10 All-Rounder Motorcycles That Can Do It All

In recent times, consumers have been gravitating towards more versatile motorcycles. It is an interesting phenomenon. Around 50 years ago, standard motorcycles were effectively to be all and end all. It was your touring bike, commuter, and in some cases it even became an ADV. History has a way of repeating itself, but the modern all-rounder looks quite different.

Middleweight adventure, adventure-touring and touring bikes have evolved into the best all-rounders on the market. No matter what your idea of “versatile” really is, one of these bikes will most certainly fulfill your needs. For most of us, a do-it-all bike will most certainly need to handle a commute, and for that reason, we have restricted the entries to bikes that weigh less than 500 pounds. Anything more than that starts getting awkward to deal with in a city.

Yamaha Tracer 9

MSRP: $12,599

Yamaha

Yamaha initially offered the incredibly feature-rich GT+, but for most buyers its (understandably) high MSRP proved to be off-putting. We can only assume sales were dismal, because it only lasted a year. The base model Tracer 9 effectively took its place in the lineup, and while it isn’t exactly cheap either, it still comes with a host of great modern features.

Specifications

Aprilia Tuareg 660

MSRP: $12,499

Aprilia

For those after the best all-round ADV, it is desperately hard to look past the Tuareg. Not only is it one of the lightest middleweight adventure bikes on the market, but it still comes packed with the same great features you find on the most expensive offerings in this space. The only real mark against the Tuareg is its resale value seems to be the worst out of all the middleweight ADVs. So it might be worth considering a 3-year-old bike for a lot less.

Specifications

Triumph Tiger Sport 800

MSRP: $12,495

Triumph

Clearly developed to take on the aforementioned Tracer 9, it is in most respects a like-for-like alternative, bar one. All the other bikes on this list, and more or less every bike in this middleweight segment are multi-platform bikes. This means they were developed to be many things to many people. This was developed from the ground up to be a tourer, while the chassis is borrowed – and heavily modified – from the 660, its 798cc triple is all-new, and developed specifically for this bike (we are sure other models will follow, though). This makes a difference in how the bike feels. Only a test ride will reveal if the shoe fits.

Specifications

BMW F 900 XR

MSRP: $11,995

BMW

The whole concept of tall sport touring bikes has certainly caught on in a big way. Although the bigger S 1000 XR grabs most of the plaudits, the middleweight version is both more affordable and more practical. Its parallel-twin is far more economical, and far more usable within the confines of a city, while it has enough “get up and go” to entertain most riders out on the open road.

Specifications

Yamaha Tenere 700

MSRP: $10,999

Yamaha

The Tenere can do everything the Tuareg can do, just with fewer features, and less comfort. A handful of updates certainly helped keep it in the conversation, but its main attribute has nothing to do with off-road performance or tech features. Its CP2 engine has proven to be one of, if not the most reliable engines in the industry. It has served as a benchmark for other manufacturers for years now, and is very much the main reason you would buy this bike over any of the competition.

Specifications

Kawasaki Versys 650 LT ABS

MSRP: $10,099

Kawasaki

The Versys 650 lives up to its name in that it is most certainly one of the most versatile motorcycles money can buy. While it certainly is not a bike you would want to take off-road – some have, though – it does pretty much everything else really well. It is so good at everything that it actually usually gets overlooked, mostly because people think it is “boring,” but when boring means reliable, comfortable, and economical, that might just be a compliment.

Specifications

Honda Transalp

MSRP: $9,999

Honda

We all thought that once Honda announced the Transalp that it would be the Tenere 700’s biggest rival. In the end, we got something a little different. What we got was an affordable – not cheap – blank canvas. The Transalp is pretty much anything you want it to be, and Honda will sell you all sorts of accessories that will help you transform it into the bike of your dreams. Now that it has been out for a while, there is also an extensive aftermarket that will help reduce the cost of that dream, somewhat.

Specifications

Triumph Tiger Sport 660

MSRP: $9,695

Triumph

This is without doubt the biggest thorn in the flesh of the Versys 650. It is lighter, more powerful, and most importantly, cheaper than the venerable Kawasaki. Triumph took the old Daytona 675 engine and extensively reworked it for real-world (or mid-range) performance. It is this triple that helps it further differentiate itself from the Versys, because it is anything but “boring” and the latest version also comes with a quickshifter and cruise control as standard.

Specifications

Honda NC750X

MSRP: $9,499

Honda

Honda is currently the only company able to offer an automatic motorcycle in pretty much every segment. On paper, the NC750X might seem a little down on power, but all of that power lives in the midrange, which makes it very tractable. It is running on a maxi-scooter platform, so the powertrain lies flat in the chassis, and that means two things. Firstly, it wears its weight really low, so it is very easy to ride, and secondly, it has a huge amount of built-in storage. As a commuter, few can beat it.

Specifications

Suzuki V-Strom 650

MSRP: $9,299

Suzuki

In terms of “ultimate versatility”, the cheapest bike on this particular list might well be the best. At its core, this middleweight ADV started life as a middleweight touring bike, so it is naturally pretty comfortable. It can handle the odd dirt road shortcut with ease and has a V-twin, which makes it way more fun to ride than you might expect upon first inspection. It is also light and economical enough to commute on. Simply put, it really can do it all.

Specifications