What makes a “top motorcycle brand?”
We could count horsepower, eye candy aesthetics, local love, customer service or the lack of recalls needed for a new range of revvers. All of the above checks out too, minus the one thing that ties the whole caboodle together.
Money.
Local love ain’t got a livelihood without legal tender.
Bikes ain’t beautiful without a buck or two.
The fast can’t stay furious without the funds (not unless you’re lifting off of ol’ Uncle Tom’s treasure heap at the back of the garage).
In other words, money matters. Insider Monkey’s recent article agrees – which is why we are here to give space to the top 5 motorcycle companies based on their 2022 revenue.
*Note to the reader: We’ve merged two bike brands for third place since they both made the same amount in annual revenue. Happy reading!*
5. Italika (Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.)
Believe it or not, this first bike brand beat Indian Motorcycles, which was next down the list.
If you haven’t heard of Italika, you’ve probably also not spent much time in Mexico… Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Peru, Brazil, or Costa Rica.
Founded in 2005, Italika is a manufacturer that celebrates over ten models/ranges, from supersport, off-road, and cruiser to cafe racers, ATVs, and scooters.
Italica’s 2022 revenue was an impressive $9.66 billion, and Wikipedia states that 2011 saw 63% of Mexico’s riders swing a leg over an Italika.
Of course, Italika ain’t got nuthin’ on….
4. Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI)
Team Green coming in lean!
We’re kidding. Kawasaki’s actually logged some pretty impressive figures for 2022, with Insider Monkey citing 2022 revenue locked in at just under $10 billion ($9.99 billion).
But wait, why add KHI to the list? Why not Kawasaki Motorcycles?
While Kawasaki motorcycles are manufactured by the Motorcycle & Engine division of KHI, it’s a good reminder that the multiconglomerate marque is (overly) capable of financially supporting the continuation of Kawi bikes.
In a list that looks at annual revenue, we can’t NOT air the huge potential of a parent company’s support of their subsidiary. Come on.
Kawi perks for the coming year include the continued release of those Z-hybrid things that debuted earlier this year and more news on a HySE hydrogen bike concept that caused quite a bit of confusion when the world’s first small-mobility hydrogen organization (HySE) was later birthed with the same name.
3. Suzuki Motor Corporation AND Yamaha Motor Company (YMC)
Suzuki made big headlines when they made a less-than-graceful exit from MotoGP back in 2022. Naturally, the move was estimated to save the brand millions – and whatever amount they’d saved was likely to go almost completely toward their aggressive shift to carbon neutrality.
Despite the huge about-face, Suzuki as a whole aint’ doing too shabby. 2022 revenue remained a very nice $14.97 billion.
Of course, we’re excited to see what Suzuki’s recent decisions mean for the company’s future, but for now, the figures are filling out nicely.
As for Yamaha, YMC is hilariously massive as a multi-conglomerate. With motorcycles rolling up to add revenue alongside motorboats, outboard motors, and other motorized products, Yammie’s got multiple fingers in multiple proverbial pots, putting 2022 revenue at a fantastic $14.97 billion.
New bikes on Yammie’s horizon are likely to include that R9 everybody’s been whispering about, as well as the sad reality of a track-only R1 from this year on out.
2. Honda Motor Company
Honda might have made first place in Visordown’s 2021 Annual Revenue list, but the revival was largely due to the bounce-back figures coming out of lockdowns.
Despite the pullback to second place, Honda still shows off a mammoth revenue rating, locking down $96.84 billion for 2022.
Honda’s been an interesting brand to watch as of late. Considering Honda released the world’s first commercially available electric motorcycle back in 1994, the company’s obsession with electrification isn’t to be sniffed at. Coupled with their claim to release 30 electric motorcycles by 2030 (are you literally kidding), we’re thinking the recent move to debut smaller electric components – like their E-Clutch – is a good start to the astronomical tens of EVs previously promised.
1. BMW- Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
Luxury. Zhuzh. Panache.
Money.
Our beloved blue, purple, and red Bavarians come in hot to snatch the numero uno laurels for 2022 revenue!
While the future is certainly looking more than a little “electric” for the marque, BMW still holds to the concept that full electrification isn’t yet possible in our industry. As such, the brand has continued with a wealth of drool-worthy ICE bikes to tempt every temperament, all of which helped to land an obscenely healthy $152.99 billion in revenue for 2022.
If you’re keen on a hint into how BMW’s doing today, we’ll just leave here that BMW recently logged their best sales ever for their motorcycle division, giving us the distinct impression that Edgar Heinrich (BMW’s new Design Director) will have his hands full in keeping up with the times.
What motorcycle manufacturer do you think should have come in first place for America’s top 5 motorcycle manufacturers?