Touring motorcycles can be big and unwieldy when out of their element (the open highway). The same spacious seating and creature comforts tend to work against it in traffic on a crowded street, too. And if you live in an area where the roads aren’t very good, you might be served a lot better with the kind of motorcycle that can deal with potholes a lot better.
That means something with enough suspension travel to prevent bumps from transferring to your spine, and a rider triangle that allows you to get off the seat for the ones that will get to your derriere anyway. In short, an adventure bike. On that note, let us take you through a list of ten adventure bikes that can replace your touring motorcycle.
CFMoto Ibex 800 E
Price: $10,299
The Ibex 800 gets passed over quite a lot because it belongs to a not-so-mainstream Chinese manufacturer. But dropping it from the tray of consideration would be a mistake. For the price, you get a fully loaded, extremely competent adventure tourer that has features that aren’t present on even some full-size ADVs. They include an 8-inch TFT touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, and navigation. You also get six ride modes, cornering traction control, switchable ABS, wheelie control, and fully adjustable suspension. The icing on the cake is the steering damper and radar-based blind spot monitoring system.
|
Engine Type |
270° I2 |
|
Displacement |
799 cc |
|
Max Power |
94 HP @ 9,000 RPM |
|
Max Torque |
56.8 LB-FT @ 6,500 RPM |
Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition
Price: $16,999
The Norden 901 Expedition is a more mature KTM 890 Adventure R. It is a more refined product designed to appeal to a wider audience than the orange bike, but it still holds on to its core values. It has long-travel, fully adjustable suspension, designed to be equally easy to use both on tarmac and off for the rider. Heated grips and a heated seat are standard features, which make a big difference in inclement weather. There is also a tall windshield and good engine protection. A full electronics suite with a six-axis IMU and a TFT display backs all of this up.
|
Engine Type |
270° I2 |
|
Displacement |
889 cc |
|
Max Power |
105 HP @ 8,000 RPM |
|
Max Torque |
73.7 LB-FT @ 6,500 RPM |
Moto Guzzi Stelvio PFF Rider Assistance Solution
Price: $17,390
The Stelvio is a full-size ADV with some great features at the price. The PFF Rider Assistance solution adds radar-based cruise control to the mix for an extra $1,000 over the base variant. Strangely, the Bluetooth, navigation, and two-way quickshifter are accessories on the base variant, but that’s how it keeps the price down. You’ll also get the unique longitudinal 90-degree V-twin, shaft drive, and single-sided swingarm here.
|
Engine Type |
Longitudinal 90° V-twin |
|
Displacement |
1,042 cc |
|
Max Power |
115 HP @ 8,800 RPM |
|
Max Torque |
77 LB-FT @ 6,750 RPM |
10 Best Touring Motorcycles For Relaxed Weekend Rides
Tour in total comfort with these 10 top-rated sport and full-dress touring motorcycles, built for big miles, smooth rides, and stress-free weekends.
Suzuki V-Strom 1050DE Adventure
Price: $17,799
The V-Strom 1050 is a throwback adventure bike with an aluminum twin-spar chassis that makes it a little too heavy compared to its competition. But being the only one in its segment with this kind of chassis makes it extremely good on tarmac. It is also very reliable, because it is a mature platform. The Adventure variant has luggage from the factory along with a hydraulically assisted assist and slipper clutch, ride modes, two-way quickshifter, and cruise control. A six-axis IMU and switchable ABS elevate the package.
|
Engine Type |
90° V-twin |
|
Displacement |
1,037 cc |
|
Max Power |
107.4 HP @ 8,500 RPM |
|
Max Torque |
73.7 LB-FT @ 6,000 RPM |
Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES DCT
Price: $18,599
The Africa Twin Adventure Sports is a well-rounded motorcycle. It doesn’t chase high figures on the spec sheet, instead choosing to be sensible about things and offering usable performance. This practical approach is visible in all its aspects – there is electronic suspension, but the price still remains lower than the base price of most full-size ADVs. A six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox makes it the most affordable automatic in its segment by a significant margin.
|
Engine Type |
270° I2 |
|
Displacement |
1,084 cc |
|
Max Power |
100.5 HP @ 7,500 RPM |
|
Max Torque |
82.6 LB-FT @ 5,500 RPM |
Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Pro
Price: $22,095
The Tiger 1200 GT Pro throws its hat in the ring with a very strong set of features. Its inline three-cylinder engine uses the ‘T-plane’ crank and offbeat firing order to deliver strong torque across the rev range, and a shaft drive makes it almost maintenance-free. There are some deeply impressive features, like electronically adjustable Showa suspension, Brembo Stylema brake calipers for the front brakes, and a Magura span-adjustable radial master cylinder. These are paired with a six-axis IMU and accessories like a heated pillion seat for a touring bike-rivaling experience.
|
Engine Type |
I3 |
|
Displacement |
1,160 cc |
|
Max Power |
147 HP @ 9,000 RPM |
|
Max Torque |
95 LB-FT @ 7,000 RPM |
10 Affordable Touring Bikes That Refuse To Break Down
One of these affordable touring bikes can be your perfect travel companion
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Limited
Price: $26,499
The Pan America 1250 Limited is part of Harley-Davidson’s new 2026 touring range of motorcycles. It is essentially a fully kitted-out Pan America 1250 Special, as it gets the tubeless spoke wheels, aluminum luggage designed with SW-Motech, aux lights, protection, and the electronic suspension. It retains everything that makes the Pan America appealing, including the Revolution Max 1250 engine, an assist and slipper clutch, two-way quickshifter, adaptive cornering LED headlamp, and a TFT display.
|
Engine Type |
60° V-twin |
|
Displacement |
1,250 cc |
|
Max Power |
150 HP @ 8,750 RPM |
|
Max Torque |
95 LB-FT @ 6,750 RPM |
BMW R 1300 GS Adventure Automatic
Price: $28,575
The R 1300 GS is the default choice for a lot of people looking for a full-size adventure bike, and with good reason. It is possibly the most complete product in its segment. The R 1300 GS Adventure adds touring-specific features to the mix, like a massive 8-gallon fuel tank, taller windscreen, and better crash protection. If you’re going to get this, you might as well spring for the optional automatic transmission – it drives the price up significantly, but it manages to extract the best from the boxer engine.
|
Engine Type |
Longitudinal boxer twin |
|
Displacement |
1,300 cc |
|
Max Power |
145 HP @ 7,750 RPM |
|
Max Torque |
110 LB-FT @ 6,500 RPM |
Ducati Multistrada V4 S
Price: $29,995
The Multistrada V4 has taken giant strides toward becoming a real threat to all the other products in its segment. The Granturismo V4 is not only potent, but it is also reliable and packed full of tech, such as a counterrotating crankshaft, a twin pulse firing order, and rear cylinder deactivation that saves fuel and reduces heat and emissions. Industry-leading service and valve clearance check intervals are the cherry on top. Other features include semi-active electronic suspension, Brembo brakes, and a 6.5 inch TFT display, which is larger than the standard Multi V4’s 5-inch screen.
|
Engine Type |
90° V4 |
|
Displacement |
1,158 cc |
|
Max Power |
170 HP @ 10,750 RPM |
|
Max Torque |
91 LB-FT @ 9,000 RPM |
10 Cheapest Motorcycles For Long-Distance Touring
These affordable bikes prove that you don’t need to be rich to ride across the country
KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo
Price: TBA
The 1390 Super Adventure S Evo has been a long time coming, but judging by how good the 1390 Super Adventure R is, it promises to be well worth the wait. The LC8 now has more displacement and variable valve timing, so both power and torque have increased. Additionally, it gets an automated manual gearbox, semi-active WP suspension, a full electronics suite, and a not-so-common portrait-style TFT display.
|
Engine Type |
75° V-twin |
|
Displacement |
1,350 cc |
|
Max Power |
170.3 HP @ 9,500 RPM |
|
Max Torque |
106.9 LB-FT @ 8,000 RPM |
Sources: KTM USA, Triumph Motorcycles