The 10 best new bikes in 2020

Triumph Daytona Moto2 765 Limited Edition

OK, so while this is due to arrive in dealers early in the year, you can forget about getting your hands on one, for all 1,530 are already sold. Of those units, 765 are specified for America, while 765 will cover everywhere else, with only 120 destined for the UK. 

Marketed for just £15,765, the limited edition model is directly derived from the Moto2 engine, which the British manufacturer has provided since 2019. In turn, this motor is based on that found in the Street Triple RS, although has been engineered to be both faster revving and more durable. In the innovative Daytona chassis it will reportedly make 128.2bhp at 12,250rpm, and 80Nm of torque at 9,750rpm, before redlining at 13,250rpm.

While marketed as road legal, the machine will feature track-optimised gear ratios, and a low-slung Arrow exhaust, similar to that of the development bike. 

Energica Eva Ribelle

Fighting the electric corner we have the Energica Ribelle, a new-for-2020 naked model that will benefit from a cutting-edge, high-capacity battery.

At EICMA 2019, the Modena electric bike manufacturer revealed the Ribelle, aka Rebel in Italian, alongside the new battery pack, claiming the latter to have ‘the biggest capacity and power ever installed on a production electric motorcycle’.

Drawing on the manufacturer’s famously flammable involvement in Grand Prix racing, the new 21.5kWh Lithium-polymer battery replaces the previous 13.4kWh version and promises more torque, 5 per cent less weight and a 60 per cent increased range (up to 249 miles in the city, 112 miles on the motorway and 143 miles mixed). A fast charger will take the power pack to 80 per cent in 42 minutes, while for every hour of Level 2 charging, the battery will gain 41.5 miles of range. 

Performance-wise, the Ribelle makes 143.5bhp at 6,000rpm and 215Nm of torque from 0rpm. It is limited to 125mph, however, but on a naked machine on British roads, that’s more than enough. 

High-quality kit to handle this power included Brembo brakes, Marzocchi forks. Bitubo shocks are standard while Öhlins suspension can be specified. Despite its top-quality components and motorsport-derived battery tech, the €22,943 (£19,581) Ribelle comes with a reassuring three-year bike and 31,000 mile battery warranty.

Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade

Perhaps the most hotly anticipated sportsbike of the new decade, the Honda Fireblade was kept under tight wraps until late last year when it was unveiled at EICMA, with prices arriving a month later.

What emerged from under those covers is perhaps the most progressive motorcycle that we’ve seen from the Japanese marque in the longest time, with an all-new, 999cc short-stroke inline-four putting out a reported 215bhp and 83ftlb at 12,500rpm, which brings it in line with BMW’s S1000RR. In fact, it makes a huge 26bhp more than the outgoing engine, thanks to a host of new friction reducing components. At the top end are countless new friction-reducing elements, including a new semi-cam gear train and Diamond Like Coating (DLC) cams, while the bottom end gets titanium alloy con-rods and Teflon-coated piston skirts.

A breadth of new equipment will feature on the 201kg (wet) ‘Blade, including an Akrapovic slip-on exhaust, and new Öhlins shocks and Stylema brakes on the SP.

Following the imminent launch, it will enter dealers, with the base model weighing in at £19,999 (around the same as a current SP), while the high-spec SP is available for £23,499.

KTM 890 Duke R

KTM’s naked middleweight has progressively got bigger over the past couple of years – from the peppy 690, to the sharp 790 and now the meaty 890. But one thing that has stayed the same is its sheer enjoyability, and we expect nothing less from the new 890 R. 

Revealed at EICMA last year, it features a higher capacity version of the 790’s excellent parallel twin, which makes more power (119bhp) and torque (99Nm), achieving the latter 250rpm lower down the rev range than its predecessor. 

It weighs 3kg less than the 790, and retains the tank size of 14-litres. The riding position and equipment have all received a touch of raciness, including radially-mounted Brembo Stylema brakes and fully-adjustable WP suspension… With the gear ratios unchanged and the slip/assist clutch still present, the new model promises to be as engaging a ride as the 790, albeit with more power.

Dubbed the ‘Super Scalpel’, it’s listed in dealers now from £10,399…

Triumph Tiger 900            

In the adventure stakes, it was a toss up between this and Suzuki’s new V-Strom take on the epic DR big. Ultimately, however, the Tiger triumphed, purely because of how good the previous iterations have been. And with a new chassis, engine, styling and name, the new Tiger promises to be better than ever. 
Now differentiated by the GT and Rally specifications, the new Tiger range consists of five different models, from the basic road-biased ‘Tiger 900’, to the 900 GT Pro and Rally Pro, which feature a myriad of high-quality equipment. Long travel Showa suspension, wire wheels, extensive electronics and riding modes make this an adventure bike you 

Housed in a new tubular steel frame, the 888cc triple boasts similar power (94bhp) to the previous model, albeit achieved lower down the rev range, and with almost 10 per cent more mid-range available. Torque, meanwhile, has been hiked from 79Nm at 8,050rpm to 87Nm at 7,250rpm.

It’s as tall as ever, but with reportedly improved weight distribution. The model is due to be launched to the media next month, with a price in the region of £9,500.

Kawasaki Z H2

Kawasaki’s supercharger H2R caught the hearts and minds of the motorcycling masses when it launched back in 2015. The H2 SX followed in 2018, and now, as we enter a new decade, so enters a new machine: the Z H2. 

This bike is so new that even the motorcycle media have yet to ride it – it’s due to be launched in Las Vegas in mid February, with an estimated market price of £15,149. 

The Z H2 will be shorter and lighter than the H2 SX obviously, weighing in at 17kg less (239kg kerb vs 256kg), but thankfully retaining the 19-litre fuel tank.

Powering the brutal new naked machine is the H2 SX’s 998cc motor, retuned to give more mid-range thrust, delivering 137Nm of torque at 8,500rpm. An extensive suite of electronics is promised, too, all controlled by an IMU. Joining the standard suite of riding modes, ABS, (lean-sensitive) traction control and a quickshifter are the rather exciting launch control and cruise control – for when you want to go fast or relax in equal measure. 

All the usual tricks will be there too – TFT dash, phone connectivity, Brembo brakes and Showa springs. There’s even rumours of a Z H2 Performance version too, which will up the spec to a lewd level…

Indian FTR1200 Rally

This is very much the hot new kid on the block in a burgeoning market. Unveiled at EICMA 2019, it is mechanically identical to the standard FTR 1200, however features a more upright seating positions, 50mm higher ProTaper handlebars and other ergonomic adjustments, all contributing to its scrambler stance.

Aluminium wire wheels sport knobby Pirelli Scorpions, while new Titanium Smoke paint, a little ‘rally’ screen and brown saddle also feature. Cruise control and a USB port will make it lovely to live with. All of the 2020 FTR models will be powered by a new liquid-cooled 1,203cc V-twin, producing 120bhp and 120Nm torque.

Due to arrive in showrooms early this year, this is more of an off-road retro than the flat tracker FTR but, as ever, it will be highly customisable thanks to an extensive suite of accessories. Prices are yet to be confirmed, but it’s not likely to be too far off the base model’s £12,999.

BMW Concept R18

The BMW Concept R18 is shrouded in mystery. Revealed at Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Como in May last year, and later spotted testing in Bavaria, the cool cruiser features a newly-developed 1,800cc boxer, utilising traditional air-cooling and pushrods technology.

It’s BMW’s first venture into cruiser territory since the demise of the R1200C in 2004, and a brave step by BMW into a very American market, but it certainly looks the part with its dragster-styled 19in front and 16in rear tyres. 

Last month, the manufacturer further perpetuated the mystery, opening the order books and starting to take deposits, despite not having even unveiled the finished bike or announcing a price yet. From the glimpses we’ve seen of the R18 and R18/2 concepts, it’s going to be epic.

Harley-Davidson Livewire

Harley-Davidson’s Livewire has been in the pipeline for a fair few years now, and so it’s only right that the production model make it into our top 10 for 2020.

Making its UK dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard last year, the Livewire caught our imagination with its impressive electric powertrain, striking stance and masterful craftsmanship. 

It is powered by Harley Davidson’s 'Renewable Energy Storage System', a 15.5kWh high-voltage lithium ion battery pack with a built-in power generation system, which features horizontal cooling fins and is utilised as a stressed chassis member.

This battery feeds the 'H-D Revelation' permanent magnet water-cooled electric motor, allowing the model to accelerate from 0-60mph in just three seconds, while covering the gap between 60mph and 80mph in a blistering 1.9 seconds.

An on-board DC Fast Charge will allow the battery to charge to full in 1 hour, while a 240-volt household supply will give 13 miles for every hour of charging. Harley-Davidson claim a 98-mile city range or 95 miles of combined stop-and-go and highway riding.

The new model is priced at £28,995 and is on sale now. 

Triumph Thruxton RS 

The third Triumph to make our list, the Thruxton RS has made our top ten off the back of excellent launch reviews. The ‘modern retro’ machine combines timeless classic styling with all the mod cons needed to make this ride as plush as possible. You can forget about the oil leaks and rock-hard seats of old British bikes and instead revel in the ‘sensible sportsbike’ feel of the Thruxton RS.

Powered by a variant of Triumph’s 1,200cc parallel twin (making 103bhp and 112Nm) the Thruxton RS is effectively an evolution of the previous Thruxton R, albeit with more emphasis on performance handling, thanks to high quality components including Brembo M50 monoblocs and fully-adjustable Öhlins and Showa suspension. Revealed last November, it will cost from £13,000 when it arrives in dealerships.