The new biking season is fast approaching and, with it, thoughts are turning to new bikes, and for recently qualified or first-time buyers there’s no more significant or dynamic new bike category right now than for A2 compliant, sub-500cc machines.
British manufacturer Triumph highlighted the class’s significance in 2024 when it launched its all-new, 400cc, 40bhp duo, the Street 400 and its off-road-styled sibling, the Scrambler 400 X. Both delivered unintimidating, novice-friendly manners with enough big bike style and performance to satisfy, and all for very affordable prices around the £5000 mark.
As a result, both became instant UK best-sellers, appealing both to newbies and older riders who wanted to trade down from bigger bikes to something more manageable. Because of that success, Triumph has added two more variants, the Tracker 400 and the Thruxton 400, for 2026.
But Triumph were certainly not the only ones. Honda introduced its similarly popular GB350S last year. Indian-owned British heritage brand Royal Enfield has a whole family of 350-450cc machines (although only its new, limited edition Goan Classic 350 is new for 2026), there’s a new 450cc twin from BMW for 2026 and many more, not least from the rising Chinese and Indian manufacturers such as CF Moto and Hero, as well as a new 450 adventure bike from Moto Morini. Even revived British brand BSA is promising a new adventure bike, the Thunderbolt, based on its last year’s popular single cylinder Bantam 350.
So, what’s out there exactly? What sort of performance and prices do they have and which, as far as we can tell – as we haven’t ridden all of them yet! – are the best? There are so many great small bikes that picking our faves is an almost impossible task. Nonetheless, that’s what we’ve been tasked to do, so here are our current top five picks of models which are new to the market in 2026, across an assortment of biking types, and in price ascending order…
Hero Hunk 440
£3699 • 440cc • 27bhp • 26.5 lb-ft
We admit, on face value, the new, oddly named Hero Hunk 440, with worthy rather than exciting performance and an emphasis on value and practicality rather than fun, isn’t the most mouth-watering of 2026’s new sub-500cc offerings, but it’s also got an awful lot going for it, especially if your budget is tight.
India’s Hero is the world’s largest dedicated two-wheeler manufacturer with an annual capacity of 9.4million machines. It’s the latest Asian brand to enter the UK and the Hunk 440, launched last autumn, is its first offering.
It’s a 27bhp, 440cc single cylinder roadster but differs from most of the ‘heritage’ offerings targeted at mature riders such as the recent BSA Bantam 350 by being aimed at a younger market with slick contemporary style and a class-leading price. It’s also nicely finished, decently equipped and goes well enough with its distinctly different, low revving engine. The result might be simple but it’s slick, credible, effective and impressively priced.
CF Moto 450 MT
£5699 • 449cc • 42bhp • 32.5 lb-ft
Chinese brands have become big news in the middleweight adventure bike class and one of the biggest is CFMoto, which started out as KTM’s technical partner, building some of the Austrian brand’s smaller bikes and engines. More recently, its own bikes have started to become really rather good!
The 450MT is one of the latest. It’s an off-road capable parallel twin with steel trellis frame and impressive spec. It fits neatly into our sub-500cc categorisation and, at £5699, is good value. It’s powered by a 449cc parallel twin with a 270-degree firing order to give a V-twin ‘thrumm and produces a very credible 42bhp. It’s light, at just 175kg, well-equipped and delivers that enviable blend of novice friendly manners and true off-road ability thanks to its big wire wheels and quality suspension. Unlike some Chinese bikes, it even comes with an extended four-year warranty.
Triumph Thruxton 400
£5995 • 398cc • 41bhp • 27.7 lb-ft
Launched 2024, Triumph’s existing 400s, the Street 400 and Scrambler 400 X, have proven to be not just among the very best bikes in this sub-500cc category, they’re also global sales hits. Based on that success two new variants are coming for 2026: the flat track inspired Tracker 400 (for £5745) and the new café racer Thruxton 400, which we’re focusing on here as the most mouth-watering sports sub-500 offering.
All are based on the same punchy yet flexible single, although in Thruxton form this is boosted from 38 to 41bhp. They have a typically fine-handling Triumph chassis, look great, are well built and finished (by Bajaj, on Triumph’s behalf, in India) and are decently equipped with an inlaid LCD display, clean switchgear, USB port. If you want your new sub-500 sporty, the Thruxton is sure to be up there with the very best!
BMW F 450 GS
£6990 • 420cc • 48bhp • 32 lb-ft
Heavily teased in the last couple of years, BMW’s new addition to the A2 class is so new we haven’t actually ridden it yet, but it is so significant and promising we had to include it here. It’s an all-new, 420cc parallel twin producing a claimed A2-maximising 48bhp and, unusually, has an off-road, trail-bike focus which, with its similarly unusual twin cylinder engine and BMW’s long-established credibility in building quality GS off-roaders, should make for a great, novice accessible dual purpose bike – it even has BMW’s new, optional ‘Easy ride’ clutch system.
On the slight downside, it’s not the cheapest, and that off-road focus means it likely won’t have the versatility and pure street ability of a more adventure all-rounder. It is sure to be a fascinating addition to the class.
Suzuki DR-Z4SM
£7999 • 398cc • 38bhp • 27.3ft.lb
The news of Suzuki reviving and updating its ‘old’ and much-loved DR-Z400 (which was the definitive trail bike when first offered in the early Noughties) was one of the big buzzes at Motorcycle Live – although that was in November 2024, not last year.
Production delays have meant it’s only finally become available for 2026 but for the most part it’s been worth the wait. Now designated the DR-Z4, it’s been neatly updated and improved, but the bike’s spirit and style is largely unchanged. At its heart is an updated, now Euro5+ compliant version, of the old, punchy 398cc single held in a proper, off-road style steel cradle with decent suspension front and rear.
And, also as before, two versions are offered: the pure trail style DR-Z4S, with off-road 21/19” wire wheels and semi knobbly tyres, and the supermoto, more street friendly DR-Z4SM, with 17” wheels, street tyres, lower seat and so on. Which appeals most depends on your taste and likely riding, but the SM from all accounts is a hoot, classy and virtually unique in this category. The only black mark against both is their steep £7999 prices.
