When you cover 500 miles in a single day for the first time, it almost feels like a rite of passage for touring. But over time, doing 500 miles a day becomes less of an achievement and more of a chore, so you can get to the good parts quicker. It requires a different kind of mindset to cover so much distance in a day, but more than that, it requires a different kind of bike.
So, the only thing coming between turning your 500-mile days from something that you have to work hard toward to something that’s easy is comfort and power. That combination is why full-fledged touring motorcycles are so much more appropriate for long-distance touring over any other kind of motorcycle. And there’s one bike that does that better than most tourers.
Two Sides Of The Touring Coin: Comfort And Power
Touring is a demanding form of motorcycle travel, and it’s all about your endurance as the rider and your motorcycle. Yes, you might know everything there is to touring, and you might have all the experience, too. But covering 500 miles is still a demanding ride. You’ll need water and food, and even if you’re riding the best tourer in the world, you’ll still feel tired.
That’s where a good touring bike’s job comes in; it’s two-fold. First, the touring motorcycle has to keep you comfortable yet active, so you don’t fall asleep. It should also keep the wind off you, so you feel less fatigued and have plenty of creature comforts and infotainment systems for some entertainment. Adding cherry to the cake, here are a bunch of advanced safety features to avoid worst-case scenarios on the road.
Second, the touring bike needs to be powerful, not just adequately but enough to handle long-distance highway runs without stressing out. It should also be able to handle all the luggage without losing its performance or making handling a nightmare for you at slow speeds. Of course, all of this comes at a cost, but pay that price, and you can get what is essentially a couch that can sit at 100 miles per hour all day long. And there’s one bike that does both these things better than the rest.
5 Touring Bikes You Should Buy New (And 5 That Are Better Bought Used)
Modern touring bikes have it all, for a price, so if you are looking for a bargain you need to look to the used market
The Indian Pursuit Elite Offers A Top-Of-The-Line Touring Experience
The Indian Pursuit Elite is a flagship tourer, belonging to the Elite range of bikes. It builds on the standard Pursuit with more style and pizzazz than you’d expect from such an expensive motorcycle. Speaking of, let’s get the pricing out of the way. Starting at $44,999, the Pursuit Elite is one of the most expensive ways to get around on two wheels. Yet, Indian Motorcycles have somehow managed to make this feel totally worth the price for someone who does not want to compromise on comfort and performance on their long-distance tours.
Indian Pursuit Elite Makes $45k Feel Worth It
The Indian Pursuit Elite ticks all the boxes when it comes to representing the flagship level of touring experience. It combines couch-like comfort with plenty of luggage, wind protection, and a dedicated infotainment system with a premium sound system. There’s also radar-based rider aids, a powerful V-twin engine, and a full-blown Elite treatment. If you’re looking for an authentic V-twin touring experience with all the bells and whistles, there’s hardly anything better than the Indian Pursuit Elite.
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.
Two-Up Comfort With All The Electronic Goodies Baked In
The Indian Pursuit Elite promises excellent two-up comfort for touring. The rider gets to enjoy a low seat height of 26.5 inches, which should help maneuver this hefty tourer at low speeds. Meanwhile, the passenger gets a full-blown couch experience with a backrest and armrests. You can also opt for optional rider and passenger floorboards for even more comfort. Finally, the heated rider and driver seats offer plenty of cushioning for long hours in the saddle.
Wind Protection And Luggage Options
The bike’s front-end takes care of wind protection, thanks to a sizable fairing up front with a substantial windshield. The windscreen is adjustable with a push of a handlebar-mounted button. It’s complemented by large panels flanking the radiator, which should help keep the wind off the legs, too. The rear features remotely lockable side and top cases with a capacity of up to 36 gallons of storage.
Tech For Days On The Road
Tech is where the Pursuit Elite does not disappoint, either. The tech package is headlined by a 7-inch display powered by Ride Command, and Ride Command+ adds turn-by-turn navigation, Apple CarPlay, and more. The screen is complemented by a PowerBand 600-watt audio system with a 9-band dynamic equalizer. At the front, you also get Pathfinder Adaptive LED lights.
Speaking of safety, the Pursuit Elite goes beyond just the basics of rider aids. It features radar-based Blind Spot Warning, Rear Collision Warning Lights, Electronically Linked Brakes, Tailgate Warning, and Bike Hold Control. Finally, cruise control takes the weight off your wrists on long stretches of highway. Combined, the Pursuit Elite leaves no leaf unturned when it comes to safety and convenience on the road.
The Touring Bike With Yamaha Reliability And Gold Wing-Level Comfort
The BMW K 1600 B is a surprising contender for a combination of reliability and comfort like a Japanese tourer
Powered By A Competition-Proven V-Twin Engine
The Indian Pursuit Elite is powered by the new PowerPlus 112 V-twin. Yes, the same engine that won the 2024 MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Championship. This engine is thoroughly modern, with liquid-cooling, while still retaining that V-twin charm and power delivery. It delivers 126 horsepower and 133 pound-feet of torque, with the latter peaking at just 3,600 RPM. That’s a recipe for confident and effortless highway touring, regardless of how much weight you’re carrying or how far you’re going.
Designed For Great Handling And Confident Stopping
Indian Motorcycles says the Pursuit Elite is designed for great handling and confident stopping. Weighing in at 428 pounds in running order, it is suspended on a 43mm USD fork up front and a single shock with E-Preload adjustment at the back, with a lean angle of 31 degrees. Braking duties are taken care of by dual radial-mounted Brembo calipers, which promise confident stopping power.
10 Touring Bikes With The Longest Riding Range
If you want go the farthest on a single tank of fuel, look no further than these 10 touring bikes
The Indian Pursuit Elite Is An Expensive, Exclusive Way Of Touring
The Indian Pursuit Elite is inspired by the production of the 20,000 PowerPlus bikes that Indian produced in 1916 for the US Army. As a result, the new Pursuit Elite wears an exclusive tri-tone paint job, complete with Black Forest Candy withBlack Candy, Gold, Titanium, and Gloss Black detailing all around. Put simply, it’s a stunning bike to behold and looks every bit as expensive as it is.
Still, spotting one on the road may not be as easy. The Indian Pursuit Elite is “crafted with style and exclusivity”, and Indian Motorcycles has limited the production to just 250 units worldwide. So, if you want to grab hold of this unique American style that offers an exhilarating yet comfortable ride for easy 500-mile days, you might want to make a decision quickly.