Page 36 - July 2025 Edition_Neat

LHR MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE 36 BIKE REVIEW

Part 1: 17 Worst Motorcycles Only Stupid

People Buy (The Uninformed Choices)

Motorcycling is an exciting and liberating experience, but not all bikes on the market are worth your hard-
earned cash. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned rider, making the wrong choice can lead to headaches,
frustration, and, worst of all, regret. It's essential to choose a bike based on quality, longevity, and
practicality.
In this two-part series, we're going to take a look at 17 motorcycles that you should avoid — motorcycles
that might seem appealing at first, but are often plagued by bad design, unreliable engineering, poor
performance, and an overall lack of value. While there are no "stupid people," these bikes are often the
result of bad decisions made based on superficial reasons like looks or marketing hype.

750, there are many better compared to more established
alternatives out there, such as cruisers like the Harley-
the Honda Rebel 500 or Davidson Fat Boy.
Kawasaki Vulcan S, which · Heavy and Bulky: The
offer much better performance Diavel is heavy for a bike of its
and reliability.
size, making it a poor choice
for new riders or those looking
1. Harley-Davidson Street 500/750 for an agile motorcycle.
(Street Series)

The Harley-Davidson Street Series,
particularly the Street 500 and Street
750, are marketed as affordable entry-
level cruisers, but in reality, they fall
short of expectations for the price tag.
These bikes are often regarded as
underpowered and poorly designed,
failing to live up to the standards 2. Ducati Diavel
expected from a brand as iconic as The Ducati Diavel might look
Harley-Davidson. impressive at first with its futuristic

Why It's a Bad Choice: design, but this bike has more than its
share of flaws. It's marketed as a
· U n d e r w h e l m i n g
Performance: Despite being "muscle cruiser" that combines 3. Yamaha VMAX
called "Street," these bikes performance with comfort, but the T h e Ya m a h a V M A X i s a
don't deliver on the street. The reality is far from the hype. performance-oriented muscle bike
500cc and 750cc engines are Why It's a Bad Choice: with a 1679cc V4 engine. On paper, it
significantly underpowered · Uncomfortable Riding sounds like a dream for those looking
compared to other bikes in the Position: While the Diavel is for raw power and speed. However, it
same class. The acceleration is marketed as a cruiser, its has a number of issues that make it
sluggish, and they struggle to riding position is more suited less appealing than it seems.
keep up with traffic on to sport riding than leisurely Why It's a Bad Choice:
highways. cruising. The foot pegs are · Terrible Handling: Despite
· Subpar Build Quality: Many high, and the seat isn't as having a large, powerful
owners report that the overall comfortable as you'd expect engine, the VMAX is difficult
build quality is disappointing, from a cruiser. to control, especially for less
especially considering the · Unnecessarily Expensive: experienced riders. It's top-
Harley-Davidson name. Ducati bikes tend to be on the h e a v y a n d l a c k s t h e
Cheap materials are used, and pricey side, and the Diavel is nimbleness of smaller
the attention to detail is no exception. You're paying a sportbikes or cruisers.
lacking. lot for a bike that doesn't really · Ridiculously Expensive: The
· Poor Value for Money: For excel in any particular VMAX's price is incredibly
the price of a Street 500 or category, especially when high for what it offers. You're