Verified fitMaintenancevia Amotopart
Chain Cleaning and Lube Kit
Chain brush, degreaser and O-ring safe lube.
$29.00View
Buying guide · 1970
Best motorcycles on a budget
The purchase price is the small part. What decides whether a cheap bike stays cheap is parts availability, consumable cost and how much of the servicing you can do yourself. Every model here is simple, well supported and has a deep used-parts supply.
Who this segment suits
- Riders whose total budget has to cover the bike, gear and the first service
- Owners who intend to do their own maintenance
- Anyone who wants predictable costs rather than the lowest sticker price
Model picks — budget motorcycles
Every pick links to its fitment reference: chain spec, pad codes, tyre sizes and the parts that fit.
| Bike | Type | Years | Why it makes the list | Own one? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suzuki SV650 | Naked | 1999–2026 | The value benchmark: huge used supply, simple V-twin, and parts prices at the bottom of every category table. | Find parts that fit → |
| Honda CB500F | Naked | 2013–2026 | Long production run means plentiful second-hand panels and a well-documented service routine. | Find parts that fit → |
| Royal Enfield Classic 350 | Classic | 2009–2026 | Deliberately simple single you can maintain with hand tools and a manual. | Find parts that fit → |
| Royal Enfield Meteor 350 | Cruiser | 2020–2026 | Cruiser looks with small-single running costs and the cheapest consumables here. | Find parts that fit → |
| Kawasaki Ninja 400 | Sport | 2018–2026 | Cheap to insure and cheap to fix, with aftermarket bodywork widely available. | Find parts that fit → |
| Yamaha YZF-R3 | Sport | 2015–2026 | Small sport twin with low tyre and pad bills relative to any 600. | Find parts that fit → |
| Royal Enfield Hunter 350 | Naked | 2022–2026 | Lowest entry price of the group and shares parts across the 350 range. | Find parts that fit → |
| Honda Grom | Mini | 2014–2026 | Minimum running cost of anything road-legal, with an enormous cheap-parts scene. | Find parts that fit → |
What to check before you buy
- Aftermarket bodywork availability — a cheap bike with model-specific-only panels stops being cheap after one drop
- Chain and sprocket kit prices for the model before you buy, not after
- Service history: a skipped oil change costs more than the discount you negotiated
- Tyre sizes that are common, not specialist
- Models with a long unchanged production run, because used parts are abundant
What it costs to run
- Small twins and 350 singles sit at the bottom of every price band in our part-category tables
- Doing pads, oil and chain adjustment yourself removes the largest single recurring cost: shop labour
- Budget for consumables in the first season — most cheap used bikes are sold with worn pads, chain and tyres
Part-cost ranges and workshop labour rates for 16 countries are in our price guides.
Maintenance for budget motorcycles
The category budget motorcycles owners buy from first.
Verified fitVerified fitMaintenancevia MotorcycleID
Paddock Stand Pair
Front and rear paddock stands with rubber cradles.
$149.00View
Parts this segment needs first
All budget motorcycles in our catalog
82 models with fitment references and matched parts.
Honda CBR600RR
2003–2026
Honda CBR1000RR
2004–2026
Honda CB500F
2013–2026
Honda CB650R
2019–2026
Honda Rebel 500
2017–2026
Yamaha YZF-R1
1998–2026
Yamaha YZF-R6
1999–2026
Yamaha YZF-R3
2015–2026
Yamaha MT-07
2014–2026
Yamaha MT-09
2013–2026
Yamaha Bolt
2014–2026
Suzuki GSX-R600
1997–2026
Suzuki GSX-R750
1996–2026
Suzuki GSX-R1000
2001–2026
Suzuki SV650
1999–2026
Suzuki GSX-S750
2015–2026
Suzuki Boulevard M109R
2006–2026
Suzuki Hayabusa
1999–2026
Kawasaki Ninja 400
2018–2026
Kawasaki Ninja 650
2017–2026
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R
1995–2026
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R
2004–2026
Kawasaki Z900
2017–2026
Kawasaki Z650
2017–2026
Kawasaki Vulcan S
2015–2026
BMW S 1000 RR
2009–2026
BMW F 900 R
2020–2026
BMW R nineT
2014–2026
BMW G 310 R
2016–2026
Ducati Panigale V4
2018–2026
Ducati Panigale V2
2020–2026
Ducati Monster 821
2014–2026
Ducati Monster 937
2021–2026
Ducati Diavel V4
2011–2026
Ducati Streetfighter V4
2020–2026
KTM 390 Duke
2013–2026
Other segments
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best beginner motorcycles
Best sport motorcycles
sport motorcycles
Best cruiser motorcycles
best cruiser motorcycles
Best touring motorcycles
best touring motorcycles
Best adventure motorcycles
adventure motorcycles
Best naked motorcycles
best naked motorcycles
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electric motorcycles
Best dirt bikes and enduro machines
best dirt bikes
Best commuter motorcycles
best commuter motorcycles
FAQ
What is the cheapest motorcycle to maintain?
Small-capacity singles and parallel twins. Their pads, filters, chains and tyres all sit in the lowest price band, and most scheduled work is doable with basic tools.
Is it cheaper to buy new or used on a budget?
Used is cheaper to buy and cheaper to insure, but assume you will replace consumables in the first season. Add pads, a chain kit, oil and filters to your purchase budget.
How much should I set aside per year for a budget bike?
Use our per-job cost tables: on a small twin, an annual service plus one pad set and one chain kit is the realistic floor, and doing it yourself removes most of the labour figure.