Reviews

Best Beginner Motorcycles 2025

Just getting started on two wheels? Here are your 10 best options.

Kurt Spurlock

Updated: January 2, 2025

Bikes like Aprilia’s latest RS 457 sportbike make the beginner segment more attractive than ever.Aprilia

After this year’s EICMA motorcycle show, we think it’s safe to say 2025 might be the best year on record for beginner motorcycles. There’s a wave of newfound interest in the small-displacement/beginner-friendly segment, which means new riders have more options than ever whether they’re after a sharp-looking sportbike, classic cruiser, or dirt-friendly dual sport.

Different strokes for different folks, as they say, but manageable size, weight, and power have always been essential components of a good first bike. Unfortunately, that description doesn’t narrow things down particularly well, so here are our favorite beginner bikes of the year for every style of rider.

Triumph Speed 400 & Scrambler 400 X

Triumph’s new 400cc platform brings handsome looks and sharp handling into reach on a shoestring budget.Triumph

Triumph’s new Speed 400 raised the bar this year for how good a $5,000 motorcycle can be. Its single-cylinder engine is smooth and torquey, its style and build quality are unparalleled for the price, and the chassis handles so well on a twisty road that it’s enough to impress beginners and veterans alike.

If you fancy something a little more retro-cool, all of the above applies to the Speed’s Scrambler 400 X stablemate, but the 400 X also adds a little off-road capability to the mix if you’re interested in getting some dirt on the tires. We’ll also note that the Scrambler’s wide bar and open ergonomics make it feel like a larger bike than the fairly compact Speed 400, so while the seat is still nice and low, taller riders may find it more accommodating.

BMW G 310 R

It’s not every day you hear the phrase “affordable BMW” and the G 310 R also happens to be a great all-around bike for new riders.BMW

Speaking of premium brands at affordable prices, BMW’s G 310 R also starts around the $5,000 mark while delivering the same handsome design as the company’s premium offerings. The G 310 R is lightweight, easy-handling, and smooth-revving, yet its trellis frame and color-matched wheels punch well above its beginner class designation.

As for beginner-focused features, the 310′s 30.9-inch seat height makes it easy to flatfoot for anyone and everyone, and its 362-pound curb weight keeps tricky low-speed maneuvers as stress-free as possible. BMW also went a step further by adding both a slip-assist clutch and an idle speed boosting system, which work in tandem to make the G 310 R much easier to get into gear from a stop without stalling.

Honda XR150L

Lightweight, easy, fun, and affordable: Honda’s XR150L might be the most beginner-friendly motorcycle of all time.Honda

As far as beginner-friendly goes, Honda’s XR150L is by far the friendliest motorcycle we’ve ridden all year. It’s light and nimble with an exceptionally low seat and the lightest clutch pull we’ve experienced in a hot minute: essentially everything beginners need to find their footing in the two-wheeled world.

We found the XR’s engine to be another major highlight while training new riders this year due to its incredibly forgiving power delivery and virtually unstallable nature. Add in the fact that this beginner dual sport motorcycle starts at just $3,099 brand new and you’ve got a near-perfect formula for a first bike.

Aprilia RS 457

Aprilia’s sharp-handling RS 457 is beginner-friendly but also boasts a race-bred and modern electronics.Aprilia

Beginner sportbikes are a tough one: On the one hand, you want the thrilling performance and sharp handling that make these bikes sporty, but on the other, you don’t want to bite off more than you can chew powerwise. Some manufacturers build their entry-level sportbikes as soft and neutered as possible, but Aprilia’s RS 457 breaks that mold in a major way.

With the best power-to-weight ratio in its class, a sharp-handling aluminum twin-spar frame, and real suspension that doesn’t feel out of place on the racetrack, the RS 457 is a proper sportbike that happens to be beginner-friendly rather than a lackluster performer that happens to wear full fairings. Aprilia even went as far as to equip the RS 457 with dual-disc hydraulic brakes, traction control, and adjustable engine power modes, making this by far the most attractive sportbike in its class.

Kawasaki Ninja 500

When it comes to bang for your buck, Kawasaki’s Ninja 500 is the beginner sportbike to beat.Kawasaki

If you’re digging the Aprilia RS 457′s two-cylinder appeal but want something a little easier on the wallet, Kawasaki’s Ninja 500 (and the Ninja 400 before it) has been the go-to sportbike for beginners for over a decade. Don’t let the legit supersport style and “500″ name scare you off though: this motorcycle is about as approachable as they come.

The Ninja 500 gets the nod for beginners because while its parallel twin is more entertaining than your typical single-cylinder starter bike, it’s by no means intimidating, especially considering its light clutch and smooth power delivery. The seat sits low at 30.9 inches, the ergonomics are much more accommodating than a hardcore sportbike, and at 375 pounds fully fueled and ready to go, it’s light enough to inspire confidence in new riders. In short, it’s everything you’d want in a beginner sportbike, and you can pick up a new one for just $5,300.

Yamaha MT-03

Lean, narrow, and easy on the eyes, Yamaha’s MT-03 is a great all-rounder for new riders.Yamaha

Yamaha’s beloved MT-03 has been a beginner motorcycle favorite for the better part of two decades for good reason: It’s compact, lightweight, exceptionally agile, and über-affordable. It also specs a twin-cylinder engine rather than the typical single, so it makes a nice spread of usable yet buttery smooth power with minimal vibration.

Yamaha has taken things a step further in the beginner-friendly space by adding an easy-to-actuate slip-assist clutch to the equation for 2025 as well as a narrower seat and side panels to make flat-footing in traffic that much easier. The Tuning Fork brands managed to keep the price just below $5,000 despite the new upgrades too, so the MT-03 remains a top contender for new riders in our book.

Related: 2025 Yamaha MT-03 Preview

Kawasaki KLX300 & 300SM

Dual sports are often overlooked as beginner motorcycles, but Kawasaki’s KLX300 is a great choice for new and experienced riders alike.Kawasaki

Good suspension is often the first casualty of beginner-friendly motorcycles, but the Kawasaki KLX300′s long-travel suspenders are both well-damped and adjustable, making it a smart choice for new riders looking to develop their off-road skills. It’s a tall bike that’s best suited for taller riders, but between its easygoing power delivery and impressively low 302-pound curb weight, the KLX remains a great starter bike for anyone who can work around its 35.3-inch seat.

Of course if you’re looking for something a little lower, Kawasaki also makes the KLX in a hooligan-approved supermoto, which combines reworked suspension and a set of 17-inch wheels to bring that seat down to a more manageable 33.9 inches. There’s a lot to be said for learning to ride a slow bike fast, and you’ll be surprised how much fun you can squeeze out of this bike’s 18.1 lb.-ft. of torque.

Royal Enfield Meteor 350

Royal Enfield’s Meteor 350 is beginner-friendly and offers air-cooled charm that’s quintessentially cruiser.Motorcyclist

Beginner cruisers are typically lacking in the all-important cool factor. Most of them are water-cooled and a little too modern-looking to offer the old-school appeal of a proper cruiser, but Royal Enfield’s air-cooled Meteor 350 checks all the right boxes.

The long-stroke engine, for example, produces solid torque across the rev range, and even makes a nice rumble when riding down the street, something traditionally lacking from smaller-displacement cruisers. Royal Enfield also offers serious bang for your buck here as always by including ABS, turn-by-turn navigation, and a nifty heel-toe shifter as standard equipment for well under $5,000.

KTM 390 Duke

Don’t let the “ready to race” marketing scare you: KTM’s Duke 390 is a capable machine, but it’s also designed with new riders in mind.KTM

KTM is a brand that takes its beginner bikes just as seriously as its flagship models, and the 390 Duke is a prime example. The Duke’s 44 hp engine and 329-pound dry weight push the limits of A2 license performance, but KTM’s overachieving ethos doesn’t stop there.

Handling on the 390 is razor-sharp thanks to its compact steel-trellis frame and quality WP suspension components. KTM even includes a suite of electronic rider aids (including a slide-friendly supermoto mode) as well as a full-color TFT dash to control them. And while the Duke is certainly on the performance end of the beginner motorcycle spectrum, its low seat, easy maneuverability, and light clutch still make it unintimidating for brand-new riders.

Honda Grom

Honda’s pint-size Grom is insanely fun and easy to ride.Drew Ruiz

Small in stature, big on fun: Honda’s littlest two-wheeler, the 124cc Grom, is both easygoing and incredibly fun to ride, a simple formula that’s proven popular among new riders and lifelong enthusiasts since the Grom first launched back in 2014. Everything about the Grom is beginner-friendly from its small stature and light weight to its low seat and mellow engine.

While that may not sound like the most compelling argument for the little Grom, we really can’t stress the fun factor enough here. Most recently we took the Grom out for an endurance race event at Barber Motorsports Park, and by all accounts had more fun whipping the little single around the racetrack than we do on most 1,000cc superbikes. It’s affordable, reliable, and fun to customize, and delivers an outsized cool factor that trumps some bikes with 10 times the horsepower.