There are a lot of valid ways to gauge a motorcycle's worthiness. Performance metrics come in handy when judging a superbike. A cruiser is understood to be worth it if it has relaxed ergonomics, looks beefy, and makes enough grunt and an adventure motorcycle just needs to shine when the road ends.

UPDATE: 2024/01/18 10:22 EST BY RAUNAK AJINKYA

The onslaught of ear-pleasing motorcycles hasn't ended, fortunately. Keeping that in mind, we have updated this list to include a few more motorcycles that sound incredible enough to leave logical thought behind.

That's all logical, of course. More often than we'd care to admit, though, our decisions are sometimes influenced by factors other than logic. For instance, a motorcycle can be utterly ignorable, but if it makes a sound that draws you in, well, that's been known to happen. And that's exactly what this piece is all about. Not that the motorcycles on this list don't have other redeeming factors, but the sound these Yamaha, Triumph, Suzuki, and Ducati motorcycles (and a few more) make alone is enough for us to consider putting down the money for them.

How we got our model selections: In order to compile this list, HotCars relied on various reports across the internet that backed up the claim that these motorcycles sound incredible on the move. They're hardly lemons, either, which is why we've also included other standout details about them. It should be noted that this list is a mix of motorcycles one can purchase new and those that have been discontinued but are readily available in the used market. Lastly, the motorcycles have been organized in increasing order of their current values.

Related
Harley Davidson's Electric Motorcycle Sounds Right Out Of A Sci-Fi Movie
Harley Davidson's electric motorcycle is interesting, but it's sounds are out of this world!

11 Yamaha R1

Used Price Range: $6,000-$15,000

Yamaha YZF R1
Yamaha YZF R1 in action

We're not just referencing any Yamaha R1 here. The ones with a crossplane crankshaft setup are the most glorious. In layman's terms, a crossplane crank is how engineers describe an elevated crankshaft, making performance and efficiency smoother and adding secondary balance to the engine.

Using a crossplane crankshaft gives the 998cc R1 a more V8-like sound (the rumble, specifically). Add that to a custom Toce exhaust, and presto! The best-sounding liter-bike on earth!

2014 Yamaha R1 Specs

Displacement

998cc

Engine Type

Transverse 4-cylinder

Power

182 hp

Torque

85.1 lb-ft

Curb Weight

454 lbs

Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs

10 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R

Starting MSRP: $9,399

2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R
Kawasaki

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R is proof that a motorcycle doesn't have to have a large displacement motor to sound good. Keeping aside the fact that the ZX-4R is a fantastic beginner track tool, and has one of the most nimble chassis around, what helps it sound incredibly good is its 16,000 rpm redline.

At that point, the little Kawasaki reportedly produces a frantic scream that's music to any enthusiast's ears. Completely worth it for under $10,000.

2024 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R Specs

Displacement

399cc

Engine Type

Transverse 4-cylinder

Power

75 hp (estimated)

Torque

26.5 lb-ft

Curb Weight

414 lbs

Specs sourced from WebBikeWorld

9 Triumph Street Triple RS

Starting MSRP: $12,995

Front three-quarter profile of 2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 RS
via Triumph

The Triumph Street Triple RS has always held a special place for enthusiasts. It's a thoroughly unique motorcycle that will cater to most demands. One of its highlights is its 3-cylinder engine. Triumph has mastered the art of making it produce not just a healthy amount of power but also tuning it to sound incredible.

2024 Triumph Street Triple RS Specs

Displacement

765cc

Engine Type

Inline 3-cylinder

Power

118.4 hp

Torque

59 lb-ft

Curb Weight

417 lbs

Specs sourced from Triumph

Related
12 Fast Bikes That Does 0-60 MPH In Under 3 Seconds
Few things in life are as exhilarating as throwing a leg over a powerful sportbike. Blistering speed isn't the exception here; it's the norm.

8 Suzuki GSX-R1000

Starting MSRP: $15,849

Suzuki GSX-R1000
via Suzuki

The Suzuki GSX-R1000. As the name suggests, it's a liter bike, and a fast one, too! For that reason, as well as the sound and appearance, tons of young riders are allured to the Gixxer community.

The GSX-R1000 sounds like most other liter bikes but with a smoothed edge and rumbling after-tones. When listening to a Gixxer, they almost sound like Italian supercars or perhaps highly modified JDM legends. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it sounds like, but you get this gist...

2022 Suzuki GSX-R1000 Specs

Displacement

999.8cc

Engine Type

Inline 4-cylinder

Power

198.5 hp

Torque

86.3 lb-ft

Curb Weight

443.1 lbs

Specs sourced from Bikez

7 Harley-Davidson Sportster S

Starting MSRP: $16,999

Harley-Davidson Sportster S
via Harley-Davidson

There have been a lot of good things said about the new Harley-Davidson Sportster S. It's good-looking, rides really well, and provides decent value for its asking price.

Perhaps one of its best traits, though, is its sound. The 60-degree Revolution Max 1250T V-twin engine is an absolute gem, and once opened up, makes a glorious sound, especially near the redline.

2024 Harley-Davidson Sportster S Specs

Displacement

1,252cc

Engine Type

V-Twin

Power

121 hp

Torque

94 lb-ft

Curb Weight

502 lbs

Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs

6 MV Agusta F3 800

Starting MSRP: $19,398

MV Agusta F3 800 flauting its tri-exit exhaust system rear third quarter hd wallpaper
MV Agusta UAE Via Facebook

What do you get when you mix a beloved sportbike manufacturer with an even more well-known sports car tuner? You get the MV Agusta F3 800: a collaborative effort between MV Agusta and Mercedes-AMG.

The AMG F3 800 seen above was mass-produced. However, there was a limited one-off model in 2015. Still, it's among the crispest sounds to come out of a sports bike. Thanks to Mercedes-AMG, the F3 800 has the performance of a well-rounded motorcycle with the engine note of a Mercedes-Benz AMG GT S.

2024 MV Agusta F3 800 Specs

Displacement

798cc

Engine Type

Transverse 3-cylinder

Power

148 hp

Torque

64.9 lb-ft

Dry Weight

381.4 lbs

Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs

Related
These Fast Motorcycles Can Challenge Any Supercar
Those looking for cheap thrills and high speeds would be much better off buying a superbike than a supercar!

5 Kawasaki Ninja H2

Starting MSRP: $32,100

Silver Japanese hyper bike
Kawasaki

A liter bike is plenty quick, as is. So, you'd have to be either insane or brave as heck to try putting, oh, say, a supercharger on one of them. And, as it would turn out, Kawasaki seemed to be the perfect candidate to get it done. The result was the mid-2010s Kawasaki Ninja H2.

The H2 is still in production today, though the supply is limited. Even with a price tag of $32,100, customers are biting at the bit to get their hands on a 200+ horsepower beast! All that power makes a unique tune, too. The noise is much harsher and sharper than most other bikes of its class, but that's natural, given the power output and forced induction. So, if you've got the guts (and the dough), give the updated H2 a try!

2024 Kawasaki Ninja H2 Specs

Displacement

998cc

Engine Type

Transverse 4-cylinder

Power

228 hp

Torque

104.5 lb-ft

Curb Weight

476.3 lbs

Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs

4 Ducati Desmosedici RR

Value: $72,500-$120,000

Ducati Desmosedici D16RR hd wallpaper
Iconic Motorbike Auctions

Readers, we present to you one of the most expensive production motorcycles on the planet: the Ducati Desmosedici RR, a street-legal version of Ducati's then-MotoGP bike. The Desmosedici is (easily) among the rarest sportbikes.

For that 3/4th of a hundred grand, you get what many Ducati enthusiasts call the best Ducati to roll off of their production line. Its build is spot on, just like the racer, and it acts the part, too. We can't imagine a single person riding this monster, listening to the engine scream, and not pretending that they're Andrea Dovizioso.

2008 Ducati Desmosedici RR Specs

Displacement

989cc

Engine Type

V4

Power

200 hp

Torque

85.5 lb-ft

Dry Weight

377 lbs

Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs

3 BMW S1000RR HP4

Value: $78,000 Onwards

BMW S1000RR HP4 cornering
BMW

Shortly after BMW's overwhelming success with their S1000RR sports bikes, they decided to commemorate the motorcycle with a 'special edition', so to speak. It was still a lovely BMW S1000RR, just with an extra designation: HP4.

All in all, the HP4 is a lot like the normal S1000RR, except it packs more of a punch. Due to it being a track-only bike (excluding the handful of custom-made street-legal versions), there are no laws it needs to follow. As such, you get everything that's great about the RR, but turned up to 11! And, yes, that includes the engine sound.

2018 BMW S1000RR HP4 Specs

Displacement

999cc

Engine Type

Transverse 4-cylinder

Power

215 hp

Torque

88.5 lb-ft

Curb Weight

378 lbs

Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs

Related
Check Out The Coolest Limited Edition Motorcycles Ever
These limited edition motorcycles are extremely desirable, and usually, that's reflected in the price tag.

2 Yamaha M1

Value: N/A

2016 Yamaha M1 front third quarter view
Global Yamaha

The next entry we've got is Valentino Rossi's (six-time MotoGP world champion) Yamaha M1. As with almost every form of motorsport nowadays, the vehicle is swapped out after every season; accounting for rule changes, upgrades, etc. For the 2019 season, Yamaha used the M1.

The M1 only got Rossi to second place twice, ending up with seventh overall. It wasn't the best bike on the grid, but it sure was a throaty one! When sat in a lineup, the Yamaha cross-plane crank makes a world of difference. It's almost worth blowing your eardrums out for!

2019 Yamaha M1 Specs

Displacement

1,000cc

Engine Type

Inline 4-cylinder

Power

236 hp

Torque

N/A

Curb Weight

N/A

Specs sourced from Yamaha

1 Honda RC166

Value: Upto $500,000

Honda RC166 Six-Cylinder two-stroke motorcycle side profile view
Honda

There's a lot of history behind the Honda RC166. So much so, in fact, that we could be here for days discussing it. That, though, is a conversation for another day since we're primarily interested in its engine note. And boy, does it have an engine note!

If you were to close your eyes and listen to an RC166 do a hot lap, a normal person would have trouble differentiating between a motorcycle and an F1 car. Then again, it's to be expected in a 250cc six-cylinder.

1966 Honda RC166 Specs

Displacement

247.2cc

Engine Type

6-cylinder

Power

60 hp

Torque

N/A

Curb Weight

N/A

Specs sourced from Motorcycle Specs


  • Source for features: Respective manufacturers' websites
  • Sources for technical specifications: Motorcycle Specs, Bikez, WebBikeWorld
  • Source for used prices: Cycle Trader, Hagerty