The 5 Greatest Motorcycles of All Time

Motorcycles have been around for decades, however only a few have been able to leave a mark on the general population. Today we take a look at 5 of the greatest production motorcycles in different categories from around the world.

Ducati 916

Some claim that the Ducati 916 is the motorcycle that made Ducati a recognizable name in the motorcycle world and pop culture altogether. The motorcycle was released in 1994 and was something that no one had seen before, this was one of the first sports motorcycles to come with a single-sided swingarm. The 916 did well not only in terms of sales but was also featured in various music videos and famous movies alike. What truly makes this machine a legend, however, is the fact that it was recognized by the world of art as well, as looked at by the Guggenheim Museum as an important part of motorcycle history. Today a piece can also be found at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

KTM Super Duke

When the 990 Super Duke was launched, the motorcycle world looked at naked or non-faired motorcycles as machines that simply could not compete with sports bikes with a full fairing. Naked bikes were looked at as fun to ride motorcycles that wouldn't be as fast. The Super Duke was released in 2005 with a 1 liter, V-twin producing 120 bhp and 100 Nm of torque. This motorcycle had the figures at that time, however as time went by KTM in no way did reduce the Super Duke's mad figures, instead, they turned it up. Today the Super Duke is a beast with a 1301 cc engine producing a whopping 177 bhp and 143 Nm of torque.

MV Augusta Brutale Dragster RR

When MV first suggested that they were about to produce their first entry-level naked motorcycle, it got a lot of people worried. This was simply because MV was known to produce high-performance machines, going towards the entry-level segment was never predicted. MV launched the Brutale 675 in 2012. This was a three-cylinder engine producing 113 bhp and 71 Nm of torque. No doubt this was a good-looking motorcycle, however soon after MV built the Brutale Dragster RR on the same chassis as the 675. This was arguably one of the most beautiful motorcycles, producing 140 bhp from an 800cc engine and has various tech features such as riding modes.

BMW R NineT

BMW's boxer engine has been around since they made their first motorcycle ever, the R32. Even today, a fair number of their motorcycles are using their boxer engines. Some do claim that the boxer engine is now old technology and that its low revving nature and huge size are a problem. However, when BMW began venturing into the retro motorcycle market like the café racers and scramblers, they thought the best fit for these bikes would be their original old-school boxer engines. However, unlike most other vintage motorcycle brands who rely only on their old brand name, BMW has made their retro bikes like the R nineT such that they can outperform other retro motorcycles in each and every aspect whether it be acceleration, top speed, cornering, or braking.

BMW RGS115 Adventure

Everyone already knows about BMW's GS series, the ultimate ADV. However, when BMW had launched its first GS, the RGS115, ADVs didn't have much traction in the market. It is true that BMW's GS series is what started the entire ADV market. What makes this motorcycle one of the greatest, however, is the fact that these bikes are so rugged, they are more than capable of crossing entire continents. These motorcycles were known to be able to keep going even if their engine was flooded. Motorcyclists have ridden their GS home without a problem even with cracked frames.