8 incoming new motorcycles you might want to hold out for

We’re about mid-way through 2022 and, truth be told, it has been a tad quiet on the new motorcycle front as manufacturers take their summer ‘holibobs’ to freshen up before the usual deluge of launches to come around October time.

Nevertheless, there are still some models on the way to pique your interest… here’s our pick of what’s on the way.

LiveWire Del Mar

While most manufacturers are still figuring out how to pitch their electric-powered futures towards what remains a very unconvinced audience, for Harley-Davidson’s refreshed LiveWire sub-brand, it’s already well down that particular road.

Not that it has been plain sailing, with the LiveWire ONE (formerly the Harley-Davidson LiveWire) suffering with poor sales, primarily because of the electric resistance, but also because it’s pricey and quite bland.

However, having been spun off from Harley in order to establish its own image as an eco-conscious and youthful brand, LiveWire is hoping the benefit of experience will see it hit gold with the new Del Mar.

Smaller, trendier and more affordable than the ONE, the Del Mar leans on Harley’s flat-track heritage and bigs itself up as a fun, nimble and altogether more exciting option. Prices are expected to start at around £19,000 - so it’s still a touch pricey - but it will be layered with tech, has some zip with its 80bhp (60kW) battery and offers improved range.

BSA Gold Star 650

Perhaps the polar opposite of the future-proof Del Mar, the BSA Gold Star 650 leans back into nostalgia with the misty-eyed revival of the iconic British marque by Indian firm Classic Legends.

Aiming directly at the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, the Gold Star 650 won praise during its launch for its throwback design and aggressive estimated price.

That said, it was supposed to be on sale by now but problems securing a distribution partner have forced delays. Nevertheless, it is expected to hit the road by the end of the year.

Honda Hornet

Honda has been intermittently teasing the return of the Hornet name for the last few months, with the latest update earlier this month revealing an intriguing artists’ impression showing a rakish look.

Frankly that’s all we really know about the Hornet, suffice to say it will occupy a similar space to the CB650R but stand out with its two-cylinder 750cc engine and come with more of a dynamic, sporting demeanour targeted directly at the Triumph Trident 660.

The Hornet isn’t the only Honda to watch out for too. We’re expecting to see the return of the Transalp mid-size adventure motorcycle soon and an off-road NX addition to the firm’s 500 range.

KTM 125 Duke / KTM E-Duke / Husqvarna E-Pilen

Having overhauled most of its range over the last couple of years, KTM is now turning its attention towards its smallest offering, the KTM 125 Duke.

Spy shots hint at a fairly significant design overhaul for the sharp little roadster, but of more significance is the speculation it ‘could’ be launched in tandem with an electric version too.

Already known to be wearing the E-Duke moniker, it might prove something of a masterstroke by KTM to loop it into a full range reveal at the same time.

Moreover, there will be a sister version of the E-Duke coming soon too, in the form of the Husqvarna E-Pilen [pictured]. From sketch, to shadowy teasers, to a concept, the E-Pilen has had a long gestation period but could arrive before the end of the year.

Harley-Davidson Pan America 975

Having been assured that going off-road and off-piste was in fact a wise move for the brand, Harley-Davidson will attempt to keep a good thing going with a new smaller-engined version of the Pan America.

Borrowing the 975cc version of the Revolution Max engine that has just made its debut in the Nightster cruiser, the smaller - but still very big - Pan America 975 will be targeted directly at the Triumph Tiger 900 and KTM 890 Adventure.

Royal Enfield Hunter 350

Riding high off the success of the Meteor 350 and a strong start to sales for the Classic 350, Royal Enfield will add a third variant to its affordably honest single-cylinder line-up with the Hunter.

Boasting a more contemporary - albeit still very retro-influenced - design (as revealed by Bike Wale) and set-up to make it a more dynamic motorcycle than the cruiser Meteor, the Hunter 350 is set to get its world premiere in July ahead of Indian sales, before arriving in the UK later in the year.

Energica Experia

Having tested the waters with the Ego and Eva, Energica have gone off on a tangent with its latest model, the Experia sports tourer, which is out to prove you, a passenger and your luggage can cover long distances without stressing about where to charge it.

Its launch has just taken place - keep an eye out for our review any moment now - and the feedback was that it felt brisk, refined and handled well.

At a time of rising fuel costs, perhaps an electric-powered sports tourer was exactly what we needed…

Honda Hawk 11

OK, so we’re being a bit of a tease here because - alas - Honda won’t be bringing the Hawk 11 over to Europe. 

But we can both dream and incessantly campaign Honda to change its mind because the Hawk 11 would inject some much needed personality into the Japanese firm’s European range.

A bold take on the cafe racer mould, the Hawk 11 makes no secret of its vanity with that huge portholed front-fairing, while Honda has doubled down elsewhere with the angular tank and hefty exhaust.

It’s certainly more of a head-turner than the NT 1100, so come on Honda, do us a solid…