Whether you’re a veteran rider or a beginner motorcyclist, you shouldn’t let price tags get in the way of enjoying a great motorcycle ride when the highways, country backroads, and urban streets beckon.
Concerns that a good motorcycle is too expensive are gravely misguided. There are a slew of great bikes out there that won’t drain your bank account, including some of the latest electric motorcycles. Whether they’re gas-powered or plug-ins, don’t make the mistake of thinking cheap motorcycles are junk. Keep in mind that many of the affordable motorcycles out there are built by the same manufacturers that build $20,000-plus bikes for the serious rider, and also remember than you don’t need 1,200ccs to get mad motorcycling thrills.
Assess your present skill level, evaluate what kind of riding you will do, and consider your budget carefully. Get the best bike you can reasonably afford, but don’t think that you have to drop serious money to get a great bike.
What Is an Affordable Price For a Motorcycle?
Much of this depends on your budget, but anything under $10,000 equates to a manageable price for something that can provide the fun and freedom of a motorcycle. What you get is an extra commuter vehicle and an additional recreational vehicle all in one. An affordable moto doesn’t have to be your sole mode of transportation, and you have to consider the value it provides. Just because a bike costs $15,000 doesn’t mean it’s going to check most of the boxes. You can find a great motorcycle for less because so many manufacturers are infusing their bikes with great design, excellent engines and chassis, solid levels of tech, and excellent ride quality, handling, and steering for attainable prices.
The Best Affordable Motorcycles You Can Buy
CSC RX4 Adventure
It’s hard to imagine an ADV touring bike would be any good for a hair less than $5,000, but the RX4 Adventure is surprisingly so. It takes on the open road and hard pack dirt like a pricier bike, and both the riding position and aerodynamics are excellent. The 450cc engine is smooth and ready to take on the miles, while the standard hard bags mean you can be excursion ready right away. While the clutch might not be the easiest to feather in urban situations, it might just be one of the best ADV bikes for this little money. It even comes with ABS.
Buy Now $4,995
Ryvid Anthem
One of the coolest electric bikes about to hit the market also happens to be remarkably affordable at a $7,800 asking price. It’s no bare bones electric moto, either. The beautiful frame is crafted with a truly head-turning and innovative folded metal design, and the Anthem comes with a removable 4.3 kWh battery battery that lets you undock it and charge up wherever you happen to be. There’s also an Ergo-Easy seat that adjusts while you ride, a 4.9-inch TFT display screen, a 75-mile range, and a top speed of over 75 mph.
Buy Now $7,800
2020 Royal Enfield Continental GT 650
This cafe racer nods to the London bike culture of the 1950s. It’s crazy affordable, fun to helm on the straights and twisties, and it looks positively smashing. The 650cc parallel-twin engine and 270-degree crank make the GT 650 a blast to throttle, and the heads you’ll turn with the vivid color choices mean it’s eye candy to onlookers, as well. For the money, it’s hard to imagine a bike that’s this fun for pros and novices alike.
Buy Now $6,349
Yamaha YZF-R3
The YZF-R3 proves you can get a truly magnificent sport bike for hardly any money at all. Based on the more powerful YZF R-1, the R-3 looks like a barely smaller clone and often gets mistaken for a more potent sport bike. The 320cc inline-twin good for 36 horsepower has great mid-range punch, and it’s still remarkably easy to ride, even for beginners. While it might not be a rocket out of the gates, it’s nimble and a blast to run through the esses. The R-3 also comes with dual-zone ABS, an advanced sport suspension, and traction control.
Buy Now $5,499
CFMOTO 650 ADVentura
The 650 ADVentura is one of those bikes that make you scratch your head in the best of ways. It has a potent 649cc parallel-twin engine good for a robust 60 horses, and it’s seriously competent on twisty roads as it is off-road. It comes with an adjustable windscreen, a vivid TFT display, LED lighting, a slip/assist clutch, ABS, Pirelli tires, and hard-shell bags. The price still undercuts the competition by thousands.
Buy Now $6,799
BMW F900 R
While $8,995 might not seem like a low price in the affordable motorcycle set, what you get makes the new F900 R a tremendous value. Not only is it significantly better than the previous generation, but it offers thrilling acceleration while inspiring confidence in riders of all levels. Its parallel twin engine is so thrilling, it sounds and feels like a V-twin. The chassis is unflappable, and the bike’s handling is comparable to motos costing far more.
Buy Now $8,900
Honda Navi
The diminutive Navi makes the Grom look like a Harley Fat Boy, but it’s so good this way. At less than $2,000, the Navi is a tiny hoot. The 109cc engine is spritely and gets mated to an automatic CVT for beginner rider heaven. For starter motorcyclists who worry about managing a big bike with too much power, the Navi is just the opposite but still super fun. Eight horsepower won’t blow your hair back, but when it only has to move 236 pounds of moto weight, it will surely elicit some serious grins.
Buy Now $1,807
Cake Ösa Flex
The Ösa Flex is unconventional, and not just because it’s electric. It might be more like a robotic mule than a motorbike because it can carry heavy loads, charge up devices and power tools, and charge on-the-fly thanks to its removable battery pack. It also has rugged dual-sport tires, a proprietary suspension setup, intelligent battery management, and the ability to power from zero to 80 percent in two hours and 100 percent in a mere three hours. Everything on the bike is controllable via the CAKE Connect App, too.
Buy Now $8,880
