Touring on a motorcycle is one of the most rewarding experiences. Full-dress touring bikes like the Honda Gold Wing or Harley-Davidson Street Glide provide the absolute top-notch comfort you could ask for when you want to munch on miles on two-wheels. However, all the innovations that allow them to offer this experience come at a cost. Thankfully, a lot of manufacturers offer affordable alternatives to full-dress touring motorcycles.
The top expectations of a touring motorcycle are to be comfortable, reliable and powerful enough to help you effortlessly cruise on highways. This list brings together ten such options. You’d notice that the list mostly consists of sports tourers and there is a good reason for that. They combine the power and handling of a sports bike with the comfort of a touring motorcycle, making them the best of both worlds.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites, including Kawasaki and BMW, as well as other authoritative sources.
KTM 1290 Super Duke GT
Price: $20,499
Touring motorcycles are often expected to look a bit sober. That is not the case with the 1290 Super Duke GT. The styling on it is loud and full of sharp lines which will make bystanders take a second look. And it has got the performance to back up the mean looks. Powering the motorcycle is a 1,301cc LC8 V-twin with close to 175 horsepower. Under the skin, the big GT features a chromoly steel tubular frame with a bolt-on sub-frame and a single-sided aluminum swingarm.
At 58 inches, the wheelbase is a bit short for a motorcycle of its kind, but that’s what gives it sharp handling characteristics. On the tech front, it features two-channel cornering ABS, multi-stage, lean-angle sensitive traction control, and three fully-customizable ride modes. Ticking the option for a tech pack will get you two additional ride modes — Performance and Track. The hard luggage case doesn’t come as standard either, which is a bit of a bummer.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
V-twin, Liquid Cooled |
|
Displacement |
1,301 cc |
|
Max Power |
175 HP |
|
Max Torque |
104 LB-FT |
|
Seat Height |
32.8 inches |
Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT+
Price: $14,299
The styling and naming of the GSX-S1000 GT+ might feel a bit overwhelming, but it is one of the most sensible sports touring packages out there. It borrows its 999cc inline-four from the 2005–2008 GSX-R1000. However, Suzuki has retuned it on this motorcycle to offer better mid-range torque, which makes it more usable in real-world conditions. The underpinnings consist of a twin-spar aluminum frame suspended by fully-adjustable inverted forks up front and a monoshock at the rear.
The suspension aims to strike a balance between comfort and handling, just as is expected from a sports touring motorcycle. Standard features like ride-by-wire throttle, a bidirectional quickshifter, cruise control and multiple riding modes elevate the package. The saddlebags come as standard as well and touring comfort can be further enhanced by opting for optional accessories like heated grips and a taller windscreen.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
Inline-four, Liquid Cooled |
|
Displacement |
999 cc |
|
Max Power |
150 HP |
|
Max Torque |
79.6 LB-FT |
|
Seat Height |
31.9 inches |
Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX
Price: $13,699
Kawasaki as a brand offers some of the most value-for-money offerings in each segment. The Ninja 1100SX is no different. It was introduced last year as a replacement for the Ninja 1000SX. One of the major updates was the slightly bigger engine, even though it sacrificed a bit of power to make it more friendly to ride in the real world. Meanwhile, the rest of the mechanical package remained pretty much the same as before with a twin-tube chassis with the engine acting as a stress member. The sports tourer is available in two variants — Base and SE. The latter adds Ohlins S46 monoshock and Brembo M4.32 calipers, steel braided lines, Brembo master cylinder, Brembo discs, and heated grips to the package.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
Inline-four, Liquid Cooled |
|
Displacement |
1099cc |
|
Max Power |
134 HP |
|
Max Torque |
83 LB-FT |
|
Seat Height |
32.3 inches |
Yamaha Tracer 9
Price: $12,599
With the FJR1300ES discontinued, the Tracer 9 is the only big Yamaha touring motorcycle on offer currently. It is powered by Yamaha’s CP3 inline three engine, which delivers healthy torque across the rev range. It’s coupled with a six-speed manual gearbox, but the Japanese manufacturer does offer Y-AMT in some international markets. The Tracer 9 features strong underpinnings consisting of a deltabox frame, which the manufacturer also uses on its sports motorcycles.
Suspension duties are handled by manually adjustable KYB inverted forks up top and a monoshock at the rear. There is no dearth of features here, as the Tracer 9 comes equipped with tech like a 7-inch TFT, ride-by-wire throttle, and six-axis IMU. It enables features like traction control, slide control, wheelie control, and back slip regulation.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
Inline-three, Liquid Cooled |
|
Displacement |
890 cc |
|
Max Power |
117 HP |
|
Max Torque |
68.6 LB-FT |
|
Seat Height |
33.3 inches |
Triumph Tiger Sport 800
Price: $12,495
Triumph’s latest addition to the famed Tiger Sport lineup is one of the most well-rounded motorcycles in the sport touring segment. At its heart is an all-new 798cc liquid-cooled inline-three that churns out 113 horsepower and 62 pound-feet of torque. About 90 percent of the torque is available in the mid-range, which should help with making quick overtakes on the freeway. The modern and sleek styling is a tubular steel perimeter frame suspended by Showa-sourced upside-down forks and monoshock. A TFT instrument cluster, adjustable windscreen, switchable traction control, ride-by-wire throttle, cruise control and quickshifter is standard in the features package.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
Inline-three, Liquid Cooled |
|
Displacement |
798 cc |
|
Max Power |
113 HP |
|
Max Torque |
62 LB-FT |
|
Seat Height |
32.7 inches |
BMW F 900 XR
Price: $11,995
The baby XR stays true to the ethos of being a true sports tourer. It looks aggressive, goes fast, and doesn’t break your back into two after you spend long hours in the saddle. The 895cc parallel-twin engine powering the motorcycle is smooth, refined and fairly reliable. It produces 105 horsepower and 68 pound-feet of torque, which makes it more than capable of taking on the American highways.
The F 900 XR uses a 43 mm inverted fork up front and a monoshock to offer touring comfort. However, only the rear is adjustable for rebound and preload. The single-piece seat is placed at an approachable height of 32.2 inches. Like all BMW motorcycles, the F 900 XR comes loaded with technology like a 6.3-inch TFT and cornering traction control. Features like cruise control and bi-directional quickshifter are optional extras, though.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
Parallel-twin, Liquid Cooled |
|
Displacement |
895 cc |
|
Max Power |
NA |
|
Max Torque |
68 LB-FT |
|
Seat Height |
32.2 inches |
Honda NT1100 DCT
Price: $11,899
This is one of the best value-for-money and well-rounded touring motorcycles on the market currently. One of its major highlights is a 6-speed DCT automatic transmission. The gearbox is paired with Honda’s proven 1,084cc parallel-twin that is also found on the Africa Twin. The mill sits inside a main semi-double cradle frame drawn from the Africa Twin. Elsewhere, its TFT is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and Bluetooth connectivity. For $2,350 extra, you get access to Honda’s vast list of accessories, including support for the pillion.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
Parallel-twin, Liquid Cooled |
|
Displacement |
1,084 cc |
|
Max Power |
100 HP |
|
Max Torque |
82 LB-FT |
|
Seat Height |
32.3 inches |
Triumph Tiger Sport 660
Price: $9,695
The baby Tiger Sport is still a good choice if you are looking for a sports tourer under $10,000. After a recent update, it now comes with cornering ABS, a bi-directional quickshifter, a ‘Sport’ riding mode, and Triumph Connectivity as standard. The rest of the package remains the same as before with a 660cc liquid-cooled inline three engine at its heart. Elsehwere, the low seat height of 32.9-inches and a curb weight of 456 pounds make it suitable for both city and highway use.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
Inline-three, Liquid Cooled |
|
Displacement |
660 cc |
|
Max Power |
81 HP |
|
Max Torque |
47 LB-FT |
|
Seat Height |
32.9 inches |
Honda NC750X DCT
Price: $9,499
This is yet another great value-for-money motorcycle in the Honda portfolio. It is comfortably priced under $10,000 and comes with a sophisticated DCT automatic as standard. The 745cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin powering the NC750X might seem identical to the power mill on the XL750 Transalp. However, it features a longer stroke, as a result of which, the peak torque output comes in from as low as 4,750 RPM. This engine and gearbox combo makes the NC750X ideal for nearly all riding applications. What also helps the NC750X excel as a commuter and touring bike is a low seat height of 31.6 inches.
Another cool touch here is the unique 23-liter frunk. The fuel tank lies under the seat, in case you’re curious. Other standard features on the motorcycle include a TFT instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity, all-LED lighting, Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) and ride-by-wire throttle.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
Parallel-twin, Liquid Cooled |
|
Displacement |
745 cc |
|
Max Power |
57.8 HP |
|
Max Torque |
50.9 LB-FT |
|
Seat Height |
31.5 inches |
Moto Morini Calibro
Price: $6,799
The China-made Italian motorcycle is the most affordable touring-ready cruiser you can buy currently. The Moto Morini Calibro comes with a batwing fairing and saddlebags as standard. And at its heart is a high-revving 693cc parallel-twin engine that offers a meaty torque-curve with a strong mid-range. The rider-triangle is set for comfortable long-distance touring with forward-set footpegs, tall handlebars, and upright sitting ergonomics. The pricing comes at the cost of features, though. The feature list on the Calibro is limited to all-LED lighting, USB charging port and a semi-digital instrument cluster. Two standard saddlebags are standard inclusions, meanwhile.
Specifications
|
Engine Type |
Parallel-twin, Liquid Cooled |
|
Displacement |
693 cc |
|
Max Power |
68 HP |
|
Max Torque |
50.2 LB-FT |
|
Seat Height |
28.3 inches |