These Are The Top 10 heaviest current production bikes

Size is a divisive issue if ever there was one. Depending on your choice of proverb, bigger is better, small is beautiful or size doesn’t matter as much as what you do with it.

But when it comes to motorcycles, and their weight in particular, the general consensus is that more is generally, well, ‘less’. Bike makers will regularly brag about shaving 17 grams from some unseen component deep inside the engine, but you never tend to see them saying: 'Look, our bike’s heavier than anyone else’s!'

Excess weight also usually means any given bike is more awkward to manhandle. Although, conversely, some may see a certain ‘stature’ to having a monster machine (Rocket 3 owners perhaps?).

So, what are the 10 heaviest production bikes currently on sale?  right now?

Here’s our pick in weight ascending order (based on the manufacturer’s wet weight claims) and, as usual, let us know if you think we’ve missed any…

10. Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX SE, 267kg

• Engine 999cc supercharged four Power 197bhp Torque 101ft/lb 

• Weight 267kg Seat height 835mm Price new £25,649

The Ninja H2 SX (yes, isn’t it a mouthful?) is Kawasaki’s sports-tourer variant of its phenomenal H2 supercharged motorcycle family while the SE is the top spec model with semi-active suspension and more. As such it’s pretty much got it all: a near-200bhp engine with an inimitable supercharged whine; all the electronic toys and features you can think of and plenty of practical sports-tourer touches, too such as an effective fairing and optional panniers. Add all that together and, especially as Kawasaki now longer offers its big V-twin cruisers or the old ZZ-R1400 in the UK, and you’ve got the heaviest bike in Kawasaki’s British family – albeit only just: it’s a smidgeon heavier than the latest Versys 1100 adventure sports.

But that also makes it the lightest bike in this Top 10 and overlooks the fact that the SX is also a capable and impressive sports-tourer that few will think overweight. What you might think, however, despite its slick specification, impressive speed and more, is that, at over £25K, it’s overpriced. You can see where the money goes, but when you can also get the normally aspirated and more than capable Ninja 1100 SX for almost half the price, the H2 version is a difficult sell which has resulted in widespread dealer discounting.

What we said: “The Ninja H2 SX is probably the most exciting new bike of the year.”

Pros
·       Whistlingly addictive supercharged performance

·       Mind boggling high spec

·       Surprisingly practical

Cons
·      Eye-watering new price

·      Slightly anonymous styling

·      Difficult to justify

You may like to read our Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX SE review.

9. Triumph Rocket3 Storm GT, 291kg

• Engine 2458cc triple Power 180bhp Torque 166ft/lb 

• Weight 291kg Seat height 773mm Price new £23,895

Now over 20 years old, the original 2004 Rocket III (note the name difference) unashamedly set out to be the biggest capacity production bike in global motorcycling and it achieved just that. What was more surprising was that the result, although undoubtedly heavy, was also impressively capable, manageable and a reasonable handler.

Following that bike’s demise in 2016, Triumph, three years later, revived the name as the Rocket3 with an all-new machine, albeit one with a similar 2.5-litre in-line triple configuration. Updated again in 2024 as the ‘Storm’ with even more power, this latest Rocket is a size-defying revelation bristling with tech. It’s still massive – obviously – but it’s also astonishingly able, fantastically equipped and Triumph has done a remarkable job of keeping its weight low – which is why this 2000cc+ monster is so low down on this list of heaviest bikes.

What we said: “No, it’s not cheap, but considering how much bike you’re getting for the price - physically, in terms of its size and weight, plus its ludicrous performance and sheer presence - you might even consider it good value.”

Pros
·       The biggest engine in biking

·       Phenomenal grunt

·       High tech equipment

Cons
·      Still a bit of a handful

·      Not to everyone’s taste

·      Not cheap, either

You may like to read our Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R and GT review.

8. BMW K1600 GTL, 358kg

• Engine 1649cc six Power 160bhp Torque 175ft/lb 

• Weight 358kg Seat height 750mm Price new £24,275

By its very nature, this list of heaviest bikes was bound to include more than a few oddballs or extreme machines so say hello to our first six-cylinder machine. The K1600 was introduced in sports-tourer GT and full dress tourer GTL forms in 2011 and has been a huge hit ever since.

The transverse six-cylinder motor is the star: a super-slick, super-smooth powerhouse which, combined with an impressively capable chassis delivers a ballistic magic carpet ride that’ll propel you to the south of France (or similar) quicker and slicker than any other motorcycle. It’s also fantastically equipped (including a reverse ‘gear’) and fabulously comfortable, as you’d probably expect from a bike costing over £24K. What it’s NOT, however, is overbearingly heavy. BMW’s designers have done an impressive job in keeping the GTL as lithe as possible…

What we said: “The K1600GT remains a slightly more refined version of the machine it’s always been: an intoxicatingly fast, respectably fine-handling, impressively comfortable, inevitably expensive sports-tourer with an addictive six-cylinder character.”

Pros
·       Unique straight six

·       Phenomenal performance and handling

·       Premium comfort and luxury

Cons
·      Now aging slightly

·      Extras quickly add up

·      £24K+ price

You may like to read our BMW K1600 B review.

7. Harley-Davidson Street Glide Ultra, 393kg

• Engine 1923cc V-twin Power 107bhp Torque 129.1ft/lb 

• Weight 393kg Seat height 725mm Price new £28,495 
  
  A slightly odd one, this. New for 2025 (so, no, we haven’t tested it yet) the Street Glide Ultra is effectively an uprated, upspecced version of the popular and class defining bagger, the Street Glide. As such is gets a bigger, more pillion-friendly seat, top case to go with the panniers, taller screen and more. But, hang on, the Street Glide was originally conceived as a chopped down, pared back full dress tourer (the ElectraGlide) to provide a bike that delivered touring comfort but classic chopper/cruiser style – now they’ve simply labelled back on the touring comfort. We sort of get it, but we also sort of don’t – it’s a bit like modern Minis – they’re arguably better than classic ones, but they’re also much bigger…

Which is why the Street Glide Ultra is also pretty heavy – but it’s not the heaviest. As you’ll notice, there are quite a few Harleys in this list…

Pros
·       A Street Glide with ‘more’

·       Definitive bagger basics

·       Uprated spec and comfort

Cons
·      Sort of misses the ‘bagger’ point

·      Makes dubious sense in the UK

·      Rather pricey

You may like to read out 2023 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide Review.

6. Honda GL1800 Gold Wing Tour, 407kg

• Engine 1833cc six Power 125bhp Torque 125ft/lb 

• Weight 407kg Seat height 744mm Price new £33,499

You knew that the Goldwing was going to be on this list, didn’t you? The only question was which of the podium positions it would fill. As it turns out, 407kg ready-to-ride isn’t enough to take the top. It’s the same weight as a Pratt & Whitney PW100 turboprop engine (and if you’ve ever flown to the Isle of Man, you’ve probably experience a couple of them powering one of FlyBe’s Bombardier Dash 8s).

Apart from all that, the Wing, although big, isn’t as bulky and awkward as you might expect – in fact it’s an impressive performer, fine handler and good fun. But what it is most of all is the benchmark fully-loaded touring machine. It might not be to everyone’s taste, but everyone should certainly try a Gold Wing at least once…

What we said: “Still the most entertaining, comfortable and well equipped motorcycle you will ever be likely to ride.”

Pros
·       Definitive full-dress tourer

·       Incredibly slick and sophisticated

·       More nimble and lighter than it looks

Cons
·      Eye-watering price

·      Too cute and compact for some old-school 'Wing fans

·      Niche appeal

You may like to read our Honda GL1800 Gold Wing review.

5. Harley-Davidson Ultra Limited, 416kg

• Engine 1868cc V-twin Power 87bhp Torque 118ft/lb 

• Weight 416kg Seat height 740mm Price new £30,395

The Ultra Limited is Harley’s current ultimate version of its traditional ElectraGlide style full-dress tourer – in other words the fully-loaded machine distinguished by its handlebar-mounted ‘Batwing’ fairing (as first introduced way back in 1969) as opposed to the later, similar RoadGlide which is distinguished by its larger, frame-mounted fairing.

As such, the Ultra Limited has all the bells and whistles Harley-Davidson can throw at such a machine and, as a consequence of that, it’s also one of Harley’s – and world motorcycling’s – heaviest machines.

In truth, Harley, while retaining their traditional V-twin style, have come on leaps and bounds in recent years with much improved engines, Brembo brakes, Showa suspension, electronic aids and slick TFT dashes. The experience, however, is just as traditional – and expensive – as ever…

Pros
·       Classic US full-dresser style

·       Impressive tech

·       Much improved chassis

Cons
·      Performance OK but still underwhelming

·      Again, high price

·      Devotees only

4. Indian Pursuit Limited, 416kg

• Engine 1769cc V-twin Power 121bhp Torque 131ft/lb 

• Weight 416kg Seat height 672mm Price new £29,295

While Harley-Davidson remain the king of American-style heavyweight cruisers one rival has emerged in recent years which is giving the Milwaukee brand a decent run for its money – Indian. The historic, Harley-rivalling brand (mostly in the 1930s and ‘40s, before collapsing in the early 1950s) was bought by US recreational vehicle giant Polaris (who specialise in off-road quads and snowmobiles) in 2011 with an all-new range of V-twins emerging from 2013.

Its biggest, heaviest ‘fully-dresser’ is the Roadmaster, which we’ll come to shortly, but running it close is the Pursuit, as launched in 2022, which is basically a ‘full-dress’ version of the more performance-orientated, liquid-cooled Challenger bagger, which itself debuted in 2020. The result is big, lavish, potent and luxurious with the Limited being the top spec version, but, thanks to its more compact engine and aluminium frame, it’s not quite as heavy as the Roadmaster…

What we said: “Indian motorcycle should be seriously impressed with their tourer offering in the 2022 Pursuit, and if you’re after a big tourer this is well worth a look. Whilst heavy on the wallet and on the foot (as are all in the class, to be fair), it’s a tech paradise, easy to jump on for long miles, and the V-twin is a joy to use,”

Pros
·       Modern 120bhp engine

·       Better handling than most

·       Lavish equipment/comfort

Cons
·      Less well known than Harley/Glide

·      Fewer dealers than Harley, too

·      Price

You may also like to read our Indian Pursuit review.

3. Indian Roadmaster, 423kg

• Engine 1811cc V-twin Power 100bhp Torque 102.4ft/lb 

• Weight 423kg Seat height 673mm Price new £28,495

Ah, yes, the Roadmaster. Simply: when it comes to genuine US-style full-dress tourers there are none bigger (in terms of length and bulk) and only one, below, heavier.

Launched back in 2014 and based around Indian’s original big V-twin, the 1811cc ‘Thunderstroke’, the Roadmaster has been updated repeatedly since but remains an enormous Art Deco style fantasy of US full-dress touring. It’s the size of a small Winnebago; there’s enough chrome to swim in; saddle is hand-stitched hogskin and at over 400kg it’s as heavy as the entire RD-0110 third-stage motor assembly of a Soyuz rocket. It’s not as fast or powerful (67,000lbs of force for the rocket) but is significantly more comfortable.

Not for wallflowers maybe, and not quite as heavy as the biggest Harley thanks to sensible things like the use of aluminium rather than cast iron, but if you want the biggest, boldest US cruiser, the Roadmaster is the one…

Pros
·       Phenomenal presence

·       Outrageous style

·       Decent equipment/performance

Cons
·      Not as punchy as some

·      Big can be too big

·      Price

You may also like to read our Indian Roadmaster review. 

2. Harley-Davidson Road Glide Limited, 423kg

• Engine 1868cc V-twin Power 87bhp Torque 118ft/lb 

• Weight 423kg Seat height 735mm Price new £29,295

It may not be Harley’s most expensive, but the Road Glide Limited is America’s No. 1’s heaviest machine (unless you count its three-wheeler offerings) and that’s what we’re most concerned with here.

Essentially, the Road Glide is the frame-mounted fairing ‘ying’ to the handlebar-mounted fairing Ultra Limited’s ‘yang’. And it’s that bigger, more protective fairing that’s largely the reason for the Road Glide’s extra weight.

In most other respects the two bikes are the same. There’s the same, classic American tourer style, the same, rumbly V-twin drive, the same overdose of plush comfort and excess equipment and pretty much the same recently much improved handling and braking. If you want the authentic classic look go for the Ultra; if you want a tad more comfort and protection, it’s the Road Glide. You pays your money (and lots of it), you takes your choice…

Pros
·       Even more classic US style

·       Arguably the ultimate Harley…

·       …but you pay for it

Cons
·      ‘Ultimate Harley’ won’t be for everyone

·      Seems OTT in UK

·      Guess what? Price

You might also like to read our Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Limited Review.

1. BMW R18 Transcontinental, 427kg

• Engine 1802cc boxer twin Power 89bhp Torque 116ft.lb 

• Weight 427kg Seat height 720mm Price new £25,160

You might reasonably expect the ‘world’s heaviest production bike’ to be American, and it is – sort of.

Back in 2020 BMW launched the first of an all-new family of US-style cruisers based around a massive, all-new, aircooled boxer twin engine. The first, the R18, was a straightforward, naked cruiser and that bike was quickly followed by the plexiglass screened and soft-bagged R18 Classic and the handlebar fairinged and hard panniered R18B ‘bagger’. But the biggest (and heaviest) of the lot is the fully-loaded version of the B, the full-dress Transcontinental which also comes with top case, fairing lowers, footboards and a slew of luxury accessories including stereo with no less then Marshall speakers – so much so, in fact, that it all adds up to the heaviest production motorcycle currently available.

It's beautifully styled, built and delivered, too, and is a genuine rival to Harley and Indian but, as with all of them, it’s not cheap and you also have to ask yourself if you’re after a bike like this most would probably want something actually, er, American.

What we said: “The heavy weight will put some off at low speed. Yes, the (rapid) reverse gear helps manoeuvres, but it’s a heavy ol’ bagger.”

Pros
·       Slick design and build

·       Dynamically as good as any

·       Reassuring BMW equipment and quality

Cons
·      As pricey as any

·      Boxer engine gets in way of feet

·      An American bike that is actually German!

You might also like to read our BMW R18 B review.

Top 10 heaviest current production motorcycles | Key Specifications and Technical Details Comparison