Motorcycle · Two-wheeled motor transport spanning scooters, sport bikes and touring machines.
Icons are not always the best sellers — they are the ones that stuck in culture, engineering lore or both.
Use the comparison lab on this page to weigh their stats side by side.
Unknown author Unknown author · Public domain
Harley-Davidson stands among the reference motorcycle designs that shaped how the world pictures this mode.
Production or service life 1903– placed Harley-Davidson in United States's transport story.
“Icons teach constraints: cost, regulation and infrastructure matter as much as peak performance.”
Mj-bird · CC BY-SA 3.0
Honda Super Cub stands among the reference motorcycle designs that shaped how the world pictures this mode.
Production or service life 1958– placed Honda Super Cub in Japan's transport story.
“Icons teach constraints: cost, regulation and infrastructure matter as much as peak performance.”
Rainmaker47 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Yamaha YZF-R1 stands among the reference motorcycle designs that shaped how the world pictures this mode.
Production or service life 1998– placed Yamaha YZF-R1 in Japan's transport story.
“Icons teach constraints: cost, regulation and infrastructure matter as much as peak performance.”
Monaroman68 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ducati Monster stands among the reference motorcycle designs that shaped how the world pictures this mode.
Production or service life 1993– placed Ducati Monster in Italy's transport story.
“Icons teach constraints: cost, regulation and infrastructure matter as much as peak performance.”
BMW R series stands among the reference motorcycle designs that shaped how the world pictures this mode.
Production or service life 1923– placed BMW R series in Germany's transport story.
“Icons teach constraints: cost, regulation and infrastructure matter as much as peak performance.”
Gpkp · CC BY-SA 4.0
Royal Enfield Classic stands among the reference motorcycle designs that shaped how the world pictures this mode.
Production or service life 1950s– placed Royal Enfield Classic in India's transport story.
“Icons teach constraints: cost, regulation and infrastructure matter as much as peak performance.”
Kawasaki Ninja stands among the reference motorcycle designs that shaped how the world pictures this mode.
Production or service life 1984– placed Kawasaki Ninja in Japan's transport story.
“Icons teach constraints: cost, regulation and infrastructure matter as much as peak performance.”
Vespa stands among the reference motorcycle designs that shaped how the world pictures this mode.
Production or service life 1946– placed Vespa in Italy's transport story.
“Icons teach constraints: cost, regulation and infrastructure matter as much as peak performance.”
Stats are relative 0–100 marks within this type, for comparison only.
Toggle icons on and off — every bar rescales to the leader of your selection.
Should a motorcycle be judged by passenger-km and uptime, or by how completely it owns the public imagination?
Some legends dominate one corridor; others become templates copied worldwide.
The private motor vehicle that remade cities, work and leisure in the twentieth century.
Overall 72 ⚡Battery-electric passenger cars shifting the car from oil pumps to power grids.
Overall 78 🚌Shared road vehicles that move cities — from diesel fleets to electric BRT corridors.
Overall 69 🚛Road freight workhorses — pickups to tractor-trailers that stock the modern supply chain.
Overall 57 🚲Human-powered two wheels — the most efficient personal vehicle ever mass-produced.
Overall 68