Honda Continues to Expand & Improve its Lineup
For 2020, Honda motorcycles has one of its best lineups in a while. The company came out with a new Fireblade at EICMA 2019, and the company has plenty of fun and sometimes goofy smaller-displacement models.
It’s true what they say, you do meet nice people on a Honda. Is the motorcycle company always pushing the envelope in the way I would want them to? No, but I’m not dissatisfied with what they do offer. The Africa Twin, CBR-1000RR-R, and the Gold Wing are all killer bikes, and the rest of the lineup is darn commendable, too.
2020 Honda Superbikes & Sportbikes
2020 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP
On the opposite end of the spectrum from the fun bikes like the Honda Monkey and Grom is the brand-spanking-new Honda CBR1000RR-R. While the name might sound like something a stuttering pirate would name his bike, I can assure you this is the sharp end of the stick for Honda.
The bike features a powerful 999cc liquid-cooled inline-four-cylinder engine. The bike also features some Ohlins Smart EC suspension and a twin-spar frame that helps keep the chassis as compact and sporty as possible.
2020 Honda CBR600RR
Honda says the CBR600RR puts the Super in supersport, and I have to agree. It’s not quite the most hardcore of the supersport bikes, but it’s a worthy contender and one worth thinking about anytime the category comes up.
The bike comes with a power-packed liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder engine that gets the most out of 599cc of displacement. The bike features dual-stage fuel injection that helps deliver power as you want it.
2020 Honda CBR650R
The Honda CBR650R replaces the discontinued CBR650F. It is a street-focused sportbike, but it’s also more aggressive than the CBR650F ever was. This bike brings the sporty feel of Honda’s race bikes to the street in a comfortable but fun package.
The bike features a 649cc inline four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that is focused on delivering smooth power at any point in the rev range. The engine is one of the best in the Honda lineup right now and something you’ll fall in love with if you’re a sportbike lover.
2020 Honda CBR500R
The Honda CBR500R is a good blend of performance, versatility, and price the bike is quick and sporty but it’s not as fast and hardcore as the other sportbikes in Honda’s lineup. It’s not a bike you’ll become bored with, but you’re a little less likely to get yourself into trouble on this bike.
The motorcycle features a reliable 471cc twin-cylinder engine that’s housed in a steel tube frame. The bike is stiff sturdy and street-ready. It’s compact and responsive and you’ll feel like your winning a race no matter where you ride. It’s a good middleweight sportbike if I ever saw one.
2020 Honda CBR300R
The 2020 Honda CBR300R is the company’s entry-level sportbike, but it’s more than just an entry-level bike. This little sportbike offers thrills and practicality. It’s nimble and fun and works to keep you entertained on the weekend and can be your commuting machine during the week.
The bike features a 286cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine that offers up all of the power you need. It’s the same engine that’s in other entry-level models from Honda. The bike has everything you need to get started in the sportbike scene and onwards.
2020 Honda Touring Motorcycles
2020 Honda Gold Wing
The Honda Gold Wing. It’s pretty much synonymous with the idea of touring on a motorcycle. The machine is one of the best touring models on the entire planet and has some of the most loyal fans, too.
The Wing features a venerable and powerful 1,833cc liquid-cooled horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine that’s set low in the frame to give the bike a low center of gravity. This makes it easy to ride when tooling around a parking lot or shooting around semi-trucks on the highway. Pair that with a long list of features and the option for a DCT, and you have a wonderful machine.
2020 Honda Gold Wing Tour
The regular Gold Wing is a venerable machine that will work well for a wide variety of motorcyclists who like to take their bike out and really ride. But if you’re the kind of rider who takes along a spouse or significant other and you like to take some extra clothing and gear with you, then the Tour version is for you.
The Gold Wing Tour features mostly all the same stuff as the regular Gold Wing, but the bike adds a taller windscreen, more luggage capacity, and a more comfortable area for the passenger to sit and hold on. If you’re really going to be touring, this is the mode for you.
2020 Honda Adventure Touring Motorcycles
2020 Honda Africa Twin
The Honda Africa Twin was a big hit when it first came on the scene, and now Honda hopes it has reinvigorated the model in all the right ways. The bike was revised. It’s lighter, more powerful, and is ready for even bigger adventures.
The bike features a 1,084cc parallel-twin engine that was bumped up by 86cc so that Honda could get more power out of it. Pair that with the other changes, and you have a heck of a motorcycle. The bike can also be had with a DCT if that’s what you’d like.
2020 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES
If the standard Africa Twin doesn’t do it for you, Honda has another option for you. It’s the Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES. This version of the bike takes things up a notch. It gets features like electronically controlled suspension, adjustable windscreen, a larger fuel tank and more.
The changes to the Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES don’t extend to the engine. The same twin engine is the beating heart of this model, and that’s a very good thing. Like with the regular Africa Twin you can get a DCT model if you want.
2020 Honda Dual-Sport Motorcycles
2020 Honda CRF450L
Whatever off-road endeavor you’re trying for, Honda has the answer for you in the CRF450L. The bike is a street-legal dirt bike that has been built to hit the city during the week and the trails on the weekend.
The bike features a 449cc Unicam liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine. Pair that modern engine with the long travel suspension two-gallon gas tank and trail-ready everything else and you have a motorcycle that is extremely easy to love.
2020 Honda CRF250L
The Honda CRF250L is a dirt bike that is street legal. It’s pretty plain and simple. The bike is tuned for street use, but it’s at home in every environment that a dirt bike is. The motorcycle is the total small-displacement all-arounder.
The CRF250L features a 249.6cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine with fuel injection. The bike is a great dual-purpose machine. It can be had with ABS if you feel that you want it, which is a nice addition.
2020 Honda CRF250L Rally
The Honda CRF250L Rally takes what the CRF250L is and takes it in a new direction. The Rally features some Dakar-inspired bodywork, handguards, windscreen, skid plate, and even more suspension travel.
The bike still features the same liquid-cooled single-cylinder 249.6cc engine as the standard CRF250L. If you want a bit more style and suspension travel, a bit more of a hardcore machine, then this is the bike for you.
2020 Honda XR650L
Need yourself a hardcore dual-sport machine that still packs some good power? If you need more of a dirt bike than a street bike but still need to ride on the street, the XR650L is the bike for you. It’s built like a tank and can go anywhere.
The XR650L isn’t a fancy machine. Not by a long shot. The bike features a 644cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine from the stone age, but it’s basically impossible to kill. This is a bike you can beat on for years and it’ll still be ready for more.
2020 Honda Cruisers
2020 Honda Fury
The Honda Fury is a bike I constantly forget exists. I’m actually surprised that Honda still sells enough of these things to justify keeping it around. To be fair, it’s a cool bike. It has the long and lean chopper style that was popularized by Harley-Davidson. It’s an odd bike to see from Honda, but it’s handsome and powerful.
The Fury features a 1,312cc V-twin engine that delivers some serious power and torque to propel this long-legged beauty down the road. If you want Honda’s world-renowned reliability and the chopper look, this might be it.
2020 Honda Shadow Phantom
The Honda Shadow Phantom takes the venerable Shadow platform and gives it subtly bad-ass styling. It’s a cruiser that is designed to be easy to ride, affordable, but still a tough motorcycle. The bike goes with black or matte colors instead of bright colors.
The bike gets the Shadow’s well-loved liquid-cooled V-twin engine. This engine offers a good exhaust note and user-friendly power while still providing enough grunt for you to feel at home both on city streets and the interstate.
2020 Honda Shadow Aero
The Honda Shadow Aero is the classic cruiser of the company’s lineup. The bike features a classic design that was made famous by Harley-Davidson, but it adds to that Honda’s well-known reliability reputation and stellar build quality.
The bike features a liquid-cooled V-twin engine with a displacement of 745cc that gives you plenty of power for the highway or around town. Pair that strong engine with a low seat height and comfortable swept-back handlebars and you have a fantastic cruiser.
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2020 Honda Rebel 500
The Honda Rebel debuted back in the 1980s and then Honda came out with a new model a couple of years ago. The bike still feels new and gets some minor updates for 2020. The motorcycle is modern and badass looking. It’s a great beginner bike but offers fun for any rider.
The Rebel 500 features a 471cc parallel-twin engine that gives you plenty of power for around-town riding and even enough grunt to get the job done on the highway. This is one of the best beginner bikes of 2020.
2020 Honda Rebel 300
Do you love the look of the Honda Rebel 500 but don’t feel you need 500cc, or maybe you don’t want to pay for it? Either way, Honda has another Rebel option in the Rebel 300. Not as powerful as the 500, the 300 is essentially the same bike just with a different engine.
The Rebel 300 features a 286cc single-cylinder engine that offers up a user-friendly powerband and enough power to make the bike a breeze in town and a real contender out on the highway. This is the super affordable, smart choice for a beginner rider or commuter.
2020 Honda Standard Bikes
2020 Honda NC750X
The Honda NC750X is designed to be at home on just about any road, whether it be a dirt one or a paved one. The bike isn’t as hardcore as the Africa Twin, but it does a good job of offering a wide range of abilities.
The bike features a 745cc liquid-cooled four-stroke parallel twin. The bike’s engine and its athletic but upright stance make it one of the best commuting motorcycles out there. It really is good at just about everything.
2020 Honda CB500X
For the riders who want to hop on their bike and go anywhere with ease, there’s the 2020 Honda CB500X. This bike is at home on the street on a quick commute as it is exploring some back roads in the middle of nowhere.
The bike is powered by a 471cc parallel twin-cylinder engine that provides more than adequate power without getting too big or heavy. The engine works well with the long suspension travel and rugged styling to give the CB500X the all-around usability the bike needs to be successful.
2020 Honda CB1000R
The Honda CB1000R is a standard motorcycle that slots in with other naked streetfighter motorcycles. It fits in with the rest of the Neo-Sports-Cafe-styled motorcycles from honda. The bike
The motorcycle features a high-revving 998cc four-cylinder engine that’s sportbike derived. The handling, too, is sportbike derived, so you should be able to hang with those other sporty performance bikes out there.
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2020 Honda CB650R
The Honda CB650R is another bike in the Neo-Sports Cafe line of bikes that Honda has going on right now. It’s another standard, naked bike that leans towards the sporty side of the equation. The bike is a step down from the CB1000R, but still a fantastic middle-weight bike.
The model features a 649cc inline four-cylinder design that’s smoother than most twin-engines out there. This allows for plenty of torque at the low end and plenty of power at the higher end. It’s a smooth bike all up and down the rev range.
2020 Honda CB500F
The Honda CB500F isn’t available in the 2020 model year in the U.S. but it does make the cut in Canada. The bike is a good naked machine with a sporty design and an attitude that is pronounced and honestly pretty bad-ass.
The bike features a liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine that has a displacement of 471cc. The bike features plenty of low-end torque for pulling away from power and some decent power near the top end in the higher gears so you can be comfortable on highway runs.
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2020 Honda CB300R
The Honda CB300R is a small-displacement naked motorcycle with sporty inclinations. It’s a seriously versatile motorcycle designed for the street. The bike is light and nimble and easy to maneuver making it a great choice for any urbanite.
The bike features the same liquid-cooled single-cylinder 286cc engine that’s found in the Rebel 300. It’s a good little engine and should be satisfying to any rider who just feels like they don’t need that much power to have a good time on a bike.
2020 Honda Super Cub 125
The Honda Super Cub is the best-selling motorcycle of all time. The bike is a staple in the motorcycling world and it’s nice to see Honda offering a modern version of this classic design. The bike is one of the coolest little bikes ever, too.
The motorcycle features the same 125cc single-cylinder engine that’s in the Grom and Monkey. Honda is getting the most out of this little engine and I’m all for it. If you want a little bike but aren’t a fan of the small proportions of the Grom and Monkey, this might be more your speed.
2020 Honda Grom
The Grom was built for one thing. Fun. It’s a tiny little sportbike that is ready to make the boring commute the best part of your day. Soon enough, you’ll be checking your schedule for every few free minutes you can have on this thing.
The Grom gets the little 125cc engine that’s in the Super Cub 125 and the Monkey. The bike is a goofy little thing that’s built with Honda’s quality and reliability. It has somewhat of a cult following, too, and I get why.
2020 Honda Monkey
The Honda Monkey is what an emoji motorcycle would look like if it came to life. This bike is cute, cool, and downright silly all at once. It features the little engine from the honda Grom but in a cool retro design.
The bike’s little fuel-injected 125cc SOHC single-cylinder air-cooled engine makes just enough power to turn the little bike into just about the most fun you can have on two wheels. It’s one of the most inviting motorcycles on the market.
2020 Honda Scooters
2020 Honda PCX150
While I know a lot of hardcore motorcyclists that look down their nose on scooters, personally I think they’re the best urban vehicles in the world. They’re extremely maneuverable have built-in storage, and are quick.
Case in point is the Honda PCX150. The bike features a zippy 149cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine that is mated to Honda’s V-Matic automatic transmission. This is a near-perfect bike for in-town riding.
2020 Honda Ruckus
Honda’s Ruckus has been out for years now, and it’s as close as you’re going to get to anything being bad-ass that’s a 50cc scooter. The Ruckus is a little bike with an attitude. It offers a different experience than something like the Grom. It’s its own thing and that’s what makes it special.
At the heart of this little scooter is the 49cc engine that’s still (really Honda?) carbureted. Still, despite the archaic fuel delivery system, the engine puts out decent power for its tiny displacement.
2020 Honda Metropolitan
The Honda Metropolitan is Honda’s take on the classic 50cc European-styled scooter. The bike is cute, simple and perfect for getting around a congested city. It is quick and nimble and offers a lockable storage area under the seat.
The bike features a 49cc single-cylinder engine that is fuel injected. Why Honda can do that here and not on the Ruckus is beyond me, but that’s the way it is and has been for the last couple of years.