The Best Motorcycles for Beginners | Best bikes for new riders from 300cc to 700cc

You've passed your full or restricted motorcycle test and are now on the lookout for your first 'big' #motorcycle.

The trouble is though, the motorcycle market, especially in the hotly contested middleweight naked, adventure, and sports bike sectors, is a confusing place to browse.

To help you find your first full licence #motorbike, Visordown has come up with this list of the best dual-purpose, naked, and sports bikes for you to choose from. And all are available from dealerships right now.

Read also the reviews for some of the bikes featured:

We’re best known for covering all the latest motorcycle launches and bike industry announcements, breaking motorbike news, first rides, and road tests, as well as reports from the biggest motorcycle racing championships on the planet.

[shardlake]

Not sure about the 2 near £10k bikes for New/Beginner riders, unless you're related to the owner of the insurance company :) A few good ones missing MT03, Z400, G310, CB300R and many more. Also please stop using footage of people doing wheelies and power slides when you are talking new/beginner riders.

[Darren.Lindsay]

My first big bike was a 900cc Triumph Bonneville T100 and I've absolutely loved the torque it generates without having mind-boggling power. Feels *just right* for commuting, touring and having a blast at the weekends. Upgrading soon to a Street Triple but I'll never forget my T100.

[FeiraxIS]

SV650 with a Yoshimura exhaust, such a sweet sound. Jack of all trades. Had a 2002 SV650, then later a CBR600RR and got back into riding after a break and went back to the SV. Does everything you need on the street in comfort and still fun for the occasional track day and sounds great to boot.

[oramac]

Some good options. Personally, I started on 1.5 of the bikes on the list. A 2015 Honda CG500F (the .5 since it was tangentially mentioned) which was stolen after only about 4 months (RIP). After that, I picked up a 2019 Ninja 650. I have to say, both bikes were fantastic. I've since traded up to a 2021 Ninja 1000sx, which I love, but I do occasionally wish I still had one of those starters. Mainly to turn into a track bike I don't mind slinging into the weeds. :D

[dram]

In my opinion it's best to test ride a number of bikes you fancy and only go with the one your body feels comfortable riding intuitively and with confidence

[jfess]

For smaller framed riders, I argue that the Kawasaki Z400 is an excellent "first big bike". It is right at the top of A2 performance and is quicker than many cruisers with more than double its displacement. For a historical perspective, it easily does the "ton" and has performance comparable to the famous British Twins of the 1960's and 1970's.

[gywas]

My first byke a Suzuki Sv650s Sport '08 - I miss the bike so much - V-twin engine, very agile, loads of torque, great sound - perfect first bike 👍

[yeluripati]

I own ktm 390 adventure. It is more capable bike than me even though I clock 100, 000km on my previous bike. I am astonished after understanding the 390 adventure performance when I rode the bike in forest trail. Absolutely amazing bike.

[lifeisarideuk]

Best advice for new riders is to get test rides. It doesnt matter how good something sounds in its description and its exhaust notes, you will find the best bike for you is the one that feels right. It has to fit. If you feel really comfortable on it you will ride well. Try as much as you can before committing to an expensive purchase. Ive ridden some of the best bikes out there and most i get off and say "nope... not for me" The one i have fits me like a glove and it feels natural and easy.

[swlvzpo]

The forthcoming Honda 500 Scrambler will be a good one.

[markkhoury]

Yamaha r7 is a twin not a triple as mentioned

[GearShifter]

My favourite....
Suzuki SV650.
It's body design and looks is
" PERFECT NAKED BIKE ". 😍
I wished Suzuki to make this model in smaller cc too.
Eg. 150cc, 180cc, 200cc, 250cc, 300cc and so on.
I'm HAPPY to see the list ... it's on RANK# 1
😁👍🏻
😊

[NUFC]

Love how "first bike" is rammed down riders throats

Do what you feel is right for you.

I started on a GSXR 1000. NO ISSUES. just respect what yr riding

[ozzyprogdomino]

First big bike Kawasaki zxr400, loved it.

[danhine]

Honda CBR650R will be my first beginner bike, having done my DAS on the CBR650 it feels really familiar and easy to ride, but with the awesome sports bike looks!

[JunkBondTrader]

man motorbiking is really affordable... I don't know why I expected them to be so much more. Really puts into perspective how expensive music and audio recording can be lol. A couple mics and a mexican strat and boom.... you have a freaking bike.

[iantitler]

Rules were different back when I passed \\i went from the bike I passed on (CB25-2) to a CB750-4. Scared the hell out of me riding home. In a week I was grounding to main stand spur. Would still have it know if I hadn't been knocked off it. Loved that bike.

[kramnam]

The most comfortable of all for me these may surprise you. It’s the Kawa!

[THEREALZENFORCE]

S-Tier : RS 660, Tuono 660 Factory,
A-Tier : CBR650R, CB650R, XSR700, MT-07, R7, Tiger Sport 660
A-Tier 400cc : Duke 390, RC390, Ninja 400, Z400, Svartpilen 401
Royal Enfeld options : Interceptor 650 and 650 GT, Scram 411, Classic 350, Meteor 350

[kleinbottled]

Perfect beginner bike is a used R3 or Ninja 300. The Ninja's 300cc motor in particular has proven to be a very reliable powerplant even on track. More perfect is if it's already had a low speed drop or two to take the price even further down and the pressure completely off. A bike you will likely sell for about as much as you paid when you move along from it. Only a chump or someone with more money than sense buys a brand new bike to start on.