2023 bikesales Learner Bike of the Year starts here

Buying your first motorcycle can be both an exciting and daunting process, especially if you have no previous motorcycle knowledge. So, to help make the process a little easier, we’ve nominated five excellent learner bike options, in the pursuit of crowning one ultimate winner of our 2023 bikesales Learner Bike of the Year award, proudly presented by Youi Insurance.

Running alongside the 2023 bikesales Bike of the Year award, the Learner Bike of the Year award acknowledges the best and most learner-friendly machines in the ever-popular Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme (LAMS) category.

The rules

Unlike the main bikesales Bike of the Year award, which only accepts new or updated models, the bikesale Learner Bike of the Year is open to any series production models available through Australian motorcycle dealerships. The only requirements are that any potential contender qualifies under the LAMS regulatory framework and is on sale prior to October, 2023.

In previous years, the Learner Bike of the Year crown was awarded following individual reviews of each contender and thorough analysis by our judges. For 2023, however, the winner will be crowned after a comprehensive comparison test between five finalists, bringing the Learner award in line with the main Bike of the Year awards.

And because learner riders have a different set of needs than experienced riders, we assembled a team of five judges with varying levels of experience to ensure a fair and balanced comparison. Our judging team for 2023 includes experienced riders, returning riders, newer riders, and even a first bike buyer, although all hold a full motorcycle licence.

The finalists

However, before the comparison could take place, we had to select five Learner Bike of the Year finalists, which proved to be quite a tricky undertaking. There are loads of great learner options on the market these days but, with only five places, many unfortunately missed out.

Excellent machines like the KTM 390 Duke, the Yamaha YZF-R7LA, the Aprilia RS 660, the Triumph Trident 660, the Honda CL500, and just about any Royal Enfield model, were unlucky to not make the cut, while incoming models like the Harley-Davidson X350 and X500, the Triumph Street 400 and Scrambler 400 X, and the Royal Enfield Himalayan 452, will all be eligible for next year’s awards.

For 2023, however, we chose five finalists that covered a broad range of genres and price points, and that met high standards in relation to our judging criteria.

The finalists for the 2023 bikesales Learner Bike of the Year award, proudly presented by Youi Insurance, are:

CFMOTO 450SR
KTM 390 Adventure
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650
Triumph Tiger Sport 660
Yamaha MT-07LA

Eagle-eyed readers will note that we have included several models that were nominated last year, including the KTM 390 Adventure, the Yamaha MT-07LA, and the 2022 Learner Bike of the Year winner, the Triumph Tiger Sport 660.

However, with two newcomers – the CFMOTO 450SR and the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 – and a new set of judges with fresh perspectives, there is no guarantee the result will go the same way.

What’s next?

All machines nominated as finalists for the 2023 Learner Bike of the Year award will now be put through their paces by our expert team, assessing each model on criteria including, but not limited to, performance, manageability, safety technology, value for money, build quality, rideability, and ease of maintenance.

All this excitement will then lead into December, when we announce the winner of the 2023 bikesales Learner Bike of the Year, proudly presented by Youi Insurance. Stay tuned!