12 Coolest Adventure Motorcycles On The Market Right Now

Adventure bikes are some of the most versatile motorcycles on the market, offering a blend of off-road capability and on-road comfort for riders who need the best of both worlds. As the segment's popularity has grown over the years, so has the number of models available to choose from, with innovative newcomers coming up against the established old guard. Each bike makes various compromises to achieve its balance of on- and off-road capability, so there is no single best option on the market — it depends on your personal preferences more than anything else.

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Whether you're looking to buy a lighter, more accessible bike, or something a bit more heavy-duty, there are plenty of options out there to suit every rider (and almost every budget too, for that matter). In this article, we're rounding up the best adventure motorcycles that are currently in production and on sale in the U.S., but keep in mind there are plenty of older models that will also fit the bill if none of these 12 take your fancy.

The Africa Twin first hit the market in 1988, and since then, Honda has produced four generations of the bike, the most recent of which entered production in 2020. The reason for its longevity is that it's brilliant for off-road adventures — with a powerful 1084cc parallel-twin engine and 9.8 inches of ground clearance, there isn't much it can't conquer. Even across rough terrain, its suspension setup ensures it remains comfortable, with Showa forks on the front allowing 9.1 inches of travel, and a single shock on the rear with up to 8.7 inches of travel.

Its large-displacement engine and considerable bulk mean that this isn't a bike for novices, and it's not cheap either. The 2022 Africa Twin starts at $14,499, and optional extras can push that price considerably higher. However, few bikes offer such versatility across almost every type of terrain, even if other bikes outshine it in terms of outright power, agility, or luxury.

A mid-size adventure bike with a more affordable price tag than BMW's range-topping R 1250 GSA, the F 850 GS Adventure delivers on all fronts. It replaced the F 800 GSA in 2019, with its engine gaining around 50cc over its predecessor. Its output stands at 90 horsepower, more than enough to shift its considerable 538-pound wet weight to speeds well above legal limits. Top speed is limited to 122 mph, while the electrically adjustable suspension ensures that the bike always remains comfortable whether you're blasting down a highway or exploring off-road.

The TFT display is easy to read, and if you prefer to stay connected while out on the road, BMW's Motorrad Connected is among the best of its kind. The F 850 GS Adventure doesn't claim to be the most capable or best-equipped motorcycle on the market — you could argue that the R 1250 GS Adventure takes that title — but it's an excellent alternative for anyone who wants something lighter and more affordable than the top-spec bike. Pricing for the 2023 model starts at $13,595, excluding fees.

If BMW's adventure offerings represent the old guard, then the $17,095 Ducati DesertX is the upstart competitor looking to get in on the action. It launched in production form in 2022, after Ducati unveiled the original concept in 2019. It's powered by a 937cc Testastretta engine that's also found in the Multistrada V2, with 110 horsepower on tap and a 10,000 revolution-per-minute redline.

There are six riding modes to choose from: Urban, Sport, Touring, Wet, Rally, and Enduro. It's the last two of those that will be of interest to riders looking to test out the full off-road potential of the DesertX, with Enduro packing higher levels of ABS and traction control to aid less experienced riders. When you're done tearing up trails, Sport mode enables the most aggressive road setup, while Touring will prioritize long-distance comfort. This kind of bike is relatively untrodden ground for Ducati, but the Italian manufacturer seems to have got the formula pretty much spot on the first time around.

New for 2023, the Suzuki V-Strom 1050DE sets out to correct some of the flaws of its predecessor, the 1050XT. The latter was a solid touring bike that couldn't quite cut it off-road, but the 1050DE is more capable. Not to a class-leading extent, mind — the Honda Africa Twin and Ducati DesertX still prevail in that respect. But, as long as you're not taking it anywhere too ambitious, the V-Strom is happy to traverse trails or dirt roads. In fact, it's one of the best Suzuki all-rounders to date.

It's a heavy bike compared to its rivals, but that can be an advantage if you're looking for a more planted feel on the road. It clocks in at 554 pounds, in part thanks to its 1037cc V-twin engine which is carried over from the old model. It packs 106 horsepower at 8,500 revolutions per minute, the same as the 1050XT. What's not carried over is the price – the 1050DE starts at $15,999 without fees. That's a considerable sum of money for a bike that's not the most cutting-edge machine on the market, but if you're looking for a dependable, versatile bike that can handle occasional off-roading, it'll be money well spent.

The 1290 Super Adventure is the biggest and best KTM adventure bike to date, with plenty of power and all the kit you'll need for long-distance journeys on- or off-road. It's available in two configurations: S is for more road-focused riders, while R is for anyone looking to leave the asphalt firmly behind. The R comes with a base price of $20,299, making this one of the costliest bikes on this list as well as one of the most capable.

KTM's trusty LC8 engine provides the power, while a six-speed Pankl transmission is in charge of putting that power to the ground. It's officially rated at 158 horsepower, and with a wet weight of 539 pounds, it's a beast in both senses of the term. Like any modern adventure bike, the KTM features a number of electronic adjustments, with four driving modes, road and off-road ABS, and stability control. That makes it easy to tweak the setup exactly to your liking, no matter your level of experience or the terrain you're riding on.

It reportedly took Triumph five years to develop the Tiger 1200, with extensive testing across all kinds of terrain and conditions. The result is a bike that can compete with the big players, taking as much off-road punishment as any rider would feasibly want to throw at it while remaining comfortable and civilized on the road. This all comes at a cost, of course: With a starting price of $22,995, it sits at the uppermost end of the market in price as well as capability.

The Showa suspension is electronically adjusted as you ride, while the Brembo brakes should inspire confidence at higher speeds. The 1160cc engine puts out 147 horsepower, so careful throttle application will be necessary if you're not so familiar with bikes of this nature. At 549 pounds, the Tiger 1200 Rally Pro weighs in around the same as its competition — in fact, put it side-by-side with its rivals in almost any key aspect and the Triumph can match up, and then some.

The Yamaha Ténéré 700 is a great choice if you're looking for a mid-size adventure bike without all the bells and whistles (and added costs) associated with some of the most high-end options on the market. For 2023, Yamaha has updated the bike to keep it competitive, with a new 5-inch TFT dash replacing the old LCD display, Bluetooth smartphone connectivity, and an extra ABS setting. It was already available on the Ténéré 700 World Raid, but front-wheel ABS on/rear-wheel ABS off is now available on lower-spec variants of the bike.

Depending on the options you pick, a Ténéré 700 will set you back at least $10,299, and for that, you get a 689cc parallel-twin engine that makes 74 horsepower. It's also only 450 pounds wet, making it more agile than many of the other ADV bikes here. Apart from ABS, there isn't much in the way of rider aids, so less confident riders might find rivals more reassuring. Other than that, few buyers will be disappointed with Yamaha's best mid-lineup offering.

Although it leans more towards the road-focused side of the spectrum than some of its rivals, there's no denying the many talents of the Ducati Multistrada V4S both on and off the asphalt. First released to dealerships in 2021, the latest generation of the bike received substantial updates over the outgoing model, with very few elements left untouched. That includes the new 1,158cc V4 engine, which makes a class-leading 170 horsepower. Some would argue that's even too much for an ADV.

Another key highlight is the radar system, which enables a new blind spot feature that alerts riders when a vehicle is moving into a blind spot on either side of the bike. It also allows for adaptive cruise control, meaning the bike can automatically detect vehicles ahead and behind and adjust its speed accordingly while cruising. That should make the longer, more tedious traffic-filled parts of any road trip a lot less hassle. Phone connectivity is also standard, so you can use your navigation system of choice and answer calls through the TFT display. As previously mentioned, this isn't the best bike in its class for off-road riding, but with a revised chassis and suspension, it can handle lighter trails or limited sections of tougher terrain.

KTM has a long history of making affordable off-road bikes, with many of the brand's best models being designed for the dirt. The 890 Adventure R is designed to mix both dirt and asphalt, but it's the former where it excels most. It starts at $15,199 for 2023, rivaling bikes like the Africa Twin and BMW F 850 GSA. The Adventure R gives riders an extra mode over the standard 890 Adventure: Rally mode. That in turn allows for various tweaks to the throttle response and traction control, all of which come in very handy when you're traveling over constantly changing terrain.

On the road, the bike isn't the smoothest or most refined in its segment, and the standard Adventure is slightly more comfortable on the road. However, with the latter option you lose some of the KTM's off-road ability, which is its strongest suit. The Adventure R, then, is a bike for riders who like to travel as many of their road trip miles as possible off the asphalt, but need something comfortable enough to get them there in the first place.

With a history that stretches back to the very roots of the adventure bike segment, the BMW R 1250 GS Adventure remains the class benchmark, and one of BMW's best motorcycles to date. The latest iteration was unveiled in 2019, with a more powerful engine and extra equipment being the headline changes. Said engine is a 1254cc four-stroke flat twin, officially rated at 136 horsepower. The 6.5-inch TFT display is now standard (it was previously optional), and with it comes BMW's class-leading connectivity and infotainment setup.

On the road, the bike is designed to be as comfortable as possible, and longer road trips can be done with minimal stops thanks to the officially quoted 389-mile range. Off-road, it's an equally impressive affair — even with plenty of luggage, it'll conquer sand, mud, gravel, and almost anything else you'll encounter along the way, within reason. At a base MSRP of $20,345 and with plenty of scope to add optional extras, the 1250 GSA is a serious investment, but few other bikes can match its all-around talent.

A world away from the high-tech, heavyweight BMW flagship, the Kawasaki KL650 gets all the essentials right and cuts out the extras. It was updated in 2022 after 14 years unchanged, but the new generation should feel very familiar to owners of the older bike. The biggest changes are the switch to fuel injection, optional ABS, and improved efficiency. The chassis has also been redesigned for better rigidity, helping to make the 2022 KLR650 more stable than its predecessor.

Unlike its high-end competition, the Kawasaki doesn't feature a TFT display with connectivity options, or multiple customizable rider modes. It simply offers a sturdy construction, a tried-and-tested 652cc engine, and minimal distractions. Its price reflects its simpler spec sheet, with the regular KLR650 starting at $6,899 without ABS and the kitted-out KLR650 Adventure clocking in at $8,199 with ABS. The Adventure spec adds options like side cases, fog lamps, and a tank pad, so depending on your intended usage, it's worth considering the upgrade.

The idea of Harley-Davidson making an all-conquering adventure bike might have seemed laughable just a decade or two ago. In fact, it seemed pretty unbelievable right up until the point that the first reviews of the production version started rolling in. But, despite the odds, Harley did a remarkably good job on its first attempt. The Pan America 1250 Special packs all the features you'd want from a high-end adventure bike, with electronically-adjustable semi-active suspension, customizable driver modes for different terrains, and a tough enough construction to handle the bumps and scrapes inherent with off-road riding.

Arguably the most important single aspect of any bike is its engine, and the Harley's is a specially-designed unit built for the 1250 Special. It's a 1252cc V-twin with a claimed output of 150 horsepower, and there's a 9,500 revolution-per-minute redline — not exactly typical Harley spec there, then. Much like its more established competition, the 1250 Special is a significant investment, with a starting price of $20,399. That's into BMW 1250 GS territory, but if you're looking for something a little different from the usual Bavarian benchmark, then the Harley makes a surprisingly compelling alternative.