This year we’ve reviewed dozens of cars to bring you the best content. Now we’re giving you the highlights, picking the best of the best so you can learn about the cars that made an impact in 2024.
But it wasn’t just cars, our intrepid moto expert Kate Peck sampled a bevy of bikes this year, riding everything from cafe racers to desert adventurers and track-ready speed demons. These were some of the best.
KTM 1390 Super Duke R Evo
“The most hair-raising bike” in KTM’s Super Duke line-up was how Peck described this 190hp beast. Packing a whopping 1390cc engine, multiple riding modes and the ability to switch the gear shifting to racing pattern, this is not a bike for the meek and mild.
It even looks fast standing still, with its aggressive styling and LED headlights which features, as Peck put it “a spaceship-coming-to-land-on-your-planet-and-eat-your-children-vibe.”
READ MORE: KTM’s most hair-raising ride
Honda GB350
It took Honda a few years but eventually its retro, urban, cafe racer, the GB350, arrived in Australia in 2024. This learner-approved two-wheeler has a 348cc engine and weighs 181kg, which makes it ideal for navigating city streets.
With a 15-litre fuel tank capable of around 400km of riding, it’s not the kind of bike you’d take on a country road trip, but for those who love commuting on two wheels instead of four, the GB350 is appealing. Certainly for anyone looking for their first bike or just loves the retro looks, this is worthy of consideration.
READ MORE: Honda’s learner-friendly cafe racer
Ducati Desert X
The Italian brand might be best known for its lightning fast superbikes, but its biggest new arrival in 2024 was an off-roader adventurer. The Desert X is Ducati’s most off-road capable machine yet, boasting 250mm of off-road clearance, spoked 21-inch front tyres, rally-style windscreen and a chassis and fairings specifically designed for long distances on loose surfaces.
Peck admitted she felt immediately at home on the Desert X thanks to her love of adventure bikes. The upright seating position isn’t for everyone, but for Kate it was perfect, or as she put it; “the best way to tell if you’re born for adventure bikes is hop on and if you feel like a badass immediately then you know this is the style for you.”
The 110hp twin-cylinder 937cc engine provided healthy performance, while the 21-litre fuel tank is able to be supplemented by an optional auxiliary eight-litre fuel tank to help you explore the most remote regions possible on two wheels.
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