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Dec 20, 2023

Most Reliable Motorcycle Brands

Over the years motorcycle have become more and more reliable, and these are the most reliable brands in the business Reliability may be the last thing that comes to your mind when choosing your dream

Over the years motorcycle have become more and more reliable, and these are the most reliable brands in the business

Reliability may be the last thing that comes to your mind when choosing your dream bike — you can’t put logic to a BMW M1000RR — but it is still a crucial factor in choosing your bike. It has to be reliable; otherwise, how would you get to enjoy it? But who makes the most reliable motorcycles? That question plagues any new bike buyer, and you are probably one of them too.

Now, stereotypes do exist when it comes to motorcycle maintenance and reliability. Honda motorcycles are seen as the holy grail of reliability, and Ducatis are the butt of all jokes, thanks to their finicky electronics and an engine with an ego. And how can we forget Harley-Davidson and its tendency to spray oil everywhere? But the truth can be far from the stereotype, or can it? Here are the most reliable motorcycle brands in the world.

Motorcycles

Reliability Score

Aprilia

N/A

KTM

N/A

BMW

40%

Ducati

33%

Triumph

29%

Harley-Davidson

26%

Kawasaki

15%

Suzuki

12%

Honda

12%

Yamaha

11%

While reliability data for motorcycles is hard to track, we strive to provide the most accurate information possible. Hence, this article links directly to the most recent study conducted by Consumer Reports (2015) and anecdotal user reports on forums.

Related: 10 Most Unreliable Motorcycles

Aprilia makes some of the most exotic motorcycles in the world that give Ducatis a run for their flair, but the brand isn’t known for reliability. Of course, the reliability varies from model to model, but generally, forums are flooded with reliability complaints of Aprilias. The explosive performance and capabilities seem to come at a cost here, and the most common complaints include expanding gas tanks, rectifier issues, oil leaks, corrosion, and electrical gremlins. No surprise that — Aprilia has always prioritized form over function, but let’s not deny the fact that maintaining Aprilias is a pain. Still, Aprilia motorcycles are mind-blowing and deserve your attention.

In the same line as Aprilia, KTM is known for manic motorcycles that want to pop wheelies all the time, but KTMs also come with their share of reliability issues. The common ones are related to electronics, fuel pumps, oil leaks, and suspension niggles. But you shouldn’t ignore that KTMs are ridden hard, and the wear and tear won’t be easy to handle for other bikes as well. Plus, cheaper KTMs built in India are of low quality and suffer from engine failures, so these more affordable bikes also bring down global reliability ratings a bit. But if you want a KTM, you want a KTM. A reliability issue isn’t going to change your mind.

Aprilia and KTM are listed first due to a lack of any substantial data, but the Consumer Report (2015) lists BMW at the bottom with a 40% failure rate. Surprising, considering German engineering is known to be precise and rugged. There are numerous reasons why BMW, despite making high-end bikes, makes unreliable products — electrical gremlins, more parts and features that can fail, faulty fuel pumps, fragile components that are more suited for German roads and not American bumps, or high cost of service.

Sure, the 40% score may be inaccurate today. BMW has come a long since 2015, and its recent models are in their most reliable state of tune. So, take the score with a grain of salt. There’s a reason the BMW S1000RR is often regarded as the ultimate superbike — they know what they are doing, except when it comes to charging you for spares and service, with their average repair cost being nearly $500.

Related: Top 10 BMW Motorcycle Innovations

Ducati is a terrific example of how products exceed their reputation. Ask your mechanic if they enjoy working on a Ducati — their answer will likely be a hard NO. Ducati motorcycles are complicated to work on and have a mind of their own. Look at them the wrong way, and they might break down, and everyone knows that, even the owners. Yet, Ducati is perhaps the most sought-after brand in the motorcycling world.

Ducati scores so low because the bikes are hyper-focused on performance and design, and this comes at the cost of demanding components, erratic electronics, poor after-sales service, high cost of ownership, and the Desmo service. The more focused the bike is, the more prone it is to failure — that’s why Ducati is number 7 and Honda is number 2.

Triumph is where you start stepping into a gray area since Triumph motorcycles have a mixed reputation. Thanks to oil leak issues of the 1990s, their reputation did take a hit. British engineering isn’t often considered the most reliable (look at Land Rover or Jaguar), but consider the Triumph motorcycles today. They are highly polished specimens that we all love and appreciate. Yes, Triumph did face some engine issues with its three-cylinder mill a few years ago, but things have changed. The decade-old 29% reliability score no longer applies to Triumph.

Harley-Davidson, the iconic American brand, faces many jokes from sportbike riders, one of the most popular being that Harleys mark their territories with oil stains. But Harleys are better than we perceive; modern Harley Davidson bikes are pretty reliable. They aren’t as refined or precise as Japanese bikes, but they are close. They hold up quite well to the riders’ demands, so you keep seeing them everywhere. In fact, even older models still run great with a bit of care. Reliability is no longer the brand’s biggest concern; it’s selling its bikes to the younger generation.

When it comes to reliability, the Big Four Japanese brands dominate the competition, and Kawasaki is the least reliable of the four. Still, with a failure rate of 15%, which has significantly improved in the last few years, Kawasaki motorcycles offer excellent reliability. It’s safe to say that Japanese motorcycles are more or less equal in reliability. However, what sets Kawasaki apart is a slightly higher service and ownership cost, along with the type of motorcycles they offer. Kawasakis are laden with tech, offer high-end components at a lower price, and push the limits of engineering, which makes a slight dent in their reliability.

Related: 10 Best Kawasaki Motorcycles Currently On Sale

We like to make fun of Suzuki motorcycles for being squid missiles, but there’s no denying that they are some of the most over-engineered machines out there. The perfect example is the Hayabusa; even at its fastest factory tune, it still leaves room for more power. Turbo-Busa, anyone? The only reason Suzuki motorcycles fall behind Honda and Yamaha is electronics, depending on the bike model you pick. Otherwise, Suzukis are about as perfect as motorcycles can get in terms of reliability.

Tying in with Suzuki, Honda is the second most reliable motorcycle brand in the world (although we know it’s the clear winner, don’t we?) Honda motorcycles are highly dependable, long-lasting, and super cheap to maintain, as is evident by the ancient Goldwings still plying the freeways. The brand’s vast engineering expertise in producing engines for everything from boats to cars is partly why Honda bikes are so reliable. When someone asks if a Honda is reliable, the answer, “It’s a Honda,” is enough to convey the message.

The only reason Yamaha has an edge over Honda is they make guitars…

Jokes aside, the margin of difference is now narrower than ever between the two brands — indistinguishable. Like Honda, Yamaha benefits from its expertise in producing all kinds of vehicles and its vast manufacturing capabilities, and Yamaha bikes are extraordinarily well-built and low maintenance. If you ask us, Honda takes the cake for being the better of the two because they are much cheaper to maintain, but we can’t let Yamaha slide by because it has given us the legendary Yamaha YZF-R1 and YZF-R7.

The Consumer Report’s survey was published in 2015, based on a study of 11,000 individuals, and the survey focussed on two aspects: frequency of repairs and how happy the customers were over four years. The brands have come a long way since then, and while the report was reliable for its time, it only serves as a guideline in 2023. But while we await a more contemporary report on the most reliable motorcycle brands, this is the best we have, along with thousands of social media and forum reports.

Meet Aayush, a motorcycle-loving writer from Goa. With almost a decade of riding experience and a (not so) trusty Dominar 400, you can find him exploring the Western Ghats on Sundays or tinkering with motorcycles during his free hours. From touring tips to DIY maintenance, he's got you covered. So, grab your helmet and join the ride!