Motorcyclist published its first-ever edition back in July of 1912. That means we’ve been in the business of motorcycle reviews for well over a century now, and over the years we’ve learned there are a few specific reasons any particular review might generate interest among our readers.

 

Oftentimes popularity has been cyclical: The golden age of sportbikes naturally translated to an overwhelming interest in the next “lightest, fastest” racing homologations as they hit the streets, and the same could be said for the recent boom in middleweight adventure bikes. There’s always a healthy interest around polarizing topics as well, which in recent years have included liquid-cooled Harley-Davidsons, electric motorcycles, and automatic transmissions.

 

In other words, popular articles have always been a mix of enthusiasm and disdain, and for better or worse, 2024 was no different. Below are the 10 most popular articles we penned this year, as voted by our loyal readers and their collective clicks, eyeballs, and comments.

 

10. 2024 BMW F 900 GS Trophy Edition

 

 

First on our list is BMW’s new F 900 GS Trophy, the latest and greatest maxi-middleweight ADV from the Bavarian brand and a direct competitor to bikes like Triumph’s Tiger 900 Rally Pro and KTM’s 890 Adventure R. Lighter, more powerful, and much more capable off-road than BMW’s previous parallel twin, the Trophy Edition squarely takes aim at the hard-charging, off-road-focused adventure crowd to great effect.

 

We loved the F 900 GS Trophy’s athletic ergonomics, excellent (and fully adjustable) Showa suspension, and torque-laden engine, which made riding in slick and loose terrain surprisingly easy for a motorcycle of this size. We were also keen on the F 900 GS’ new looks, which follow suit with other newer Bimmers like the R 1300 GS by replacing the boxy asymmetrical look with something sleeker and more aggressive.

 

9. 2024 Yamaha Ténéré 700

 

 

It’s no secret we’ve been vocal fans of Yamaha’s T7, and judging by the feedback we get when we write about it, it’s safe to say that we’re not alone there. Although the Ténéré only saw a few modest updates for the 2024 model year (a new TFT dash and LED turn signals), it remained as popular as ever, a testament to the quality of Yamaha’s simple yet effective middleweight ADV.

 

Of course that’s all changing this year with the introduction of the 2025 MY model, which gets new looks, better suspension, and a modern electronics suite thanks to the addition of ride-by-wire throttle to the tried-and-true CP2 engine. We’re looking forward to seeing if the new-and-improved 2025 Ténéré 700 retains its “big dirt bike” charm going forward, so stay tuned.

 

8. 2024 Yamaha MT-10

 

 

What’s not to love about the 2024 Yamaha MT-10? A naked YZF-R1 superbike with upright ergonomics and a flat handlebar? Yes, please.

 

According to our readers, the main miss for the MT-10 remains its polarizing looks, especially considering the handsome redesign Yamaha has given to the rest of its “Masters of Torque” family, the MT-09, MT-07, and MT-03. While the crossplane four-banger just got a major update back in 2022 (read: Is Yamaha’s 2022 MT-10 the Best Naked Bike in Its Class?), we wouldn’t mind seeing a face-lift ourselves, so cross your fingers that news is just over the horizon.

 

7. 2024 Triumph Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X

 

 

With an entertaining single-cylinder engine, excellent road manners, and premium good looks that belie its frugal sub-$5K price tag, it’s no wonder Triumph’s new Speed 400 was such a hit this year. We had plenty of good things to say about its more off-road-friendly Scrambler 400 X stablemate as well, and ultimately found both bikes were an absolute home run for the money.

 

In addition to proving just how good a $5,000 motorcycle could be, Triumph’s new 400cc platform demonstrated that outsourced manufacturing (both bikes are built by the India-based Bajaj Auto) isn’t necessarily a bad thing when it’s done right. The fit and finish on both of these machines is well deserving of the Triumph badge, and we’re looking forward to seeing what other fruit this partnership might bear in the near future.

 

6. 2024 Honda CBR600RR

 

 

A new CBR600RR is exciting motorcycle news for the sportbike faithful, especially considering Honda hadn’t really touched the little supersport since the last redesign back in 2017. This year, however, Honda’s engineers managed to overcome the challenges of Euro 5 compliance and introduce a fully modern RR complete with state-of-the-art electronics, a flashy TFT dash, and even little 600-size winglets over the front end.

 

In fact, the only complaint worth noting for the redesigned CBR600RR is that Honda didn’t bring it to the States for 2024, and apparently has no intentions of doing so in the future. Hopefully Big Red will take note of readers’ interest in the new baby ‘Blade, but in the meantime, you’ll have to get your inline-four fix from either the dated US version or Honda’s more street-focused CB650R and CBR650R models.

 

5. 2024 Honda NX500

 

 

 

Speaking of Honda, the brand’s beloved welterweight CB500X got a handsome refresh this year, and Big Red felt the changes were significant enough to give this cult-favorite ADV a new name. At its core, the NX500 retains more or less everything we’ve come to love about the CB500X over the years including its abundance of user-friendliness, but as our extended off-road test found, it has also become a better machine all around for dirt and pavement alike.

 

If you missed that article, you can check it out below, but the TL;DR summary here is that the NX500 looks better, gets improved suspension, and borrows a new full-color TFT display from Honda’s current 650 lineup. Honda also added switchable traction control to the equation for good measure, yet the modest NX still shines as a budget ADV and all-rounder thanks to its approachable $7,399 MSRP.

 

2024 Suzuki GSX-R1000R

 

 

Superbikes ain’t dead: Suzuki’s premium-spec GSX-R1000R remained a reader favorite for 2024 despite only moderate updates to the platform since 2017. Once again up-spec suspension, sharp looks, extensive tech, and a competitive price were enough to keep the big Gixxer front and center, and we have no doubts as to why after this year’s extensive field test and review.

 

The GSX-R1000 has always been a favorite of privateers and club racers for delivering competitive superbike performance for less cash than the competition. The R1000R continues that tradition, and while it may not have the added bling factor of Yamaha’s R1M, Honda’s Fireblade SP, or Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-10RR, it still delivers a competitive spec sheet for $10,000 less.

 

3. 2024 Yamaha XSR900 GP

 

 

While it pains us to say that Yamaha’s XSR900 GP is the second bike on this list we aren’t getting here in the US, we find some solace in knowing it was one of the most buzzworthy two-wheelers of the year according to our readers. Who says the demand simply isn’there?

 

A lot can go wrong when manufacturers go retro-modern, but the XSR900 GP simply gets everything right in our book, right down to the Marlboro/Wayne Rainey–inspired livery. Our test ride this year revealed the new GP rides as good as it looks, and made for a brilliant yet comfortable streetbike with enough punch for the track as well.

 

2. 2024 BMW CE 02

 

 

Of all the topics we cover, nothing is quite as polarizing as electric motorcycles. This year BMW’s new CE 02 urban runabout was the most read and discussed of the bunch, although the discussion wasn’t always exactly positive.

 

While we enjoyed the convenience, simplicity, and utility of BMW’s new city-bound moto-scooter hybrid, its $9,000-plus price tag (as tested) proved difficult to overlook, as did its limited 50-mile range on a full charge. Love it or hate it, BMW got people talking with the CE 02, and the futuristic scooter never failed to turn a few heads during our test ride either.

 

2024 Yamaha MT-09

 

 

Topping the list as our most popular review of 2024 is Yamaha’s freshly redesigned MT-09. Truth be told, the middleweight MT and its character-rich three-cylinder CP3 engine have always been deserving of serious attention, but Yamaha never quite found its footing from a styling standpoint until this year.

 

The popular face-lift is complemented by an extensive list of updates including new gearing, a new quickshifter, improved suspension, adjustable ergonomics, and a new TFT dash. We all have our own idea of what makes the perfect streetbike, but there’s no denying that Yamaha gets a little closer to two-wheeled utopia every time it tweaks the MT-09.