Loads of riders question themselves about the weight of their motorcycle. Some want to know just because they are interested, whiles others need to know how much a motorcycle weighs for loading up their trailer.
I’ll try to give the answer to your question in this article. The weight of motorcycles varies between the different types of motorcycles. I will start with a brief summary, followed by detailed information per motorcycle type.
How much does a motorcycle weigh
The average weight of a motorcycle is 600 pounds or 275 kilograms. Some types are heavier than others, depending on their size and the material that they are made of.
This table will give the average weight per motorcycle type.
| Type of motorcycle | Average weight in pounds | Average weight in kilograms |
| Chopper | 700 lbs | 315 kg |
| Adventure bike | 550 lbs | 250 kg |
| Dirtbike | 220 lbs | 100 kg |
| Touring bike | 900 lbs | 400 kg |
| Sport bikes | 400 lbs | 180 kg |
| Bagger | 750 lbs | 340 kg |
| Cruiser | 550 lbs | 250 kg |
| Cafe racer | 450 lbs | 200 kg |
| Scooter | 250 lbs | 115 kg |
| Moped | 180 lbs | 80 kg |
Why does weight vary so much
The table above will show you that the weight of motorcycles varies a lot. There are several reasons that these weights are so far apart.
Some motorcycles benefit from low weight, whiles others have a benefit when they are heavier. Every type of bike has its own purpose. A dirtbike, for example, has to be lean and agile to fluently drive over dirt tracks. This goes best when the bike is lightweight.
A touring bike is built to be king of the road. It has loads of storage space, a radio, heated grips, a big windscreen, etc. All this comfort comes with weight. Every single object has its weight and it starts adding up when you have all the available luxury on your bike.
Things that add a lot of weight to the motorcycle
There are some key components that will add a lot of weight to a motorcycle. We’ll look into them one by one.
The engine
We start with the engine and that’s not without a reason! The engine is by far the heaviest part of the motorcycle. You’ll see that motorcycles with bigger engines usually have a higher total weight than motorcycles with a smaller engine.
Most common engines range from 125cc to 1600cc. You’ll find the smaller engines on dirtbikes, scooters, and naked bikes. The heavier engines can be found on choppers, adventure bikes, sport bikes, and cruisers. This is one of the components that make these types of bikes heavy.
Panniers
Another component that could add a lot of weight is the panniers. Some motorcycles come with pannier from stock. These are usually touring bikes. Panniers are also a common thing on Adventure bike.
Panniers themselves can add quite some weight. Old school panniers are made out of steel and can weigh up to 10 pounds each. That’s the weight for an empty pannier. Then comes all the stuff that you take with you on a regular base.
Things like extra oil or fuel, a chain, and a spare helmet can start to add up if we look into weight.
The materials being used
The used materials are not really a component, but a very important element in determining the weight of your motorcycle.
This is where the difference between old and new bikes kicks in. Back in the days, they would make everything out of steel. Steel is super strong and reliable, but also very heavy.
Cafe racers are a good example. The cafe racers that are built out of an old motorcycle, are heavier than the modern cafe racers that just have a vintage look.
Modern bikes have a lot of plastic and lightweight metals. This makes the motorcycle lighter, cheaper to produce but also less resistant.
The fairing
Last but not least in this list, is the fairing. Modern motorcycles have a plastic fairing, which adds very little weight to the motorcycle.
Older motorcycles, however, might have fairing made out of sheet metal. This adds quite a bit of weight to your motorcycle. You could consider replacing the sheet metal with plastic fairing when you are looking into weight reduction for your motorcycle.
Explaining how much motorcycles weigh by type
The average weight of a chopper is 700 lbs
Choppers are one of the heavier motorcycles out there. They average around 700 pounds (315 kilograms). A reason for all this weight is the construction of chopper bikes.
The older choppers usually weigh quite a bit more than the newer choppers. The older models are made out of heavier materials, making them heavier in total weight.
Three examples of populair chopper bikes and their weight:
- Kawasaki Vulcan 900 – 611 pounds
- Honda Fury – 663 pounds
- Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. – 764 pounds
The average weight of an adventure bike is 550 lbs
Adventure bikes seem big, but their weight is about the average of this list. Adventure Bikes are tall, which makes them stand out. Their average weight is 550 pounds or 250 kilograms.
One of the reasons that adventure bikes aren’t super heavy, is the fact that they have to be able to drive off-road. An off-road bike should be agile and simple to handle. That’s why adventure bikes are usually not as heavy as they seem.
Most adventure bikes have the option to add panniers. Panniers can make quite a difference in weight. Some panniers are made out of metal, making them pretty heavy. And panniers aren’t there to stay empty, they are usually filled with locks, oil, and other stuff.
Three examples of populair adventure bikes:
- KTM 1290 Super Adventure R – 478 pounds
- Honda Africa Twin – 511 pounds
- BMW R1200 GS Adventure – 580 pounds
Dirtbikes weigh 220 lbs on average
Dirtbikes are the lightest motorcycles in this list. Mopeds are lighter, but I don’t think we can compare those with actual motorcycles.
Dirtbikes have an average weight of 220 pounds or 100 kilograms. The reason for this lack of weight is the same as for adventure bikes, but for dirtbikes, this is even more important.
Dirtbikes are build to use off-road. You have to be able to drive in all sorts of terrain like dunes, woods, beach, mud, etc. Dirtbikes have to be agile and easy to handle. A lightweight bike is easier to handle in off-road conditions, and that’s why dirtbike manufacturers try to keep a dirtbike as lightweight as possible.
Another positive note is that you don’t need a huge trailer to carry a dirtbike. Some dirtbikes are not road legal, so you’ll have to carry them to the off-road destination. The light weight makes it easier to carry a dirtbike on as mall trailer of even behind a car.
Some examples of popular dirtbikes:
- Honda CRF250X – 254 pounds
- Honda CRF230F – 249 pounds
- Yamaha YZ125 – 207 pounds
Touring bikes average around 900lbs in weight
Touring motorcycles are great for the longer rides. You can drive days with them without feeling too exhausted. They average around 900lbs or 400 kilograms.
But to be honest, there are different kinds of touring bikes. Some are bigger, whiles others are a little bit smaller. With a smaller bike, I mean something like the Ducati Multistrada. This touring bike ‘only’ weighs 516 pounds.
But when I think of a touring motorcycle, I think of a bigger bike. That’s why we set the average to 900 lbs. These motorcycles have panniers, adjustable windscreens, (often) radio, and they are wide so that you’re not in the wind.
Three examples of touring motorcycles with their weight:
- BMW R 1200 RT – 514 pounds
- Honda Gold Wing – 933 pounds
- Harley Davidson Ultra Limited – 908 pounds
Sport bikes weigh around 400 lbs
Next up are sport bikes. Some think they are very heavy due to their big engines. Truth is, that their engines aren’t that big at all. They usually have a higher RPM, but they have the same size as (for example) a touring bike.
The average sportbike weighs around 400 pounds or 180 kilograms. This is one of the lighter types of motorcycles in this list, and there is a reason for that.
The reason is; Speed!
Sport bikes are built to go fast! Every bit of extra weight slows the motorcycle down, so they try to keep sport bikes pretty lightweight. Combine this with a big engine and you can imagine what the result is.
I ride a naked bike myself, the picture is on top of this page. It’s essentially a sport bike without the fairing. It makes the motorcycle even (slightly) lighter.
Some examples of sportbikes and their weight:
- BMW S1000RR – 458 pounds
- Yamaha YZF 600 R6 – 366 pounds
- Honda CBR600RR – 370 pounds
Cafe racer weight is 450 lbs on average
There are two types of cafe racers. There are old bikes, that have been renovated, and there are the modern cafe racers. The renovated old beauties usually weigh quite a bit more than modern cafe racers.
We averaged a cafe racer on 450 pounds, or 200 kilograms.
There little to no data known about the restored cafe racers. They are homebrews and everyone makes their own unique motorcycle. That’s why we looked into the weight of modern cafe racers.
Three examples of modern cafe racers and their weight:
- Continental GT 650 – 437 pounds
- Moto Guzzi V7 Racer – 395 pounds
- Triumph Thruxton – 472 pounds
A scooter weighs an average of 250 lbs
Last but not least, we have scooters. I have little experience with scooters, but a day in Italy will show loads of them.
The average weight of a scooter is 250 pounds, or 115 kilograms.
They are lightweight and easy to maneuver around heavy traffic. The scooter is designed to use in and around town. It’s usually used for commuting and you’ll see loads of riders in a suit and tie, without proper motorcycle clothing on.
Keep in mind that there are different types of scooters. This average goes for the smaller scooters with up to 125 cc. The bigger scooters will weigh around 400 to 500 pounds.
Three examples of scooter and their weight:
- Honda Super Cub C125 – 240 lbs
- Honda Forza 300 – 401 lbs
- BMW C 400 GT – 447 lbs
Dry versus wet weight
So now you know what a motorcycle weight, right? Or not quite yet?!
The example weights above are the dry weight for each motorcycle. Keep in mind that there is a difference between dry and wet weight.
This is the weight of the motorcycle without, and with liquids. Every motorcycle needs its gas and oil to operate. The total extra weight from dry to wet can be around 45 lbs or 20 kg.
And don’t forget the rider itself. This had to be added to the weight if you want to know the weight whiles riding your motorcycle.
Do you want to know the weight to see if your truck can tow a trailer with motorcycles? Just go for the dry weight and add 45 pounds for each motorcycle.
Transporting a motorcycle
Loads of people find this article in their search for more information about towing a truck with motorcycles. A motorcycle trailer can be great if you want to experience the ride far away from home, or when you want to go off-road with your dirtbike.
You can eighter tow a trailer that carries the motorcycle, or you can carry the motorcycle itself in/on your truck or car.
Motorcycle on the back of the truck
The easiest way to carry a motorcycle is in the flatbed of a truck. This is a common way for dirtbike riders to transport their dirtbikes.
It can also be done with other types of motorcycles, but keep in mind that it can be challenging to get the motorcycle on the flatbed.
The men at Revzilla made a great video about loading a motorcycle into a truck. I can write a huge article about this, but I think it’s best if you just watch the video itself. I embedded it below:
Towing a motorcycle trailer
Are you looking into transporting multiple motorcycles? In that case, you should look into motorcycle trailers.
A motorcycle trailer can carry several motorcycles, depending on the size of the trailer and the size of the motorcycles.
Keep in mind that every trailer has its maximum capacity. Don’t go over the maximum capacity. The trailer might start to swerve and you don’t want to do harm to yourself or your belongings in a crash. Also, know that most insurance companies do not cover you when you overload your trailer. You don’t want to crash your car, trailer, and motorcycles and not get paid for it.
Summary: Lessons learned
I hope this article helped you to get an idea of the weight of motorcycles. The weight varies a lot, depending on the type of motorcycle. From lightweight dirtbikes to heavy cruisers, you’ve seen it all.
Do you miss anything in this article or do you want to give a comment on the contents? Just leave a comment below, I always read them. Stay safe and see you later!