The Best Motorcycles of 2025: Honda, Harley-Davidson, Ducati and More

“Gradually, then suddenly.” Since The Sun Also Rises, Hemingway’s signature quip has been used to describe everything from political upheaval to cultural change — or, for our purposes, industry in flux.

As with any list, our countdown of the year’s most important motorcycles is sure to ruffle a few feathers, if not for the selections then certainly for their order. Though perhaps it’s for the best.

After all, change is not always smooth nor welcome. But it is always on its way, first slowly before arriving all at once.

GP100: Gear Patrol’s annual roundup of the most important releases collects key watches, cars, outdoor gear and more. Browse the full list or catch up on last year’s winners.

7. A custom-level performance cruiser, straight from the factory

Indian Motorcycle

gp100 winner

2025 Indian Sport Chief RT

Specs

Curb Weight	714 lbs
Horsepower	74 hp
Peak Engine Torque	105 ft-lbs

• Starts at $22,499

As we’ve learned first-hand, Indian has an incredible knack for building beautiful bikes that feel custom right off the factory floor. 

The flex doesn’t get any bigger than with the Sport Chief RT, which elevates an already-awesome cruiser into a masterful blend of form and function.

Indian Motorcycle

All it took was curating the ultimate Sport Chief using the finest available accessories from the brand’s own catalog, particularly in the storage and audio departments.

The former manifests in two locking rigid saddlebags, color-matched and weatherproof and packing more than 10 gallons of space for riding gear, extra layers and other essentials. 

While they aren’t big enough for full-face helmets, they do fit half helmets, enabling you to take on a pillion at a moment’s notice.

Indian Motorcycle

The latter, meanwhile, comes to life via the PowerBand Audio Bluetooth Speaker, neatly wedged between the handlebars and fairing.

Controllable via a round 4-inch touchscreen, this system boasts two 2.5-inch speakers, one 4.5-inch subwoofer and two tweeters. 

The brand says it will deliver 90 watts of crystal clear audio, even at highway speeds, and in our own experience testing, they absolutely rock on this front. 

Indian Motorcycle

Rounding out the West Coast custom vibes are moto-style bars on machined six-inch risers, a 2-up high bolster seat and contrast cut, lightweight cast alloy wheels, 19 inches in front and 16 in back.

Don’t even get us started on the rumble of the Thunderstroke 116 V-twin, an air-cooled 1,890cc power plant that rocket-propels you from city to country and back, leaving a head-turning trail of style and sound in your wake.

6. An ADV that checks plenty of boxes, even if you never leave the street

Harley-Davidson

GP100 Winner

2025 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 ST

Specs

Curb Weight	542 lbs
Horsepower	150 hp
Peak Engine Torque	94 ft-lbs

• $19,999 at Harley-Davidson

More often than not, products designed for one environment blow up in another. Think Showa fishing gloves taking off in the climbing community or, more mainstream, The North Face’s Nupste jacket getting immortalized on city streets.

What these products have in common is unforeseen utility. One step ahead is the Pan America 1250 ST (short for “sport touring”), which recognizes that many compelling qualities of adventure bikes carry over to more refined climes.

Harley Davidson

Rolling out four years after Harley’s ground-breaking, GP100-worthy inaugural ADV, the original Pan America, the ST sands off the edges for those who dream of off-road glory but mainly stick to the tarmac.

Toward that end, it retains a lot of the OG’s most compelling features, including the Revolution Max 1250 engine Harley developed specifically for adventure bikes.

Harley Davidson

Integrated into the ST’s chassis as a load-bearing, weight-shaving, responsiveness-boosting element, it packs all the power and torque you need to break free from gridlock and zip out to twisties and trails where you can breathe.

Complementing that feature is the accessibility of a seat with adaptive ride height that can drop as low as 31.7 inches, an almost unreal figure for an ADV.

That’s especially true considering it still has 6.75 inches of suspension travel and 6.7 inches of ground clearance for navigating off-road terrain.

Harley-Davidson

Last but not least, while many ADVs scream “built for rugged adventure!” in a manner that blends into urban settings about as well as a ghillie suit might, the ST decidedly does not. 

No beak, no garish graphics, no goofy accessories — just one cool (and customizable) customer that can pretty much do it all without making a big fuss. Hallelujah.

5. A resounding shock to the moto world, courtesy of Italy’s finest

Ducati

GP100 Winner

Ducati V21L Solid State Prototype

Specs

Curb Weight	< 496 lbs
Horsepower	> 150 hp
Peak Engine Torque	TBD

• Learn More

Although Ducati has been fielding the V21L in MotoE for a few seasons now, this year’s Solid State prototype shook up the bike — and electric motorcycles as a whole — in a big way.

That’s because, with the addition of QuantumScape solid-state batteries, Ducati has unlocked capabilities from its EV two-wheeler the likes of which the industry has never seen before.

Ducati

Along with  844 Wh/L energy density, it is capable of just over 12-minute fast charging from 10 percent to 80 percent state of charge, as well as 10C continuous discharge rates.

What’s more, thanks to the data captured from 18 riders on the grid over three years of development, Ducati has managed to refine the V21L such that it shaved 8.2 kilograms (18.04 pounds) from the battery pack alone.

Ducati

Current electric motorcycles are hampered by slow charge times and frustrating ranges, though forward-thinking bikes like Ducati’s V21L Solid State Prototype are poised to make these issues a thing of the past.

4. An added third wheel to make adventure touring accessible

Can-Am

GP100 Winner

2025 Can-Am Canyon

Specs

Curb Weight	1,036 lbs
Horsepower	115 hp
Peak Engine Torque	96 lb-ft

• Starts at $25,299

While the concept of a three-wheeler in itself is nothing new, Can-Am pioneered an entire category with the Canyon. Equipped with plush adaptive suspension, underbody protection and rugged hard-sided luggage, it’s a highly adventurous vehicle in spirit.

As such, even though it’s technically suited more for gravel and dirt trail use rather than true off-road exploration (it’s rear-wheel drive), the vehicle is nevertheless a highly disruptive release.

Can-Am

By removing the need to balance, Can-Am has created a capable mile-munching adventure tourer — not unlike a heavy BMW GS — accessible to a much wider range of riders.

What’s more, Can-Am pairs a Rotax 1330 ACE inline-three engine with a six-speed semi-automatic transmission, so it offers plenty of grunt while providing beginner-friendly clutch-less operation.

Can-Am

Available in three different trim levels — base, XT and Redrock — and engineered with an abundance of Lynq points for everything from additional storage to action camera mounts, the Canyon is a vehicle that puts personalization first.

Can-Am

It’s an uncharacteristic take on the traditional adventure tourer, but it allows even beginners to get out there, explore parts unknown and return home safely.

3. An electric duo lowering the barrier to off-road bliss

Zero Motorcycles

GP100 Winner

Zero X Line (XE and XB)

Specs

Curb Weight	139 lbs (XB); 223 lbs (XE)
Horsepower	10 hp (XB); 20.1 hp (XE)
Peak Rear Wheel Torque	275 lb-ft (XB); 468 lb-ft (XE)

• Starts at $4,395

The OG electric motorcycle brand, Zero has been at this game for nearly two decades now. 

While they’ve garnered praise for their innovative street, supermoto and adventure bikes, price and range barriers have often stopped them short of perfection. 

Turns out the ideal venue for all their hard-won R&D is something that probably wasn’t even on the radar a few years back: lightweight dirt bikes.

Kyle Stojke / Zero Motorcycles

It’s true. We’ve enjoyed motos from the brand’s S, DS and FX Lines, but the two X Line offerings, the XB and XE, blew us away with how they welcome new riders to the off-road space (and grizzled vets to the electric space) by connecting on a bunch of levels.

The two sizes reduce intimidation for beginners while slaking the big bike thirst of experienced folks. (The former is especially true thanks to the XB’s 139-pound curb weight and 32.7-inch seat height.)

Zero Motorcycles

The shifting of all controls to the handlebars (throttle and front brake on the right, rear brake and, yes, reverse on the left) lets noobs step up to off-roading without the additional stress of shifting and braking with their feet while standing and sitting.

The unbelievable torque — several times greater than gas options — amps the adrenaline to 11 while the silent engines let you chat with friends mid-ride. 

Zero Motorcycles

The range (65 miles for the XE, 40 miles for the XB) is more than enough for a day in the backcountry, especially when you can swap in fresh batteries in seconds. 

It all adds up to a level of fun that far outweighs the fear, and that’s without even mentioning one of the biggest barrier-lowering factors: a starting price (for the XB) under $4,400.

2. A quintessential entry bike benefits from game-changing beginner tech

Honda

GP100 Winner

2026 Honda Rebel 300 E-Clutch

Specs

Curb Weight	379 lbs
Horsepower	27 hp
Peak Engine Torque	18 lb-ft

• $5,349 at Honda

The Rebel is ubiquitous in the motorcycle world on account of its beginner-friendly approachability, unwavering Honda reliability and affordable price point. With the introduction of the updated CMX300 in 2017, the Big Red only improved on the formula through an updated  286cc engine and optional ABS.

As part of the latest update to the Rebel platform, Honda treated the diminutive bobber to its trick E-Clutch automation technology. In practice, this means that, while shifting is required, the clutch is an optional affair, allowing riders to focus instead on balance, signaling and other necessary bike operations.

Honda

However, because of the E-Clutch’s unobtrusive design, the Rebel 300 also gives riders the option of operating the clutch like on a traditional bike. It’s a unique system in that it relies on a series of small motors and a dedicated control unit to prevent stalling, no matter the gear.

Honda

While Honda has implemented its E-Clutch technology on other motorcycles before, its addition on the Rebel 300 stands to be one of the most impactful. By making riding accessible while still facilitating the development of proper fundamentals, it’s a bike that can grow with one’s two-wheeled confidence.

1. A sport-touring staple levels up with an eye-catching two-wheeled first

Yamaha

GP100 Winner

2025 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+

Specs

Curb Weight	512 lbs
Horsepower	119 hp
Peak Engine Torque	68.6 lb-ft

• $23,028 at Yamaha

Between its compelling CP3 triple and its comfortable riding position, the Tracer has long been a staple of the sport touring segment, but the 2025 GT+ update moved the goalposts for the industry as a whole.

Yamaha

That’s because it became the first production motorcycle to make use of an adaptive LED Matrix headlight. While the technology has been increasingly prevalent in the automotive world for some time, it has yet to see application among two-wheelers — in that respect, Yamaha is leading the charge.

Yamaha

In practice, the technology works by combining a matrix of multiple low and high beam LEDs linked to a camera integrated into the upper part of the headlight assembly. By detecting surrounding traffic, natural light sources and weather conditions, it can thereby distribute the light in such a way that it fills in dark spots while not dazzling other road users.

What’s more, as found on the Tracer 9 GT+, the Matrix LED headlight array works with the onboard six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to dynamically adjust the beam when cornering — especially in cases when the bike’s lean angle exceeds seven degrees.

Yamaha

Given that rider safety starts with seeing (and being seen), something as impactful as the addition of a Matrix LED headlight amounts to much more than a marketing gimmick.

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