The motorcycle to some is the sublime epitome of freedom. To many, the words "free" and "motorcycle" are entirely interchangeable. It's accurate, too. There's nothing in the world like riding a motorcycle down a wide stretch of road, or in the mountains, or through towns never been to. The very act of riding a motorcycle is a protest against any chains that bind--physical, mental, emotional, environmental, or otherwise.

It's no surprise, then, to know that there is quite a vast selection of motorcycles out there. It's probably safe to say that there's a motorcycle for everybody, whether a person wants comfort and opts for a touring cruiser (basically a car with two wheels), or if they're into cafe racers, not much more than a frame, seat, and engine. Or maybe they'd rather spend their time in the mountains, on a dirt bike, taking on some serious terrain. No matter the case, there is a motorcycle for virtually any lifestyle.

But, not all motorcycles are made equal. Within each type of motorcycle, there are multiple brands and a large number of choices. If you've never bought a motorcycle before, the decision can prove to be quite stressful. It can be hard to know which motorcycles are good, and which ones are bad. While this is hardly a comprehensive list, we will be taking a look at some of our top picks for the best motorcycles, and pointing out a few that we wouldn't even ride for free.

26 Beastly: Ducati Supermono

via ducatigallery.blogspot.com

The Ducati Supermono is a special edition release from Ducati, and they pulled out all the stops with this creation. Especially in looks is this bike one of the most sublime.

Complex.com tells us a little bit more about what makes the Supermono so special: "The Supermono was Ducati's entry to a single-cylinder racing series also called Supermono, and it weighed just 267 lbs. The engine had an extra "dummy" connecting rod to help quell vibrations, and the frame used a cantilevered rear shock." The article also explains how only 65 were made, making them a Ducati collector's dream.

25 Bad: Honda PC800

via en.wikipedia.org

If a stray glance at this bike (always warranting an alarmed second look) isn't enough to instantly explain why it finds itself on the list of motorcycles we'd never be caught riding, there's not much else that will, considering just how questionable the styling is on this Honda. It's not just that it's dated, either, because a lot of our top favorites on the list are from the same era or older. It's just this one specifically.

Superstreetbike.com couldn't have put it better: "Ironic or coincidental, but the Frigidaire White color option was perfectly descriptive of the bike's appearance-a refrigerator with mirrors and space-age lighting."

24 Beastly: Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja

via summitmotorsports.net

Jalopnik calls this motorcycle "the amazing superbike that won't kill you." Sounds like it's just the kind of incredible beastly machine we're looking for. This amazing piece of two-wheeled engineering has a mind-bending 207 horsepower, more than many base level sedans and economy cars, and, being a bike, doesn't really weight very much, at all.

Jalopnik tells us more about the refresh, it "brought great power, very usable power delivery, and was cheap enough that guys could buy it and upgrade the rest." The newest model is equipped to the teeth with driver aids, too, meaning all that power is safely harnessed.

23 Beastly: 2005 Suzuki GSXR 1000

via wewantbikes.com

If it's a powerful street bike crotch rocket you're looking for, there are a number featured on this list, and the Suzuki GSXR 1000 is one of the most beastly, for a number of different reasons.

Motorcyclenews.com gave it 5 stars, saying that the superbike had "sublime, lithe ergonomics and handling, radical styling and full-on usable power. It was so good BMW even got hold of one when they were building the first S1000RR." This bike is a beast, and unlike the bad bikes from this list, we'd jump on any opportunity to ride one of these.

22 Beastly: Harley-Davidson Street 750

via topspeed.com

Harley-Davidson made this bike in an attempt--a successful attempt--to market to a different audience, and provide a bike that held true to all things Harley-Davidson, yet be more usable, practical, and well-designed for use in the city. The end result is a beastly black monster of a machine, smooth and slick, modern and stylish.

Despite being an entirely different model line, it still holds on to that "cruiser personality and feeling and delivers in spades across the board," according to the review of this bike by bikereview.com.

21 Beastly: Moto Guzzi Le Mans

via petrolicious.com

The Moto Guzzi Le Mans is a classic beastly motorcycle that has every right to be in this lineup because it really is an incredible machine and a really fast one.

According to complex.com, the V-Twin engine mounted onto this motorcycle was pretty powerful: "The twin had some bite, too, making 80bhp and pushing the Le Mans to 120mph. The sinister Le Mans was an immediate hit when launched in 1976." With those classy and timeless looks, the bright red paint and V-Twin engine on display, and the fact that it was insanely powerful to boot, means that this is a timeless beast and a motorcycle we'd be proud to ride.

20 Bad: Aprilia Moto 6.5

via bestcarmag.com

If the shape alone isn't enough for you to get a good idea about why we would be utterly embarrassed to ride this motorcycle to the point that we wouldn't even get on it, then you might just be blind.

Superstreetbike.com describes the state of this bike quite well: "French architect and designer Philippe Starck created what appears to be a trendy kitchen appliance on two wheels." With those ungainly curves and stubby tail end like a lizard that's recently lost its tail, it's pretty clear that the design behind this bike, while unique, isn't very visually appealing.

19 Beastly: Triumph Bonneville 790

via desktopbackground.org

The Triumph Bonneville 790 is very much a beautiful bike. The lines and frame shape are classic, with a certain chunkiness that makes it seem brutish, yet everything else about it is classy, so it works. It's got refinement, and that Triumph label. Tamer than its namesake, the 790 is still a powerful motorcycle in its own right, with the perfect amount of refinement.

Telegraph.co.uk tells us more about it in their review: "It’s an exceptionally good machine that looks great, is satisfying to ride and will happily and dependably commute as well as cruise or even tour."

18 Bad: BMW R1200C

via commons.wikimedia.org

BMW is known for their incredible bike quality, but like every brand out there, that doesn't mean that they've never had a dud. In fact, most motorcycle companies have gone through pretty significant periods where all they make ugly duds. Enter the BMW R1200C.

Superstreetbike.com says of the bike: "From the odd single sided spoke rear wheel to the peculiar Springer-esque front end the bike was just all wrong. Mix in 60 horsepower and 500-plus pounds for a cocktail of unsightly underachievement. It was discontinued in 2004. Duh." The low seat, bulbous tank, and tall handlebars is just a bad combo all around.

17 Beastly: 2003 Ducati 999R

via ultimatemotorcycling.com

The 2003 Ducati 999R is a motorcycle that we wish we could ride, at any given moment on any given day in any given year. That's how good it is. At one time, though, at release, it was not looked well upon, too much of this, not enough of this. But, the bike has been refined.

Complex.com talks about this transition a little bit, saying of the 999R: "Time has morphed the 999 from clunky to functional, from pudgy to powerful. It’s an affordable modern classic, and there isn’t anything else like it."

16 Bad: Ducati Indiana 1987

via onlymotorbikes.com

It may seem like a surprise to see a Ducati on the bad list, but no brand is immune to making any number of duds in their years of designing and producing motorcycles, and that includes the well-loved brand of Ducati.

In 1987, inspired by the US-based cruiser style, they designed this, following suit after the likes of Yamaha. And, as you can see, the end result was a bit less than satisfactory, and while it "resembled the other cruiser offerings of the era, the Indiana struggled to find buyers," says bike-urious.com. The fact is that none of the elements really work together. It's just ugly.

15  Bad: Ducati Multistrada 1100S

via ducati.ms

This Ducati is one of a few on this list that, surprisingly to some, falls well short of expectation, finding themselves on the wrong side of the coin, the side where we'll never want to ride one, not even for free. While the engine is commendable and performs great (naturally so), the looks dissuade many from not only never riding one, but wondering why on Earth you would choose to ride such a homely motorcycle.

Independent.co.uk, in their overall positive review of this bike, said of its looks that are "ugly, a cardinal sin for machines [from Italy] from a manufacturer famed for aesthetic sensitivity."

14 Beastly: 1979 Laverda 1000 Jota

via classicandsportsfinance.com

This retro classic beast of a motorcycle has looks to die for, looking incredible in bright orange, complete with a retro bubble shield front end. But it also has the grunt to back up the looks. In fact, it has a 3 cylinder layout to power it to almost 150 miles per hour.

According to complex.com, "It was the first production bike to crack 140mph, and it won the UK's Avon Production race series in '76." I personally would love to get my hands on one of these and turn it into a custom bike that's all my own.

13 Beastly: 1975 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing

via commons.wikimedia.org

The Honda Gold Wing is a true icon in the motorcycle world, so of course, we had to include it in our list of the best and most beastly motorcycles around. The iconic logo-ing, the competent performance, comfort, ride-ability, and effortless styling makes this an all-around champion, with plenty of room for customization, or not.

One of the cool features of the Gold Wing is that it "has a horizontally-opposed flat four that keeps weight down low," according to motorcycleclassics.com. That's a pretty cool layout for an engine, and makes for an iconic classic we'd ride any day.

12 Bad: Harley-Davidson Road Glide

via pinterest.com

The styling of this Harley-Davidson comfort tourer aptly named the "Road Glide" is some of the most instantly recognizable around. And, according to most, some of the most unappealing and ungainly, especially to us. Let's just say that we'd refuse to ride this thing even for free.

Superstreetbike.com puts it quite well, describing the Road Glide's "odd stance that simply seems too dissonant for any motorcycle design category. Not clever, just big and weird." Personally, these kinds of massive tourers never appeal. We'd rather just drive a car.

11 Beastly: BMW R 1200 GS

via mbwmotorrad.com

The adventure bike was virtually invented by BMW, and it inspired an entirely new genre of motorcycle. Complex.com tells a bit more about this groundbreaking motorcycle:

"BMW’s legendary GS can go around the world without breaking a sweat. A careful study of the wheels shows that the GS means business. The hub-mounted spoke nipples keep out water and grit, and the spokes themselves slant from one side of the hub to the other side of the rim for increased strength (they can be replaced with the tire on the wheel). And shaft drive means no chain adjustments." Talk about a bike ready for anything, anywhere.

10 Bad: Honda CB360 G5

via wikipedia.org

Most motorcycles that are older tend to have a classic, desirable look about them, but not all of them. The Honda CB360 G5 falls into the "not all of them" category. There's just something about the styling that looks plain goofy. The fork is too distant, the muffler ten sizes too big, the tank too tiny and seat way too big. In other words, completely unbalanced style-wise.

There wasn't much special about this bike's performance, either, so we'll just go ahead and try to forget about this one completely. We won't be missing much.

9  Bad: Honda Valkyrie Rune

via onlymotorbikes.com

The looks alone warrant this motorcycle to land on our list of motorcycles we'd never ride, not even for a penny, not even for free. The embarrassment would just be too much, and never worth it. While there are quite a few people who love this bike, the act is that it is super long, ungainly, radically styled, and it just doesn't work.

Eatsleepride.com made the comment about its massive size and likely weight: "the rear fender alone must be 50lbs of steel." No doubt, and that doesn't include any of the other square meters of bodywork across this thing.

8 Beastly: BMW S1000RR

via motorcyclenews.com

It may have taken BMW a while, but they sure did deliver once they decided to make a full out superbike. Complex.com tells us more about it: "After years of making adventure bikes and weird sport-touring machines for old men, BMW finally pulled out all the stops for their S1000RR. What they came up with is an inline-four weapon with 180bhp, traction control, and ABS. It is the quickest sportbike available today." So fast, in fact, that it clocked in at almost 200 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

7 Bad: Suzuki Hayabusa

via ronayersmotorcycles.com

This is a really fast motorcycle, there is no doubt about that. If there was a superbike that deserved to be on a list of fast ones, this one would come close to topping the list. But there is something entirely unforgivable about its styling. It really is just chunky, lumpy, bloated, and unappealing. Eatsleepride.com agrees, saying of the Hayabusa:

It was "built for the hyper-sports crowd and solely to secure bragging rights on the "fastest production bike" crown. Sure, it's quick but it looks like a nice, svelt sports bike that's been force-fed chocolate cake for a few months." Too accurate, really.