Cycle World Ten Best Bikes 2023

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Cycle World Ten Best Bikes 2023 (Jeff Allen/)

We have a lot of fun at Cycle World, to the point that sometimes it feels like we should be paying to do this rather than getting paid. Whether we’re in the western wilds testing ADV motorcycles or searching for tenths of a second at the track or taking it low and slow cruising across the Great Plains, we count our blessings. Nonetheless, we are dead serious about how we test motorcycles. Since that first issue in January 1962, one core tenet for CW has not changed: Serve the reader with the best independent testing of motorcycles as is humanly possible. Our staff spends the year riding, measuring, weighing, timing, and comparing to find real information for every test and comparison, and ultimately to be prepared with candidates and arguments for our annual Cycle World Ten Best Bikes.

Now, we’re just two years shy of a half century of Ten Best Bikes. The Class of 2023 has some returning stalwarts, but also some new models that just knocked our riding socks off—a tough thing to do these days as bike design, engineering, and performance continue to advance at a breakneck pace.

We don’t come to these conclusions easily or flippantly. Thousands of miles, buckets of sweat, and many days of testing rest behind each decision and the awards that follow. It’s a tough job, but we wouldn’t trade it for any other.

Cycle World presents Ten Best Bikes 2023.

Best Adventure Bike: 2023 KTM 890 Adventure R

KTM’s 890 Adventure R excels in off-road situations while providing plenty of touring comfort. (Jeff Allen/)

The adventure bike category isn’t hemmed in by engine-displacement limitations. Our definition is a machine that can explore off highway while providing more comfort and touring capability than a dedicated dirt bike. We’ve ridden a ton of miles on the KTM’s 890 Adventure R this past year, and very few others find the balance this bike offers.

There are a lot of motorcycles in this class—very big to very small. Some, like the KTM 1290 Super Adventure R or S and BMW R 1250 GS—weigh considerably more and are better suited to long-distance touring with more creature comforts. But none of them can hold a candle to the 890 R when tires hit the dirt.

Excellent and beefy WP suspension offers a level of confidence that big bikes can’t match when bouncing through rock fields, over roots, and in ruts. The chassis mimics the traits of an off-road enduro with excellent front-end agility and composure combined with grip that makes the bike feel as close to a dedicated off-roader as anything in the class.

Cycle World Best Adventure Bike 2023: KTM 890 Adventure R. (Jeff Allen/)

KTM’s LC8c engine delivers stout power and torque and rarely leaves one desperate for more. Tractable delivery to the rear tire means it easily finds grip even when the rider aids are turned way down. The 890 R has a comprehensive suite that allows the rider to dial the intervention to their liking for almost any riding situation from singletrack to fast open asphalt twisties.

Despite its short windscreen, the 890 R competently fulfills the role of a touring machine, with a comfortable riding position, available cruise control, and a large fuel tank that provides 230 miles of range. The KTM 890 Adventure R is a bike that can truly take you anywhere you want to go.

Best Lightweight Streetbike: 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR

A 15,000-plus rpm redline and track-ready equipment make the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR unique in the lightweight sportbike segment. (Jeff Allen/)

We didn’t see this bike on the horizon prior to its announcement last year. But this flashback to the 400cc inline-four Japanese repli-racers of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s is a welcome surprise. While the herd of hardcore sportbikes seems to be slowly getting thinned out, with parallel-twin-powered machines taking their spot, Kawasaki has kept them alive with the Ninja ZX-6R, ZX-10R, and now this ZX-4RR. But there has never been such a high-spec lightweight sportbike like the 4RR sold in the US, and for this bike’s introduction we are thankful.

Unlike its stablemate, the street-oriented parallel-twin-powered Ninja 400, the ZX-4RR is a high-spec, racetrack-ready sportbike. Despite having a steel frame and not a twin-beam aluminum unit, the rest of the chassis is fitted with high-performance components. A fully adjustable Showa Separate Function Big Piston fork and a fully adjustable Showa Balance Free Rear Cushion (BFRC) shock are more than capable of tackling trackdays right off the showroom floor. Also contributing to the bike’s track worthiness is the braking package, which includes a pair of Nissin four-piston radial-mount Monoblock calipers and 290mm discs up front.

Long live the inline-four! (Jeff Allen /)

But the real jewel is the 399cc liquid-cooled DOHC 16-valve inline-four that revs to a sky-high 15,000-plus rpm redline. Like the chassis, the engine in the 4RR has a lot of high-spec details such as lightweight cast-aluminum pistons, case-hardened connecting rods, and precision machined combustion chambers. Supporting the engine is a simple but effective rider-aid package with four integrated riding modes including a customizable Rider mode, three available traction-control settings, and two power settings.

Riders looking for a fun high-performance machine to ride at trackdays or on twisty mountain roads—who also relish the challenge of a great handling smaller-displacement machine—should definitely consider the 4RR. It will make you a better rider while saving you big money on your tire bill.

Best Middleweight: 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S

Suzuki’s GSX-8S is the just one of now three models powered by an absolutely masterful 776cc parallel twin. (Jeff Allen/)

Sometimes a motorcycle comes along that changes the DNA of a company. For Suzuki, the bike that has defined its modern history is the GSX-R. Since the mid-’80s, that bike more than any other is synonymous with the Hamamatsu brand. But times, trends, and buying habits change. And though Suzuki hasn’t always been the quickest to embrace change, the creation of its latest clean-sheet design 776cc parallel-twin engine has given the company a platform to take it into the future.

Middleweight sportbikes, whether fully faired or naked, have traditionally offered good performance married to excellent value, in packages that are friendly to a wide variety of riders. Suzuki’s GSX-8S fits that blueprint perfectly, but there is no question that the engine is the 8S’ jewel. This fully modern design offers broad tractable torque and good top-end power that makes perfect sense in a naked sportbike (or adventure bike or sportbike). Simple but effective electronic rider aids—enabled by ride-by-wire technology—are easily accessible via the full-color TFT display, with a trio of ride modes, and three TC settings.

Simple and satisfying with a price tag that seems inflation missed, the 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S is Cycle World’s Best Middleweight for 2023. (Jeff Allen/)

The chassis keeps things simple as well, with the only available suspension adjustment rear preload to the KYB shock. Braking is provided by a pair of radial-mount Nissin calipers up front that offer solid performance when blitzing a twisty backroad.

The GSX-8S is as much about redefining the trajectory of the company that makes it, as it is about filling a slot in Suzuki’s street lineup. And while it’s the engine that steals the show, the 8S proves that Suzuki is alive, healthy, and continues to tackle an ever-changing market. But more importantly, the GSX-8S is an excellent all-around middleweight that’s incredibly fun to ride, with a price tag that can only be labeled as a steal.

Best Open-Class Streetbike: 2023 Ducati Streetfighter V4 SP2

Ducat’s 2023 Streetfighter V4 SP2 dispatched all challengers in a two-part showdown to become Cycle World Best Open-Class Streetbike. (Jeff Allen/)

The overall winner of our two-part open-class naked comparison earlier this year gives us our winner for the Best Open-Class Streetbike category: Ducati’s Streetfighter V4 SP2. What ultimately set the SP2 apart from its competitors wasn’t just its otherworldly raw performance from the engine, chassis, and electronics, but the fact that it was also the most comfortable and practical to live with on a day-to-day basis.

Powering the Streetfighter V4 range is the same 1,103cc Desmosedici Stradale V-4 that produced an amazing 173 hp at 13,500 rpm and 75 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 9,300 rpm at the rear wheel on the Cycle World dyno. So if you don’t want to spring for the higher-spec versions, you at least would get the same identical engine and electronics package as our SP2.

Although it slays the track, the Streetfighter V4 SP2 is also great for daily commutes. (Jeff Allen/)

Backing up the V-4 is a comprehensive and class-leading electronics package. No other company is executing its rider-aid packages better than Ducati right now, and the SP2 drives the point home. From the TC to engine-delivery strategies, the SP2 is there to help you go quicker, not hold you back.

The SP2 comes equipped with an almost identical chassis to the V4 S with the same excellent Öhlins electronic suspension. Track or street, there was always an ideal setup available at the push of a button to optimize the chassis for the ride. The one key chassis upgrade from the S to the SP2 are the carbon fiber wheels; great to have on the highest-spec model, but not a deal breaker if you don’t.

Roll all of these attributes together and the result isn’t just one of the best naked sportbikes available, but one of the best streetbikes we’ve ever ridden.

Best Superbike: 2023 BMW M 1000 RR

More carbon fiber than a fighter jet, BMW’s M 1000 RR is the ultimate expression of the Berlin brand’s inline-four racer. (Jeff Allen/)

Superbikes offer unmatched riding performance, but the best superbikes go a step further by combining class-leading power with a level of refinement that makes them less demanding in use of that performance. Racing at the highest level helps here; teams push technical boundaries to make their bike faster, but also friendly enough to not wear out the rider. The reality? A fresh rider is a more potent rider in the closing stages of a race.

BMW Motorrad has found countless solutions to the superbike conundrum while competing in the Superbike World Championship and applied those learnings to the 2023 M 1000 RR ($39,435). Aerodynamics are the focus, the M RR’s tall windscreen and revamped carbon fiber fairings increasing top speed by a claimed 5 mph. This is without changes to the 999cc inline-four, ShiftCam-equipped powerplant that’s good for 189 hp on the Cycle World dyno. Wind tunnel and on-track testing has also brought about carbon fiber M brake ducts, optional M Aero wheel covers, and GP-inspired winglets, the latter BMW says offer nearly 50 pounds of downforce at 186 mph, and 12.6 pounds at 95 mph.

MotoGP-inspired winglets increase downforce while the new fairing shape makes the M 1000 RR slipperier and faster. (Jeff Allen/)

It’s impossible to overstate the beauty of the M 1000 RR as it sits trackside, from its carbon fiber down to the beautifully machined individual parts, but more impressive than the bike’s presence is its ability to help the rider effortlessly slash personal best lap times. Credit goes to the well-tuned chassis, Marzocchi suspension, and M-branded Nissin brakes that make this bike more than just an exercise in aerodynamic efficiency. Even more credit goes to the engineers who brought the bike to life, and in turn, raised the bar within the superbike class. Shocking as it might be to have something like the race-proven M 1000 RR available for track and street, we’re thankful machines like this exist. And that the sport continues to evolve.

Best Standard Motorcycle: 2023 Triumph Speed Twin

Triumph’s Speed Twin delivers sporting handling in an understated and clean classic motorcycle shape. (Jeff Allen/)

Many meetings and heated discussions were had regarding the Best Standard Motorcycle for 2023. Last year Triumph’s Speed Twin earned the distinction, and meeting after meeting pointed to the same result for 2023. There were some serious contenders, but after we rode all of the candidates, the Speed Twin has made CW’s Ten Best list for the third time in four years—not only for its surprisingly sporty handling and torquey 1,200cc parallel twin but for its historic standard style. It’s also a canyon-carving sleeper.

Versatility has been one of the key reasons the Speed Twin continues to be named one of Cycle World’s Ten Best Bikes. (Jeff Allen/)

Classic lines with a long tank and flat seat suggest a lazy Sunday ride, but the high-performance suspension with a 43mm Marzocchi inverted fork, Brembo M50 calipers on 320mm front rotors, and Metzeler Racetec RR tires suggest otherwise. A tall tubular handlebar gives commanding leverage with an upright stance and comfort while Triumph’s 1,200cc parallel-twin engine’s 92 hp and 78 lb.-ft. of torque offers ample thrust to cut it up with sportbike riders on winding backroads. Handling is staggeringly sharp and precise when at a sporting pace, but the chassis is also content bouncing around chewed-up downtown avenues.

Dressed up for an evening out or fully suited for a track session, the Speed Twin offers looks, sound, feel, performance, and versatility to make it truly stand out.

Best Enduro/Dual Sport: 2023 Husqvarna FE 350s

Husqvarna’s FE 350s is a phenomenal dirt bike—it’s street legality is a bonus. (Jeff Allen/)

Street-legal dirt bikes give off-road riders freedom to roam from trail to trail on the pavement, and one such machine that embodies that two-wheeled independence is Husqvarna’s FE 350s.

This motorcycle sends power to its 18-inch rear wheel with a fuel-injected liquid-cooled DOHC four-stroke 350cc single-cylinder engine that churns out 32.4 hp and 20.9 lb.-ft. of torque on Cycle World’s in-house dyno. Controllable but strong-enough low-end grunt and a mostly linear horsepower curve up to 8,400 rpm makes this one effective mill when getting up to speed.

Husqvarna’s 2023 FE 350s is one of the lightest dual sport motorcycles, weighing in at just 255 pounds on the CW scales. (Jeff Allen/)

Combining comfort and performance into one setting, the WP Xplor 48mm open-cartridge coil-spring fork and WP Xact shock offer a plush feel while maintaining sufficient holdup and bottoming resistance. Built around a double-cradle chromoly steel frame and two-piece composite carbon fiber subframe, the FE 350s is one quick-handling steed that also remains predictable at speed.

At 255 pounds wet on our racing scales, this is one of the lightest dual sports on the market. Premium components throughout such as a Pankl Racing Systems six-speed gearbox and ProTaper handlebar sweeten the deal that much more.

With a wide range of off-road performance and a license plate, the FE 350s isn’t just a great dual sport motorcycle—it’s a phenomenal dirt bike.

Best Cruiser: 2023 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide

Harley-Davidson’s CVO models have always been next level in specifications and trim, but for 2023 the CVO Road Glide is next-level for HD and cruising, period. (Jeff Allen/)

Yes, the CVO Road Glide is part of Harley-Davidson’s touring line, but if we don’t accept the Road Glide (and Street Glide) as cruisers also, we are doing a disservice to American riding, and to the millions of people who have bought a Glide bagger to tour and cruise.

There is an attitude and stance here that is undeniably cruiser.

The new 121ci engine brings variable valve timing and many other changes to the intake and exhaust systems that results in a very Harley-Davidson 45-degree V-twin, but with a much broader spread of power and a wider sweet spot across the rpm range. The CW-dyno-measured 120 lb.-ft. torque peak is spectacular, but so is the breadth of that curve, not to mention the 100 hp the engine also delivers. The main frame remains essentially the same as that used since 2008 and currently in use on Harley-Davidson’s championship-winning MotoAmerica King of the Bagger racebikes, but a new inverted fork and radial-mount floating Brembo brakes and longer-travel shocks elevate precision of steering and overall handing to a new level. Add Apple CarPlay and a large TFT information screen, plus ergonomic improvements, and you have some of the finest motorcycles ever made.

With 120 lb-ft. of torque on tap through most of the rev range, the CVO Road Glide leaves apexes with a hearty shove. (Jeff Allen/)

As CVOs with all these features and the next-level paint, parts, and other finishes, the Glide comes at a price—it’s easy to say $43,000 is crazy money, and it’s certainly at the top of the spectrum of most motorcycles. But H-D knows its customer, and even the optional “Whiskey Neat w/ Raven Metallic” that runs $6,000 extra has sold out.

What we end up with here are motorcycles with huge strides in refinement and performance that don’t lose any of their “Americanism.” Sixth gear, set the cruise and devour Kansas? Yes. Also for just about every other kind of riding. Add in style for days.

From bike night to big miles, welcome to Luxury Cruising.

Best Touring Bike: 2023 Honda Gold Wing Tour DCT

No motorcycle connects point A to B with the ease of a Gold Wing. (Jeff Allen/)

On good days in fine weather, even the worst motorcycles can be awesome. Bad days in horrible weather? Have to cover 500 miles anyway? Give us a Honda Gold Wing every time. It’s a touring motorcycle that makes you feel impervious when faced with the worst the world can offer, and rolls with spectacular ease when conditions are more inviting.

The above is just one of the essential reasons a Gold Wing in its many iterations since 1975 has been on the Ten Best Bikes winners list an amazing 25 times.

As ever, effortlessness defines the Gold Wing. Yes, it weighs 845 pounds ready to ride, but it carries its competitive full-rig-tourer weight like nothing else in its class. Its 1,833cc flat-six makes a ridiculous 108 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,200 rpm, with sublime engine response and a snarling sound when you rev it up. You don’t notice the linked brakes—you just stop with authority and control. Good cornering clearance, light, neutral steering, and unflappable stability work with the engine and brakes to make for a tremendously capable motorcycle. Rider and passenger accommodations (electrically adjustable windscreen, heated grips, excellent ergonomics, and super comfortable heated seats) are among the best ever to take humans on two wheels. It’s a great daily rider, or use it to carry your iron butt over the longest days.

Honda’s Gold Wing DCT is Cycle World’s Best Touring Bike for 2023, this is the 25th time it has been named a Ten Best. (Jeff Allen/)

Luggage capacity and passenger comfort were kicked up a notch a few years ago. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are there for your infotainment and comms needs. Like more than 80 percent of Gold Wing customers, we choose the seven-speed DCT because it is a perfect application of an excellent motorcycle automatic (or paddle shift, if you like) transmission. On a Gold Wing, all you need is a destination—you’ll be leaving from the top of the touring class in 2023.

Best Motocrosser: 2023 Yamaha YZ450F

An all-new chassis and redesigned engine moved Yamaha’s YZ450F motocrosser right to the front of the field. (Jeff Allen/)

Yamaha gave its YZ450F a complete overhaul for 2023 that included a fully redesigned engine, all-new chassis, narrower bodywork, revised suspension components, and 5-pound weight loss.

Utilizing a reverse cylinder head design, the fuel-injected liquid-cooled DOHC four-stroke 450cc single-cylinder engine pumps out 54.4 hp and 32.7 lb.-ft. of torque on the Cycle World dyno. Keeping the front wheel on the ground when accelerating can be a challenge due to its somewhat aggressive power delivery, but is tamable by using Yamaha’s free Power Tuner app.

Equipped with the best stock suspension in its class, the YZ-F wears a KYB Speed Sensitive System (SSS) 48mm coil-spring fork and KYB shock spec’d with a performance-based setting. In true racebike fashion, the harder you ride, the better it works. These components reward riders who push the pace with a plush feel.

The harder you ride the 2023 Yamaha YZ450F the better it works. (Jeff Allen/)

Hitting our scales at 242 pounds wet, the YZ450F is sharper-handling than ever and happily carves corners at a moment’s notice. This newfound agility makes it more maneuverable on the ground and in the air. Ergonomics are more agreeable than before with slimmer radiator shrouds and a flatter seat.

Grabbing the holeshot and pulling away from the competition is no small feat, but the YZ450F makes it a little easier with class-leading peak horsepower and suspension, and a nimble and lightweight chassis.

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[Fleck]

The GSX8-S must be fabulous to ride compared to the Hornet 750 it's £800 more money, 12kg heavier and 9bhp down on power and yet it's still better

I think some people just don't like Hondas

[Gerontious]

6 hours ago, Fleck said:

The GSX8-S must be fabulous to ride compared to the Hornet 750 it's £800 more money, 12kg heavier and 9bhp down on power and yet it's still better

I think some people just don't like Hondas

 

Or, it's because nobody involved with this article has ever ridden the Honda Hornet 750 as it has never been made available in the USA.

 

Blame Honda. Or American tastes.

 

They didn't seem to think it was worth launching the bike stateside. Not last year. or for 2024, either.

 

Its not just the Hornet that's missing. There is no 'Street' section on the Honda website. so an entire class of bikes is missing in America. No "CB". at all. They don't seem to think America wants modern UJMs or Muscle bikes like the CB1000

 

(Just one exception - CB500X - which is in the Adventure section)

 

But putting that slight issue to one side. This top 10 seems to be just a straw poll amongst the staff at this publication based on either bikes they have tested or bought as their own ride and then written up by the staff photographer. So, its safe to assume he took all the photos and is probably awfully pleased with them too.

 

I tend to find these sorts of polls an irrelevance. Theres often a huge bias towards some brands because of the sweeteners these brands throw at journalists at every launch. You are not going to talk down a bike if they gave you an all expenses paid trip to some exotic location for the launch and you want the same again next time.  launch reviews should always be treated with extreme scepticism and so should these sorts of polls.

Edited December 20, 2023 by Gerontious

[Nick the wanderer]

Not sure if you watch 'bike world' they did a thing with parallel twins recently. The Hornet wasn't on that either, too many parallel twins out there