Best-Looking Motorcycles 2023

Motorcycles are like Skittles. Everyone has a different favorite flavor. Aside from performance and, of course, price, the aesthetics of a streetbike is what attracts us.

Alphabetically by category, here are the best-looking 2023 new motorcycles. What current two-wheeled eye candy catches your attention? There’s room for debate in the comments section.

Ducati is well known for its gorgeous bikes, and the one that takes the trophy for the ADV beauty contest is the DesertX. We love the matte white with minimalistic graphics and the contemporary take of a ‘90s ADV. In our first ride review we noted that it nods to the styling cues of the Cagiva Elefant in its rally-esque design, adding: “Ducati did a remarkable job reworking styling elements from that foundational ADV.” It’s a bike that will look good anywhere; road, dirt, parking lot, garage, or on a grassy hilltop overlooking a mountain range, for example.

Related: 2023 Ducati DesertX First Ride Review

The Indian Scout hits all the marks for a handsome cruiser with its 1920s-inspired design. Maroon Metallic paint on the tank and fenders is deep and glistening and a muscular 60-degree V-twin is proudly on display. A single round headlight with a chrome trim pokes out from between the fork tubes. There’s just the right amount of chrome decorating the bike, not too much and not too little, and stacked parallel exhausts provide an appealing touch of symmetry beside the contrast-cut rear wheel. Simple, effective, and timeless.

Related: 2023 Indian Motorcycle Challenger Elite First Look Preview

What’s old is also new again in the dirt segment as well, with Husqvarna’s new Heritage lineup paying tribute to the brand’s race history. (And we love it when motorcycle manufacturers pay tribute to their racing roots. Racing plays a significant role in developing motorcycle technologies after all.) These special editions give a shout-out to Swedish racer Bill Nilsson who claimed the brand’s first FIM Motocross World Championship title in 1960. The TC 250 is just one example, but there’s a total of seven Heritage editions that span Husky’s motocross and enduro machines and they are all droolworthy. The white frame, blue seat cover, yellow number plate, black Excel rims, and special graphics separate these from the standard models.

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Zero Motorcycles gave its new DSR/X the latest, torquiest Z-Force 75-10X motor (read our First Look for details) and paired it with looks that are rugged and modern, but not overdone, as stated in our review. The Santa Cruz, California, manufacturer also did a fine job in making use of the electric bike’s available space without being too obvious that there are three storage compartments (including a giant 7-gallon one) incorporated on the e-ADV. Zero kept the bike’s silhouette sleek and purposeful. Additionally, I appreciate the gullwing-style swingarm, its shape pairs well with the rest of the lines on the main body of the beast.

Related: 2023 Zero Motorcycles DSR/X Electric Adventure Bike Review

The Honda Monkey made picking the best-looking mini an easy choice because it’s so gosh darn adorable. Go ahead, try not to smile when you see it. It’s equally as tough to hold back a goofy grin when you ride it too. There’s something about its tiny 12-inch wheels, brightly colored frame, shiny sweeping exhaust, and dainty 1.5-gallon fuel tank complete with the Honda wing logo that makes it a no-contest winner regarding appearance. It’ll turn the heads of both nostalgic enthusiasts and people who don’t even like motorcycles.

Related: 2023 Honda Monkey and Super Cub First Look Preview

There are polarizing opinions on KTM’s naked bikes for “insect-like” appearances, but the 890 Duke R deserves props for being so different, modern, angular, and good looking (there, I said it). The blue/orange body contrasts nicely and the signature orange pops on the front and rear alloy wheels as well. The exhaust mimics the sharp shape of the tail and it “not only looks cool but delivers a mean throaty tone,” as stated in our review. Love it or hate it, the 890 Duke R still gets a lot of attention for its unique looks.

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Selecting the most beautiful sportbike is like deciding a favorite among your children. It was neck and neck between the Ducati Panigale V4 and the 2023 BMW S 1000 RR, but it was the Bavarian sportbike that just edged out the competition in the end. What is striking about the BMW is its balance. BMW kept the lines smooth yet aggressive. From the nicely shaped pair of headlights that glare beneath the curved front bodywork to the sculpted tailsection that’s like a scorpion’s tail ready to strike, everything is beautifully designed. A huge selection of packages with trick parts and exclusive features also have their appeal, the M Package in particular. It flaunts Light White/M Motorsport paint and M Carbon wheels with M graphics. The M package also includes the M lightweight battery, sport seat, M chassis kit, and Ride Modes Pro. The S 1000 RR is not only breathtaking in looks, but is also breathtaking in performance with the 999cc inline-four engine delivering a claimed 205 hp at 13,000 rpm.

Related: 2023 BMW S 1000 RR First Look Preview

Like all Moto Guzzis, an iconic longitudinally mounted engine is the focal point of the new V100 Mandello S. The engine is a brand-new, modern, liquid-cooled 90-degree compact block V-twin that artfully resides beneath a sculpted tank. The Italian manufacturer was purposeful in its design because even the smallest details refer to past models. For instance, the slits on the underseat side panels reference those found on the 1976 Le Mans 850 and the top fairing was inspired by the one on the 1981 Le Mans 850 III. Even a detail like the eagle-shaped LED daytime running light nods to the brand’s logo. Adaptive aerodynamics are nicely integrated into the shoulders of the tank and are designed for the rider comfort on the sport-tourer.

Related: Moto Guzzi Overhauls Mandello, Italy, Factory