The 15 Best Bikes Under $10,000 You Can Already Get in 2024

Price-wise, the motorcycle industry is so vast that it pretty much has something to offer for everybody, no matter how rich or poor. The trick is, of course, matching expectations and potential use of the bike with the sticker, and making the right, informed decision.

There is a general feeling that cheap bikes are poor bikes. That derives from the simple reality that cheap things, no matter what they are, are badly made. The assumption is not wrong but, as you'll see below, it's not right either.

In the car world a cheap vehicle is one that goes from around $15,000 to even $30,000 in some cases. You can rarely find a car priced below $15k, and you can surely bet the quality of the rides in this price segment is not the greatest.

When it comes to bikes anything that sells for under $10,000 is cheap. But, unlike cars, cheap bikes can be extraordinary. After all, all they have to show for is a reliable engine inside a sturdy frame. And there are plenty of them that do exactly that.

In this piece, we tried to bring together the best 15 motorcycles that sell, new, from under $10,000. We've selected them based on criteria such as reliability, prestige, and in some cases their simple appearance. You may not agree with all of our choices, but we stand by them.

Kymco K-Pipe 125 – off-road appearance meets street performance ($2,249)

Not long ago, when we compiled our list of the best motor scooters in the world, we included in there something called the CV3. It was a three-wheeled lean scooter produced by a Taiwan-based company called Kymco, and had all it took for it to be worth a closer look. Just like the K-Pipe 125 we have here.

This bike is by all accounts the cheapest on our list, but that doesn't make it the subject of mockery. Styled like the bikes made over in Europe, the K-Pipe 125 holds in its frame a 123cc single-cylinder, four-stroke engine that can barely deliver eight horsepower, but still needs a four-speed transmission to get things done.

The suspension system on the bike is comprised of telescopic forks and mono shocks, which have to support a total weight of the ride of just 224 pounds (101 kg, dry). The rather charming, 17-inch wheels in Matte Black help in that respect as well.

The Kymco K-Pipe 125 is listed for the American market with a starting price of just $2,249, but there's a twist to it. The company's configurator only shows the ride in 2022 model year guise, meaning no updates have been made to it over the past couple of years.

Benelli TNT 135 – the distilled Italian exotic ($2,699)

The Italians from Benelli are not exactly a pillar of the American motorcycle market, but they do offer some incredible two-wheelers that once ridden will win over the hearts and minds of everyone involved.

In the American market, the brand sells bikes in three categories, namely naked, adventure, and classic. The TNT model we chose for our list is one of just two naked available, and a machine so spectacular from a visual standpoint that it will never remain unnoticed.

The bike is described by its maker as a distilled exotic, and we couldn't agree more. After all, it packs the punch and beauty of a full-blown Italian motorcycle, only in a much smaller package.

The ride is built around a steel trellis frame, which wraps around a 135cc engine, the only SOHC four-valve engine in its class. Tied to a five-speed transmission, it offers more than enough punch to feel it in your gut.

That's partially made possible by the use of very small wheels, sized at just 12 inches and wrapped in wide sticky tires.

The Benelli TNT 135 has been specifically imagined with young and newbie riders in mind, and that's why it only weighs about as much as a fat human: 266 pounds (121 kg). And that's also why it only costs $2,699 to own.

CFMoto 450SS – made for everyone born in the tucked position ($5,699)

There is this preconception that cheap motorcycles, even the good ones, will always look like they're the poorer cousins of the family. If you look at bikes such as the Benelli TNT 135 that's very much so. But not the same can be said about the CFMoto 450SS.

The two-wheeled beauty of Chinese descent looks like a full-blown sportbike, and that's exactly the segment it targets. It plays in the 500cc class thanks to the 450cc engine held in the frame. And it plays rather rough, as the 50 hp and 28.8 lb-ft of torque more than get the job done.

The engine is a parallel twin by design, but the sound it makes is more akin to that of a V-twin. That's possible thanks to the 270° crankshaft angle, a setup that is partially responsible for the power levels as well.

The bike is a mechanical wonder, because for a very small price it offers the best hardware solutions, including Brembo brakes and a multi-link rear suspension. On top of it all, there is also a reverse-shifting option for the six-speed transmission, something racing bikes usually deploy to allow for quicker gear changes.

As per CFMoto, the 450SS was made for everyone born in the tucked position, and at $5,699 I couldn't agree more.

Moto Morini Seiemmezzo STR – the sporty and young naked ($6,099)

Moto Morini is one of the most exotic bike makers in the world. Not in that they herald from some place you've never heard of (these guys are Italian), but because it's a brand whose name you come across so rarely it's bound to catch everyone's attention.

The present-day offering of the 87-year-old bike maker does not include more than three motorcycles, but given its historic ties with Cagiva and Ducati, they are all worth a closer look.

For the purposes of this story we chose something called the Seiemmezzo STR, a name that is just as exotic as the bike maker itself. Seiemmezzo is an Italian word that more or less translates to "six and a half" and it's meant to represent the displacement of the bike's engine.

That would be 649cc of inline-twin punch, delivered as 61 horsepower and almost 40 lb-ft of torque through a six-speed transmission. Brembo braking hardware, KYB-sourced suspension (inverted forks and shock), and tubeless spoked wheels (18-inch front and 17-inch rear) complete the package.

The bike plays in the naked category, and it looks just as aggressive as all its competitors. Yet it comes with a price tag that is very difficult to beat: $6,099.

Janus Halcyon 250 – handcrafted American simplicity ($6,995)

The name Janus Motorcycles is probably not as famous as it would deserve, especially considering the products it makes. Born in Indiana in 2011, the brand is in the business of making retro-styled two-wheelers so insane looking you'd think they'll drain your bank account.

Quite the opposite. Janus' bikes are not only cool-looking and presumably reliable (we're judging this based on specs, as we haven't had the opportunity to test one) but also very cheap.

Take the Halcyon 250 for example. A visual combination between a Swedish-made Cake ride and the many European-made scramblers (or between a Zenith, Brough Superior, and Indian, as per the company itself), it is as simple and effective as they get: a straight, almost bike-like frame (of the tubular steel variety), a long and unique fuel tank, two wheels, and a 229cc single-cylinder engine to spin them with the power of just 14 horsepower.

And it's light, too. The Halcyon tips the scales rather quickly, as soon as the needle strikes 265 pounds (120 pounds, again like an overweight human). The two wheels, CNC-machined from aluminum, have no less than 32 spokes each for that vintage feel we're all looking for at some point, and are connected to an in-house-made suspension system.

This piece of handcrafted American simplicity can be had for prices that start at just $6,995. If you don't like it, you could go for the other model in the offering, the Griffin, which starts at $7,495. The most expensive Janus motorcycle, the Halcyon 450, will set you back $14,995.

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 – the quintessential cruiser ($6,999)

Cruiser motorcycles are, by definition, affordable bikes. But that generally means they sit in between $10k and $15k, and most of them are double the price of the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650.

The bike is described by its maker, one of the most respected bike builders on the planet, as the quintessential cruiser, and we tend to agree: there is no way one can make a list of best cruiser bikes in the world and not include this one. That's also because it comes from a company with six decades of experience in this segment.

The most recent iteration of the bike came about last year, packing a 648cc parallel-twin engine that can deliver 47 hp and 52 Nm of torque. The power is sent to the road by means of alloy wheels, with an upside-down fork handling the vertical movement of the front one.

Since we last talked about it, the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 has expanded its presence in more markets and reached the United States as well. There it goes for prices that start at $6,999, making it one of the (if not the) most affordable cruisers you can presently get your hands on.

BMW CE 02 – the eParkourer ($7,599)

For a while now, one of the largest makers of motorcycles in the world, BMW Motorrad, has decided to play the scooter game as well. For the Germans it's not necessarily a means to advance its reach on new segments on the market, but a way for them to research electrification in two-wheeled vehicles.

The present-day range of BMW scooters for the American market includes at the moment three models, one powered by an internal combustion engine (the C 400 GT), and two electric ones, the CE 04 and CE 02. We chose the latter for our list because, well, it's the cheaper (and newer) version of BMW electric scooters.

The CE 02 is not a motorcycle, and BMW does not consider it a scooter either. The thing is marketed as something called an eParkourer, mostly because it is meant for use in urban environments.

It was introduced in the summer of 2023 in not one, but two versions, with the electric motors providing either 5 or 15 horsepower, meaning the rides can be used by AM driving license holders, but also by young people starting at the age of 16.

The battery installed on the scooter allows it to reach distances that can be as great as 56 miles (90 km). And that's quite something, especially when paired with the rather wacky and impressive design of the CE 02.

The Bavarians are charging from $7,599 for the two-wheeler, which for a scooter may be seen as a bit expensive. Not for electric, BMW-branded scooter, though.

Kawasaki Ninja e-1 ABS – spark a new era ($7,899)

There are few motorcycle families in this world as exciting and highly regarded as the Kawasaki Ninja. Having been around since the mid-1980s, the breed established itself as one of the most important of the sport bike segment. And the range, which is no less than 11 models strong, is now going electric.

That is thanks to a Ninja variant called e-1 ABS. Relatively fresh on the market (it was introduced in the fall of last year), the bike looks like it's ready to really make a mess of the competition. And then you look at the thing's specs, and it all becomes less glamorous.

This Ninja is powered by an electric system comprising a brushless motor and a pair of battery packs. And the specs are not at all spectacular.

The motor, for instance, is only capable of delivering 12 hp and 29.7 lb-ft of torque. And the same disappointing figures can be found on the battery front: a maximum range of 41 miles (66 km) and charging times (for both) of up to eight hours. Luckily, they are removable, and that at least makes them easier to handle.

All of the above make the Ninja, despite its illustrious ancestry, more of a toy than something to be taken seriously. Or, the spark for a really big EV fire to come. Yet Kawasaki is asking for real vehicle money for it: $7,899.

Beta XTrainer 300 - the doorway to off-road riding ($8,399)

There are so many bike makers in this world that it is almost impossible to know them all. Some of the less visible ones, a large chunk by all accounts, are definitely worth a closer look. And the Italians from Beta are part of this group.

Founded exactly 120 years ago, the brand is known to riders for the trail bikes they make, but as of more recently, they are also playing the enduro game, having started doing so with the contribution of the Austrians from KTM, which supplied up to a point the engines.

The present-day Beta range available in the U.S. comprises eight model families, ranging from street-legal off-road bikes to balance two-wheelers. For the purposes of our story, we chose the xTrainer 300 because it's an entry-level off-road bike.

That means it can't be used on public roads, but it can be just the right choice for some stunts performed over cliffs and in deserts.

The bike is powered by an in-house-made two-stroke engine that displaces 292cc. A six-speed transmission handles the delivery of power, whose levels sit at a little over 30 hp. Nissin brakes provide the stopping power, while the suspension needs are handled by an inverted fork at the front and steel body shocks at the rear.

The Beta XTrainer 300 can be had for just $8,399 but, just like in the case of other, more specialized bikes on this list, it kind of requires special skills to operate. So it's not for everybody.

Triumph Daytona 660 – triple-powered sport bike punch ($9,195)

It was only at the beginning of January 2024 that British bike maker Triumph pulled the wraps off the newest interpretation of the Daytona, something called the 660, and here is the bike now, already entering a list of its peers. It'll probably continue to do so throughout the year, but we have to start somewhere.

The name Daytona has been around over at Triumph for many years now, so the bike had no way of screwing the new model up, even if this time it is targeting the sport bike segment. So the Brits opted to gift it with the newest version of the 660cc triple engine, tweaked to deliver 94 hp and 69 Nm of torque.

The list of novelties imagined for the 2024 660 is pretty long, and includes anything from the exhaust system and Michelin tires to the Emergency Deceleration Warning system and security accessories. Yet, somehow, Triumph managed to keep the starting price for the impressive ride at under $10k.

The sticker reads precisely $9,195, which makes the all-new sports bike one of the most solid choices on the market right now.

Suzuki Boulevard C50 – the center of attention ($9,199)

It's hard to find a cheap yet reliable motorcycle that is at the same time made by an established company, and has a legacy dating back decades. Yet, if you look close enough, you will find several.

One of the bikes that can certainly make it on that list is the Suzuki Boulevard C50. Part of a family that over the years included no less than ten variants, with one of them, the M109R B.O.S.S., packing one of the largest engines in the industry (109ci/1,783cc), the C50 has some very big shoes to fill.

And it does so wonderfully thanks to its American cruiser styling, Japanese reliability, and a very affordable price.

How affordable? Well, consider you can get your hands on all of the above, plus an 805cc V-twin engine, a five-speed transmission, and a double-cradle steel frame to hold it all together for as little as $9,199.

What is even cooler about this range? For a little extra, you can upgrade your choice to a touring-oriented version, the C50T, which will only set you back $10,359, while throwing into the mix a windscreen and saddlebags, among other things.

Yamaha YZF-R7 – the striking supersport ($9,199)

When someone thinks about a supersport motorcycle, they always think about high performance and high prices. But it is possible from time to time to leave only performance at high levels, as Japanese bike maker Yamaha has proven.

Introduced into the world back in 2021 to bridge the gap between the entry-level YZF-R3 and the slightly meaner YZF-R1, the YZF-R7 has been designed to draw in new riders, and one can't really do that unless the starting price sits at acceptable levels and, more importantly, matches the machine's performance.

The ride is powered by a 689cc inline twin-cylinder engine controlled by means of a six-speed transmission. It was built around a steel frame chassis that is supported by a 41-mm front fork and a monocross shock at the back.

Matching all that is a sticker that reads $9,199, which is a bit higher than it was when the bike first arrived a couple of years ago (the tag read back then $8,999), but still enough to make the Japanese beauty a proposition no one in the market for a supersport can easily overlook.

Honda Rebel 1100 – the magnificent cruiser ($9,549)

It would be natural for you to assume that a list of very cheap motorcycles will not include the big names of the industry. In part you'd be right, because many bike makers do not offer rides under the $10k threshold. But plenty of others, Honda included, do.

In fact, the Japanese bike maker has several bikes to offer for this price segment, including several Shadow models, the Grom, Monkey, and iconic Super Cub, and of course the Transalp. We chose the Rebel 1100 for our list because, really, who doesn't like a cheap, well-baked cruiser?

Styled to impress the American rider, the Rebel 1100 comes with a very potent and rather large 1,083cc engine in the frame. The parallel-twin works in one of four ride modes and is controlled by a six-speed transmission.

The experience Honda has in making motorcycles is more than noticeable on the Rebel, as it looks like something every American would put between their legs and head out for a ride: blacked-out, LED lights all around, an iconic shape for the fuel tank, and just the right amount of color choices, brand new additions for the 2024 model year: Gray Metallic and Metallic Blue.

Honda is selling the Rebel 1100 in two variants, simple and DCT. The simple one fits in our list thanks to the $9,549, but the DCT jumps over that threshold, albeit not by much: $10,149.

Can-Am Ryker – the one to get lost with, on purpose ($9,599)

This one is not technically a motorcycle, at least not in the visual sense, although its maker, Can-Am, certainly advertises it as such. A motorcycle with three wheels that looks simply stunning, behaves wonderfully, and it's also under $10k, something Can-Am can't usually brag about.

The Ryker, because this is the machine we're discussing, was born into this world about five years ago as a sort of entry-level ride in the wonderful world of trikes. It established itself as a powerhouse in the segment, and one of the most affordable trikes anywhere on the market.

The thing is powered by a choice between a two-cylinder Rotax 600 engine or a three-cylinder Rotax 900, both of them assisted by an auto twist-and-go transmission.

One interesting part about the Ryker is that, despite its affordable price, it is just as customizable as the much more expensive Spyder. In fact, says Can-Am, there are no less than 100,000 customization choices to go for (that's a number that is impossible to verify).

It means there's a good chance no Rykers are alike, but it also means the $9,599 starting price is only there to lure people in.

KTM SX-F 250 – the top of the food chain ($9,999)

If the enduro segment of the motorcycle industry were a food chain, Austrian bike maker KTM would certainly be at the top of it all. I dare you to find a name that is more present at the top of the podiums in the world's most demanding competitions of the kind.

KTM's bikes are varied and impressive, but our focus today falls on the SX-F 250, it too a champion by birth, with 5 AMA supercross titles snatched over the last seven seasons alone. And it's cheap enough to be enjoyed by many although, to be fair, not all of us should – after all, this is a kind of machine that needs special skills to handle.

In the ready-to-tackle-all-sorts-of-terrain frame, the Austrians installed a four-stroke SOHC powerplant that spits out more than enough power to take care of the most demanding needs, 63 hp. A five-speed transmission is there to make sure the power is used wisely and properly.

The 2024 KTM SX-F 250 almost didn't make it on our list because of its price, but it's too good of a ride to miss out on for just a few bucks. The asking price for this beauty is $9,999, but slightly more expensive, Factory Edition versions of it can be had for a little more than that.