Here are some of the best motorcycles with innovative features!
Back in the late 80s or 90s, riders didn’t care much about the onboard features. All they wanted was for their bikes to zip through the quarter mile faster than anyone else. To rocket past their buddies—that was pretty much what they wanted.
A few riders who had big classic Harley-Davidsons might have appreciated Milwaukee’s decision to pack its cruisers with comfort-related features while cruising on the road. But, other than that, there weren’t many motorcycles with innovative features, and outstanding tech features were certainly not on any rider’s checklist.
Nowadays, a motorcycle can’t survive in its segment without having essential tech features. Tire-pressure monitoring units, multiple-riding modes, ABS, and ride-by-wire—manufacturers are equipping their bikes with features that weren’t even in the picture up until the early 2000s.
While there are some underrated bike features that have become relatively common in the 21st century, certain motorcycles with innovative features still leave us in awe of their engineering. Check this out!
1. LiveWire One
After its successful debut under the Harley-Davidson banner in 2019, the electric protégé of the Milwaukee Iron went on its own in 2021 with its signature battery-powered naked motorcycle—the LiveWire One.
As one of the best motorcycles with impressive features available right now on the market, the LiveWire One comes with four distinctive ride modes, offering custom power delivery and throttle response to suit your riding conditions. The bike’s six-axis IMU works as its security unit, which sends real-time data to the Traction Control and Drag Torque Control units to keep the rear wheel from slipping away. How cool is that?
LiveWire One also features quick acceleration, reaching 60 mph in just 3 seconds. The LiveWire One app is also available for voice recognition and turn-by-turn navigation. All in all, this is definitely one of the best motorcycles with innovative features.
2. Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R
There’s no way you’re talking to a friend about fast motorcycles with innovative features and not mentioning the Kawasaki name. However, the ZX-10R model isn’t just a fast Kawi. To begin with, the information-packed dashboard perfectly emulates a fighter jet cockpit and delivers the complete pilot experience.
Then, there are the manufacturer’s trademark technologies, including Launch Control, Cornering Management Function, and more.
As one of the most popular motorcycles with innovative features, the Ninja ZX-10R model is truly outstanding. Its Cornering Management Function automatically adjusts braking and speed to maintain a steady line throughout a sharp corner.
At the same time, the launch control minimizes the wheel spin to ensure that the inline-four engine doesn’t lose any verve when you launch this rocket of a machine.
Moreover, multiple ride modes let riders adjust the motorcycle’s performance for different conditions, whether it’s on track or a winding canyon.
3. Lightning LS-218
Superfast electric motorcycles that have the ability to leave any gasoline-powered race bike in its rearview mirror may sound futuristic. But here we are, looking at a phenomenal production electric bike with a top speed of 218 mph.
Some experts compare the LS-218 model with the world’s fastest production motorcycle—the Ninja H2 R, even saying that the former is only a hair’s breadth away from sharing the podium with the latter.
Apart from being the fastest-production electric race bike, the LS-218 is also one of the best motorcycles with innovative features available right now on the market. Its configurable regenerative braking system not only improves safety and handling but also gives riders the ability to customize their riding preferences. Moreover, there’s a large TFT dashboard that keeps all the vital information in one place.
Read on to discover other motorcycles with innovative features!
4. Arc Vector
In 2018, Mark Cuman set out to create the most advanced electric bike in the world. Half a decade later, his idea became reality, and we now have the Arc Vector. It has the charisma of any other superbike—without the CO2 emissions, of course.
Similar to other motorcycles with innovative features, by simply looking at the Arc Vector, you notice its aggressive hub-center steering, which looks pretty intimidating.
What sets this very impressive machine apart is the Human Machine Interface (HMI), a haptic technology that establishes a direct connection between the rider and the ride. By using a Zenith helmet, which features a Heads-Up-Display (HUD), you can also access a bevy of information, including what’s happening in your blind spots.
This is definitely one of the best motorcycles with innovative features available right now!
5. Ducati Multistrada V4 S
After several overhauls, we now have the 4th generation Multistrada, and we have to admit it sets new standards in its segment. One of the most advanced adventure tourers, the model features standard electronic aids such as multiple power modes, a bi-directional quick shifter, and traction control.
Of course, there’s more. The Italian ADV also has an advanced radar system, which may be a luxury for the modern-day sedan, let alone a motorcycle. But it’s this thing that makes the Multistrada V4S stand out among other motorcycles with innovative features.
The radar system regulates the bike’s adaptive cruise control system by analyzing the surrounding traffic, and in case of emergencies—let’s say a vehicle in front of you decides to stop all of a sudden in the middle of the road—the cruise control will automatically reduce the throttle response and even apply brakes to slow you down.
But that’s not all; it will also alert you of any cars in your blind spots, ensuring you can have a safer ride.
6. KTM 890 Adventure R Rally
Once again, KTM’s prowess in the adventure motorcycle segment has been praised by riders who love dominating the dirt. The 890 Adventure R Rally model is no exception, and it’s actually the most hardcore middleweight ADV from the manufacturer so far.
Based on the terrain you’ve selected for the day, the six-axis IMU regulates the Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC) and cornering ABS intrusion. There are three throttle-response settings and six different ride modes.
Combine these two, and you can configure your KTM 890 Adventure R Rally to offer an off-road experience that suits your riding style and surrounding conditions. As one of the best motorcycles with innovative features, it basically switches personalities between an off-road beast and a comfortable tarmac cruiser—based on what’s on your checklist for the day.
7. Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide
It’s been a couple of months since Harley-Davidson took the wraps off its eagerly anticipated 2023 CVO Street Glide, and we’re still taken aback by how much it can offer. Who doesn’t want their touring machine to have a 12.3-inch touch-screen instrument cluster combined with a Rockford Fosgate audio system?
The model features two 6.5-inch audio units found next to your display and 7 inches found on the rear saddle, and they are sure to blast music so loudly that they may overshadow the roar of the Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine.
Harley-Davidson has also gone above and beyond to make the CVO Street Glide an all-in-one package, creating one of the most impressive motorcycles with innovative features. With four different ride modes and traction control, your hog will always be ready to handle different conditions.
By the way, here’s the perfect gift for a Harley-Davidson enthusiast!
If you liked our article on motorcycles with innovative features, you may also want to read 9 Fastest Cruiser Motorcycles Under $10,000.
