350 Most popular Motorcycle Brands

Did you know that there are more than 400 motorcycle brands around the world? I have not yet been able to collect them all but I have proposed to write this post so that, with your help, we can create a database with all the motorcycle brands in the world. We start with the most popular motorcycle brands.

Most popular motorcycle brands

1. Honda: the motorcycle brand of the two wings

The history of Honda begins during World War II with the manufacture of piston rings. Unfortunately, the company is ravaged by war and founder Soichiro Honda is forced to sell his bankrupt business. The visionary engineer used the proceeds from the sale to establish Honda Motor Co. and begin producing motorcycles.

From humble beginnings, Honda has grown to become the largest motorcycle company in the world. Since its inception, Honda has sold more than 300 million motorcycles. Given its sales volume and popularity, Honda could be considered one of the best motorcycle brands in the world. Honda is also responsible for the world’s best-selling motorcycle – the iconic Honda Cub .

To date, Honda has a presence in all disciplines of motorcycling. Its range ranges from the noble and luxurious 1800CC GoldWing and its sporty CBR series to its indestructible CRF off-road bikes and street bikes intended for urban bikers. 

Across the various driving disciplines, Hondas have one thing in common: They are praised for their reliability and low maintenance.

If you are looking for a robust and reliable motorcycle that will serve you for years, Honda could be one of the best options.

2. Yamaha

Yamaha is the second Japanese motorcycle brand on our list. The Yamaha motorcycle factory spun off from the world’s largest piano maker. Its origin is still carried in the Yamaha logo: the three intersecting tuning forks.

Yamaha is currently the second largest motorcycle company in the world. Of all the motorcycle brands, Yamaha has the most fans. Since 2004, legendary MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi has been the star of the Yamaha team. Many of his loyal fans would only buy the Yamaha blue.

Yamaha also covers all disciplines of motorcycles. From the iconic PW50, a kids’ motorcycle to the 24-karat gold Yamaha Roadster Chopper with a 1700cc V-twin, valued at $ 3 million.

3. Suzuki

Like Yamaha, Suzuki did not start out as a motorcycle brand. However, the popularity of its motorized bicycle revived the company after World War II. Until the early 1970s, Suzuki only made two-stroke motorcycles. The highest capacity Suzuki two-stroke motorcycle ever produced was the GT750.

In 1970, Suzuki was the first of the Japanese manufacturers to win the world motocross championship with a 250CC. That same year, Suzuki also created the 500CC class in both road racing and motocross.

Suzuki has specialized in sports motorcycles: one out of every four Suzukis sold is a sports bike. Suzuki also sells one of the fastest two-wheelers, the GSX1300R Hayabusa.

In addition to dominating the sports bike market, Suzuki is beloved by lovers of enduro motorcycles. The DR650 is good proof of this, a motorcycle that has hardly undergone changes since the 80s.

4. Kawasaki: the motorcycle brand that made airplanes

With Kawasaki, we completed the Japanese Big Four – Japan’s 4 largest motorcycle manufacturers and probably the 4 best-selling motorcycle brands in the world.

Kawasaki started out as an aircraft manufacturer. Because of this, some of their early motorcycles display a “Kawasaki Aircraft” emblem on the fuel tank. Some almost fly!

Kawasaki also stands out for its sports bikes, the brand associated with its iconic Ninja range. Most of these bikes are bright green, fast and agile. These bikes have stolen the hearts of many riders and thrown many racing stars onto the track.

Kawasaki is also well known for its trail bikes, which take the most adventurous riders around the world. The Kawasaki KLR650 is one of the most recognized Super Trail.

5. BMW

BMW Motorrad has been producing motorcycles since 1923. BMW, like many German brands, is synonymous with reliability.

With the television series Long Way Round , starring Ewan McGregor, BMW became Trail’s undisputed motorcycle. The R1200GS and R1200GS Adventure went on to account for almost a third of all BMW sales. In Spain we have Diary of a Nomad, a series in which Miquel Silvestre tells us about his adventures on the back of “La Gorda”, a BMW R1200GS.

If you are looking for prestige, excellent engineering and a motorcycle brand with its own personality, BMW is the way to go. Personally, it is my favorite brand.

6. Ducati

The Italian Ducati is one of those motorcycle brands that people fall in love with. On its motorcycles, Ducati perfectly combines style and functionality. The result is fast, expertly made bikes that look like pieces of modern art. To top it all, just like a good Italian chef, all Ducatis are still “handcrafted” in Italy.

Ducati is also among the top motorcycle brands for its great racing success. The distinctive sound of Ducati’s signature V-twin engines adds to the brand’s charm.

Ducati is the undisputed king of style, so if you are looking for a motorcycle that will not leave anyone indifferent, it is undoubtedly your brand.

7. Triumph

Triumph is the most recognized British motorcycle brand. Although the current company began manufacturing its motorcycles in 1984, the brand had a recognized lineage on the island since 1902.

They are one of the motorcycle brands most recognized for their elegance, brought to the best possible expression with their Bonneville and Thruxton models, two real Cafe Racers.

Its street models, such as the Triumph Speed ​​Triple and its little sister, the Street Triple, have led the brand to great sales success around the world. These magnificent machines were literally the engine behind the new era of success at Triumph. The Triumph Daytona captured the hearts of speed lovers.

8. KTM

The Austrian motorcycle manufacturer KTM dates back to 1934. KTM is one of the best brands of off-road motorcycles. Over the years, KTM designs and color combinations have changed; In 1996, KTM switched to orange to stand out from its competition. Thanks to KTM’s incomparable Paris-Dakar victories year after year, today KTM orange is as iconic as Ferrari red.

In the late 1990s, KTM first tried to make road bikes. Being one of the leading off-road motorcycle brands helped KTM to position itself among the street motorcycle brands. Since 2015, KTM has been selling roughly equal quantities of road and off-road motorcycles.

9. Indian Motorcycles

Indian Motorcycles, one of the most iconic American motorcycle brands, began production in 1901. Indian enjoyed a successful entry into the market and the racing scene: the brand took first, second and third place in the race of the 1911 Isle of Man, the world’s most dangerous motorcycle race.

After having experienced many ups and downs, Indian Motorcycles went bankrupt in 1953. However, possibly the greatest achievement on an Indian motorcycle came in 1967: Burt Munro, a 68-year-old native of New Zealand, rode a heavily modified 1920 Indian Scout to a new land speed record, which took years to break.

After a string of bankruptcies and acquisitions, Polaris took over the reins of Indian Motorcycle in 2011.

10. Harley-Davidson: the most iconic motorcycle brand

Harley-Davidson was founded in 1903 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The motorcycle brand experienced many fluctuations throughout the last century, however, it ended up imposing itself as the most iconic motorcycle brand, almost constituting a religion.

Harley-Davidson motorcycles paved the way for chopper styling. Harley-Davidsons were originally high-displacement cruiser- type machines . More recently, however, the brand has also dared with smaller displacement bikes with the Harley-Davidson Street 750 and 500.

11. Moto Guzzi

Moto Guzzi was founded in Italy in 1921. For a time they were the world’s leading motorcycle development and innovation company. Even today they remain one of the most boutique motorcycle manufacturers and very popular with motorcyclists. The most popular Moto Guzzi bikes are Breva and California.

12. Victory

Victory, an American motorcycle company, founded in 1997, tried to end Harley’s dominance in the American chopper market. Unfortunately, the company closed its doors after 20 years of manufacture (year 2017). His most popular bicycle was the Victory Vegas.

13. Aprilia

Aprilia was founded in Italy just after WWII as a bicycle manufacturer, moving to scooters and motorcycles in 1968. Today, Aprilia enjoys success in the competition sports and adventure motorcycle segments, as well as competing in a variety of motorcycle racing championships.

14. Royal Enfield

Royal Enfield of India is the second company to bear this name, with a license transfer from the original Royal Enfield of England in 1968. It is famous for having the longest model in production in the world, with the Bullet being the first to be produced, as early as 1901.

15. Derbi

Probably the best known and most awarded Spanish motorcycle.

It was founded in 1922 when Simeón Rabassa i Singla opened his small bicycle repair shop. However, his passion for motorcycles and the needs of the time would mean that he also ended up dedicating part of his efforts to the production of motorcycle parts. His small workshop would eventually be transformed into Rabasa Bicycles. The brand’s first moped was the 48cc Rabasa Derbi SRS. It did not stop being a DERIVATIVE of Bicicleta, and from there the definitive name arose. The initials SRS corresponded to those of the founder.

One of the brand’s best-selling models was the Derbi Antorcha , known as the Derbi Paleta for its intensive use among masons of the time.

But if for something Derbi will be remembered in the history of motorcycling, it is for its triumphs on the speed circuits, where the red bullets won 19 world championships, between drivers and manufacturers. The most awarded and recognized of the Derbi riders was Ángel Nieto, who won with the 5 world winding mark, 3 times in 50 cc and another two in 125 cc between 1969 and 1972.

16. Benelli

Benelli is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer, founded in 1911 in Pesaro. It was founded by Teresa Benelli, a widow who was trying to give a decent job to her 6 children. At first they were dedicated to the general mechanics of cars and motorcycles, although already in 1921 they produced their first own motorcycle. Only two years later they were already competing in motorcycle races and in 1927 they won the Italian championship.

The most iconic machines to come out of Benelli’s workshop were the 250 Quattro and the 750 Sei, two bestsellers with one exhaust per cylinder that are the delight of any collector today.

To this day, Benelli continues to manufacture motorcycles that it sells around the world.

17. Bultaco

Don Paco Bultó had a dream, and he never gave up seeing it come true. Despite having a prominent position in the most recognized Spanish brand of the time, his dream was to see his creations on the circuits, and he left Montesa to continue fighting for it. In 1958 he created Bultaco with a clear vocation, to make motorcycles for competition.

His first creation was the Bultaco Tralla 101, and the thing was going on, because years later the 200 cc Metralla 62 appeared, the forerunner of the mythical 250 cc Bultaco Metralla MK2

The Metralla MK2 was Bultaco’s best road bike, which years later would become the pioneer brand of trials, thanks to the Sherpa, which dominated the world championships between 1975 and 1979.

Bultaco fared no better than the rest of the Spanish brands and in 1983 it was acquired by Montesa-Honda. However, Bultaco, faithful to its symbol of the rampant finger, in a boast of its founder’s “everything is fine”, re-emerged in 2014 as an electric motorcycle brand. Bultaco managed to reinvent itself and keep the flame of the mid-century Spanish motorcycle industry alive.

18. Montesa

It was in 1944, when the young Barcelona engineer, Pere Permanyer Puigjaner, decided to manufacture a two-stroke motor for motorcycles. The war was over, and the lifting of gas supply restrictions made motorcycles a good investment. To shape this project, he relied on the experienced motorcyclist Paco Bultó.

They didn’t know it yet, but Montesa had just been born. It was in 1945 when the first units with the name “Montesa” were manufactured and that same year they took the top 4 positions in the 100 cc class of the First Montjuic Motorcyclist Award.

Since its inception, Montesa has opted to make its motorcycles known on the circuits, in which it obtained innumerable successes, both national and international.

Montesa was a pioneer brand in many areas: in 1945 it became the first Spanish motorcycle factory with serial production. Years later it would be the first Spanish motorcycle exhibited at an international fair outside of Spain, at the 1953 Geneva Motor Show. It was also the first absolute winner in the famous 24 hours of Montjuic, in 1955.

His two-stroke motorcycles were all the rage both inside and outside our borders, and were exported to numerous countries, including some as far away as Japan, the undisputed leader in motorcycle production.

19. Piaggio: the Vespa brand.

Founded in Genoa in 1884 by twenty-year-old Rinaldo Piaggio, Piaggio was initially dedicated to the refurbishment of luxury ships before producing railway carriages, freight vans, luxury coaches and engines, trams and special truck bodies.

Enrico Piaggio opted for an industrial reconversion, focusing on personal mobility in a country that was emerging from the war. He shaped his intuition, building a vehicle destined for fame: the Vespa.

The Vespa (which means “wasp” in Italian) was the result of Enrico Piaggio’s determination to create a low-cost product for the masses. In 2007, almost 3,500,000 Vespa 50s had been built in different models and versions.

More motorcycle brands

Although the idea of ​​this post is to write a small review of each motorcycle brand in the world , it is something that we will be doing little by little and with your help (I have two children to feed and this may take years to finish).

For this reason, from here on, other motorcycle brands are listed, which I will be completing little by little.

Motorcycle brands with the A

• Abbotsfor
• Abe-Star
• Open
• Acabion
• Access Motors
• Ace Motor Corporation
• Adiva
• Adler
• Adly Moto
• Aeon
• Aermacchi
• Agrati garelli
• AJP
• Alcyon
• Automotive
• Ardie
• high
• Andhra Pradesh Scooters Limited
• API
• Aeromere
• Arch Motorcycle
• ATK Motorcycles
• Agrale

• AJS
• AJR
• AKT Motorcycles
• Alfer
• Alligator Motorcycle Company
• Allstate
• Aprilia
• Atlas honda
• AP Honda
• Ariel Motor Company
• Arch Motorcycle
• ATK Motorcycles
• Agrale
• AGF
• Alpha
• Ariane-Tech
• Hazel

Motorcycle brands with the B

• Brazil & Movimento
• Bombardier
• Baotian Motorcycle Company
• Blata
• BMW Motorrad
• Bajaj Auto
• Benelli
• Beta Engine
• Bimota
• Bultaco
• Boss Hoss Cycles
• Brammo Inc.
• Bennett & Barkell

• Brumana Pugliese
• Balkan
• Bohmerland
• Bmw
• Bianchi
• Beardmore Precision
• Blackburne
• Brough Motorcycles
• BSA
• Buell
• Britten

Motorcycle brands with the C

• Can-am
• Chang jiang
• Česká zbrojovka Strakonice
• Cagiva
• Caravel
• Casal
• Cheney racing
• Cleveland CycleWerks
• Confederate Motors
• Ceccato
• Cimatti

• Cooper
• Centralne Warsztaty Samochodowe
• Calthorpe Motor Company
• Clyno
• Cotton Motor Company
• Coventry-Eagle
• Crocker Motorcycle Company
• Cushman
• Cofersa
• Cremsa

Motorcycle brands with the D

• Dafra Motorcycles
• Dayun
• Ducati Motor Holding SpA
• DYL Motorcycles
• Derby
• Delta-GnomDollar
• D-Rad

• DKW
• Della ferrera
• Douglas
• Dnepr
• Dresch
• Daelim Motor Company
• Ducson

Motorcycle brands with the E

• Evoke Motorcycles
• Energica Motor Company
• Electric Motor Corporation
• Erik Buell Racing
• Express Werke
• Elig

• Escorts Group
• Eisenacher Motorenwerk
• EMC Motorcycles
• Excelsior Motor Company
• Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycle

Motorcycle brands with the F

• Fantic engine
• FN
• FB Mondial
• Frera
• Fusi

• FAMEL
• Francis-Barnett
• Fischer Motor Company
• Flying merkel

Motorcycle brands with the G

• GRAM
• Ghezzi and Brian
• Gilera
• Gas gas
• Greeves
• Gillet Herstal

• Moan
• Gnome et Rhône
• Galbusera Motorcycles
• Garelli
• Gimson
• Gorky

Motorcycle brands with the H

• Hunter motorcycles
• Husqvarna motorcycles
• Hero MotoCorp
• Horex
• Harley-Davidson
• Sling
• Hesketh Motorcycles

• Hecker
• Hercules
• Hodaka
• Husaberg
• Haden Motorcycles
• HRD
• Henderson
• Helkama
• Hildebrand and Wolfmüller
• Hoffmann

Motorcycle brands with the I

• Italjet
• Italika
• IMZ-Ural
• IZh
• Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company

• Ideal JawaInnocenti
• Iso
• Ivy
• Inmotec

Motorcycle brands with the J

• Jamuna motorcycles
• Jincheng Suzuki
• JAWA Moto
• Junak
• Janus Motorcycles

• Thursday
• James Cycle Co
• Jinan Qingqi
• JA Prestwich Industries
• JJ Cobas

Motorcycle brands with the K

• Kawasaki
• KTM
• Kymco

• Killinger and Freund Motorcycle
• Kinetic Engineering Limited

Motorcycle brands with the L

• Land Electric Motorcycle
• Lifan
• Loncin Holdings
• Lightning Motorcycle
• Laurin & Klement
• Lefas

• Lamborghini
• Lambretta
• The truth
• Lube Motorcycles
• Levis

Motorcycle brands with the M

• Meter
• Motomel
• Minsk
• Midual
• Mahindra Two Wheelers
• Moto Guzzi
• MV Agusta
• Malaguti
• Minarelli
• Moto Morini
• Modenas
• Montesa
• Mondial
• Megelli Motorcycles
• Métisse Motorcycles
• Moto Czysz
• Marine Turbine Technologies
• Minerva
• Motobécane
• Monet-Goyon
• Maico
• Mars
• Megola
• Münch
• Mopeds India Limited

• Malanca
• MORE
• Maserati
• Morbidelli
• Moretti Motor Company
• Rumi motorbike
• Motobi
• Marusho
• Safe
• Mitsubishi Silver Pigeon
• Miyata
• MotoTrans
• Monark
• Martinsyde
• Matchless
• Mustang
• Moscow Motorcycle Plant
• MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk
• Maratos
• MEBEA
• Mego
• Mini Marcelino
• Motobic
• Motobi
• Hispania motor

Motorcycle brands with the N

• North
• Norton Motorcycle Company
• Naza
• Nimbus
• New-Map
• Nougier
• Neander

• NSU Motorenwerke
• Ner-A-Car
• New Hudson Motorcycles
• New Imperial Motors
• Norman Cycles
• NATI

Motorcycle brands with the O

• Ossa
• Opel
• Orionette

• OK-Supreme
• Osborn

Motorcycle brands with the P

• P
• PHP Cars
• Peugeot Motorcycles
• Paton
• Piaggio
• Pak Suzuki Motors
• PGO Scooters
• Puch

• Prague
• Premier Motorcycles
• Phelon & Moore
• Penton
• Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company
• Pope Manufacturing Company
• Podolsk Mechanical Plant
• Homeland

Motorcycle brands with the Q

• Qianjiang

• Quadrant
• Quasar

Motorcycle brands with the R

• Runner automobiles
• Royal enfield
• Ravi Motorcycles
• Rokon
• Ratier
• Rikuo Motorcycle
• Raleigh Bicycle Company

• Rickman motorcycles
• Rudge-Whitworth
• Ridley Motorcycle Company
• Roehr Motorcycle Company
• Rieju
• RMH
• ROA

Motorcycle brands with the S

• Siambretta
• Sol Invictus Motorcycle Co.
• Scorpa
• Sherco
• Silk
• Suzuki
• SWM
• SYM Motors
• SFM
• Sanglas
• Saroléa
• Simson
• Setter

• Santa Maria
• SHL
• SIS
• Scott Motorcycle Company
• Singer Motors
• Sprite
• Stevens Motorcycles
• Sun
• Sunbeam Cycles
• Simplex Manufacturing Corporation
• Sokół
• Sachs Motorcycles
• Soriano

Motorcycle brands with the T

• Tehuelche
• Thumpstar
• Terrot
• Torrot
• Triumph Motorcycles Ltd
• TVS Motor Company
• Terra Modena
• Taiwan Golden Bee
• Tunturi

• Tohatsu
• Tempo
• Tandon Motorcycles
• Thor
• Titan Motorcycle Company
• TIZ

Motorcycle brands with the U

• United Auto Industries

• US Highland

Motorcycle brands with the V

• Voxan mopeds
• Vespa
• Vyrus
• Voskhod
• Villalbi
• Villof

• Victory
• Velocette
• Villiers Engineering
• Vincent Motorcycles
• Victory Motorcycles

Motorcycle brands with the Y

• Yinxiang Motorcycle
• Yamaha Motor Company

• YMC
• Yankee

Motorcycle brands with the Z

• Zanella
• Znen
• Zongshen
• Z Electric Vehicle

• Zero Motorcycles
• Zündapp
• Zenith

What is the best-selling motorcycle brand in the world?

Honda’s motorcycle division sells more than 15 million motorcycles a year, making it the undisputed world leading manufacturer. One of the factors driving the company’s sales is its popularity in Asian markets. However, Honda also dominates in North America.

What is the most reliable motorcycle brand?

Topping the list of the most reliable motorcycle brands are Yamaha and Kawasaki with respectively 11% and 15% of motorcycles requiring some early repair.

Without a doubt, these two brands are a very good option if you want to forget about taking your motorcycle to the workshop.

Honda and Suzuki are often considered on a par with the other Japanese motorcycle brands when it comes to reliability.

In a recent survey of more than 1,000 motorists, Honda was found to be the most reliable brand, followed by Yamaha, a very similar result.

This is our particular list of motorcycle brands, surely we have left some so do not hesitate to comment.