Brand awareness
South Africa does not have a homegrown motorcycle brand to call its own; all of the two-wheeled machines we have here are courtesy of other countries of origin. Motorcycles have been a part of South African consciousness for almost a hundred years, with early British models arriving in the early 1900's with the first BMW being imported in 1929. The bulk of motorcycles on SA "roads" then were mostly British machines such as BSA, Norton, Ariel, Matchless. AJS, Royal Enfield and Triumph and were summarily conscripted into the war effort.
Related: What is the best beginner motorcycle for new riders in South Africa?
Jump forward a few decades, and the bike landscape in South Africa and globally has changed significantly, with the Japanese big four dominating the late 70s, 80' and 90s. American and British machinery fell by the wayside, with only the strongest surviving. America's Harley Davidson chugged along while many British motorcycle manufacturers closed shop or were later bought by Indian and Chinese companies.
How much does a motorcycle license cost in South Africa?
Nowadays, South Africans are spoilt for choice when it comes to bike brands, as most big brands having a presence in the country. The Japanese and European brands still hold strong, while American legacy brands hold nostalgic, albeit pricey, spots. Brands resurrected by Chinese and Indian firms can still be found, while new homegrown Chinese brands are beginning to make headway into our local market with affordable small-capacity machines.
A dream within reach - Harley Davidson Rent-to-Own
Below, we have listed all the best new bikes that you can buy from a showroom floor. We have excluded machines that no longer have a brand presence in SA as well as scooters / electric bikes.
Japanese brands
European brands
American brands
Chinese brands
Zontes
Kiden
Kove
CF Moto
Kayo
Lifan
Indian brands
TVS
Hero
In Closing
A quick scan of the parking lot at any biker event shows that legacy brands still carry a lot of weight with local bikers. Harley Davidson, BMW, KTM, Yamaha and Suzuki seem to be some of the biggest choices with Italians in the form of Aprilia and Ducati rounding out the bulk. Japanese and European machines are still the main choice for hundreds of bikers every month with local consumers still casting a weary eye on eastern bikes.
