TL;DR
The 2020 motorcycle model year was a mixed bag in the best possible way: plenty of carryovers, a few important redesigns, and enough variety to cover commuters, beginners, touring riders, and speed junkies.
If you want the short version:
- Best all-round 2020 motorcycle: Kawasaki Ninja 400 for approachable performance, or Yamaha MT-07 for street-friendly torque
- Best beginner-friendly bike: Honda CB300R or Kawasaki Z400
- Best cruiser: Harley-Davidson Low Rider S or Indian Scout Bobber
- Best adventure bike: BMW R 1250 GS, with the KTM 790 Adventure as the spicy alternative
- Best sportbike: Yamaha YZF-R6 for track focus, Yamaha YZF-R3 for new riders
- Best touring bike: Honda Gold Wing still did Gold Wing things, because physics and comfort apparently don’t apply to it
The 2020 market was less about a flood of all-new machines and more about fine-tuning existing formulas. That matters if you’re shopping used, because the year includes some excellent value picks without the first-year redesign headaches.
Table of Contents
- What defined 2020 motorcycle models
- Best 2020 motorcycles by category
- Standout 2020 motorcycle models by brand
- What changed from 2019 to 2020
- How to shop the 2020 used market
- Final thoughts
What defined 2020 motorcycle models
The 2020 motorcycle lineup was mostly about refinement. A lot of manufacturers had already moved through the big platform changes in 2018 and 2019, so 2020 bikes often got updated electronics, revised styling, new colorways, and small mechanical tweaks instead of full reinventions.
That makes 2020 interesting for used buyers. You get modern fuel injection, ABS on many models, and in plenty of cases traction control or ride modes, without paying the fresh-off-the-truck tax that comes with a brand-new machine.
A few broad trends stood out:
- Middleweights kept winning. Bikes like the Ninja 400, MT-07, and Z400 hit the sweet spot between price, weight, and real-world usability.
- Adventure bikes kept growing. The class was already huge by 2020, with BMW, KTM, Honda, Suzuki, and Triumph all leaning into the segment.
- Cruisers kept splitting into two camps: old-school V-twin simplicity and modernized performance cruisers.
- Small-displacement bikes stayed serious. Entry-level motorcycles in 2020 were often much better chassis-wise than their price tags suggested.
Best 2020 motorcycles by category
Best beginner motorcycle: Honda CB300R
The CB300R was one of the cleanest small bikes on sale in 2020. Light, compact, and easy to manage, it gave new riders a proper motorcycle feel without the bulk that turns parking lot practice into a wrestling match.
Its single-cylinder engine wasn’t trying to impress anyone with brute force. That’s the point. It’s smooth enough for city use, cheap to run, and easy to live with. The styling also helped it stand out in a class that can get visually bland fast.
The Kawasaki Z400 and Yamaha MT-03 were close rivals, but the CB300R had the nicest mix of polish and restraint.
Best value naked bike: Yamaha MT-07
The MT-07 was already a cult favorite by 2020, and for good reason. The 689cc parallel-twin makes usable torque low in the rev range, which means you spend more time enjoying the engine and less time waiting for it to wake up.
It’s fast enough to entertain experienced riders, friendly enough for commuters, and light enough to make tight city streets less annoying than they have any right to be. The suspension is basic, sure, but the core package works.
For riders who want one bike to do most things without becoming a maintenance hobby, the MT-07 was an easy shortlist entry.
Best small sportbike: Kawasaki Ninja 400
The Ninja 400 remained one of the smartest sport motorcycles in 2020. It looks like a proper supersport, but the parallel-twin engine is much more forgiving than the old-school screamers people assume all sportbikes are built around.
With a relatively low curb weight and friendly ergonomics for the class, it made sense for newer riders and for experienced riders who wanted a cheap, fun second bike. It also had enough performance to stay interesting after the first month, which is more than you can say for a lot of “starter” machines.
Best cruiser: Indian Scout Bobber
The Scout Bobber nailed the stripped-down cruiser formula in 2020. The V-twin had real punch, the stance looked right, and the bike carried itself with more attitude than many cruisers that cost about the same.
The riding position was low and relaxed, but it wasn’t just style over substance. The chassis felt composed, and the overall package was more polished than a lot of retro-cruiser competitors. It was still a cruiser, so don’t expect corner-carving heroics. That’s not the assignment.
Harley-Davidson’s Low Rider S was the other obvious choice here, especially for riders who prefer Milwaukee muscle and a more classic factory-custom vibe.
Best adventure bike: BMW R 1250 GS
The R 1250 GS was still the big dog in the adventure world in 2020. Its boxer twin and ShiftCam technology gave it a broad spread of power, and the chassis was built for long-distance comfort as much as dirt-road credibility.
This is not a small or cheap motorcycle. It is, however, one of the most complete motorcycles ever made for riders who actually travel. Heated grips, luggage options, electronic suspension, and a giant aftermarket ecosystem made it the default answer for serious adventure touring.
The KTM 790 Adventure was the better pick for riders who wanted a lighter, more dirt-focused machine. The BMW was the all-purpose hammer.
Best touring bike: Honda Gold Wing
The Gold Wing doesn’t really compete with other touring bikes so much as it occupies its own private island. In 2020, it still delivered the smooth six-cylinder character, wind protection, cargo space, and long-haul comfort that made it famous.
It’s the bike for riders who want to cross states without feeling punished by the process. The engine is famously refined, the seating is superb, and the chassis makes the whole package feel smaller than it looks.
If touring is your actual hobby, not just something you do to get somewhere, the Gold Wing stays in the conversation for a reason.
Best track-focused sportbike: Yamaha YZF-R6
By 2020, the R6 was increasingly a track-day weapon rather than a street-friendly everyday bike. And that was fine. The high-revving four-cylinder engine, sharp chassis, and race-bred ergonomics gave it a clear identity.
It’s not the easiest bike to live with in traffic, and that’s not what it was built for. If your idea of fun involves apexes, lap timers, and suspension settings you actually change, the R6 was still one of the sharpest tools in the garage.
Best retro-standard: Triumph Street Twin
The Street Twin sat in that sweet spot where classic styling didn’t come with ancient-bike misery. Triumph gave it a friendly 900cc parallel-twin engine, modern brakes, and enough polish to make the old-school look feel intentional rather than nostalgic for the sake of it.
It worked well for riders who wanted relaxed ergonomics and a little personality without buying a full-on cruiser or a hyper-naked machine. Quietly one of the most sensible motorcycles in the whole 2020 lineup.
Standout 2020 motorcycle models by brand
Honda
Honda’s 2020 lineup leaned on reliability and broad appeal. The CB300R was the clean entry-level pick, the CB650R brought a more mature inline-four naked-bike feel, and the Gold Wing remained the long-distance benchmark.
Honda tends not to shout about its motorcycles. It just keeps building bikes that start every morning and don’t ask for much in return.
Yamaha
Yamaha had one of the strongest 2020 lineups overall. The MT-07 was the street bike most riders should at least sit on, the Ninja 400’s closest direct rival in the R-series world remained the YZF-R3, and the YZF-R6 continued to serve riders who wanted a serious supersport platform. Those bikes are also known for reliability across Yamaha’s lineup; for more on Yamaha’s reliability, see Top 10 Most Reliable Yamaha Motorcycles.
The company’s strength in 2020 was balance. Yamaha knew exactly which bikes were supposed to be easy, which were supposed to be fast, and which were supposed to be both.
Kawasaki
Kawasaki’s 2020 catalog was packed with high-value choices. The Ninja 400 was the standout, the Z400 delivered the naked-bike version of the same formula, and the Z650 offered more torque without getting too heavy or too expensive.
If you wanted a practical sport-oriented motorcycle in 2020, Kawasaki had answers in more than one category.
Harley-Davidson and Indian
The American cruiser war was alive and well in 2020. Harley’s Low Rider S brought a strong factory-custom look with real performance credentials, while Indian’s Scout Bobber offered a similarly aggressive stance with a different character.
These bikes weren’t trying to be all things. They were about torque, style, and the ritual of riding something with proper presence.
BMW and KTM
BMW owned the premium long-distance adventure space with the R 1250 GS and related models. KTM, meanwhile, kept pushing toward lighter, more aggressive adventure bikes with the 790 Adventure.
That split mattered. BMW was for riders who wanted a do-everything tourer with off-road capability. KTM was for riders who hear “adventure” and think gravel before coffee.
What changed from 2019 to 2020
For many models, the 2020 update was subtle. That’s not a flaw. It often means the platform had already matured.
Typical 2020 changes included:
- Updated color schemes and graphics
- Small suspension or geometry revisions
- ABS or electronics adjustments
- Euro emissions compliance updates in some markets
- New trim packages or accessory bundles
Some models were effectively carryovers, which is exactly what you want if the previous year was already sorted. A mature platform usually ages better than an overcomplicated redesign with teething issues.
For shoppers, that means 2020 can be a sweet spot: enough modern equipment to feel current, but not so new that the bike is still proving itself.
If you want to verify model-year changes by manufacturer, the NHTSA motorcycle recalls database is worth checking before buying used, and so are the brand’s own spec sheets for the exact trim you’re looking at.
How to shop the 2020 used market
Used 2020 motorcycles are attractive because they’re close enough to current to feel modern, but old enough that prices have usually softened.
A few things to check before buying:
- Service history: Oil changes and valve checks matter more than glossy plastics.
- Crash damage: Bar ends, mirrors, levers, and footpegs tell stories.
- Electronics: Ride modes, ABS, traction control, and TFT displays should all work cleanly.
- Tires and chain wear: These tell you how hard the bike lived.
- Modifications: Some are helpful. Some are just loud. Very loud.
Insurance and license requirements can also vary by engine size and class, so it’s worth checking your local rules if you’re moving up from a smaller bike.
For riders still deciding on a category, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and rider training groups like MSF are useful starting points for safety and beginner education, especially if a 2020 model is your first full-size motorcycle.
Final thoughts
The 2020 motorcycle models made a strong case for buying used instead of chasing the newest release. That model year gave riders a lot of mature platforms: bikes that already had the bugs worked out, the accessories sorted, and the market priced in.
If you want the broadest possible answer, start with the Yamaha MT-07, Kawasaki Ninja 400, Honda CB300R, Indian Scout Bobber, and BMW R 1250 GS. Those five cover a lot of ground without wasting your time.
The 2020 motorcycle lineup wasn’t flashy for the sake of being flashy. It was better than that. It was useful. And for motorcycles, that usually ages well.
