10 Leading Motorcycles In The Mid-Size Segment

[Suzuki Johnny]

We live in a world of middleweight motorcycles now. Yes, there are bonkers superbikes, but they have gotten so ridiculously powerful that they are impractical for everyday use. On the other hand, the beginner segment is brewing with exciting bikes but they still lack the punch for fulfilling your motorcycling needs. This is where middleweight motorcycles come into play with their powerful yet usable engines, purpose-built ergonomics, and everything you need from your bike.

The mid-size segment is so vast now it’s almost impossible to make a decision without sleeping over it for a few months, discussing the spec sheets with your riding buddies for ten days straight, and visiting the dealership multiple times for test rides. And if you’re going through something similar, these ten motorcycles are what you should look at. These ten motorcycles are the best mid-size motorcycles you can buy today, whether you are looking for comfort, all-out performance, or practicality.
We've put together this list of ten incredible mid-size motorcycles by looking at manufacturer websites and Motorcyclenews.com.


Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650
The Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 may not be the fastest or the fanciest middleweight cruiser in the market — in fact, it sits at the bottom of the middleweight food chain — but that couldn’t stop us from appreciating this gorgeous motorcycle. It offers a unique flavor to the rider with its low-slung chassis and a smooth, tractable parallel twin engine. Plus, the 270-degree crank sounds awesome. It makes you appreciate the qualities that made cruisers what they are today: simple, comfortable machines with a lot of character.

Specifications
Engine Type
648cc parallel-twin, air/oil-cooled, SOHC
Frame Type
Steel tubular spine frame
Front Suspension
43mm Showa USD with 120mm travel
Rear Suspension
Twin Showa shocks with 101mm travel and adjustable preload
Max Power
46 horsepower
Max Torque
38.57 pound-feet

Sourced from Motorcyclenews.com

Triumph Speed Twin 900
The Speed Twin 900 isn’t Triumph’s fanciest bike, and while it belongs to a heritage-rich family, it isn’t as punchy as the Bonnies of the past or the current-gen Speed Twin 1200, but it’s still a motorcycle that will win you over in no time. What makes this retro bike so special is that it is one of the most practical motorcycles on the market, with enough power to keep you entertained while being approachable for beginner bikers with a few thousand miles under their belts. And let’s not forget, it offers the quintessential retro flavors with subtle undertones of modernity.

Specifications
Engine Type
900cc, liquid-cooled, parallel twin
Frame Type
Steel cradle
Front Suspension
41mm Kayaba forks
Rear Suspension
Twin Kayaba rear shocks with adjustable preload
Max Power
64 horsepower
Max Torque
59 pound-feet

Sourced from Motorcyclenews.com

Kawasaki Ninja 650
The Kawasaki Ninja 650 often gets a bad rep for being a mellow, characterless sports bike that’s not as exciting to ride as it may look. But there’s a strong case to be made for this bike in the middleweight segment; its mellow character makes this bike versatile and easy to ride for everyone. As long as your goal isn’t an all-out performance, you’d have to be a really skilled rider to find problems with this one. The fit and finish are good, it’s loaded with tech, it’s agile, and the parallel-twin engine is a breeze to ride in a variety of riding conditions. And if you wanted to extract the same benefits without the fairings, you could even choose the Z650 or the Z650 RS.

Specifications
Engine Type
649cc, liquid-cooled, parallel twin
Frame Type
High tensile steel trellis
Front Suspension
41mm telescopic fork
Rear Suspension
Horizontal back-link with adjustable preload
Max Power
67 horsepower
Max Torque
47.2 pound-feet

Sourced from Motorcyclenews.com

Suzuki GSX-R750
Parallel twin engines are fun, but when you want a thoroughbred race bike in the middleweight segment, there’s hardly any supersport better than the GSX-R750. If you’re wondering if this is a “true” supersport, you’d be surprised to know that the GSX R750 was the first ever supersport when it was launched back in 1985. The GSX R750 is an excellent supersport motorcycle thanks to its excellent handling, reliability, and ownership experience, but its highlight feature is the 750cc inline-four engine that’s butter smooth and offers usable torque in the mid-range, unlike 600 supersports that produce all the power in the top end.

Specifications
Engine Type
750cc, liquid-cooled, inline-four
Frame Type
Twin-beam aluminum frame
Front Suspension
41mm Showa BPF USD, fully adjustable
Rear Suspension
Showa shock, fully adjustable
Max Power
150 horsepower
Max Torque
63 pound-feet

Sourced from Suzuki

KTM 890 Duke R
Are there better middleweight nakeds in the market? Yes, but the 890 Duke R is a special one. Simply put, the KTM 890 Duke R is one of the best KTM motorcycles ever built; it’s a mature KTM that won’t try to run out from under you while being exciting enough to make you question your choices. Plus, it’s a relatively affordable bike to own and easy to maintain. Unlike the bigger Duke, the 890 Duke R can be ridden at a sedate pace with ease, but give it the juice, and it will show you why it is known as the Scalpel: it's incredibly agile and eager in the right rev-range.

Specifications
Engine Type
890cc, liquid-cooled, parallel twin
Frame Type
Tubular steel
Front Suspension
43mm WP forks, fully adjustable
Rear Suspension
Single WP shock, fully adjustable
Max Power
119 horsepower
Max Torque
3 pound-feet

Sourced from Motorcyclenews.com

Triumph Street Triple 765 R
Another middleweight naked that deserves a place on this list is the Street Triple 765 R. This motorcycle is based on the legendary Daytona and uses the same frame that made the Daytona 675 the ultimate supersport of its time. But with the new sub-800cc engine, the bike gets to enjoy a much stronger midrange, allowing it to be a hoot to ride in the city. But take it to the track and the bike comes into its own; it’s more than capable enough to keep up with proper supersports even on the most technical racetracks. Plus, the induction noise with the inline-triple growl is addicting!

Specifications
Engine Type
765cc, liquid-cooled, inline-triple
Frame Type
Aluminum twin spar
Front Suspension
41mm Showa forks, fully adjustable
Rear Suspension
Single Showa shock, fully adjustable
Max Power
118 horsepower
Max Torque
59 pound-feet

Sourced from Motorcyclenews.com

Yamaha Tenere 700
Let’s switch things up a bit and take a look at the best middleweight adventure bike of 2023: the Yamaha Tenere 700. This motorcycle has taken the ADV segment by storm, eating away at every other ADV’s market share. The Tenere 700 uses the ultra-versatile CP2 engine that not only sounds grunty but produces a lot of low- to mid-range torque to help this bike get through any kind of terrain. Plus, the long-travel suspension and bigger tires allow it to soak up all the bumps and rocks that you ride over, and unlike other softly-sprung ADVs, this bike does not squat under acceleration. Honestly, this may be the only ADV you will ever need.

Specifications
Engine Type
689cc, liquid-cooled, CP2 parallel twin
Frame Type
Steel backbone, double cradle
Front Suspension
43mm KYB USD
Rear Suspension
Single Sachs rear shock
Max Power
72 horsepower
Max Torque
50 pound-feet

Sourced from Motorcyclenews.com

Yamaha YZF-R7
Yamaha’s CP2 engine is truly an engineering benchmark because it is also housed in a bike that sits on the other end of the spectrum from the Tenere 700, the YZF-R7. Sure, it may not be a true supersport, but who cares about all-out performance when you consider the practicality this sport bike offers? This is one of the most versatile sport bikes of the current decade that’s more than capable of keeping up with supersports on the twisties while being as easy to ride in the city as nakeds. If the Tenere 700 is the only ADV you’ll ever need, the YZF-R7 is the only sports bike you’ll ever need.

Specifications
Engine Type
689cc, liquid-cooled, CP2 parallel twin
Frame Type
Tubular steel diamond
Front Suspension
41mm KYB USD forks, fully adjustable
Rear Suspension
Single shock with adjustable preload and rebound damping
Max Power
72 horsepower
Max Torque
49 pound-feet

Sourced from Motorcyclenews.com

Aprilia Tuono 660
If you’re looking for the most fun-to-ride middleweight motorcycle, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything more fun than the Tuono 660. Yes, this middleweight Aprilia isn’t the fanciest or the fastest, but it doesn’t need to be. It makes up for everything it lacks with a thrilling blend of explosive performance, sharp braking, and telepathic handling. Plus, this is one of the most characterful motorcycles you can buy in this segment. In fact, this is also the most track-ready naked bike, second only to Street Triple 765, and you can also tour it occasionally. Talk about enthralling practicality.

Specifications
Engine Type
659cc, liquid-cooled, parallel twin
Frame Type
Aluminum twin spar
Front Suspension
41mm Kayaba USD with adjustable preload and rebound damping
Rear Suspension
Monoshock with adjustable preload and rebound damping
Max Power
94 horsepower
Max Torque
49.5 pound-feet

Sourced from Motorcyclenews.com

Honda CBR650R
The Honda CBR650 is a sport bike made with practicality in mind. It features a screaming inline-four that’s tuned for midrange performance, and the committed riding posture makes way for more comfortable ergonomics. Being a Honda, you can bet your house it’s reliable. This is one of the most versatile motorcycles available on the market today for this reason — you can ride it on your way to work, tackle some twisties on your weekend, and even visit your best friend two states away with ease. If you’re looking for a practical sport bike, there is no better option than the CBR650R.

Specifications
Engine Type
649cc, liquid-cooled, inline-four
Frame Type
Steel diamond
Front Suspension
41mm Showa forks
Rear Suspension
Single rear-shock with adjustable preload
Max Power
94 horsepower
Max Torque
46.5 pound-feet

Sourced from Motorcyclenews.com

[sgtcall]

I don't know why the Triumph T100 wouldn't be on that list. It is the base for the entire brand.

[Yooper]

I don't know why the Triumph T100 wouldn't be on that list. It is the base for the entire brand.

It should have been listed. I rode one last October. It sure reminded me of my earlier brit bikes, without the hassle of tickler carbs and zener diodes for a regulator. At idle, it still shook the front wheel up and down. I haven't had many, but owned a BSA Thunderbolt, and two Nortons. A couple were kickers only. Almost forgot, had a Kawasaki twin that resembled a Brit twin. Weird bike, only had that a month or so. Edit to say another one I'd forgotten about, a Yamaha 650 twin from the 70's. Didn't last long in my stable either.

[Tbeck]

Another hodge podge list.
Does anyone even know anyone who owns or will admit to owning a Enfield?
How about a Tenere 700 owned by a friend? If you do I guarantee that they aren't telling you that it's comfortable.
There are some great middleweight all around bikes out there today, few if any are on that list.

[MattSunn]

Another hodge podge list.
Does anyone even know anyone who owns or will admit to owning a Enfield?
How about a Tenere 700 owned by a friend? If you do I guarantee that they aren't telling you that it's comfortable.
There are some great middleweight all around bikes out there today, few if any are on that list.

Yeah, my leading mid size list would look quite different from that. It would contain the RE Super Meteor though.

[Tbeck]

There are some really great midsize bikes but these lists normally look more like a list of unique bikes nobody buy's.
I like the Enfield but I see very few and mostly the older 500 variant or maybe it was even smaller in displacement. Can't recall it's been so long.
The 700 Tenere is a great bike if you are looking for an oversized dirt bike to play with on local logging roads or fire trail's but you're talking major baboon butt if you try riding it any significant mileage.
And for the life of me I don't know why they put the CBR 650r on the list instead of the CB650r. The first being a crotch rocket and the second more of a standard.

What do I know