We probably aren’t the first ones to catch on to the fact that coming up with the 11 best-selling motorcycles of all time can be quite the fiasco. With one letdown after another, we hang our heads as we ignominiously admit that the information needed to put together an accurate list of history’s best-selling motorcycles of all time just isn’t available. Not only does the issue of motorcycle sales statistics being difficult to obtain play a major role in our dilemma, but it didn’t take long for us to understand that even some of the biggest names in motorcycles are owned by third parties (and sometimes their list of owners doesn’t stop there!); which only makes their sales and production data harder to come by.
Since finding concrete sales figures to base our list off of was such an arduous task, we decided to use what little statistics we were able to dig up, and then look a little into the history of these two-wheeled motor vehicles to try to fill in the gaps and get a better feel for what brands have reigned supreme throughout the years. Glancing through the history of motorcycles, we found that many of the most successful names—some of which, still easily succeeding their competitors—even took part in the more nascent stages of these machines. With that being said, their ancestors reveal the modest era from whence they came that are not only laughable in comparison to the beastly machines we have today, but the vast contrast between what was and what now is, often creates conflict when trying to determine who actually produced the first real motorcycle.
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It began in the year 1867 with a man by the name of Sylvester Howard Roper and his 2-cylinder, steam-powered engine that ran off of coal. Over the span of the next three decades, motorcycles evolved into gas-powered engines on wooden frames and didn’t stop there! By mid 1890’s, engineers such as Nikolaus Otto, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, the Hildebrand brothers and Alois Wolfmller, Jules-Albert de Dion and Georges Bouton all had their hand in perfecting what is now known as the internal combustion engine. Although a breakthrough in the way engines were made since then, these engines were surprisingly easily assembled and sparked the mass production of motorcycles, thereafter.
By the early 1900’s, pre-existing bicycle and automobile companies began to turn their attention to fabricating their own interpretations of these new motor vehicles, and the further advancement of motorcycles eventually spawned a rapid growth of a variety of different brands. However, before the birth of many of these motorcycle manufacturers, WWI and WWII both piqued the interest of the production of motorcycles for war communications, while in turn weeding out the manufacturers that couldn’t compete during the failing economy with their larger, more successful counterparts. Throughout our list of the 11 best-selling motorcycles of all time, we will not only take a look at some of the manufacturers that managed to make it out of these harsh times alive, but some that made the best of it and created a brand that catered to the new needs of the public.
One last thing we wanted to be sure to take into consideration when conducting our list was the simple, but often overlooked fact that although some manufacturers might be leading the industry in some regions, doesn’t necessarily make them the all-time best-sellers. In conjunction with focusing on brands that have remained a popular choice across the globe, we realized that while motorcycles tend to be one of the most dangerous forms of transportation, the geographical layout of some regions offers a safer riding environment in addition to simply making them a more practical choice of transportation. If it never occurred to you that your riding habits may be a danger to you depending on the area you live in, you may want to take a quick peek at our list of 10 most dangerous states to ride a motorcycle before proceeding with our 11 best-selling motorcycles of all time.
11. The Piaggio Group
Okay, so maybe we cheated a little on this one; but being as though there are so many successful motorcycle manufacturers we had an abundance of motorcycle brands to take into consideration. It only seemed appropriate to feature this group, because it is one of the largest European motorcycle manufacturers and some of the brands that make it up are among the leaders of their specified sectors in the world! Leading in the scooter division of two-wheeled motor vehicles is Vespa; which literally translates to “wasp” in Italian. Originally named MP6, the Vespa was renamed for its distinct sound when presented to Enrico Piaggio. A true genius, Corradino D’Ascanio—an engineer who also designed the first Italian helicopter prior to his hand in birthing the motor scooter—wanted to create something different from his own personal stereotype that all motorcycles were “dirty” and “uncomfortable”. Consumers were marveled by these scooters for their unique beauty, reliability and low cost; which are only some of the reasons why Vespa has been an immediate success since its debut in 1946, and has since then remained the best of the best when it comes to scooters—selling over 18 million units. As gas prices rise and streets become more and more congested, Vespa sales are sure to keep soaring.
Another front-runner in the Piaggio Group that ranks 11th in our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time is Aprilia. Although, only becoming part of this group in 2004 these motor-racers have a history of success. Starting off as a scooter manufacturer after WWII, it wasn’t until 1968 that Aprilia began to turn their efforts towards creating something a little more serious. Two years later, their first “real motorcycle” (technically speaking scooters are motorcycles, but try telling that to a biker), the Scarabeo cross-bike was released; and since then have made a very nice name for themselves in the world of motor-racing. Holding the record for the most wins of any European manufacturer, Aprilia has accumulated 294 Moto Grand Prix victories and 54 world titles in different motor-racing divisions. In the world of motor-racing, Aprilia is one of the biggest competitors, and their continuous efforts to keep enhancing their already sterling machines will surely keep them on the top of the charts for years to come.
While we’re on the subject of motor-racing, Gilera is yet another trophy-winner owned by the Piaggio name. Founded in 1909, the young Giuseppe Gilera began building motorcycles; and by 1935 acquired the rights to the Rondine 4-cylinder engine. This only projected his success even further, as this opportunity kick-started (yes, pun intended!) the production of his racing machines; which would go on to break many records along with a number of Grand Prix wins. Although Gilera had a line of models which would later go down as icons in motorcycle history, the Saturno remains one of its most influential models—not only dominating road racing in Italy after the war, but was also one of Italian armed forces bike of choice during WWII.
Motto Guzzi is another one of the Piaggio Groups’ greatest successors. Here’s another manufacturer you could have found making a name for themselves on the track along with Aprilia and Gilera. Often referred to as the Ferrari of motorcycles, consumers from across the globe took a great deal of interest in these bikes. The 8 HP Normale was Moto Guzzi’s first of many legendary models. The Airone 250 they released in 1939 remained a best-selling [medium capacity] motorcycle in Italy for over 15 years; and after WWII, the new Guzzino 65 became the best-selling motorcycle in Europe and continued as the country’s best-seller for more than a decade! Being Europe’s longest continually-running motorcycle manufacturer, it is only fitting to feature them on our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time.
10. KTM
You name it, and KTM that ranks 10th in our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time seems to have done it! In fact, their large production line plays a major role in the status of this Austrian company’s many years of success. Primarily a dirt bike manufacturer, KTM has also offered bicycles, street bikes, mopeds, scooters and ATV’s. They’ve even featured a sports car (KTM X-BOW) on their lineup; which is quite fitting considering since their motorcycle prototype debut [the KTM R100] in 1951, what was originally known as Kronreif, Trunkenpolz, Mattighofen (we can only imagine why they simplified their name), has matured into what is arguably the most dominant sport bike manufacturer in the business! With 15 consecutive wins at the Dakar Rally and 261 world championship titles to date, KTM has owned up to their goals of striving for perfection. As if these typically orange motorcycles weren’t popular enough at any off-road racing event around the world, KTM even supplied every single 125cc motorcycle for the Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2007! Not only do they completely dominate in the motor-racing field, but they have recently been breaking their own record sales (even beating out other big-name motorcycle manufacturers!); which have only been continuing to grow year after year, as well as their high standards!
9. BMW
Many of the motorcycles featured on our list managed to stay in business during the First and Second World Wars; here is a brand that made something of themselves out of it. Established in 1916, BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke, or translated to Bavarian Motor Works in English), the next one in our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time started off producing trucks and aircraft engines to supply to their German military forces during WWI. However, the Treaty of Versailles banned the manufacture of aircraft engines in Germany, and BMW was forced to cease production. They decided to add “Motorrad” (which is just the German word for “motorcycle”) to their name and began producing motorcycles, releasing the R32 in 1923. Their first model did so well, selling over 3,000 during its three years of production (mind you, this is the 1920’s, here—3,000 is a lot more than what it seems today), that they decided to develop an R series based off of the initial model with some upgrades as the time went by. Among this R series are the R1200GS, which is said to be their best-selling motorcycle of all time; the R 2—a smaller bike manufactured during an economic plunge in Germany to cater to the needs of the poor public, and sold over 15,000 units; and the R 4s, in which BMW Motorrad was commissioned by the German army to produce and in turn, helped the company stay afloat during the Great Depression. During WWII, BMW, the number 9 in our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time, again produced supplies to German military—only this time around it was motorcycles (R75 model). Since then, BMW Motorrad went on to producing different series’ (K series, F series, G series) and their motorcycles remain an unmistakable staple on the road for their innovative and posh designs.
8. Ducati
Along with most motorcycle manufacturers, Ducati’s journey began long before their production of motorcycles. Founded in 1926, Ducati started off building their reputable name with their production of radio equipment. By the time they began producing motorcycles some 20 years later, they had already established a quality name for themselves that consumers trusted. In fact, they were doing so well that it’s hard to imagine them making the change from electrical components to motorcycles hadn’t they been taken over by the Italian government during WWII and forced into making motorcycles instead. Their models took off, and it wasn’t long before this family-owned Italian company began making a name for them self on the racetrack, as well. Their success on the track continued until they joined the Cagiva Group—only becoming even more involved with motorsports after that. This change also sparked a number of new model releases, many of which becoming best-sellers in Italy. The Ducati 916 owned the title “motorcycle of the year” from a well-known motorcycle magazine. In the year 2000, Ducati’s MH900e was the first motorcycle sold exclusively via Internet; and within just one week 2,000 were purchased by Ducati fans. And now, let’s see what else we have on our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time.
7. Triumph
One of the motorcycles that have been there from the beginning, Triumph that ranks 7th in our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time has stood the test of time as not only the longest-running, but also quite possibly the largest British motorcycle manufacturer. The company began importing bicycles from Germany to England in the 1880’s. Shortly thereafter, Maurice Johann Schulte—a German engineer—joined Siegfried Bettmann and together they went on to produce their first motorcycle in 1902. During the years prior to the First World War, Triumph had easily established them self in the realm of motorcycle racing, but turned their efforts towards supporting Allied Forces once the war hit. This change actually benefitted the company as they went on to produce over 30,000 motorcycles for military use. In later years, one of Triumph’s most iconic models—the Speed Twin—was developed; and within the year, the London Police chose this model for their police departments and purchased thousands for their use! The Triumph t100 was released in 1939 and became their most popular model in the United States. When WWII broke out, 1,400 of these bad boys were demanded, again for military use. As the war progressed, Triumph ends up producing 50,000 motorcycles to supply to troops. These motorcycles were bought back from the government, refurbished and then sold back to the public for civilian use. Hollywood also played a role in contributing to the fame of these British machines. Marlon Brando was featured riding his personal Triumph Thunderbird in the movie “The Wild One”; the famous scene of Steve McQueen (okay, so the stunt was actually performed by his stuntman, Bud Elkins) in “The Great Escape” jumping a fence with a TR6; and the choice brand of Evel Knievel as he carried-out many of his daring jumps atop different models of the Triumph Bonneville, and has since become one of Triumph’s most iconic models.
6. Indian
This American motorcycle manufacturer dates back to 1895, where it initially started as a bicycle manufacturer. It wasn’t until 1901 that they started to attach motors to these bikes, and a year later the first Indian motorcycle was sold. They went on to set records on both the racetrack and with production sales. By WWI, nearly Indian’s entire lineup was sold to the United States military to do their part to help out their fighting country; which inevitably limited the availability for civilian use. Due to this, Indian lost their rank as the number one motorcycle manufacturer and Harley-Davidson quickly rose to the top. Nevertheless, it ranks pretty high in our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time. Between the First and Second World War, Indian merges with DuPont and released the Scout and Chief models; which are among their most iconic models to date. Their services were requested again by the American Forces and asked to produce a motorcycle specifically intended as a means of transportation for American troops during WWII. A very rare Indian 841 was presented… and rejected. The company actually went under in 1953, and remained so for 50 years! But its name still held the hearts of many Americans and the brand was brought back to life in 2006. Since then, they have re-birthed their most iconic models, this time only producing a limited supply. The limitations of the quantity in which these motorcycles are produced created the demand for these bikes to rise as motorcycle enthusiasts and collectors race to grab one of their own before they are gone. Although their production ceased for many years, Indian’s legacy carried on and just could not be forgotten, causing other American manufacturers to try their best to revive them. Since their rebirth, they have been battling it out in sales figures with Harley-Davidson—just like the good ol’ days; except this time, they’re winning!
5. Harley-Davidson
A perfect example of how these monster machines sprouted from very humble beginnings, iconic American manufacturer Harley-Davidson that ranks 5th in our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time, started off in a small 10-by-15 foot shack back in 1903. Like most all motorcycle manufacturers, Harley-Davidson took to the track just one year after their first official Harley dealership opens for business. In 1908 one of the Davidson brothers (Walter) achieves a perfect score at the 7th Annual Federation of American Motorcyclists Endurance and Reliability Contest. A mere three days after the contest, Walter then sets the Federation of American Motorcyclist economy record, as well. The news of this incredible record gets around, and Harley’s start to become highly sought after. That same year, Harley-Davidson sells the very first motorcycle used for police duty to the Detroit Michigan Police Department. Harley only continued its expansion leading into the years prior to the First World War. They then gathered one-third of their motorcycle sales by producing their bikes to the American military, and even went so far as to train troops how to make repairs—when necessary—on the field. During the Second World War, with even more advancements made to their machines, Harley supplied the American military with 90,000 motorcycles! By the end of WWII Harley-Davidson’s quality machines made them the biggest motorcycle manufacturer in America and introduced models such as the Sportster, which today holds the title of their oldest model in the present Harley lineup. After the war, all of Harley-Davidson’s competition is wiped out, giving them the opportunity to eventually invent a whole new class of motorcycle—the cruiser—as it introduces the FX 1200 Super Glide in the early 70’s. They go on to produce many signature models—the Knucklehead being a popular choice—and a historical staple in American culture. And now, let’s see the top four entries in our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time.
4. Kawasaki
After the Second World War, Japan started putting its take on the motorcycle. Kawasaki that ranks 4th in our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time, dove into the market—first building engines, then began their production of motorcycles in 1960. The B8 was their first motorcycle and the inspiration for their KX line of bikes. One year after their motorcycle debut, Kawasaki released a series of two-stroke models ranging from 50cc to 250cc—the 250cc Samurai particularly attracting the attention of the American public. When the Kawasaki H1, better-known as the Mach III, makes its debut in 1969 they officially establish a name for themselves in the United States earning a reputation for powerful machines. They try to keep the upper-hand by staying ahead of the times and producing advanced models before their competition and is shocked when Honda had the same idea of releasing a four-stroke street bike in 1969. Naturally, they scratch the idea and focus on producing a model that will one-up Honda’s 750; and their 900cc Z1 does just that offering more power and double overhead cams. By the time their most notable motorcycle—the Ninja—was released, they had been winning World [sportbike] Championships left and right, and as even their most powerful models are amped up year-after-year, it is likely that their success will continue to prosper.
3. Suzuki
This Japanese motorcycle manufacturer surely has come a long way since its days in the cotton loom industry back in 1909! Fast-forward 43 years when Suzuki, the number 3 in our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time takes its first steps into the motorcycle realm, building their first motorized bicycle. Technically not a motorcycle—since they were equipped with petals—but they were off to a good start. In 1955 their first real motorcycle—the Colleda COX—makes its debut into the world and by ’62 Suzuki wins its first world title. They then proceed with the T20 Super Six in 1965, which put them on the international map and makes excellent sales. As the years progress, Suzuki only goes on to win more and more world titles and are among the top Japanese motorcycle manufacturer in the world!
2. Yamaha
Another well-known Japanese motorcycle manufacturer, Yamaha ranks second in our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time. It brings its first motorcycle into the world with their YA-1. This model was produced and sold in Japan. In 1958 the first Yamaha motorcycles were sold in the United States by Cooper Motors, an independent distributor. These models include the YD1 and MF-1. Two years later, the aid of Cooper Motors was not needed and Yamaha began selling their own motorcycles in America. Yamaha has since then produced a line of motor vehicles ranging from golf carts to jet skis! With all their success and advancements, it’s no wonder they have soared to the top and are amidst the best-selling motorcycles in the world!
1. Honda
Being as though Honda was not yet featured on our list, and we’re almost certain their ranking at our number one spot comes as no surprise to you. Honda may not be the oldest motorcycle manufacturer, but they sure as hell are the most successful! Soichiro Honda, the founder of Honda, may not have felt it at the time, but he was extremely lucky for Toyota to decline his presentation of the design for his piston rings. The rejection urged him to start a company of his own. The Dream D-Type was considered to be his first real motorcycle and was released back in 1949. His next production—the E-Type Dream—was his first big seller. After that, the rest is history, as they say. Honda literally has too many overly successful and iconic models to name! Their Super Cub, alone—reaching over 60 million sales!—probably tops the combined sales of many other motorcycle manufacturers’ entire lineup! Four years after their debut of the CB750 they were flying off the dealership floors, selling a minimum of 60,000 annually! Even with sales figures being scarce, it doesn’t take rocket science to conclude that Honda is the best-selling motorcycles of all time!
