well, with a new WP Xact fork and Xplor shock that improved ride quality and performance. The fork in particular was a huge improvement offering much better holdup, while providing plush sensitivity over rocks and roots.
What makes the 450 XCF-W so good is that it takes the best attributes of a 450, like bottomless power, and makes the delivery smooth and predictable down low, allowing you to chug through rocks and over roots with the tractability of a 300 two-stroke. But when the trail opens up and you twist the throttle, the engine barks with amazing top-end power. Combined with the sweet-handling chassis and much improved suspension, and you end up with the best four-stroke enduro that we’ve ever ridden and the Best Enduro of 2024.
The very name “standard,” at least as it pertains to motorcycles, has not only been around seemingly forever, but is also about as ambiguous as classifications come. It’s kind of been the catchall for unfaired streetbikes that are simply well-rounded, do-it-all machines. For the past decade, Triumphs have dominated this category in our Ten Best voting, carding six trophies with a variety of bikes. But the category has also been home over the years to what we typically call “nakeds.”
It shouldn’t be a surprise that for 2024 a naked Yamaha snatches a Ten Best for its awesome MT-09 SP, but what is surprising is that it had been nine years since its predecessor the FZ-09 grabbed the award. For 2024, Yamaha updated the MT-09 platform with some key changes that made an already very good bike great. But then Yamaha took it a step further and really fine-tuned the up-tier SP model to near perfection.
In the case of the MT-09 SP, the $1,700 increase in price takes the $12,299 bike to a much higher level of performance for not that much additional money. Compared to the base model, the SP gets a fully adjustable Öhlins shock, up-spec KYB fork (also fully adjustable), Brembo Stylema front brake calipers, keyless ignition, additional rider aids and control, and special finishes and paint. These changes really transform the MT-09 into a much sharper-performing motorcycle.
If there is one thing that hasn’t changed, it’s our love for Yamaha’s CP3 inline-triple engine. We’ve applauded its flexibility and fun nature for more than a decade and little has changed our opinion there, but over time small refinements have improved it further. It’s spicy, fun, and satisfying without being intimidating. Combined with an excellent chassis, top-level electronics, and very comfortable ergonomics, the MT-09 SP is happy just about anywhere you want to ride, from commuting to trackdays and everything in between.
For 25 years Harley-Davidson has been producing its limited-edition Custom Vehicle Operations models, and along the way The Motor Company has had a habit of debuting engines and features that trickle down onto the mainstream models thereafter. For instance, as Harley’s engines have crept up in displacement, those upgrades usually appear on the CVOs first.
With the popularity of the MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers Championship, and Harley-Davidson’s involvement, it was only a matter of time before we got a model inspired by the lessons learned in that circle. The result is the 2024 CVO Road Glide ST, a model that features the unique 121 High Output engine (without the VVT found on some 121s), up-spec suspension, enhanced electronics, and reduced weight. A high-performance cam and increased redline help produce a claimed 127 hp at 4,900 rpm and 145 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 4,000 rpm.
If King of the Baggers is part of the influence, then the bike has to have a chassis that walks the walk as well, and the ST does. A 47mm Showa inverted fork and a pair of remote-reservoir shocks, all fully adjustable, contribute to a machine that defies logic in terms of handling, especially considering its not-insignificant 838-pound weight. A Brembo braking package all the way around is fully up to the task of slowing the machine on the road or, as we found out, on the track.
Beyond the engine and chassis upgrades, like all CVOs, the ST is equipped with a long list of special parts, features, and finishes that give the bike a totally unique look and character that CVO buyers have come to expect. But unlike so many CVOs of the past, the Road Glide ST is more about go than show and is without doubt the most badass production bagger we’ve ever thrown a leg over.
For the past four years Honda’s Gold Wing Tour DCT has locked down this category, but in the five years prior to that our choices were all over the map with sport-tourers, adventure bikes, and a bagger. What that tells us is “touring” can mean many things to many people. If there is one thing that brings all of these subgenres together, it’s the ability to travel long distances in comfort and carry necessities for overnight trips.
We’ve had to wait a year to put Yamaha’s Tracer 9 GT+ on the ballot, as it was an early release 2024 when we rode it in 2023, but we didn’t forget about the impression it made on us. Take Yamaha’s awesome CP3 engine, which also powers this year’s winner of Best Standard, and throw it into one of the most technologically advanced sport-tourers available, and how could we not give this bike kudos?
There are a ton of über-expensive European models with similar tech, but few of them deliver the same level of performance and features at the Tracer 9 GT+‘s price point. At $16,499, there isn’t another motorcycle on the market that offers millimeter-wave-radar enabled Adaptive Cruise Control or the GT+’s Radar-linked Unified Braking System. These up-market features are just the tip of the Tracer’s amenities iceberg.
Other standard features include a full suite of rider aids (without upgrade tiers), an up/down quickshifter, and electronic KYB suspension that is linked to the braking and cruise control systems to reduce dive when adjusting speed. There is also a fully customizable and beautiful 7-inch TFT display, new easy-to-navigate menus and controls, and standard luggage. The ergonomics are adjustable with options for the seat, bars, and footpegs. But best of all is the bike’s balance between weight, performance, and handling; the GT+ delivers in every category.
Following a total revamp last year, Yamaha‘s YZ450F returned with only graphic revisions for 2024, but it didn’t need any mechanical changes to retain its title of Cycle World‘s Best Motocrosser for a second consecutive year.
Its fuel-injected liquid-cooled DOHC four-stroke 450cc single-cylinder engine utilizes a reverse cylinder head design to produce 55.3 hp and 33.0 lb.-ft. of torque at the rear wheel on Cycle World‘s in-house dyno. With a class-leading horsepower figure like that as well as being top three among its peers in peak torque, riders need only focus on managing the YZ450F’s aggressive power delivery to blow by the competition.
The Tuning Fork brand takes suspension seriously as well, spec’ing the best stock components around in the form of a KYB Speed Sensitive System (SSS) 48mm coil-spring fork and KYB shock. This suspension blends comfort and performance with a plush feel and plenty of holdup.
At 242 pounds wet on our racing scales, Yamaha is the lightest 450cc motocross bike from Japan and feels very much that way on track. This is one sharp-handling motorcycle that rails through turns with little effort, yet maintains impressive stability on straightaways. YZ450F riders who don’t manage to grab the holeshot can take advantage of the bike’s remarkable slimness from front to rear to squeeze their way through the field to the front of the pack, which is where this capable machine belongs.