There are so many choices available today when looking at new street bikes, that unless you are totally sure what you want, you can spend several months just trying to decide which street bikes to consider. Even if you are sure at the start, once you look around, you’ll probably find other brands of street motorcycles more interesting than you thought you would. Keep in mind that you need to be comfortable to be safest when riding street bikes, so what you think looks cool, may end up being really uncomfortable when you actually go try it out.
The high-strung racing style sport street bikes are very cool and very exciting, but you might change your mind after you ride one for a little while. Neck and shoulder pain can be a way of life on these type of street bikes, so be prepared to deal with that. A good lightweight helmet would be a good thing to have since you need to hold your head up while you are hunched over on those. Not all are that bad, so sit on a few, or ride a few different ones before you decide, but remember that you have to be on the bike riding for a little while before you would feel it. Also, you might find that the racing style sport bikes can be related to more expensive motorcycle insurance quotes than compared to other styles of motorcycle.
Below I will share some of the latest hybrid styles of street bikes that have the sporty style, but also have a more upright and much more comfortable seating position. 
Harley-Davidson has such a huge following all over the world, and for good reason. However, the big Harleys are a bit out of reach cost-wise for many people. One of the local dealers I visit actually was bragging to me that they sell their new Harleys at MSRP (list) price instead of marking them up higher like others do. I got a kick out of that sales pitch. Others I visited, had a much better, low-pressure approach that I really appreciated. They not only provided me with the kind of motorcycle info that I was looking for, but also were truly nice motorcycle-riding people to talk with.
One technique you’ll probably run into at some motorcycle dealers is the blunt “stop looking and start buying” or “go for it” approach. Personally, I can’t stand this technique, although I do understand it.
If you visit several motorcycle shops, you may be lucky enough to find a dealer that is willing to actually provide useful and helpful motorcycle info. I believe these are the guys to deal with as they are willing to spend time with you to share their passion for street bikes and why they believe in the motorcycle brand they are selling. Their technique is often low-pressure and aimed more towards treating you as a peer as a rider, rather than assuming you will be a quick easy sale they can get out of the way. I find that the higher-end brands, or the less popular brands tend to have sales folks that truly believe in what they are selling and typically have owned that brand for several years – such as Ducati, Moto-Guzzi, Harley-Davidson, BMW and similar makes.
Several new designs for street bikes are mostly a blend of dirt bikes, sport bikes, and more. The tires are more street-compatible than the typical knobby tires that came on most dual-purpose, enduro style bikes.
Some of the most radical new designs for street bikes include 3 wheels with 2 in the front and 1 in the rear. I personally don’t consider these as true motorcycles, but I’m not sure what else to call them. Three-wheeled motorcycles, sometimes referred to as Trikes, are nothing new, but the idea of putting 2 wheels in the front and 1 in the rear is new, at least for street bikes.
Of the 3 wheeled street bikes, the two new innovative models that really stand out are the Can-Am Spyder and the Piaggio MP3. The Piaggio is more of a high performance scooter that approaches what I consider to be grouped with street bikes, but the dual wheels up front make this one unique. This seems to add an element of stability for those not exactly comfortable with traditional street bikes and scooters. I do think it’s pretty cool looking, in an odd sort of way, and they even have models that can handle highway speeds without a problem with 500cc and a 800cc Gilera model in Europe. Piaggio owns Gilera, Vespa, Aprilia, Moto-Guzzi brands. Sales of these unusual street bikes are on the rise, especially with older folks that want to have fun while reducing their fuel expenses. “Growing old doesn’t mean you have to abandon your passions, you just need to be creative and find smart new ways of enjoying your favorite recreation or sport,” said Paolo Timoni, President and CEO, Piaggio GroupAmericas, Inc. “The MP3 is the ideal solution for anyone who wants the pulse-pounding thrill of riding a motorcycle, with all the ease-of-riding benefits of a scooter.” More people than ever are getting a motorcycle license and riding street bikes to work and for pleasure. Why not, it’s great fun, you meet some really great people, and it costs a lot less than driving an SUV or typical car.
