Over the course of the past two decades or so, we have seen the adventure bike segment go from strength to strength. Every year we see more advanced, more capable machines coming out. Sadly, most of these bikes are pretty expensive, leaving many of us out in the cold. With so many bikes coming out all the time, the used market is starting to “wake up” in a big way. There are some bargains to be had, as others chase the shiny new toy, used buyers can take advantage of depreciation. Something that has hit a couple of the newer bikes on this list particularly hard.
Buying a used motorcycle always has an element of risk attached, so please do your research, and proceed with caution. The motorcycles on this list go from oldest to newest.
10 Best Used Bikes Under $5,000 In 2025
With a budget of just $5k, you can find pretty much any kind of motorcycle on the used market
2005 BMW F 650 GS Dakar
Price Range: $2,000 – $4,000
Several adventure enthusiasts are discovering the benefits of a lighter bike. The middleweight segment has seen explosive growth over the past few years, but most modern middleweight bikes are still fairly heavy. The old F 650 GS is not. At just a shade over 420 pounds, it is pretty light for an ADV, and it is also both comfortable and more capable off-road than pretty much any modern middleweight.
2010 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure
Price Range: $5,000 – $7,000
Back in the day, this was one of the most advanced adventure bikes on the market. Today, it is pretty bare bones compared to the new version. It is, however, one of the most popular adventure motorcycles ever made, and for good reason. Its air-cooled boxer is both simple to work on and incredibly durable. By 2010, it was also very much the finished article, making 110 horses, more than enough power to get the old GS moving at a fair clip when called upon.
2014 Husqvarna TR650 Terra
Price Range: $3,000 – $5,000
The Terra was produced while Husqvarna was under BMW ownership, and it makes this one of the most European bikes on this list. Built in Italy using old BMW and Rotax parts, then sold under a Swedish name, this bike had no right to be any good. But, it actually was. Essentially a modernized version of the aforementioned F 650 GS, it is an excellent off-roader thanks to how light it is, a full 60 pounds lighter than the old BMW. Unfortunately, by the time it went into production, BMW had already sold the brand to KTM, who had little to no interest in selling the thing.
2017 KTM 1090 Adventure R
Price Range: $7,000 – $9,000
While KTM’s current middleweight effort is both spectacular and awful at the same time, its predecessor was actually something of an unusual stopgap. The 1090 Adventure R was marketed as a middleweight option back in 2017, even though it was clearly a stripped-down full-sized adventure bike. It might be the perfect ADV for those looking for a full-sized bike that is a little lighter than average, or a middleweight that is a little more powerful than average. Even by modern standards, this version of the LC8 is still potent.
2018 Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled
Price Range: $3,000 – $5,000
Before this came out, we all thought it was just going to be another design exercise, but rather surprisingly, the Desert Sled is anything but a poser. It is a genuinely competent middleweight ADV with an attractive retro design. Back when it was new, it was a little on the expensive side, but depreciation has worked its magic, and it is now something of a bargain on the used market.
2020 Yamaha Super Tenere ES
Price Range: $11,000 – $13,000
If you are looking at getting a bigger, more touring-friendly ADV, then the Super Tenere ES certainly offers a lot of bang for the buck. While it might not seem like much from the outside, its massive parallel-twin packs a mighty punch and will give most new sport tourers a mighty scare in a straight line. It is genuinely quick. It also has electronic suspension, and if called upon, will certainly be up for some off-road work.
2021 Yamaha Tenere 700
Price Range: $6,000 – $8,000
When the Tenere 700 came out back in 2021, it was so popular that Yamaha couldn’t keep up with production. It was exactly the right bike at exactly the right moment. Since then, Yamaha has updated the platform, but if you are like us and prefer the simplified original, depreciation is finally starting to do its thing. It is worth mentioning that until last year, the resale value for these bikes was still hovering around the $10k mark, which is what these bikes sold for new!
The Perfect ADV Motorcycle That Can Commute, Tour, And Explore Is The Yamaha Tenere
This impressive middleweight adventure bike offers incredible versatility
2022 Aprilia Tuareg 660
Price Range: $7,000 – $9,000
Just a year after the Tenere was launched in the US, Aprilia hit back with the Tuareg 660. In most respects, the Aprilia is actually better than the Tenere; it just doesn’t have the same reliability record or dealer network as Yamaha. While it has since proven to be perfectly reliable so far, it is not nearly as popular, and dealer support remains limited by comparison.
2023 Kawasaki KLR650 Adventure ABS
Price Range: $4,000 – $6,000
The KLR650 is less a motorcycle and more of an institution. The new bike already offers a lot of value, but at this rather low price on the used market, it really is a bargain. It comes with a host of great travel features and, more importantly, a legion of loyal fans that are all willing to lend a hand – or at the very least some advice – when things go wrong.
2023 Royal Enfield Himalayan
Price Range: $3,000 – $5,000
Rather surprisingly, the original Himalayan turned into a runaway success after a rather inauspicious start to life. These bikes have been all over, and serve as literal pack mules for motorcycle tour groups in Nepal. Suffice to say, they can go anywhere, they just don’t go anywhere fast. But the lack of power is actually an advantage in some respects, because it makes them very approachable. A used Himalayan is arguably the ideal starting point for any would-be explorers out there.
Source: KBB