If you want one bike to keep forever, adventure bikes make a great case for themselves. After all, these are some of the most versatile bikes out there, giving you the ability to commute, tour, or hit the weekend twisties. Not all of them can be kept forever, though.
For that, you need to focus on high reliability that’s been proven over the years. And you also need to think about long-term ownership costs. Taking both of these into account, we’ve whipped up a list of 10 ADVs you can keep forever. Understandably, Japanese names dominate the list, but there are two American surprises, too.
Honda NX500
Price: $6,899
The NX500 is based on an utterly reliable package. That means if you buy this, there’s very little to go wrong. In turn, this ensures stress-free ownership and no surprises of the wrong kind. At the same time, there’s potential for serious fun. The punchy 471cc engine has oodles of oomph right from the low revs, along with enough juice up top for fast highway rides.
In its recent update, the tech package has improved, too. So what you get is a reliable, modern, and fun adventure bike that can keep on going. Just don’t expect it to be particularly good at one thing; this is a do-it-all kinda creation.
The Most Overlooked Adventure Bike That Will Last A Lifetime
The Suzuki V-Strom 1050DE is probably the best adventure bike that most people haven’t heard of
Kawasaki KLR650
Price: $6,999
Upon its debut, the KLR650 was essentially a dual-sport with fairings. So the package prioritized getting to your destination more than anything else, regardless of what you threw at it. Over the years, the bike has become more of an adventure with full fairings and extra bulk. But priorities are the same.
So you can trust the 652cc single-cylinder engine will keep running no matter what, and the underpinnings will take all the bashing you’ll ever throw at it. Another reason you might keep this forever is that there is no direct alternative that promises to do these things. That too, at this aggressive price.
Suzuki V-Strom 650XT
Price: $9,799
Suzuki struck gold with its V-Strom 650 lineup. So much so that the bikemaker hasn’t come up with any notable updates for it in a long time. Plus, it continues to make sense in the ever-competitive middleweight space. A large reason for that is the unbeatable reliability.
The V-twin engine, chassis, suspension, and technology can all take years and years of beating without giving up. Even if anything does break, the aftermarket support is super vast. The fact that there is still no V-twin middleweight ADV further helps the V-Strom make a case for itself.
Yamaha Tenere 700
Price: $10,199
The Tenere 700 follows the same brief as the V-Strom 650 but with more focus on off-roading. Accordingly, the equipment focuses on being simple and abuse-friendly rather than giving you show-off-worthy horsepower figures or features. That also makes it one of the most bash-friendly mid-weight ADV bikes out there.
All this while, the CP2 engine sits at its heart. The mill has proven to be extremely reliable ever since its debut, and it has more low-end oomph in its latest avatar. Our only gripe here is the over $10,000 MSRP, which makes it a somewhat pricey machine.
Honda Africa Twin
Price: $14,799
If you want a stress-free bike, the Africa Twin is the gold standard of large-capacity ADVs. The 1,084cc engine focuses on long-term reliability and regular usage rather than chasing top performance numbers. At the same time, the equipment is simple yet capable. Heck, Honda has even given this a secondary instrument cluster should the actual TFT go kaput in extreme conditions.
Boosting its case is the optional DCT. Opting for the tech means no need for shifting gears, regardless of the terrain. No other ADV offers this tech, and that’s not going to change in the foreseeable future. Even if it does, you’re better off with Honda’s proven DCT rather than new tech.
10 Adventure Bikes With The Longest Riding Range
The most affordable 300+ mile adventure touring bike on this list is priced under $7,000 and is powered by a single-cylinder engine.
Suzuki V-Strom 1050
Price: $15,499
The V-Strom 1050DE is the V-twin alternative to the Africa Twin. It follows exactly the same brief of focusing on the basics, but favors a punchier V-twin engine for power duties. This mill is not only super reliable and understressed, but it also has decades of experience with no serious updates. Unlike the Africa Twin, though, this mill is exclusive to the V-Strom and doesn’t serve duty in any other bike.
There are three versions of the 1050 on sale in the US, namely V-Strom 1050, V-Strom 1050DE, and V-Strom 1050DE Adventure. All three have the same engine, but the DE versions focus more on off-roading with their 21-inch wheel and extra suspension travel.
Ducati Multistrada V4
Price: $19,995
The Multistrada V4 is the perfect full-size adventure bike to keep forever for two main reasons: performance and reliability. Both are courtesy of its juicy Granturismo V4 engine. This mill has MotoGP tech infused into it, which helps enable an output of 170 horsepower. Aside from KTM’s new Super Adventure, there’s no other ADV with more power on offer.
At the same time, Ducati has ditched the dreaded desmo valves here. That, along with internal tweaks, has helped the bikemaker unlock a scarcely believable valve clearance interval of over 35,000 miles. Other than this, the tech package, underpinnings, and design are all on point.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250
Price: $19,999
We had to think about American patriots here, and that’s why the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 is here. This might be the first-ever ADV by H-D, but the brand sort of struck gold here. There have been no major reliability woes in its existence, be it in terms of the engine or underpinnings.
So much so that Harley hasn’t even updated any of it since the debut. That means you continue to get the Revolution Max 1250 engine with an impressive 150 horsepower, along with a steel trellis chassis and Showa suspension. A suite of modern electronics sweetens the pot.
BMW R 1300 GS
Price: $20,395
The R 1250 GS was the forever ADV before forever ADVs were a thing. Now, the R 1300 GS intends to become just that, but in the modern era. Accordingly, you get a new 1300cc boxer engine with variable valve timing for future-proofing and improved reliability.
That also brings along more performance and torque. Elsewhere, the recipe is more or less the same as the 1250, albeit with improvements all over. So the 1300 should do everything its predecessor did in a better way.
The One Adventure Motorcycle That Does It All Without Compromise
The Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports does everything extremely well, from commuting to dirt road exploring
Zero DSR/X
Price: $22,995
Before you bash us, we’ve picked the DSR/X, keeping the EV trend in mind. Most countries have already announced the plan to ditch IC engines for good, and that’s where this comes in. The DSR/X is the only all-electric ADV on sale today. Add to that Zero’s extensive EV know-how, and it means you’re getting an electric ADV you can trust.
At the same time, the equipment is likable, too. The suspension comes from Showa, the spoke wheels have tubeless tires, and the performance is right up there with the likes of the Honda Africa Twin. The price of admission is a bit high for our liking, though.