Sales may be tepid these days compared to the pandemic boom, but the motorcycle industry has never been as vibrant. Compared to only several years ago when choices were few and far between whether you were shopping for a small-displacement bike or a big one, today we have a bewildering array of choices in the two-wheel arena. And because it’s a buyer’s market now, you can be sure to get some very good deals.

Here is a recap of the year’s most significant new bike launches (as in totally new and not just a new paint scheme), and which you should be looking for when you venture into showrooms to blow that Christmas bonus.

Through Philippine distributor Motostrada, the Chinese manufacturing giant CFMoto punched out new models this year like there was no tomorrow.

The 800NK is a naked sport bike using the excellent 799cc parallel-twin shared with the 800MT adventure bike, while the 450NK is the naked brother of the 450SR.

Both offer very competitive pricing in their respective segments and a high fun-to-ride factor. Not content with these two, CFMoto also unveiled the 450 CL-C, a cruiser that could spell trouble for the entry-level class dominated by the Honda Rebel 500 and Kawasaki Vulcan 650.

Husqvarna made an impression a couple of years ago with the locally built Svartpilen/Vitpilen 401, and this year they went big with the distinctively styled Norden 901.

A more gentle alternative to the KTM 790/890 Adventure, the Norden is fast, smooth, and looks like nothing else on the road. But KTM Philippines also quietly launched the 890 Adventure R late this year.

For adventure bike buyers who don’t want to breach the P1 million mark, the Norden and the 890 present an interesting conundrum.

Meanwhile, Bikerbox has been making a tidy business selling Aprilias and Moto Guzzis. Around June of this year, they sent a bunch of Filipino journalists to the regional launch of the V100 Mandello in Kuala Lumpur.

Boasting an all-new, liquid-cooled transverse V-twin, unflappable handling, and “active aero” flaps, the Mandello is a sport tourer that leads the way in both style and character.

Honda has one of the most diverse lineups in the country, but the big bike segment has often seemed underserved to those in the know.

Big Red tried to correct this somewhat by introducing several at the Makina Moto Show: the CL500 scrambler, the XL750 Transalp adventure bike, and the Rebel 1100 cruiser. Did the strategy work? Let us know if you see a significant number on the road.

Suzuki is what we could call a “giant underdog”. On a per-model basis, and with a few exceptions like the Hayabusa and GSX1000, the bikes aren’t actually standout performers. But taken collectively, Suzuki’s volume sales make up a significant amount in the industry.

Proof enough that after soldiering for how many years with basic technology, it finally updated the workhorse Smash with electronic fuel injection and a few more details to help it reach the magic 1,000,000 sales milestone.

The Burgman maxi-styled scooter got updated with a bigger 12-inch rear wheel to silence its detractors (hence called the Burgman Street 125 EX), and the V-Strom 1050DE also brought some much-needed updates.

That wasn’t all, because Suzuki also unveiled two new middleweights based on the 800cc platform: the excellent GSX-8S and the V-Strom 800.

For the high-end, heavy-hitter crowd, one of the year’s most-awaited introductions was the all-new BMW R1300 GS. An all-new engine, all-new chassis, and state-of-the-art rider aids make the GS the benchmark once again for the heavyweight adventure bike class.

Finally, Royal Enfield also made some news this year. First with the entry-level Hunter 350 roadster, and then with the surprise announcement that Hardcore Brothers (its longtime distributor) had decided to part ways and bring in BSA motorcycles.

Of course, the ink had hardly dried on the divorce papers when rumors swirled that Bikerbox was coming in to take up the RE distributorship. With that piece of news, since confirmed, it looks like fans of the Indian brand can sleep easy knowing they’ll still have after-sales support to count on.

And with all of that happening in just one year alone, one can only wonder what 2024 will look like.

Happy New Year to all, and keep safe on the road.