BY RIDER MAGAZINE STAFF CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Unlike car dealers , most motorcycle dealers don ’ t offer test rides . Demo rides are great , but they are few and far between and often involve parade-pace conga lines that don ’ t allow riders to experience a motorcycle ’ s true capabilities . Every year , Rider tests as many new or significantly updated motorcycles as they can to evaluate them within the context of their intended use . Rider put their collective heads together to identify the best bikes in their class . For 2023 , there were more than 80 eligible contenders . Ten finalists and one winner were chosen .

2023 Motorcycle of the Year Finalists : 1 . BMW R 18 Roctane The fifth member of the R 18 family is a unique alternative to the ubiquitous American V-Twin . It ’ s powered by the BMW 1,802cc “ Big Boxer ” Twin and features blacked-out styling , a midrise handlebar , a 21−inch front wheel , and hard saddlebags . The Roctane has admirable curb appeal , good comfort and handling , and high-tech features including Rock , Roll , and Rain ride modes . 2 . CFMOTO Ibex 800 T CFMOTO has been on the gas lately , expanding its motorcycle lineup from seven to 10 models , including two versions of the Ibex 800 adventure-tourer powered by a 790cc parallel-Twin adapted from the KTM 790 Adventure . The top-of-the-line Ibex 800 T is comfortable , capable , and packed with useful features yet retails for an accessible $ 10,499 .

3 . Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide / Road Glide

For a company steeped in tradition , Harley-Davidson has taken two of its most iconic models in a decidedly modern direction . The new styling , 12.3−inch TFT color touchscreen , and liquid-cooled 121ci Milwaukee- Eight V-Twin with variable valve timing are only on the limited-production , high-priced CVO versions for now , but the significant updates have catapulted these baggers into the future . 4 . Honda SCL500 In a nod to its iconic ’ 60s-era CL72 and CL77 scramblers , the new Honda SCL500 is powered by a 471cc parallel-Twin and has an upright riding position , a high-routed exhaust , block-tread tires , good suspension travel , and retro styling elements like fork gaiters and gas tank knee pads . Priced at $ 6,799 with standard ABS , the SCL500 brings back affordable cool . 5 . Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition After introducing the highly capable Norden 901 adventure bike for 2022 , Husqvarna launched the Expedition variant for 2023 with an Explorer ride mode , upgraded suspension , a beefier skid plate , and several touring-ready features , including waterproof soft saddlebags . With a 105−hp 889cc parallel- Twin and serious off-road chops , the Expedition loves to get dirty . 6 . Indian Sport Chief Built on the new Chief platform launched by Indian two years ago ( Indian ’ s Super Chief Limited was a 2021 MOTY finalist ), the Sport Chief is a West Coast club-style cruiser with a bullet fairing , a tall-but-forward handlebar , and mid-mount foot controls . With a leanand-mean stance and a rumbling 116ci Thunderstroke V-Twin , the Sport Chief won our recent comparison with Harley ’ s Low Rider S . 7 . Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 Since 2019 , the Royal Enfield 648cc parallel-Twin

lineup has included the Continental GT cafe racer and the INT650 roadster . For 2023 , they were joined by the Super Meteor 650 , a cruiser that draws from Royal Enfield ’ s 121−year heritage . After testing it on India ’ s rough-and-tumble streets , we were impressed by the Super Meteor ’ s style , build quality , capability , and value . 8 . Suzuki V-Strom 800DE The new Suzuki 776cc parallel-Twin , which makes a claimed 83 hp and 57.5 lb-ft of torque , powers two new-for−2023 models : the GSX−8S naked sportbike and the V-Strom 800DE adventure bike . With a 21−inch front wheel , 8.7 inches of suspension travel , 8.75 inches of ground clearance , and a gravel TC mode , the 800DE is the most offroad-capable V-Strom yet . 9 . Triumph Street Triple 765 R We tested the updated Triumph Street Triple 765 R and RS naked sportbikes in Spain , and as impressive as the higher-spec RS is , our reviewer favored the bang for the buck offered by the R . “ It ’ s astonishing that a semi-exotic and highly refined motorcycle with such outsized performance capabilities can be had for less than $ 10K ,” he said , adding that it is “ one of the best values in motorcycling .” 10 . Yamaha Tracer 9 GT + Winner of Rider ’ s 2021 MOTY award , the fourth generation of the Yamaha FJ / Tracer platform gets a new millimeter-wave radar that enables adaptive cruise control and a world-first radar-linked Unified Brake System as well as other useful updates . Powered by an exciting 890cc crossplane Triple , the Tracer 9 GT + is one of the best sport-tourers available .

The 2023 Motorcycle of the Year winner is the 2023 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT .

KTM has built bikes with “ Duke ” monikers for nearly 30 years , starting with the 620 Duke introduced in 1994 , a lightweight , single-cylinder supermoto that was a bareknuckled street brawler . The Duke family has grown and evolved over the years , and KTM ’ s U . S . lineup now includes the 200 Duke , 390

Duke , 790 Duke , 890 Duke R , 1290 Super Duke R Evo , and 1290 Super Duke GT .

We ’ ve tested them all , but the one that has become deeply embedded under our skin like a tattoo is the 1290 Super Duke GT sport-tourer .

Following his first ride on the then-new 2017 Super Duke GT , former EIC Mark Tuttle – not a man known to gush – described it as “ nearly flawless , the perfect sport-touring bike for a rider who doesn ’ t want to give up sportbike levels of engine performance and handling . It ’ s comfortable for all-day riding , offers decent wind protection , makes enormous power , and does indeed handle and stop like a sportbike .”

After logging 3,500 miles for our first full test , we said “ the GT is designed to excite you more than pamper you … Few bikes feel so eager , so ready to take your breath away .”

It also earned a spot as a 2017 MOTY finalist : “ We loved to dirty dance with KTM ’ s ‘ Beast ,’ the 1290 Super Duke R , but the GT is the version we could take home to mama . Higher , wider handlebars , wider cushier seats ,

Rider Magazine announces the 2023 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT as the

2023 Motorcycle of the Year . Photos courtesy of Kevin Wing

lower footpegs , a bigger tank , and a nicely sized adjustable windscreen and hard bags ready the GT for long days at warp speed , all powered by that 173−hp V-Twin , which is retuned for better touring manners .”

We were bereft when the GT disappeared from KTM ’ s lineup during the Covid years , but we were excited to see it return for 2023 . Updates were few , mostly styling and instrumentation , but what we loved about the 1290 Super Duke GT remained undiluted . As we wrote in our review in the May issue : “ While the 1290 Super Duke GT is pretty incredible , it ’ s no Hulk ready to explode in a rage with one mistimed input . Rather , the GT is a wellbehaved beast , one with finely tuned throttle response and easily controllable power .”

We also praised the GT ’ s high-spec components , top-notch electronic rider aids , confident handling , ride-all-day comfort , and generous 6.1−gal . fuel capacity . Although the 30−liter hard bags are no longer standard , they are available as accessories .

“ This bike is the pointy end of the sporttouring spear , and it ’ s sharper than ever .”