10 Motorcycles That Strike The Perfect Balance Between Touring And Sport

Traveling on a motorcycle has become more popular than ever these days. Adventure bikes are most certainly stealing the show right now, but they are not for everyone. While incredibly versatile, that versatility is a double-edged sword, as it inevitably compromises the motorcycle in some other areas. If you prefer sticking to the road, a sport tourer might be an altogether better option.

Even the sport touring segment is pretty diverse. It ranges from comfort-focused bikes loaded with great touring features all the way up to track-ready monsters that will make some superbikes look silly. Then you get these bikes, which strike an ideal sort of balance between touring comfort and performance.

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 USA, Yamaha Motorsports, and BMW Motorrad. The motorcycles on this list are rated according to MSRP.

KTM 1290 Super Duke GT

MSRP: $20,499

At first glance, one might think KTM just added fairings to the Super Duke, but there is a lot more to it than that. The most apparent addition is wind protection, but it also gets heated grips, cruise control and semi-active suspension. Naturally, ride modes are present, so at the toggle of a switch, the “beast” that resides within will gladly come out to play.

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2024 Yamaha FJR1300 ES

MSRP: $18,299

The one caveat to this inclusion is that it is not going to make it past the 2024 model year. So it will only be around while stocks last, but unlike other manufacturers desperate to get rid of old stock, Yamaha seems quite content to leave this living legend at its original list price. The FJ series started life as a competitor in the burgeoning superbike market back in the 80s. Over time, the FJR1300 evolved into one of the very best sport touring bikes money can buy. While dated in some respects, this is still every bit as good as it always has been.

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BMW S 1000 XR

MSRP: $17,995

Adding wind protection and comfort-oriented ergonomics to one of the very best superbikes on the market was a stroke of genius. The “sports bike on stilts” theme has become more and more popular these days, offering riders a genuine best of both worlds riding experience. With the S 1000 XR, you also get a long list of great features to go along with the added comfort, although there are a few nice-to-have features also left on the options list.

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BMW R 1300 RS

MSRP: $16,995

To say that BMW bet big on “travel” oriented motorcycles, would be a massive understatement. If the S 1000 XR feels a little too aggressive, then you have this smooth boxer-twin-powered monster, which shifts the balance ever so slightly towards comfort. With a much lower center of gravity as well as shaft drive, the R 1300 RS is more about torque delivery than overall horsepower.

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Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello

MSRP: $15,490

The V100 Mandello is almost criminally underrated. Even though it is without doubt one of the best-looking tourers on the market, it somehow continues to fly under the radar. Moto Guzzi’s trademark transverse V-twin might be part of the reason. While it is an unusual design, it doesn’t interfere with your knees, and certainly does add character to the bike.

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Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+

MSRP: $14,299

Few motorcycles offer the kind of value for money that you get with the GSX-S1000GT+. Suzuki reworked the old K5 Gixxer engine for optimized mid-range performance, then added a host of modern electronic rider aids. The end result is a thoroughly modern sport tourer which is able to balance comfort and performance in a way few motorcycles can match at this price point.

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Kawasaki Ninja 1100 SX

MSRP: $13,699

Well, the one bike that might want to challenge our sentiment towards the aforementioned Suzuki is this Ninja. It might wear the famed Ninja nameplate, but with more relaxed ergos, wind protection and loads of comfort features, it offers equally good bang for the buck. Unlike the Suzuki, it also just got updated, with a small bump in displacement and a tune which has been further optimized for mid-range performance.

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Yamaha Tracer 9

MSRP: $12,599

The Tracer 9 sticks out because it is one of the few budget-friendly sport tourers that comes with hard cases as standard fitment. This may not appeal to everyone, but features like cornering ABS, lean-sensitive traction control and ride modes certainly will. Another underrated feature is reliability, and that is precisely what you get with the fun, yet proven CP3 triple.

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Triumph Tiger Sport 800

MSRP: $12,495

In an effort to take the fight to Yamaha, Triumph recently brought out this brand new 800. Unlike just about every other bike on this list, the Tiger Sport 800 does not share its powertrain with another motorcycle, but rather its chassis. The Tiger Sport 660’s chassis was heavily modified to accommodate this all-new triple, which we are sure to see more of in the coming year as Triumph are all set to launch a couple of new models.

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Honda NT1100

MSRP: $11,899

You wouldn’t think that the Africa Twin would make a great sport tourer, but in reality, it actually does. This shares a platform with the versatile ADV, and while it isn’t going to get far off-road, it will do just about everything else. The point of difference here is the DCT transmission, because on a touring bike, this is a feature that makes an otherwise budget-minded offering particularly hard to ignore.

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