The motorcycles we’ve ridden and loved this year

2024 was an eventful year here at Road Dirt. We traversed the lower 48, with many opportunities to ride many different motorcycles. Several of us got to travel to incredible locations here stateside, riding the latest and greatest from numerous brands. It’s been an exhausting year of travel, but in so many ways a thrilling one, like we’ve not experienced before. We are tired but thankful, as we reflect back on an amazing 12 months.

Looking back over the year, several motorcycles stand out in our minds as bikes we really enjoyed riding and sampling. So here are our top five favorite motorcycles that we got to ride in 2024. We’ll review them in reverse order from fifth to first. We also have a couple of “honorable mentions” to toss in at the end. We must point out that there was not a bike we rode this year that we didn’t enjoy, so just because some don’t make the list doesn’t mean they are not great motorbikes. We just decided to drill down on a few of our faves.

When we are finished, let us know what you think in the comments below!

5. Yamaha MT-09 (standard & SP)

We love Yamaha’s CP3 power plant, in all of it’s iterations. We ended up riding the 2023 Tracer 9GT+ for 11 months, logging over 4500 miles on it before returning it to Yamaha this past August. That bike still remains one of our all-time favorites. This year we got to ride a couple of Yamaha’s MT-09 models, the standard and the SP, and were present for the unveiling of the Tuning Fork’s R9 sport bike. That howling triple just stirs our adrenaline, and we can’t get enough of it.

Our reviews of the MT-09 and the SP beast.

4. Honda E-Clutch CB650R & CBR650R

Honda has always been a company of innovation and experimentation. They have never been afraid of trying new technologies, and pushing the performance and handling envelope. We love that about Honda. This year they developed a new, versatile transmission which debuted in their CB650R and CBR650R models, both of which we had the opportunity to learn about and sample. In between a quick shifter and a fully automatic DCT, the E-Clutch tech was quite impressive and super easy to use, as we throttled it on a closed circuit racetrack and out on the open roads of north Georgia.

Our impressions of the E-Clutch CB650R and CBR650R HERE.

3. Triumph Speed 400

For just sheer value to the dollar, it is really hard to beat the Triumph Speed 400. This brand new “entry level” motorcycle in the Brit brand’s lineup delivers a lot of bike for the buck. The performance of that single thumper engine punches way above its weight class. Aimed squarely at the popular small displacement motorcycles that Royal Enfield successfully sells, the Speed 400 and its sibling Scrambler 400X blow their comparable street bikes away in performance and value. Triumph has a winner in this new world-class motorbike.

Check out our time with the Speed 400 HERE.

2. Royal Enfield Himalayan 450

Royal Enfield turned the ADV world upside down several years ago when they introduced a small, affordable, simple yet bulletproof on/off-road platform in the Himalayan 411. Yet no sooner was that bike brought to market, than the Brit-Indian brand began work on an upgrade. What they debuted this summer was a completely redesigned Himalayan 450. It is an entirely different motorcycle than its predecessor, from the bolts up and the rings out. We got to ride it in northern Utah, both on the road and off, on a section of the Utah BDR. If you enjoyed the 411, you will love the 450. It is that much different, and it is that good.

Our thoughts on the Himalayan 450 HERE.

2024 Road Dirt Motorcycle of the Year: Harley-Davidson Hydra Glide Revival

Of all the motorcycles we rode this year, the 2024 Harley-Davidson Hydra Glide Revival absolutely captured our imagination and emotion. Part of the Motor Company’s Icons Collection for this year, the design was inspired by the 1967 book and subsequent movie that released this year, “The Bikeriders.” Joshua Placa spent about a month with a drop-dead gorgeous red/white/chrome Hydra, riding the West and southern California on this remarkable motorcycle. Nostalgic yet ultra-modern, not only is this bike beautiful, but it rides and handles as good as it looks.

So we officially bestow our “2024 Motorcycle of the Year” on this worthy machine.

Brotha Placa’s ride and review of the Hydra Glide Revival HERE.

*Here’s a couple of “Honorable Mentions” we wanted to share with you as well:

Honda SCL500 Scrambler

As of this writing, chief editor Rob still has an SCL500 on loan from Honda. “This one surprised me,” Rob quipped. “I knew it would be a nice little motorcycle, but I didn’t realize how much I’d come to love it and want to ride it so much. What a great bike!” This bike evokes some nostalgic emotion as well, with its traditional 1960s-70s design, that scrambler-style high pipe, and peppy twin cylinder engine. An all-rounder that does everything well, and is super comfortable to ride, we highly recommend this bike for newbies and veteran riders alike- granted you’re under 6 ft tall.

Rob’s review of the SCL500 HERE.

Harley-Davidson Freewheeler

After Rob’s friend and occasional Road Dirt contributor Mike Hinton passed away in December of 2023, by early this year Mike’s wife Lena handed Rob the keys to Mike’s Harley Freewheeler trike to ride for a couple of weeks, before he helped her sell it. The emotions of riding his friend’s last motorcycle, coupled with the experience of riding a true trike for an extended period, made this a memorable time for “the bossman.” The Freewheeler is an outstanding machine and a great ride, once one acclimates to the handling characteristics of a trike. We had to share it here.

Rob’s time with Mike’s Freewheeler HERE.

So there’s our Faves List for 2024! Any thoughts, comments or questions on these? What bikes have you ridden in the past year that make your faves list? Please share with us in the comments section below.

See you in 2025!

Road Dirt Crew

*Check out our year-end video review-