In an effort to stay competitive, manufacturers are starting to throw all sorts of features at touring bikes. From airbags to radar, these bikes are getting seriously high-tech. Unfortunately, all these added features have a very real effect on the bottom line.
Suffice to say, these bikes are no longer accessible for the vast majority of us. If you have a budget of $10k, you are left with two choices. You can opt for a smaller, lightweight tourer – which certainly isn’t a bad way to go – or you need to turn to the used market, where you might be surprised at what you can find for under $10k.
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 Touring Bikes That Marry Rider Comfort With Passenger Luxury
These bikes prioritize both rider and passenger comfort, featuring plush seating, ample storage, and top-notch amenities for long-haul rides
2005 Honda Gold Wing GL1800
Price Range: $6,000 – $8,000
Spending this much money on a motorcycle that is already 20-years-old might seem a little crazy to some, but this is not your average motorcycle. By 2005, Honda’s ultra-smooth flat six had already been around for a little while, and it has remained in production ever since, largely because of how good it is. Naturally, you won’t get any of the latest tech features, but it is just as comfortable as the new bike.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
Horizontally Opposed 6-Cylinder, liquid-cooled |
|
Displacement |
1833cc |
|
Max Power |
117 HP |
|
Transmission |
5-speed |
|
Weight |
799 lbs (dry) |
2008 Honda VFR800 Interceptor
Price Range: $5,000 – $7,000
Initially developed as a sportbike back in the 80s, by the time the VFR800 came out in the 00s, it had evolved into one of the best sport touring bikes money could buy. Out of all the bikes on this list, this might be the only one without a new alternative. Honda gave up on the V4 engine configuration around a decade ago, and if you want a V4 today, you need to turn to one of the Italian manufacturers.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
V4, liquid-cooled |
|
Displacement |
782cc |
|
Max Power |
107 HP |
|
Transmission |
6-speed |
|
Weight |
534 lbs |
2008 Harley-Davidson Street Glide
Price Range: $6,000 – $8,000
After holding their value for ages, the 2008 Street Glide suddenly lost almost half their value almost overnight. These bikes tend to be well cared for, but this generation was certainly not the fastest. As a result, owners may have turned to the aftermarket to try and get a little more power out of the old twin. So while this might seem like a fair idea, getting a bike that hasn’t been messed with too much is the safer option.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
V-Twin, air-cooled |
|
Displacement |
1584cc |
|
Max Power |
64 HP |
|
Transmission |
6-speed |
|
Weight |
786 lbs |
The Perfect Harley-Davidson For Couples In 2025 Is The Street Glide Ultra
Unsurprisingly, the newest H-D full dresser touring bike is our pick here
2012 Ducati Multistrada 1200 S
Price Range: $5,000 – $7,000
By 2012, the Multistrada was making as much as 150 horsepower. Unfortunately, Ducati had not gotten on top of all the reliability issues by the time this came out. Right from the start, it had some wiring issues, and we doubt that would have gotten any better over time. As such, these bikes remain affordable, and only really worth considering if you are willing to tolerate some Italian “charm.”
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
L-Twin, liquid-cooled |
|
Displacement |
1198cc |
|
Max Power |
150 HP |
|
Transmission |
6-speed |
|
Weight |
478 lbs |
2012 Yamaha Royal Star Venture S
Price Range: $6,000 – $8,000
Yamaha’s Star Motorcycles line of cruiser and touring bikes ended up turning into something of a failure for the brand, but it did give us a few genuinely good bikes. Like most Yamaha products, the Star Venture S is a very good motorcycle. It was just a little behind the times back in 2012. To the right buyer, who likes this old-school design aesthetic, this is something of a used bargain.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
V4, liquid-cooled |
|
Displacement |
1294cc |
|
Max Power |
97 HP |
|
Transmission |
5-speed |
|
Weight |
831 lbs |
2013 Honda VFR1200F
Price Range: $6,000 – $8,000
This thunderous sport tourer is capable of achieving a quarter mile time of around 10 seconds. There are several modern superbikes that would struggle to keep up in a straight line, but that remains its core strength, and is still a heavy bike, and will handle as such. It has a relatively small tank and actually is not all that comfortable compared to the other bikes on this list, which makes it something of a niche offering.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
V4, liquid-cooled |
|
Displacement |
1237cc |
|
Max Power |
170 HP |
|
Transmission |
6-speed |
|
Weight |
613 lbs |
2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Touring
Price Range: $6,000 – $8,000
Much like the aforementioned Yamaha, the design of the California 1400 Touring is not the most original, but that is not why this bike didn’t sell well. Moto Guzzi was still a niche brand (in some ways it still is) back when this came out and no matter how good the bike was, nobody really trusted this unusual transverse V-twin-powered Italian. Mechanical reliability has proven to be better than expected, aging Italian wiring is still something of an unknown quantity.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
V-Twin, air-cooled |
|
Displacement |
1380cc |
|
Max Power |
95 HP |
|
Transmission |
6-speed |
|
Weight |
743 lbs |
10 Used Touring Motorcycles That Ride Like New For Half Price
With new touring bikes getting pretty expensive these days, turning to the used market might be a better option for those of us shopping on a budget
2015 Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero
Price Range: $6,000 – $8,000
Out of all the “large and in charge” metric baggers, this is the only one currently still in production. The 1700 Vaquero has everything a bagger buyer might want, and has remained mostly unchanged since its introduction. A 2015 model in decent shape can now be found for a fraction of the cost of a new bike.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
V-Twin, liquid-cooled |
|
Displacement |
1700cc |
|
Max Power |
73 HP |
|
Transmission |
6-speed |
|
Weight |
845 lbs |
2016 Kawasaki Concours 14
Price Range: $9,000 – $11,000
In terms of long-term reliability, few bikes boast the same impressive record as the Concours 14. These bikes were always in a relatively mild state of tune compared to the Ninja ZX-14 superbike – which was also pretty reliable – and are famous for being able to accumulate hundreds of thousands of miles without any mechanical issues. But, the flip side of that particular trait is that finding a low-mileage example in our price range won’t be easy.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
Inline-four, liquid-cooled |
|
Displacement |
1352cc |
|
Max Power |
154 HP |
|
Transmission |
6-speed |
|
Weight |
670 lbs |
The Highest Mileage Kawasaki In The World Is A Concours 14
This machine pushed the limits of how many miles a Japanese sport-tourer can achieve, and how well it holds its value
2017 Yamaha FJR1300 ES
Price Range: $9,000 – $11,000
By 2017, the FJR1300 was very much the finished article. It even came with electronic suspension, and therein lies the small but significant caveat. Its electronic suspension has been known to fail, and it is not an easy fix. Suffice to say, a comprehensive test ride will be the order of the day, and if it feels a little off, rather keep looking.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
Inline-four, liquid-cooled |
|
Displacement |
1298cc |
|
Max Power |
142 HP |
|
Transmission |
6-speed |
|
Weight |
642 lbs |
Source: KBB, Manufacturers