The average price of a motorcycle is about $16,000. The prices of new motorcycles start at $5,000 and depend on several factors, such as brand, type, performance, accessories, and so on. If you would like to compare the average prices of motorcycles by category in one chart, this post is for you.
We at PowerSportsGuide have done the research and compiled the average prices of motorcycles under one roof!
Motorcycle Price List
For your convenience, we’ve done the research and gathered the average prices of motorcycles into one chart.
Motorcycle Price Chart
| Type of Motorcycles | Average Prices (USD) |
| Dirt bike | $8,000 – $12,000 |
| Dual Sport | $5,000 – $10,000 |
| Adventure | $8,000 – $20,000 |
| Touring | $10,000 – $40,000+ |
| Cruiser | $5,000 – $20,000+ |
| Street | $5,000 – $20,000+ |
| Supersport | $5,000 – $40,000+ |
The prices in the chart above are for general informational purposes only and show the average prices of motorcycles!
Let’s move on and take a closer look at these categories!
Factors that Affect the Prices of New Motorcycles
Before we drill into the details let’s take a closer look at the factors that affect the prices of new motorcycles. In a nutshell, the most important factors are as follows:
- Brand
- Type
- Performance
- Features and accessories
- Dealer fees
- Prep and shipping costs
- Taxes
Since these factors vary from one motorcycle to the next, the prices of new motorcycles vary widely. Therefore, it makes sense to do your research upfront before you make a final decision!
What is the Average Price of a Motorcycle?
The prices of new motorcycles start at $5,000 and go up to a whopping $200,000. However, it’s safe to say that the majority of motorcycles are priced in the $5,000-$20,000 range.
Dirt Bike Prices
Dirt bikes are also known as off-road bikes, and with good reason. These unique motorcycles are designed to run on rough terrain. Because of this, they feature high seats and special off-road tires. Compared to other types of motorcycles, dirt bikes are pretty lightweight as well.
However, they typically lack lights, turn signals, and mirrors. Thus, they are usually not street legal.
Full-sized dirt bikes are powered with 125, 250, 400, and 450cc engines, and surprisingly many of them are still 2-stroke!
The cheapest dirt bikes start as low as $1,500-$3,000 but keep in mind that these tiny bikes are only suitable for children. Regarding full-sized models, the average price of off-road motorcycle ranges from $8,000 up to $12,000.
Cost of Dual Sport/Adventure Motorcycles
If you are looking for a cheap new motorcycle, you should take a look at the dual sport category.
Simply put, these motorcycles are street legal siblings of dirt bikes since they are equipped with the required safety features. These bikes are typically powered with 250-650cc, 4-stroke engines.
Although dual sport motorcycles are heavier and less agile compared to dirt bikes, they still do a good job on rough terrain. What’s more, they are very affordable as they are available from as low as $5,000!
The most well-known dual sport bike manufacturers are the “big four” Japanese firms: Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda and Suzuki.
As their name implies, adventure motorcycles are developed to cover greater distances on various types of terrain. They are typically powered with larger, 400-1,300cc, multi-cylinder engines and equipped with many convenience features.
This means that these bikes offer more comfort even on long rides. On the other hand, adventure bikes are significantly heavier as they typically weigh about 500-600 pounds.
Additionally, adventure bikes also come with heftier price tags. As a rule of thumb, the price of new motorcycles in this class ranges from $8,000 up to $20,000.
Manufacturers?
The most popular brands in this segment are Honda, Yamaha, KTM and BMW.
Touring Motorcycle Prices
If you are looking for more comfort and features, touring motorcycles are for you. These machines are designed to cover really long distances on the road. They come with powerful engines, large fuel tanks, and a lot of equipment.
As you can assume, touring bikes are not among the cheapest motorcycles on the market. If you are in the market for a new touring motorcycle, be prepared to pay about $10,000-$30,000.
An entry-level touring motorcycle costs around $10,000-$15,000 while the mid-level models are typically available for $15,000-$20,000. If you are not on a tight budget, you can consider a fully equipped luxury touring motorcycle like the Honda Gold Wing or a BMW K1600.
The main advantage of these models is that they are equipped with reverse gear, which makes these heavy bikes easier to move backward.
Prices?
Although the prices of luxury touring motorcycles vary widely depending on the model and features, you can find most of these bikes priced in the $20,000-$40,000 range.
Cruiser Motorcycle Prices
It’s safe to say that cruiser motorcycles symbolize a carefree lifestyle. Instead of their performance or a lot of bells and whistles, cruisers stand out from the crowd with their design and style.
They typically feature a large V-twin engine, low seat, longer front fork legs and wider rake angles. The unnatural riding position and heavy weight don’t make cruisers an ideal choice for beginner riders.
Regarding the price of cruiser motorcycles, some entry-level models like the Honda Rebel 300 are available from $5,000. However, these are far from authentic American cruisers!
If you are looking for something more powerful, you can find many mid-level cruisers in the $8,000-$12,000 price range while the most expensive models can reach a whopping $20,000+.
The most iconic American cruiser manufacturers are Harley-Davidson, Triumph, and Indian, but cruisers are also offered by many other motorcycle companies like Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, BWM, Honda, KTM, Moto Guzzi, and Ducati.
Street Motorcycle Prices
“Street motorcycles” is a fairly broad category, so it’s not easy to clearly define. Many say that the term “street bikes” should refer to any street-legal motorcycle.
On the other hand, this category is often used to describe smaller motorcycle categories that are primarily designed for street use.
The most well-known street motorcycles are the naked bikes (also known as street fighters), café racers, scramblers, supermotos, and smaller commuting (city) motorcycles.
Anyway, it’s clear that street motorcycles have the largest variety of engine options as well as body styles.
As you might assume, the many different models come with many different prices. The cheapest motorcycles in this category cost about $5,000, while the most expensive models cost several times that.
Supersport Motorcycle Prices
Although supersport motorcycles (or “sportbikes”) are often considered to be simply street motorcycles, let’s face it, this is a pure category.
In fact, these models are street-legal replicas of racing motorcycles. That’s why you find “R” or “RR” (racing-replica) labels in the name of many popular supersport motorcycles.
These machines are designed to reach the highest top speeds and performance possible. Therefore, they feature full fairings and extremely powerful engines that put out about 100-200 HP depending on the model. Supersport motorcycles also offer the most aggressive “race style” riding position.
When it comes to price, the cheapest motorcycles in this class cost about $5,000-$8,000. However, it has to be mentioned that these entry-level sport bikes are typically powered with smaller 300-500cc engines. The most powerful superbikes come with 600-1,300cc engines and $10,000-$40,000 price tags.
Although they are engaging machines, if you are a beginner, it’s recommended that you steer clear of this category. Riding these motorcycles requires skills and experience, thus they are not recommended for beginners.
The most well-known bikes in this category are arguably the Japanese “crotch rockets” like the Honda CBR, the Yamaha YZF, and the Kawasaki Ninja series.
How Much Should I Pay for a Motorcycle?
How much should I pay for a motorcycle? – This is a typical question of many motorcycle buyers and the answer is that it depends. The general rule is if you are a beginner you should pay about $5,000-$10,000 for a new motorcycle. Don’t forget that besides MSRP you have to count on many additional costs like dealer fees, taxes, preparing and shipping costs.
Due to these extra costs, the final price of the motorcycle can easily be $1,000-$2,000 more than the MSRP.
So, in most cases you not only can’t negotiate the price of a new motorcycle, but you also have to face a higher final price than the MSRP because of all these costs!
Moreover, the cost of the accessories is also often overlooked by first-time buyers. To avoid surprises, keep in mind that good-quality riding gear may cost you several hundred or even thousands of dollars!
Is it Cheaper to Build a Motorcycle or Buy One?
Building a motorcycle could be a great side project, especially if you want to build a custom bike. But keep in mind that buying an assembled motorcycle is always cheaper than building one (not counting your time)! Are you wondering why?
First, manufacturing motorcycles is a low-margin business, so contrary to popular belief motorcycle companies don’t make big money on a machine. But since they’re mass produced, it’s still worthwhile for companies.
In contrast, manufacturing and selling parts is always a niche business that results in higher manufacturing costs and margins.
This means that if you buy a motorcycle in parts, it would be much more expensive than buying an assembled bike off the shelf.
Is a Motorcycle Cheaper Than a Car?
Yes! Since the average price of a car in 2019 was $36,700 we can say that motorcycles are far cheaper than cars. If we want to be more accurate, the average cost of a motorcycle is less than half the price of the average car. What’s more, motorcycles are not only more affordable, but also much cheaper to maintain than cars.
If you are a speed junkie and looking for something really fast, one of your options is to invest in a supercar. But unfortunately, they are pretty expensive, so they are definitely not for everyone.
So, if you are on a budget, you should take a look at supersport motorcycles. It may surprise you, but many used models cost around $5,000 and can beat entry-level supercars! If you have doubts, don’t miss this great comparison video:
Conclusion – What’s a Good Price for a Motorcycle?
It’s hard to tell what a good price for a motorcycle would be, since no two models are the same. However, it’s safe to say that a decent beginner motorcycle costs about $5,000-$10,000 while you can find the price of average motorcycles in the $10,000-$20,000 range. If you are looking for a luxury bike be prepared to pay about $20,000-$40,000, or even more!
Besides the MSRP, don’t forget the additional costs like dealer fees, taxes, prep, and shipping costs.
If you find the prices of new motorcycle too high for you, you may want to consider purchasing a used one. Many beginner motorcycle riders purchase a used machine and switch to a new one a couple of years later.
Since the average prices of motorcycles are significantly lower on the second-hand market, you can shave off your initial costs this way.
Finally, don’t forget that just like with cars, there are a lot of costs to owning a motorcycle!
References:
https://www.solomotoparts.com/blog/So-How-Much-Does-a-Motorcycle-Cost
