10 Honda And Suzuki Motorcycles That Are Perfect Blend Of On-Road And Off-Road Riding

Every motorcycle brand has its own personality. KTMs are loud and fierce, while Ducatis are exotic and premium. But there are two brands, Honda and Suzuki, that have long been known as the sensible choices. That doesn’t mean they’re boring. Instead, their motorcycles offer usable power and versatility that’s often hard to fault. And reliability is a bonus on top, since these are two of the most reliable manufacturers today.

Nothing shows this better than their lineup of dual sport and adventure bikes. These bikes are built to do it all, whether it’s commuting on weekdays, tackling trails on a weekend, or sitting on highways for weeks. Sure, some lean more toward dirt, others toward tarmac, but all offer something unique in the segment. You’ll also notice that they are often underrated, but look closer, and you’ll see how capable they really are. Here are ten such Honda and Suzuki motorcycles that combine off-road and on-road riding.

Honda CRF300L

Power Output: 27 HP @ 8,500 RPM

Honda

The Honda CRF300L offers precisely what you’d expect from your first dual sport: unintimidating power, low weight, and a simple design. Plus, dropping it won’t hurt your bank, given its low maintenance costs. On the road, the same qualities should translate to making it an excellent little commuter that can sit in traffic, hop over bad roads, and flick through narrow streets without much fuss. All while offering excellent fuel economy and Honda reliability.

Although the CRF300L is good, it may not be suitable for everyone. That’s where the CRF300LS and CRF300L Rally come in. The former comes with a lower seat height, making it easier to manage in traffic and for beginners, while the Rally comes with a larger fuel tank and an ADV-like fairing, making it more comfortable for the long haul.

Performance Specs

Suzuki DR-Z4S

Power Output: 38 HP @ 8,000 RPM

Suzuki

Bringing the legendary Suzuki 400 dual sport into the modern world, the DR-Z4S features thoroughly modern underpinnings, including a fully adjustable KYB suspension, and takes a more serious approach to off-roading. For the most part, it’s all the dual sport you’d need, leaving wants aside. Weighing in under 350 pounds, it should be just as easy to ride on a trail as on city streets. The only complaints we have with it are a lack of a sixth gear and a steep price tag, which can turn off some customers.

Performance Specs

Honda XR650L

Power Output: Around 40 HP

Honda

One of the three Japanese 650 dual sports, the XR650L takes the most off-road oriented route. The old-school thumper engine produces plenty of mid-range torque that gets you out of tricky situations on dirt and remains comfortable on the road for the most part. The best part? It has the highest suspension travel and ground clearance of the 650cc dual sports, giving it serious off-road cred. It’s the dual sport to get if you want decent road comfort, a serious dirt attitude, and an old-school charm.

Performance Specs

Suzuki DR650S

Power Output: Around 43 HP

Suzuki

On the other hand, if you want a 650 dual sport that’s more comfortable on the road but not as bulky as the KLR650, consider the DR650S. It features the same formula as its rivals but adds lower suspension, lower seat height, and a vibration-dampening counter-balancer, which should make it more comfortable on the road. Though it can still handle serious dirt, it may take a bit more muscle to control, thanks to its higher curb weight. Still, it’s an excellent do-it-all 650 dual sport.

Performance Specs

Honda NX500

Power Output: 47 HP @ 8,600 RPM

Honda

The Honda NX500 is nothing extraordinary on paper, but ride it once, and you’ll see why it’s one of the most balanced bikes in the segment. For instance, the parallel-twin engine focuses on low- to mid-range performance, while being smooth and incredibly reliable. Then there are the comfortable ergonomics along with decent wind protection. And while it may not be as dirt-ready as dual sports, given its road-biased tire setup, it can still handle light off-roading. It’s the bike to get if you want a hassle-free do-it-all ADV that’s more comfortable on the road but can still handle some dirt.

Performance Specs

Suzuki V-Strom 650

Power Output: 69 HP @ 8,000 RPM

Suzuki

Suzuki, too, has something similar to the NX500 in its arsenal: the V-Strom 650. Only this time, the bike in question has a proper V-twin and not a parallel-twin. This V-twin is special as it’s shared with the SV650; so you know it’s easy to manage even for beginners, while being fun on the road and easy on the pocket. This Suzuki ADV is an age-old model, yet it promises to live on for years to come with minimal maintenance.

You can buy the Suzuki V-Strom 650 in three variants, depending on your riding style. The base variant is more road-focused, with alloy wheels. The XT adds tubeless spoke rims, hand guards, and an engine bash plate, making it ready for dirt. Finally, the XT Adventure builds on that with features like hard quick-release luggage and a handlebar cross brace.

Performance Specs

Suzuki V-Strom 800DE

Power Output: 83 HP @ 8,500 RPM

Suzuki

Staying true to the underrated adventure theme is yet another V-Strom, which is essentially a successor to the V-Strom 650. As such, it’s a serious contender in the middleweight ADV segment, especially in the DE variant that’s designed to handle everything you throw at it, including trails, commutes, and tours. It features a versatile engine, long-travel suspension, tubeless spoke rims, and dirt-capable electronics.

We’ve picked the 800DE because it’s an all-rounder that can handle both road and dirt duties, but you can also choose the DE Adventure, which adds features like side cases, crash bars, and skid plates. Suzuki also offers a more road-focused standard variant along with the Touring. It adds storage and handguards to the standard variant.

Performance Specs

Honda Transalp

Power Output: 90.5 HP @ 9,500 RPM

Honda

If you think the Honda Transalp is not as capable as other adventure bikes in the segment, you’re missing the point. With this middleweight ADV, Honda aimed to offer an adventure bike that can mean everything to everyone. It provides a more balanced approach instead, with a decently powerful 30-degree parallel-twin engine, Showa suspension, 21-inch front wheel, and rally-style fairing. As a result, the Transalp can sit on the highway for hours, be relaxed during weekday commutes, and handle some dirt when the road ends.

Performance Specs

Honda Africa Twin

Power Output: 101 HP

Honda

The Honda Africa Twin has everything you’d expect from your all-rounder ADV. For starters, off-roading is handled by its low center of gravity, long-travel suspension, and 21-inch front wheel, while rally-inspired fairing and adjustable seat take care of its road comfort. Powering through it all is the Unicam engine, with enough oomph to keep you entertained but not scare you.

Honda also offers the more road-focused Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES with semi-active Showa EERA suspension that adapts to various riding conditions on the fly. It’s well worth the premium if you don’t want to adjust the suspension constantly. Both variants come with the optional DCT transmission, which eliminates the hassle of shifting gears.

Performance Specs

Suzuki V-Strom 1050DE

Power Output: 107.4 HP @ 8,500 RPM

Suzuki

The Suzuki V-Strom 1050DE is similar to the Africa Twin, as it doesn’t flaunt its bells and whistles. Instead, it offers no-nonsense flavor to the segment that you can trust to take you to your destination and bring you back. And despite its relatively low power output and heavy weight, the V-twin engine makes it one of the fastest ADVs on sale today. There’s also no shortage of features, like a 21-inch front wheel, long travel suspension, lean-sensitive rider aids, and a TFT display.

Like the 800DE, we’ve picked the 1050DE for its versatility and do-it-all nature. If you want something for the road, pick the standard V-Strom 1050, which features a 19-inch front wheel instead of a 21-incher on the DE variant. Suzuki also offers a 1050DE Adventure variant for the long haul, adding hard panniers, a center stand, and engine protection to the 1050DE package.

Performance Specs