10 Best Touring Capable Motorcycles For Long Journeys And Off-Road Fun


Touring motorcycles are all the craze today, because this segment has the highest number of do-it-all bikes. After all, a single motorcycle that can do it all is truly an enticing offer when it comes to practicality and ease of living. That comprises both taking the occasional dirt road, while still being fun on paved twisty roads. This list comprises such sporty touring bikes that excel on tarmac and also have a versatile side, capable of tackling beginner-friendly trails. It is worth noting that hardcore sports tourers are excluded from this list due to their reduced affinity for off-road travel.

To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from authoritative sources, including Harley-Davidson USA, Honda Powersports USA, Kawasaki Motorcycles USA, Triumph Motorcycles USA, Yamaha Motorsports USA, Ducati USA, KTM USA, and BMW Motorrad USA. This list is organized in decreasing order of pricing, from the more expensive to the most affordable sporty touring bikes that balance long journeys and off-road fun sessions.

2025 Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+ sports tourer accelerating front third quarter view


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Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Pro

Price: $22,095

Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Pro accelerating
Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Pro accelerating
Triumph Motorcycles

The Tiger line-up is famed for its off-road finesse. However, the likes of the Tiger 1200 GT Pro are the more road-oriented versions, featuring smaller, road-focused tires wrapped around lightweight alloy wheels. It is equipped with a robust 1,160 cc three-cylinder engine that produces a grin-worthy 147 horsepower and 95 pound-feet of torque.

2024 Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Pro Triumph 

The peak torque of 7,000 RPM is spread out linearly, which should give it a peppy urban character and a relaxed, highway-side feel as well. Despite the road-focused formula, this Tiger has enough brawn, suspension travel, and elevation to explore the beaten path with ease. Its low curb weight of 540 pounds also helps make it a do-it-all vehicle.

KTM 1290 Super Adventure R

Price: $20,999

KTM 1290 Super Adventure R Action
KTM 1290 Super Adventure R Action
Philip Platzer For KTM

Until KTM brings the much-anticipated 1390 Adventure series to America, the most powerful from the orange army continues to be the 2024 1290 line-up of “Super” bikes. The 1290 Super Adventure R is in a league of its own, balancing hooliganism and practicality. This touring bike, despite having knobby tires and long-travel suspension, features a road-derived chassis and engine combination that lends it a do-it-all character.

2024 KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE
KTM 1290 Super Adventure jumping
KTM

The 1290 Super Adventure R is powered by KTM’s top-spec 1,301 cc V-twin engine that produces a grin-worthy 160 horsepower and 101.7 pound-feet of torque. In fact, very few sporty touring bikes are more potent than this KTM. A relaxed riding triangle and low seat height contribute to mile-munching comfort.

BMW R 1300 GS

Price: $20,275

2025 BMW R 1300 GS cornering hard
2025 BMW R 1300 GS cornering hard
BMW Motorrad

Being the successor to the coveted BMW R 1250 GS, there sure is a lot on the line for the BMW R 1300 GS. But considering how this liter-class do-it-all ADV has turned out, it has certainly lived up to the expectations. BMW has dialed down the weight and dimensions without fiddling with the GS’s big-boxer power and off-roading finesse.

Rider on a 2024 BMW R 1300 GS
Rider on a 2024 BMW R 1300 GS on the road crusing through the desert
BMW Motorrad

It is powered by a 1,300 cc boxer-twin producing 145 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque. This engine, due to its versatile nature, is a formidable companion on long road journeys. Off-roading is a no-brainer for this GS, thanks to a slew of electronic features and top-spec suspension hardware to tackle any terrain.

2023 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT sport-touring motorcycle


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Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 ST

Price: $19,999

Rider on a 2025 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 ST
Rider on a 2025 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 ST on a mountain highway
Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson surprised us by building a near-perfect big adventure bike in their first-ever try. Now, with the more accessible and road-oriented Pan America 1250 ST, things have gotten sweeter. Compared to the standard Pan America, the ST gets a lower seat height, courtesy of lower suspension travel.

2025 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 ST static front quarter shot
2025 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 ST parked roadside static front quarter shot
Harley-Davidson

It also gets a smaller road-focused tire-and-wheel combination that helps this Harley be a solid corner carver, too. However, thanks to its chassis and engine, both of which are shared with the dune-bashing Pan America 1250 Special, the ST also has hidden off-roading talents that make it a solid off-roading companion. Being the most affordable Harley touring bike is the perfect cherry on top of this cake.

Ducati Multistrada V4

Price: $19,995

Ducati Multistrada V4 S Front Radar
Ducati Multistrada V4 S Front Radar
Ducati

Interestingly, the most “exotic” motorcycle maker out there offers one of the most affordable big adventure bikes. The Ducati Multistrada V4 leaves no stone unturned in providing a balance of sharp looks, sports bike-grade performance, cutting-edge technology features, and athletic riding dynamics. It is powered by the famed Granturismo V-twin engine, producing 170 horsepower and 91 pound-feet of torque—the most powerful on this list.

2025 Ducati Multistrada V4 Studio Shot 1 Ducati

Complementing its performance are sportsbike-inspired hardware and chassis components that provide it with flexible on-road capabilities. Now, despite having a tarmac-oriented suspension and tire setup, the Multistrada V4 has an accessible off-road side, with ample suspension travel and a chassis ready to take on rough terrain.

Ducati Multistrada V2

Price: $16,595

2025 Ducati Multistrada V2 cornering front third quarter view
2025 Ducati Multistrada V2 cornering
Ducati

This is the sibling to the bigger Multi V4 mentioned above. The V2 packs a more middleweight-focused 890 cc V-twin that produces 115 horsepower and 67.9 pound-feet of torque. It also translates to a more compact form factor and lighter curb weight.

2025 Ducati Multistrada V2 S detail
2025 Ducati Multistrada V2 S detail
Ducati

The all-new Multi V2 is extra special because Ducati has made it significantly more usable and affordable compared to the outgoing model. Sports bike-derived hardware lends the Multi V2 ADV an athletic edge, enabling it to lean into corners with ease. Its tall stance and ample ground clearance, along with a relaxed stand-sit rider triangle, make it trail-ready as well.

Yamaha Tracer 9

Price: $12,599

2025 Yamaha Tracer 9 cornering hd wallpaper view
2025 Yamaha Tracer 9
Yamaha

The Yamaha Tracer 9 is a sports tourer that strikes a perfect balance between power and versatility. It is powered by a very popular CP3 inline-3 engine that also powers the likes of the Yamaha MT-09 streetfighter and the XSR900 classic roadster. It produces 117 horsepower and 68.6 pound-feet of torque.

2025 Tracer 9 action Yamaha

The form factor is slim, which, when coupled with its low curb weight of 483 pounds, not only helps this Yamaha be a comfortable mile-muncher but also a peppy urban runabout. Due to its tall stance and relatively trail-ready ride height, this Yamaha doesn’t shy away from taking the less-traveled roads either.

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Triumph Tiger Sport 850

Price: $12,290

Triumph Tiger 850 Sport cruising through town
Red Triumph Tiger 850 Sport cruising through town
Triumph Motorcycles

This is the less popular Triumph Tiger. But the Sport 850 offers one of the most well-rounded adventure touring packages among Triumph ADVs. In other words, it combines a sporty nature similar to the Tiger Sport 660 with the off-roading capabilities offered by the larger 900 and 1200 Tigers. It is powered by a 888 cc three-cylinder engine that produces 83.8 horsepower and 60 pound-feet of torque.

Tiger-850-Sport_MY24_Jet-Black_RHS Triumph

On-road comfort is assured, thanks to an adjustable seat height, a relaxed rider triangle, and a range of touring-focused features and accessories. Furthermore, its tall stance and 8.0-inch ground clearance, along with capable suspension hardware, give the Tiger 850 enough confidence to stray off the road.

Honda NT1100

Price: $11,899

2025 Honda NT1100 sharp design
2025 Honda NT1100
Honda

This is one of those motorcycles that ticks all the boxes, and then some. The Honda NT1100 is powered by a highly tractable 1,084 cc parallel-twin engine, the same one that powers the dune-bashing Africa Twin ADV. Even the mainframe is shared with it. Hence, the versatility of the NT1100 is sorted.

2025 Honda NT1100 DCT dual clutch transmission close-up detail - European model shown
2025 Honda NT1100 DCT dual clutch transmission close-up detail – European model shown
Honda

The cherry on top of this cake is its standard 6-speed automatic transmission that unlocks a whole new level of riding comfort, both on urban roads and highways. Furthermore, its tall stance, coupled with capable hardware, makes the Honda NT1100 worthy of stirring up some dirt. This is a motorcycle that is surprisingly good at everything.

Kawasaki Versys 650 LT

Price: $10,099

2024 Kawasaki Versys 650 LT
2024 Kawasaki Versys 650 LT
Kawasaki

While fairly old, the Kawasaki Versys 650 LT is one of the most practical adventure bikes available today. It is powered by a sports-bike-derived 649 cc parallel-twin engine that produces 69 horsepower and 44.8 pound-feet of torque. Couple this with its sturdy chassis and swingarm setup, and the Versys 650 has enough brawn to do triple-digit runs all day long.

Kawasaki Versys 650 engine
Kawasaki Versys 650 engine
Kawasaki

The relaxed rider triangle, a comfortable pillion seat, and loads of touring-focused accessories make it a capable mile-muncher. On the other hand, its tall stance, relatively high ground clearance, and low curb weight of 483 pounds make the Versys 650 a capable trail runner as well.