In many parts of the world, motorcycles are an inexpensive mode of every day transportation. But let's face it, when it comes to countries like the US, motorcycles are considered primarily a fun toy to use on the weekend or occasional getaway. While it's true that a lot of riders in the US do use their motorcycles as every day commuters, that number is staggeringly low when compared to countries like Indian or Thailand. As such, majority of the motorcycles used there from the likes of Bajaj Auto, are of low cost and displacement. But places where motorcycles are a premium hobby? That's another story all together.

Updated August 2023: Manufacturers come up with special editions and new motorcycles every year, as well as increasing the price even more for some. To keep our readers up to speed with the most expensive production motorcycles, we have updated this article to reflect all relevant information.

RELATED: Check Out BMW's Most Expensive (And Powerful) Motorcycle To Date

BMW K 1600 Grand America Option 719 Midnight

Starting MSRP: $30,725

BMW made its name with expensive and beautifully-built touring motorcycles such as the R80RT and R100RT in the 1970s, before the GS adventure bike took over as the flagship model and boosted the company’s fortunes immeasurably. But BMW hadn’t abandoned its touring bikes completely: the K 1600 appeared in 2011, and took the motorcycling world by storm, with its silky-smooth inline six-cylinder engine and sophisticated chassis and electronics.

Performance Specs

The Option 719 Midnight Black for the Grand America version adds even more luxury, as BMW adds high quality paintwork, aluminum Midnight badge, and a cloud print and model name lettering on the bench seat.

Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak

Starting MSRP: $31,595

The Multistrada V4 was already an amazing platform, but Ducati decided to up the ante by turning it into a sportier beast with the Pikes Peak version. Named after the famed hill climb, the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak offers a whole new array of capabilities, such as Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Detection.

Performance Specs

Apart from the extensive electronic suite, Ducati redesigned the geometry such as the rake and positioning of the foot pegs. The rake was revised to 25.75° instead of the previous 24.5°, as well as pushing the foot pegs back by 10mm to give it a sportier feel. Ducati also added a single-sided swingarm to emphasize the sportier nature of the Pikes Peak version.

Honda Gold Wing Tour Airbag Automatic DCT

Starting MSRP: $32,900

Back in 1974, Honda dared to take Harley-Davidson head-on in the large touring bike class with the flat-four-engined, shaft-driven Gold Wing. That first model was un-faired and Honda saw it as a large sports bike but soon realized that owners were using it differently and turned it into the supreme touring bike we know today, with a huge fairing and all the bells and whistles.

Performance Specs

Over the years, the size and complexity increased, as did the comfort and mile-eating ability. In 2018, a completely new Gold Wing emerged, more compact and lighter but still a technical tour-de-force. The engine - a six-cylinder since 1987 - grew to 1,832cc (111.8cu.in.) and produces 125 horsepower and 130 pound-feet of torque. It is silky smooth and the suspension is now electronically adjustable.

RELATED: 10 Reasons Why You Should Buy A Touring Bike

BMW M 1000 RR (M Competition Package)

Starting MSRP: $37,990

When BMW launched the S 1000 RR back in 2009, it took the established superbikes by the scruff of the neck and showed them how it should be done: it was brilliant out of the box and, even if it didn’t bring BMW the World Superbike Championship glory it was aiming for, it forced people to see BMW in a different light. For the 2021 model year, BMW announced the M1000RR and the sole purpose was to create a better race bike.

Performance Specs

The first BMW motorcycle to carry the ‘M’ prefix normally associated with cars, the M 1000 R has extensive modifications to the power plant, chassis, exhaust, and braking. It also comes with aerodynamic winglets on the fairing, echoing racing developments.

MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR

Starting MSRP: $38,198

MV Agusta offers exotic motorcycles for the rider with refined tastes. Their Brutale 1000 RR is marketed as an extreme hyper naked motorcycle that offers a raw and muscular experience. With the company simply listing the speed as >186 mph (>300 kph), the bike is as fast as it is appealing.

Performance Specs

As standard with MV Agusta's offerings, the bike comes with a counter-rotating crankshaft that allows riders to push the bike to its limits. The bike also employs an inertial platform that further refines the responsiveness of traction and wheelie controls, putting riders into the cockpit of a true crotch rocket.

KTM RC 8C

Starting MSRP: $39,599

The KTM RC 8C is one of the rarer bikes that the company releases, only producing it in limited numbers. As such, the bike sold out the moment that sales opened. The RC 8C is produced strictly for the track. The dashboard features switches and options to adjust throttle response, traction control, anti-wheelie control, and engine brake adjustment, while the 890 Duke-derived 889cc, twin-cylinder engine is equipped with better valves, connecting rods, larger 48mm throttle bodies, and new pistons.

Performance Specs

KTM only made 200 units for 2023, and each one of them has carbon fiber bodywork and forged-aluminum Dymag wheels. KTM didn't cheap out on any other parts either, as Brembo Stylema Monobloc calipers bite into 290mm discs at the front and a 230mm at the back.

Indian Pursuit Elite

Starting MSRP: $39,999

There's only really one company that can keep up with Harley-Davidson when it comes to beefy, all-American touring machines, and that's Indian. This is also means they've been competing in the premium touring sector as well, which is where the Pursuit Elite model comes in.

Performance Specs

For about $40,000 you can get yourself one of the most comfortable, stylish baggers out there. The Pursuit Elite features a modern, liquid cooled, 108-cu V-twin that produces 122 hp and 128 ft-lbs of torque, has an electronically adjustable rear suspension. It also has a 7-in touchscreen that comes standard with Apple CarPlay and is connected to 16 speakers throughout the bike.

RELATED: 10 Best Indian Cruisers Money Can Buy

Ducati Panigale V4 R

Starting MSRP: $44,995

The Panigale V4 series were the first bikes to carry Ducati's MotoGP V4 engine. First unveiled back in 2018, the Panigale V4 R has become the brand's flagship sport bike offering, making its way into WSBK. The V4 R is a beast of a bike, able to reach break-neck speeds quickly thanks to its potent V4 powerplant.

Performance Specs

What makes the V4 R so special is that its street configuration "only" produces 218 horsepower, but add the racing kit and it goes up to 237 horsepower. But it doesn't stop there, as Ducati partnered with Shell to create a specially-made engine oil for the V4 R that bumps up the power output to 240.5 horsepower. A lot of things need to line up to unlock its potential, but the race-bred red rocket tears up its competition when it gets there.

MV Agusta Rush 1000

Starting MSRP: $50,098

In recent years, MV Agusta has somewhat become like KTM, focusing mainly on naked motorcycles, and sitting atop MV’s 2022 lineup is the $45,598 Rush 1000. Derived from the Brutale 1000 RR, the Rush 1000 is a hyper-naked motorcycle pumping out 208 horsepower and 86 pound-feet of torque.

Performance Specs

Couple this with the Rush’s 410-pound dry weight and this is nothing short of a ballistic missile in action. Luckily, there’s no shortage of electronic aids to help you control this monster. Suspension is fully adjustable and electronic-controlled, while the 5.5" color TFT display allows riders to access cruise control, Bluetooth, and GPS. The bike can even be connected to your phone via the MV Ride app, giving full access to engine, suspension, and rider aids setup.

Harley CVO Road Glide Limited

Starting MSRP: $51,999

Though Indian is producing some great bagger and cruiser alternatives these days, there's no one out there quite like Harley-Davidson when it comes luxury touring machines. They've been at it for a long time, with largely no disruptions, and have fine-tuned these models to the smallest bolt. Such is the case with the CVO Road Glide Limited.

Performance Specs

The beating heart of this bagger is the famous Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine. It produces 126 ft-lb of torque and 105 hp. You also get an adjustable rear suspension, LED lights and customized gauges. The Limited also comes with the Harley Boom! Box GTS infotainment system that has Bluetooth, radio, USB connection, SirusXM (if you have the service) and a rider/passenger intercom option.

Kawasaki Ninja H2R

Starting MSRP: $57,500

If you don’t already know, the H2R is Kawasaki’s track-only, supercharger-equipped, carbon fiber-laden top-of-the-line “hyper” bike. From its radical design with a mirror finish, to its soul-shaking exhaust note with the signature supercharger 'chirrup', everything makes the H2R as special as ever.

Performance Specs

The engine produces 310 horsepower and 121.5 pound-feet of torque which will push it to a top speed of 400 km/h (240mph), if you can find a road long and empty enough! But in reality, the only speed limit you'll face on this bike is the limit of your bravery.

Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini

Starting MSRP: $68,000

Ducati is a luxury motorcycle brand to begin with. Their cheapest motorcycle, if you don't count their separate line of Scramblers, the Monster Plus, starts at $13,000. So what happens when you combine their Streetfighter V4 model, which starts at $22,095 and mix in a Lamborghini Huracán STO? Well for one thing, the price tag skyrockets to $68,000.

Performance Specs

Besides the Lambo inspired livery, carbon fiber accents and overall design features, the Streetfighter V4 has some other exclusive design elements that were imported directly from the Huracán STO. The only downside is the limited number of bikes that were built, and they are all already spoken for.

Bimota TESI H2

Starting MSRP: $70,370

Bimota is not the most known of Italian motorcycle brands. But they sure knew how to win races back in the day by building high-quality chassis around pre-existing engines. And the TESI H2 is here to remind us of that history. This top of the line, utterly insane machine is made primarily out of lightweight aluminum which surrounds Kawasaki's 998-cc inline-four engine.

Performance Specs

It'll get you an earth-shaking 221 hp and 104 lbs of torque. And because of all the aluminum in its structure, the TESI is much lighter than Kawasaki's H2, weighing in at 456 lbs. But the biggest attraction is certainly its next-level looks.

Indian Challenger RR King of the Baggers

Starting MSRP: $92,229

Anyone that's been paying attention to motorcycle racing in the past few years must have heard of King of the Baggers. That's where the likes of Harley-Davidson and Indian modify their biggest and heaviest machines into racing bikes and have a go of it on a racetrack. This has proven so popular that Indian finally caved in and released a race replica in the form of the Challenger RR. No official figures exist for the power and torque, but the bike is believed to net over 150 for both.

Performance Specs

Everything on this bike has been dialed up to 11, including the suspension, engine, brakes, chassis and, of course, the price. But what you get for that price, you won't be able to take on the street, as the bike appears to be a track-only creation. Additionally, only 29 were built, so chances are it's already sold out.

RELATED: Five Reasons Why The 2023 Indian Challenger RR Is The Ultimate Bagger

Arch 1s

Starting MSRP: $128,000

If you're a motorcycle fan, you may have heard of the Arch Motorcycle company. And perhaps you may have heard of one of the owners as well. And even though the Arch is more of a bespoke motorcycle builder rather than a major manufacturer, the bikes they build are nothing short of stunning in terms of build quality, performance, and price.

Performance Specs

The company currently offers three models, the KRGT-1, Method 143 and the 1s. And it is the 1s that is the jewel in their crown. Equal parts sport bike and cruiser, the 1s uses a high-torque S&S V-twin engine with in-house designed exhaust system. This 2032-cc engine produces 115 ft-lbs of torque, the brakes are ABS from BOSCH and suspension is a fully adjustable ARCH/Öhlins hybrid system. Carbon fiber is used through the motorcycle to keep the weight low, and the single-sided swing arm is manufactured in-house from lightweight aluminum. Yes this is an expensive motorcycle, but if you can afford it, there's nothing like riding a motorcycle that was designed and built just for you.

FAQ

Q: Which bike is the most expensive?

The Kawasaki Ninja H2 R is the most expensive production bike on sale priced at $56,500. There are more expensive bikes out there, but either they're rare finds or yet to go into production.

Q: How much is a high-end motorcycle?

A high-end motorcycle can start from as low as $10,000 going up to as high as $50,000.

Q: What is the fastest motorcycle in the world?

The fastest motorcycle in the world (currently in production) is the Kawasaki Ninja H2 R which makes over 300 horsepower and can surpass 250mph.