Standard Motorcycles
Standard motorcycles include the Ducati Monster 696, Kawasaki Z1000, Aprilia Shiver 750, Honda CB1000R, and Triumph Street Triple R.
While sportbikes and cruisers get the lion’s share of the attention, standard motorcycles might just be the best mix of both. Appealing to beginners and veteran riders alike, standard-type motorcycles have a riding position that falls between the forward-rotated position of a sportbike and the reclined arrangement of a cruiser, putting the rider in a very natural position not unlike a low dirtbike. Standards generally offer a good mix of comfort and visibility, which can make them an ideal choice for commuting and city riding. Standards often have little or no fairing and limited bodywork, and many are appropriately termed as Naked bikes. Naked standards have long been popular in Europe and in recent years more have been produced for the North American market.
While sportbikes and cruisers get the lion’s share of the attention, standard motorcycles might just be the best mix of both. Appealing to beginners and veteran riders alike, standard-type motorcycles have a riding position that falls between the forward-rotated position of a sportbike and the reclined arrangement of a cruiser, putting the rider in a very natural position not unlike a low dirtbike. Standards generally offer a good mix of comfort and visibility, which can make them an ideal choice for commuting and city riding. Standards often have little or no fairing and limited bodywork, and many are appropriately termed as Naked bikes. Naked standards have long been popular in Europe and in recent years more have been produced for the North American market.
View all ReviewsStandard Motorcycles Reviews
2013 Zero S Review
If you’re not yet weary of reading about how electric motorcycles have been approaching the speed and usability of petrol-powered bikes, here’s another chance. The new 2013 Zero S is changing the way we judge these electron-excited two-wheelers.
The 10 Hottest Bikes of 2013
This year looks like a particularly exciting time to be a motorcyclist, if for no other reason than the variety of bikes available across every category, including electric! Here then is our list of the top 10 bikes we’re eager to ride in 2013.
2013 Moto Guzzi V7 Racer Review
Despite its show-stopping looks and retro heritage, the café-inspired Moto Guzzi V7 Racer is ultimately a niche bike that should be admired for its presentation rather than lauded for its performance.
2013 Triumph Thruxton Review
If you’re seeking the ideal balance between café cool and commuter comfort, look no further than the Triumph Thruxton.
2013 Suzuki Motorcycle Lineup
Suzuki is celebrating its golden anniversary in 2013, and to commemorate the milestone, it’s releasing five new additions to its lineup, including two brand-new bikes. Suzuki also teased us with an updated V-Strom 1000 which is in the pipeline.- 2013 Honda CB1100 Review - Quick Ride Big Red goes forward by looking back!
- Six New 2013 Honda Models Announced for US Honda flexes it's feathered muscle, with the promise of more to come
- 2012 Triumph Scrambler Review A real charmer despite being unexceptional in every way but cool
- 2013 Triumph Street Triple R Review A lot more to the updated roadster than just a rerouted exhaust
- 2013 Zero Motorcycles Lineup More power, 130-mile range, one-hour charge time among key features
- Motorcycle Beginner - Year 2: 2013 Honda NC700S Review Is this the perfect bike for our second-year rider?
- 2012 Star VMAX Review Still king of the power-cruisers
- Best Motorcycles of 2012 Spectacular bikes despite fewer new models
- 2012 Honda NC700X Review - Video Big fun at a small price
- 2012 Ducati Diavel Cromo Review A devil of a different color
- 2012 MV Agusta Brutale 675 Review Exotic Italian streetfighter at a relative budget
- 2013 Kawasaki Early-Release Models ABS now optional on Ninja 650, electronic steering damper added to ZX-10R, plus new graphics/colors
- 2012 Moto Guzzi V7 Lineup Review Three new V7s tested, from entry-level to retro superbike
- 2012 Bajaj Pulsar 200NS Review KTM partners with India’s Bajaj
- 2012 Aprilia Tuono V4 R Review The liter-size naked sportbike we've always wanted
- 2012 Cleveland CycleWerks Tha Misfit Review - Video Two-hundred-twenty-nine cubic centimeters of café-racer cool
- 2012 MV Agusta Brutale R 1090 Review Beauty is subjective, performance isn't
- 2012 Triumph Speed Triple R Review One of our favorite hooligan bikes gets serious
- 2012 Confederate X132 Hellcat Preview Hellcat Speedster to be joined by Roadster and GT models
- 2012 Honda NC700X Preview Big Red's new platform now coming to America
- Top 10 Hottest Bikes of 2012 These 10 motorcycles are sure to make waves in 2012
- 2012 KTM 200 Duke Review The smallest Duke is ready to take entry-level riding to a new level
- 2012 Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow Review Lowly in name only, the SuperLow offers easy entry into the world of Harley-Davidson
- 2012 Triumph Street Triple R Review Sharpened styling along with some internal revisions reinforce the STR as one of our faves
- 2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS Review: First Ride [Video] An evolved Strom emerges with a host of People's Choice improvements
- 2011 Moto Guzzi V7 Racer Review Lots of show and a little go add up to a unique cafe racer
- 2011 Suzuki V-Strom Review & 2012 Preview Get your year-end blowout before the 2012s arrive
- Triumph Unveils Three New Models for 2012 A 1200cc Adventure-Tourer among the highlights
- Ryca CS-1 Review Innovative kit transforms Suzuki Savage cruiser into a cool cafe racer
- 2012 Ducati 848 Streetfighter Review - First Ride Less displacement, lower price, same amount of sexy nakedness
Standard Motorcycle Videos
Middleweight Multi-tool Shootout: 2012 Honda NC700X vs. Kawasaki Versys - Video
Does Honda’s new NC700X stand up in the face of an established and well-reviewed player like Kawasaki’s utility scoot? Is the Versys worth a $900 premium? Let’s find out.-
2012 Yamaha and Star Motorcycles Model Preview
As the 2012 model year arrives and the economy is struggling to pick itself up, Yamaha and its cruiser line, Star Motorcycles, is erring on the side of caution with next year’s street lineup.
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![2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS Review: First Ride [Video]](/images/content/1strom-main1107_rdax_166x83.jpg)
2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS Review: First Ride [Video]
Regarded as a well-balanced bike by the powersports media as well as motorcycle consumers, a notion supported by sales figures far in excess of its 1000cc counterpart, the Suzuki V-Strom 650 continues its legacy with the 2012 iteration.
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2012 Confederate X132 Hellcat Preview
Hellcat, the most affordable motorcycle in Confederate’s portfolio, enters 2012 as a new model with reduced complexity and increased performance. Among the upgrades is a 2,163cc V-Twin engine of unit construction, with cases milled from billet aluminum.
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2012 Cleveland CycleWerks Tha Misfit Review - Video
From its kick-starter to fuel petcock and handlebar-mounted choke, Cleveland Cyclewerks’ Tha Misifit does more than look the part of a vintage cafe racer, it adheres to the simplicity of the era.
View all ComparisonsStandard Motorcycles Comparisons
Middleweight Multi-tool Shootout: 2012 Honda NC700X vs. Kawasaki Versys - Video
Does Honda’s new NC700X stand up in the face of an established and well-reviewed player like Kawasaki’s utility scoot? Is the Versys worth a $900 premium? Let’s find out.
2013 Moto Guzzi V7 Racer vs. 2013 Triumph Thruxton - Video
In a battle of motorcycles oozing vintage cool, we pit the 2013 Moto Guzzi V7 Racer against the Triumph 2013 Thruxton. It’s Italy vs. England in this café racer comparo.
2012 Ducati Diavel Cromo vs Star VMAX - Video
The Diavel vs VMAX is certainly a bout for the ages between the brute finesse of the Ducati and the cudgeling strength of the YamaStar.
2012 Literbike Streetfighter Shootout - Video
We make no secret of our love of naked motorcycles, but who do we love the most? We’ve assembled the aristocrats of the class — Aprilia Tuono V4 R APRC, MV Agusta Brutale R 1090 and Triumph Speed Triple R — to determine the hierarchy of the naked elite.![2012 Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow vs. Triumph America [Video]](/images/content/2012-Triumph-America-Harley-Davidson-SuperLow-Feature1_rdax_166x83.jpg)
2012 Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow vs. Triumph America [Video]
If you’re eager to have a user-friendly cruiser that won’t break the bank and yet still offers reputable performance and is welcoming of new and/or returning riders, then gaze upon the Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow and Triumph America.
Six-Cylinder Streetfighter Shootout of the Future: Honda EVO6 vs BMW Concept 6
Both Honda and BMW have built concept motorcycles around six-cylinder motors – the Honda EVO6 and BMW Concept 6. We thought it would be fun to do a virtual comparison of these streetfighters of the future.
2011 Literbike Streetfighter Shootout
A finer collection of liter-sized standard motorcycles you’re unlikely to see. We pit Triumph’s revised Speed Triple, Kawasaki’s Z1000 and Honda’s new-to-the-USA CB1000R against each other in what we’re calling a Literbike Streetfighter Shootout.
2011 Gentlemen Sportbike Shootout
Here are three ways to satisfy a thirst for a powerful sportbike without the pretzel-ed legs and sore wrists: the Kawasaki Ninja 1000, Yamaha FZ1 and Suzuki GSX1250FA. Read on to see who wins this three-way battle.
2011 Hyosung GT650 vs. Suzuki Gladius Shootout
While the Hyosung GT650 shares a very similar engine architecture with the Suzuki Gladius, these two naked middleweight funsters are far more different than we originally thought.
The Best Literbike for the Street
We recently had to chance to pit Kawasaki's new Ninja 1000 against a Kawasaki ZX-10R that had been modified for greater comfort to try to figure out which bike offers the best combination of power, performance and comfort for everyday riding.Find A New Standard Motorcycle
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Featured Standard Motorcycle Specs
 2013 Zero S™ ZF11.5 |  2013 Suzuki SFV 650 |  2013 Kawasaki Versys® Base |  2013 Yamaha FZ 1 |
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Looking to find the perfect deal on a previously-owned Used Standard Motorcycle For Sale? Use our Standard Motorcycle Classifieds to find the perfect bike to suit your budget. Our motorcycle classifieds feature over 1000 used Standard Motorcycles.
Standard Motorcycles Forums
- Kawasaki Forum This is an up-and-coming resource for Kawasaki owners and enthusiasts where they can voice their advice and opinions on Kawasaki bikes.
- Aprilia Forum This site is an up-and-coming resource for Aprilia riders and enthusiasts where their can voice their advice and opinions on Aprilia bikes.
- Buell Motorcycle Forum This is an up-and-coming resource for Buell owners and enthusiasts where they can gather and discuss the latest in Buell news, events, tech information, & more.
- Ducati Monster Forum Ducatimonster.org is the leading forum for Ducati Monster riders where they can voice their opinions on all things Ducati Monster related.
- Ducati Forum This site is dedicated to Ducati owners and enthusiasts where they can trade their thoughts on the latest Ducati news, tips, tech and performance, & more.
- Triumph Motorcycle Forum Triumphrat.net is the #1 site dedicated to Triumph riders with discussion on all things Triumph related from news, events, modifications, & more.
- KTM Motorcycle Forum This site is dedicated to KTM owners and enthusiasts where they can trade stories on the latest KTM news, tips, tech and performance, & more.
- Kawasaki Forum Kawiforums.com is the leading forum for Kawasaki enthusiasts and owners where they can voice their opinions on all things Kawasaki.
- Suzuki Motorcycles Visit the Suzuki section on Twowheelforum.com for information on Suzuki motorcycle news, performance, tech, events, & more.
- Yamaha FZ6 Forum A website for motorcycle enthusiasts dedicated to all things FZ6.
