For the most part, “new motorcycle season” is now over. With no big motorcycle shows until Tokyo in March, there will likely be no new releases besides Harley-Davidson’s traditional mid-winter launch. Aside from that, we’ve now seen all the machines we’re likely to see in showrooms for 2024.

That means it’s time to get excited about machines released for 2025! Here are some suggestions about new bikes we might see teased in the next few months for a launch next year. They’re all based on existing platforms, and most of them would just require a re-styling job. It’s almost 100 percent probable that we’ll see at least one or two of these bikes come, and we’d like to know which ones you’d be most interested in?—Ed.

Royal Enfield will almost certainly use this 450 in other models, and a scrambler is the most sensible place to start. Photo: Royal Enfield

Royal Enfield Scram 450

Just like they did with the 410-series Himalayan, Royal Enfield will almost certainly build a scramblerized version of the new 450 platform. A bit more accessible overall—lower weight, lower seat height, lower price tag—and with flashy paint. A lot of us, even the ADV crowd, don’t need a bike that can bash through the whoops of Baja at a hundred miles an hour. We just want a lightweight, simple motorcycle that we can ride down bad roads with ease, and a Scram 450 would do that job.

Honda already makes a scrambler out of the small-bore Rebel series. Why not the Rebel 1100? Photo: Honda

Honda CL1100

Another potential scrambler introduction. Honda has a scrambler version of their 250/300 platform (not sold in North America) and the 500 platform. It would make sense to have a scrambler based off the 1100 parallel twin, maybe a sort of retro-look desert raider. Something like the Moto Guzzi V85, even? If tiny Moto Guzzi can field both a modern and retro adventure bike in its lineup, surely Honda can? However, remember the bigwigs at Big Red have their hearts set on electric motorcycles now.

The KLE500 was a popular budget-friendly adventure bike in Europe for years. How long until we see an updated version, based on Kawi’s new 450 twin? Photo: Kawasaki

Kawasaki Versys-X 500

It doesn’t look like the Versys-X 300 is ever going to be significantly updated at this point. Kawasaki obviously sees a strong market for the smaller ADV somewhere, and is going to sell it there until no longer possible. But there would still be demand for a slightly larger take on this design from Euro and North American customers. A Versys-X 500 would be a repackaged version of the Ninja 500/Z 500 platform, with the parallel twin engine that first debuted in the 2023-edition Eliminator cruiser. This bike would not be as offroad-oriented as the KLR, or even the Versys-X 300 probably. It would replace the old KLE500, a model that never came to North America but was very successful as a sensible ADV tourer in Europe.

Who wants a smaller-scale version of the Husqvarna Norden 901? Photo: Husqvarna

Husqvarna Norden 401

The Norden 901 is a lovely motorcycle, and very capable. But what if you can’t afford one, or you don’t want/need a bike that large? We have the Svartpilen and Vitpilen 401 models, basically glammed-up versions of the KTM 390 Duke. Why not a Norden 401, a restyled take on the KTM 390 Adventure? We think there would be considerable demand for such a model, but the Pierer AG marketeers do know more about that than we do.

The Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 (seen here with SW-Motech kit) might be getting a little brother this year. Photo: SW-Motech

Harley-Davidson Pan America 975

When Harley-Davidson first announced the Pan America series, the story at that time was: Expect a 975 model to accompany the 1250. We’ve seen some leaks since that hinted the 975 was coming, but we’re still waiting. Harley-Davidson did develop this motor into the new Sportster platform, and if the bigwigs in Milwaukee see a future in the Pan Am platform you’d think they’d have to release this bike pretty much ASAP before the world moves on. We’d expect the machine to be pretty similar to the 1250, but perhaps scaled-down a bit to compensate for the smaller motor.