10 Touring Bikes Built For Comfort Without Losing Their Edge 

For motorcyclists, nothing beats exploring the world on two wheels. For such duties, touring motorcycles are the best, as long as you plan to stay on tarmac. These feature comfortable ergonomics, wind protection, and, sometimes, even storage. Spend a bit more, and they’ll also spoil you with features like adaptive cruise control, an infotainment system, and much more.

Such a comfort-first character often makes these tourers too relaxed, and, for some motorcyclists, not fun enough. However, there are some excellent outliers, which manage to balance their long-distance comfort with a performance edge. And the best part is that they come in various flavors, whether it’s gallops of torque, screaming top-end rush, or track-ready performance. Here are ten such touring motorcycles with an edge.

To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from authoritative sources, such as Kawasaki, Indian Motorcycles, BMW Motorrad, etc. The models are listed based on their power outputs, from lowest to highest.

Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide

Power Output: 115 HP @ 4,500 RPM

Your Grand American Tourer can be special, high-performance, and a rolling work of art, and the CVO Street Glide proves that. It’s built on the comfortable Harley-Davidson Street Glide, adding a more powerful Milwaukee-Eight 121 engine with variable valve timing to suit different riding styles. It also gets a high-performance audio system, heated grips, and premium seating for the long haul. All of this is wrapped up in exclusive paintwork, which gives the bike a bespoke, custom feel. Yes, it’s expensive, but for someone looking for a high-performance bagger for the long haul, it can be a terrific choice.

Performance Specs

Yamaha Tracer 9

Power Output: 117 HP @ 10,000 RPM

Few tourers balance sporty performance and long-distance comfort quite like the Tracer 9, especially at this price point. Everything on the bike is designed with balance in mind, which makes it an excellent do-it-all tourer. Take the CP3 engine, for instance, which offers smooth mid-range power as well as high-end rush. The bike’s also compact, which should give it naked bike-like agility. Meanwhile, long-distance comfort is covered by upright ergonomics and saddlebags. It’s the tourer to pick if you want to go fast and go long without breaking your bank.

Performance Specs

Honda Gold Wing 50th Anniversary

Power Output: 124.7 HP @ 5,500 RPM

The Honda Gold Wing is the gold standard when it comes to tourers, but don’t mistake this for a gentle giant. Yes, the flat-six engine is known for its smooth power delivery, and the seats are nothing short of a couch, but it can still surprise you with its performance. The flat-six engine is powerful, producing peak power at 5,500 RPM and torque at 4,500 RPM, making for a quick off-the-line experience. Even the handling, thanks to its radical wishbone suspension and lightweight frame, is said to be deceptively light. Adding to its edge are a range of advanced features, including an infotainment system, electronic windscreen, and plenty of rider aids.

Performance Specs

Indian Challenger Elite

Power Output: 126 HP

When you combine bagger luxury with power cruiser performance, the Indian Challenger Elite is what you get. The luxury side of it is taken care of by its comfortable saddle, high-end audio system, and an array of touring-ready features. On the other hand, its immense torque, Fox rear suspension with electronic adjustability, and Brembo brakes give it a power cruiser attitude. Look closely, and you’ll also notice excellent attention to detail, especially with the shattered glass particles in the paint and decals. It’s an elite motorcycle in terms of both price and road presence.

Performance Specs

Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide ST

Power Output: 127 HP @ 4,900 RPM

The CVO Road Glide RR is the ultimate dream, but it’s not the most sensible option out there. Instead, the CVO Road Glide ST makes more sense. It costs less than half of the flagship bagger and won’t give your bank account a panic attack if you tip it over. It even retains the RR’s track-ready charm, including a powerful engine, premium underpinnings, a dashing King of Baggers-inspired paint job, and forged carbon bits. It pairs that with the Road Glide’s long-distance comfort and composure. In short, it’s the best practical choice when you’re looking for a grand American tourer with track-ready performance.

Performance Specs

BMW R 1300 RT

Power Output: 145 HP @ 7,750 RPM

The BMW R 1300 RT is the new kid on the block, and it promises to be a lot more than what its price tag and fugly looks would suggest. It shares its boxer engine with the globe-trotting R 1300 GS, so you know it’s suitable for long-distance travel. With nearly 150 horsepower on tap, it’s no slouch either. The adaptive chassis and Dynamic ESA electronic suspension also make it ready for everything on the road, from relaxed highway touring to canyon carving. Add to that an infotainment system with speakers, heated grips, and radar, and you have a bike that’s hard to ignore.

Performance Specs

Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+

Power Output: 150 HP

Keep going up the performance-plus-comfort ladder, and you’ll quickly come across tourers that share their engines with superbikes, starting with the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+. This sports tourer undercuts most of its competition and features a Gixxer-derived inline-four engine and main frame. This quick and agile package is wrapped up in a sharp design with a tall windscreen, upright ergonomics, and lockable side cases as standard. The result is a total bang-for-your-buck tourer that can outrun most tourers and even handle a bit of serious cornering on weekends.

Performance Specs

Ducati Multistrada V4 RS

Power Output: 180 HP @ 12,250 RPM

As the flagship Multisrada, the V4 RS features everything you’d expect from it, including Ohlins Smart EC 2.0 electronic suspension, radar-based cruise control, and cross-country comfort. But what makes the Multistrada V4 RS truly special is its Panigale-derived Desmosedici Stradale V4 engine, paired with a titanium subframe, Marchesini wheels, and carbon fiber bits everywhere. It even borrows the RS badge from Audi’s line of performance cars. So, not only can this tourer leave behind most vehicles on the road, it can run laps with superbikes on a racetrack.

Performance Specs

BMW M 1000 XR

Power Output: 201 HP @ 12,750 RPM

Think of the M 1000 XR as a superbike in sports tourer clothing. Underneath its touring bodywork and comfortable ergonomics hides a wild side. The S1000RR-derived inline-four engine produces over 200 horsepower, which is more than most sports bikes, and it gets a complete M treatment. It’s a wild machine that pushes the envelope of performance to the next level. And if you’re serious about beating superbikes, BMW also offers an M Competition Package that adds carbon wheels, adjustable pegs, and MGPS Laptrigger. With this bike, not only can you explore the country on two wheels, but you can also race on tracks that come along the way.

Performance Specs

Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX SE

Power Output: 207 HP @ 10,000 RPM

Some motorcycles make you raise an eyebrow and ask, “Why?” Others go a step further and answer back with, “Why not?” That’s what the Ninja H2 SX SE does. It stands as the practical alternative to the Ninja H2, the world’s fastest production motorcycle. It’s a supercharged rocket with enough performance to scare even some experienced riders. And when the mood strikes, electronic rider aids and semi-active electronic suspension soften the bike up for touring. This dual personality isn’t the only impressive thing about it; Kawasaki has loaded the bike up with nearly all the rider aids you can think of, along with self-healing paint, auto high-beam headlights, and more.

Performance Specs