It’s the end of 2022, and for a lot of us, that means looking ahead to things we’re excited about in the coming year. Luckily, there are quite a few new bikes on the horizon for riders to get excited about, no matter what type of riding you’re into.
In my particular case, here are the five bikes I’m most intrigued by in the coming year. Some are completely new, some are a little bit familiar, and if you know my taste, then it’s likely that none of them will surprise you. Let’s dive in, shall we?
2023 Triumph Street Triple RS
For the new year, the Street Triple RS bumps that 765cc triple up to a claimed 128.2 bhp at 12,000 rpm, along with 59 pound-feet of torque at 9,500 rpm. It gets a six-speed gearbox, slipper clutch, wider handlebars, fully adjustable Showa fork and Ohlins rear shock, radially-mounted Brembo Stylema front calipers, wider handlebars than the previous version—and the list goes on.
Although I haven’t talked about it here much, I currently have a 2013 Street Triple R in the garage, which I rode a whole lot in 2021, and which I greatly enjoyed. I’m certain that I’d enjoy comparing the two, seeing both what’s changed and what’s stayed the same, among other things.
2023 Honda ST125 Dax
Now, to be absolutely clear, as of December, 2022, American Honda still has not made any official announcements about the 2023 ST125 Dax coming to the U.S. Regardless of that fact, I’m still looking forward to it, simply because I want to see more joy in the world. This is the kind of bike that instantly puts a smile on my face, and I’d imagine quite a lot of other faces, as well. We could use more of that kind of thing, you know?
Do I want to ride one? Of course I do. Do I also want a t-shirt with the new Dax logo on it? I believe I’ve already discussed this at some point in the past. I don’t know which Honda miniMOTO offers the most smiles per mile, but on appearance alone, it just might be this one.
2023 Suzuki GSX-8S
As a longtime fan of the MT-07, you can color me sufficiently intrigued by Suzuki’s seeming conversion to its own parallel twin entry into the middleweight naked category. Power figures for the European GSX-8S model (it doesn’t give official U.S. figures) include a claimed 81.7 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 57.5 pound-feet of torque at 6,800 rpm. KYB suspension and Nissin brakes make sense as part of the overall package, and the styling gives a much-needed injection of modernity to the Suzuki lineup.
Does it need a tail tidy? Yes, but don’t a lot of bikes? I would definitely be interested to see what the GSX-8S is like to ride.
Kawasaki Ninja EV and Z EV
At EICMA 2022, Kawasaki Motors president Hiroshi Ito showed off pre-production prototype versions of Kawasaki’s first two electric motorcycles. He also said that the road-going ones should become available for purchase sometime in 2023, which is why I’m including them here.
While I appreciate the freeing nature of just how different styling can be when OEMs are working with an electric motorbike, there’s also something appealing about the seemingly stealthy nature of the Ninja EV and Z EV. They look an awful lot like their combustion Ninja and Z siblings—which could surprise some random people out on the road, simply because they don’t visually stand out. (I mean, barring the lack of an exhaust, of course.)
2023 Honda CB750 Hornet
While I would have liked it if the production CB750 Hornet more closely resembled the design concept sketches that Honda had previously released, I also wasn’t among those left extremely disappointed by the appearance of the production bike. Bikes can (and do) look different in person than they do in photos, no matter how good those photos may be, so I’m reserving my complete judgment on that score until I see a new Hornet in person.
That said, what I’m most excited about—and what I’d imagine most people are excited about—is that shiny new powerplant. If you need a refresher, the all-new, 755cc parallel twin (which is decidedly not the same one in the current NC750X, Forza 750, or X-ADV) makes a claimed 90.5 horsepower at 9,500 rpm, alongside 55.3 pound-feet of torque at 7,250 rpm. It’s going to be exciting to see what this bike is like, as well as all the bikes that follow it in utilizing this engine—including, of course, the XL750 Transalp.
