Nowadays, having a vehicle to take you from one place to another has become a necessity. And this is where motorcycles come in. Unlike cars which can be bulky and also expensive to maintain, motorcycles can make your life much easier.
Not only are they highly reliable in traffic, but there’s also just some element to riding it that makes us feel like a badass. Perhaps it is the effect of watching too much ghost rider? Or is it just the chance to soak in some fresh air? That’s up for debate. However, if you’re planning to purchase a motorcycle, then you undoubtedly have endless options to choose from.
With millions of motorcycles manufactured every year, not all of them have to be good. Thus, without much knowledge, you will easily find yourself overwhelmed. In fact, there’s also a good chance that you might end up wasting your money. Therefore, in this article, we are going to talk all about what should the best motorcycle have, and what are the 10 worst motorcycles of 2021.
10 Worst Motorcycles of 2022
1. Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster
Who would’ve guessed this list would start with Harley-Davidson? Known for manufacturing some of the best bikes in the world, apparently, the 883 Sportster could not meet the bar. Now before you say that the Sportster got a five-speed transmission in 1991, so how could we possibly hate it? To clear that up, we don’t hate its post-1991 version. However, before that, its 883 engine was simply horrible. The vibrations made the bike almost unbearable to sit on.
In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that once you ride the bike for a while, you had to get off and recollect yourself to see if your body is still in one piece. With that said, modern Sportster models are unarguably one of the best out there so there’s no debate on that.
2. Suzuki V-Strom 1000
A relatively decent bike, but only in comparison to other bikes of its class. This bike does not meet the expectations for some of the main features people buy dirt bikes for. Thus, it’s something you do not want to waste your money on.
Not only is the motorcycle too heavy, but also, the suspension is complete crap. In terms of being a dirt bike, the V-Storm 1000 failed so hard that even its predecessor, V-Storm 650 surpasses it. And the final nail on the coffin of this bike is the fact that it’s extremely costly!
We know that Suzuki is one of the top manufacturing companies in the world. But to have so much confidence on a motorcycle that’s a total waste of money is a complete failure on their part.
3. Ducati Streetfighter 1098
One cannot deny that Ducati motorcycles are also some of the best in the world. As sad as we were to include a Ducati bike in this list, someone had to do it. Unlike their other models, the Streetfighter 1098 was a complete failure and gave the fans nothing but disappointment.
Similar to other Ducati motorcycles, this one also rocks a 1098cc engine. So, where did things start to go wrong? The problem starts with its clumsy design. You have to choose between sitting comfortably and riding this bike, that’s how difficult it is. On top of that, it’s also overpriced and the quality is mediocre at best.
4. Yamaha WR250X
Yet another popular name on this list. Whether you’re a bike enthusiast or not, then chances are you may have heard of Yamaha and have also probably seen their attractive motorbikes. However, WR250X was an abomination that’s best forgotten.
The whole idea of buying a dirt bike is to stay safe. But at high speeds, this bike starts to vibrate so bad that you’ll hardly be able to even see yourself in the mirror.
5. 1998 Victory V92C
It’s a shame that how things are not often as good as they look. The same applies to Victory V92C. Let’s just say that this bike was rough around the edges, and with every gear change, it felt like the engine would explode.
Overall, this bike isn’t as bad as the others on the list. It most likely had potential had the manufacturers paid a bit more attention to it. But oh well, it’s all in the past now and something that you do not want to spend your money on.
6. 2004 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000
First of all, we would like to say that Kawasaki never disappoints in terms of looks and engineering. The Vulcan 2000 more than meets the bar for that as well. However, the problem begins with its ridiculously big arc that does nothing but makes them look like Harley wannabes.
Unfortunately, that’s one of the main reasons this bike received the criticism it did. The seat was so wide that it became a nightmare for shorter people to ride it. Moreover, tall people also didn’t have many good things to say about the seat.
Overall, this bike could’ve been much better had Kawasaki focused more on its design.
7. 2008 Suzuki B-King
This bike isn’t even that old and nowadays, it has been rightfully rising in popularity. However, things were not the same when it came out. One of the main reasons for that is Suzuki tried going all in with the Sci-Fi movie concept.
With an advanced weather warming system, fingerprint recognition alarm and whatnot, things became overly complicated for the people. Perhaps, it’s even safe to say that this bike was a marvel of its time, but people didn’t really like it back then. Thus, even if it’s not the worst bike, we thought it’s worth adding it to the list for the hate it once received.
8. Suzuki GSX -R1000
Unlike some other motorcycles on this list for which we had a couple of good things to say about, the same isn’t the case for this one. In fact, GSX-R1000 is unarguably one of the worst motorcycles out there for first-timers. If anyone you know has owned this bike, then the chances are that they’ve been involved in a crash at least once.
If you’re a beginner, then handling this bike might be too difficult for you. Thus, make sure to stay away from it.
9. Kawasaki Ninja 300
Kawasaki is also a popular name, but every now and then, we all make mistakes. It launched in 2013, and initially, it generated quite a bit of revenue and sales. However, once people started to use it they realized how horrible of an investment it really was.
Not only is this motorcycle expensive to purchase, but its post-purchase expenses are also unbearable. If you want to spend thousands of dollars every year on fuel alone, then this bike will meet your needs.
The very reason this bike became popular after its launch was due to the lack of competition. But now, there are much more affordable and fuel-efficient options out there.
10. The Royal Enfield Bullet Electra
The main idea with the Bullet Electra was to build a vintage-looking motorcycle. And while they did succeed, their mistake was they went too hard with the price.
All in all, The Royal Enfield failed to hit the mark with this one. There are other bikes out there that combine power with style and wouldn’t suck every penny from your pocket.
What Features Should a Good Bike Offer?
If you’re a first-time buyer, then there are so many things to look out for. There’s a good chance that you’ll miss one thing or another. However, if you have a check-list by your side to refer to, then you’re least likely to make any mistakes.
Therefore, here are some things to look out for while buying a bike to make a safer choice:
1) Exhaust
If you’re buying a bike, then make sure that it’s cold prior to the inspection. This applies especially in the case of used bikes. The warmer the engine, the easier it is to turn it on. However, a motorcycle undergoes true testing only when it is as cold as the North Pole (not really but you got the idea).
Due to the vibration, the exhaust gets from the engine, the pipes and mounts often damage. Moreover, while the bike is still cold, you can easily inspect the exhaust for corrosion.
It’s also worth inspecting the header of the exhaust for any dents by lying on your back, as it often contributes to performance issues.
2) Brakes
The brakes are one of the most important yet, the most neglected part while buying a motorcycle. When you are driving down the road at 70 mph, you want to make sure your breaks are as smooth and functional as possible.
When you are testing the bike, try using the break engaging the breaks. Inspect carefully if there’s a squeaking sound coming from them. Moreover, also verify whether they’re functioning smoothly or not.
Even if some people may think the brakes are easily replicable, quality brakes can still be costly.
3) Clutch
Testing the clutch of your bike can go a long way. For starters, engage the clutch and then slowly release it to see if it works smoothly and doesn’t rapidly push your bike forward. Although if the clutch cable has a little slack, there’s nothing to worry about as that can easily be adjusted.
If you feel resistance while releasing the clutch, then it’s worth inspecting if the clutch has excessive wear. In the worst-case scenario, there’s also a chance that the clutch plates may be damaged.
4) Suspension
The fork seals of your bike should always be smooth. Leaked oil seals are common and not something that cannot be replaced. Nonetheless, keep an eye out for rust around the forks seals as that may be a much bigger expense.
Ideally, you can also try lightly bouncing on the seat, if you’re hearing a noise then that’s a bad sign. This means that the rear shocks are not stable enough and cannot spring up and down properly.
You can inspect the fork tube by running your fingers on it. Usually, if there are any bumps then that’s rust. On the other hand, if there’s a crease then that’s a sign that the forks are bent which may be due to an accident.
5) Wheels & Tires
A good practice is to change the tires when they’re 6 years old. However, if everyone followed good practices then we would be living in an ideal world. If your suspect that the motorcycle you’re purchasing is really that old, then you can at least check the manufacturing date of the tires.
There are 4 digits engraved on the outer sidewalls of the tires. Those digits represent the week (first two digits) and year (last two digits) they were manufactured respectively.
To properly inspect the wheel, mount the vehicle on the centre stand. After that, try spinning the back wheel to see if you see if there are any bends or resistance while spinning. The same test works for the front wheel as well, if you have someone to help you out.
6) Frame
Most people often miss out on one of the most obvious things: the frame. Even if the frame of the motorcycle looks perfect to you on first sight, it’s still worth inspecting it with your hands.
Your hands can feel what your eyes can’t see. If you notice even a slight bend somewhere in the body, then it’s likely due to an accident.
Make sure to carefully inspect the steering as well. After all, if there’s even a slight bend in the steering then it’s obvious that the bike has been involved in an accident.
7) Appearance
Even if your top focus is the handling and the overall condition of the bike, we all deep down have an eye for appearance. However, there’s a great chance that if the things that we’ve mentioned above are in tip-top shape, then the bike will also be in good in terms of appearance.
With that said, a quick clean can be an easy way to hide some of the imperfections on a bike. Thus, make sure that whether it’s “quick-cleaned” or does it naturally look the way it does. The best way to make sure of that is by observing the tight corners for dirt and dust.
