Comfort, state-of-the-art technology and convenience are top priorities on these long-haul aircraft. If you’re traveling long distances, why not travel in comfort? BMW’s K 1600 GTL offers all the power, workhorse and buttery softness you want.
Any motorcyclist will assist you to realize theres now no longer something like experiencing the geographical place aboard wheels. But it could moreover be argued that any motorcycle, be it a Panigale V4 R or a Honda Trail125, can be used to that stop, and to muddy the waters even extra, the touring phase has continued to splinter into ever-extra specialized segments. You have been given your sport-tourers, your big-boat high priced tourers, your adventure-tourers, your baggers, etc., etc., so proper right here were virtually aiming to round up a couple of examples from each category.
Although this list is virtually the stop of the iceberg, the good facts is that todays purpose-built tourers are extra capable and better geared up for the prolonged haul than ever, boasting contemporary capabilities like ABS, traction control, and rider modes, and at the better stop, even extra advanced systems such as adaptive cruise control, heated seats, electronically adjustable windscreens, plus turn-by-turn navigation systems, to name handiest a few. We didnt have room for every viable model, so experience unfastened to list your selections withinside the comments below.
Long-Haul Luxury
For any touring bike build, the Honda Gold Wing is near the top of the list.
2023 Honda Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT
A perennial rider and magazine editor favorite, the Honda Gold Wing has been soldiering on in one form or another for more than four decades. But todays Gold Wing is a fully modern machine, and its received regular technological and mechanical updates that have helped keep it comfortably atop the long-haul category.
Key attributes include a 1,833cc flat six-cylinder engine good for 90 hp on our dyno, and an electronically adjustable double-wishbone fork, both of which contribute to an uncannily smooth power delivery and ultra-stable footing, even while fully leaned over. On the Tour Automatic DCT model, Honda`s Dual-Clutch Transmission will do the shifting for you, but for 2023 you can also choose from the Gold Wing DCT (auto shift, no top trunk), the Gold Wing Tour (with top trunk but no DCT), and the top-of-the-line Gold Wing Tour Automatic DCT Airbag, which adds an airbag to the auto shift and top trunk. All trims carry a full-color 7-inch TFT screen and Apple CarPlay integration, four ride modes, dual disc brakes with ABS, a 5.5-gallon tank, and LED lighting. Add in a power windshield, keyless ignition, luggage lock, cruise control, standard navigation and even low speed reverse and it’s easy to see why the Wing is the #1 choice for touring riders around the world.
The K 1600 GTL is sleek, plush and sophisticated, but it can also generate heat. 160 horsepower is nothing to sneeze at.
Another six-cylinder that rivals the Wing in terms of smoothness and sophistication, BMW’s flagship, the kilometer-eating K 1600 GTL, has also made the top 10 list multiple times. Updated last year to meet Euro 5 emissions standards, the transverse six-cylinder engine packs a mighty 160 horsepower forward, backed by a staggering 133 lb-ft of peak torque. If those numbers aren’t impressive enough, check out the Big K’s electronically adjustable suspension and windshield, as well as its huge 10.25-inch TFT color display with integrated navigation.
It also has adaptive headlights, tire pressure monitoring and programmable handlebar buttons, and standard equipment includes engine drag torque control and dynamic traction control utilizing input from his 6-axis IMU. . A 7-gallon fuel tank, BMW semi-integral ABS and 5-stage heated grips (and heated seat) go a long way towards giving the pilot comfort and confidence. The K’s large top case is well-cushioned, and the backrest can be pulled all the way up for passenger comfort. Total storage space is 29.9 gallons.
If you want the same 1,649cc powerplant with less bells and whistles, the K 1600 GT (omitting the topcase), the Bagger-inspired K 1600 B, and the B’s subframe share an extra frame Check out the K 1600 Grand America. Add a top case.
Harley’s Grand American Touring category includes 13 bikes, but the M-8 114 Powered Road Glide Limited is one of the more comfortable examples.
2023 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Limited
Rumbly, classic, and plenty comfortable: Thats generally how Harley tourers roll, and while you can choose from other big bikes in H-Ds Grand American series, the Road Glide Limited is a great option for two-up touring thanks to its powerful Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine, frame-mounted fairing, and plush passenger accommodations. The 114ci Twin-Cooled motor cranked out 76.3 hp and 108 lb.-ft. last time we had it on our dyno, while a 49mm dual bending valve fork, dual front discs with ABS, spacious integrated hard luggage with a passenger backrest, and a Boom! Box audio system along with a large TFT touchscreen round out the list of welcome amenities.
Theres plenty of storage space for two people on a weekend getaway, with a huge Tour-Pak trunk to swallow all your gear or full-face helmet (for 4.7 cubic feet of capacity in total). Your passenger gets armrests and their own audio speakers to keep backseat complaints to a minimum, while the bikes solid ride quality, heated grips, cruise control, and a 6-gallon fuel tank will get you where you wanna go in comfort.
As you’d expect from Milwaukee’s touring line, the Road Glide also features premium paint quality with great fit and finish, making it a stylish, comfortable and well-equipped V-twin tourer.
Indian’s fully loaded Pursuit Limited features a liquid-cooled 1,768cc PowerPlus engine and a full suite of touring amenities.
Built on Indians liquid-cooled Challenger platform, the Pursuit offers full-dress luxury with a smidge of retro styling. If you want traditional, Indian also offers the air-cooled Chieftain and Roadmaster models, but were listing the Pursuit as its Indians latest model.
Based on Indians liquid-cooled 1,768cc Challenger motor (good for 103.1 hp on our dyno), the Pursuit adds on a full suite of luxury touring features, including a cargo trunk with an integrated passenger backrest, heated grips, and a full two-up leather touring seat. The base is still composed of the Challengers aluminum frame and liquid-cooled PowerPlus engine acting as a stressed member, with a 43mm inverted fork as well as that frame-mounted fairing which also integrates an electrically adjustable windshield.
Cargo capacity is plentiful as well, with remote locking hard saddlebags and a trunk combining for 35.8 gallons of storage while safety and convenience features like selectable rider modes, LED lighting, cruise control, and ABS all chip in to make the miles go by safely and more comfortably. Indian’s powerful 200-watt audio system and Ride Command functions (including navigation, live weather and traffic information), as well as regular bike gauges can also be viewed and adjusted on the standard 7-inch color touchscreen display.
The Sporty Tourers
You won’t be just sport-touring, but hypersport-touring on the Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX SE
Cue sad trobone: Kawasaki has officially dropped Concours 14 from its 2023 program. A longtime favorite of sports tour pilots, the competition has remained unchanged since 2015, but needed a major overhaul to compete on the global market. Still, the 2022 C-14 is still a bargain at $15,999 if you can find one.
We’ve heard that dealers are recommending the new Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX SE to their customers. This is of course 100% Sport Touring (capital ‘S’, lower case ‘t’). Actually, the hard case you see is an optional accessory. The Hypersport Ninja is all about performance, and while it does so thanks to its supercharged 998cc in-line four-cylinder engine, which is tuned for low-mid range thrust, on the dynamo he puts out a whopping 166.1 horsepower. It produced an amazing output. At under 600 pounds, the H2 also features passenger facilities so your adrenaline-pumping partner can help you out of corners.
The H2 has the most advanced rider features you’ll find on today’s bikes, including four rider modes, traction control, electronically controlled (fully adjustable) suspension, and Advanced Rider Assist System (ARAS) with multiple radars. Packed with technology. Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Blind Spot Detection and new for 2023 Auto High Beam (AHB). If you want to explore every inch of the canyon surrounded by the latest tech, his sporty H2 might be for you.
But if you don’t want all that magic, the Versys 1000 SE LT+, which comes with a hard case, is a cheaper option.
Lighter than the K 1600 model yet packed with technology, the BMW R 1250 RT is a firm favorite for middleweight touring.
If youre looking for reliable German engineering in a capable, supremely comfortable middleweight tourer, the RT should be on your list (as its been on ours several times). You can think of it as a lighter alternative to the K models, but with no less punch; the RTs two-cylinder 1,254cc boxer engine is liquid-cooled and equipped with BMWs ShiftCam variable intake camshaft control, and cranks out a claimed 136 hp and 105 lb.-ft. of torque with an almost eerie smoothness.
Although it doesnt come standard with a top case (not a deal breaker, as a 49-liter case is available from BMW) and leans to the sporty side of the design spectrum, the RT doesnt skimp on practical touring amenities, with an included audio system, wireless smartphone charging, and 10.25-inch TFT display. Other bleeding-edge tech includes dynamic cruise control, blind spot monitoring, three ride modes, BMW`s IMU-enabled Integral ABS Pro, traction control, hill start control, an adjustable touring screen, and of course, integrated hard luggage (with 18.4 gallons of space). There are multiple seat height options, and BMW will offer Adaptive Cruise Control as an option this year. The RT’s 6.6 gallon fuel tank and relatively reasonable weight of 615 pounds (for this group) are also reasons for its popularity among touring sets.
The archetype of sport-touring? Maybe so, but the FJR1300 has everything you need for long-distance riding.
Comfortable, fast, and in existence for 20 years now, the Yamaha FJR1300ES can be called the archetypal sport-tourer. Powered by a punchy 1,298cc inline-four good for a claimed 141 hp, the FJR1300ES hasnt truly had an update since 2016 when it got a sixth gear and added electronic suspension as an option (now standard), so even though we consider it a value option here, theres not much modern tech for the price.
Youll still find a ton of useful features on the old warhorse though, like cornering lights, linked antilock brakes, and three throttle modes. Add to that a comfortable touring saddle, adjustable windshield and seat, heated handgrips and integrated hard luggage along with a 6.6-gallon tank, shaft drive, and the aforementioned electronically adjustable suspension (both front and rear) and you can see why its still a capable sport-tourer.
Yamaha is still selling FJRs for the 2023 model year (that are basically 2022 models), but if youre interested, act fast; theres no guarantee it wont face the same fate as Kawasakis heralded Concours 14. (Yamaha discontinued sales of the FJR in Europe a few years ago and also in Japan last year. North America is now the only FJR market.)
The GSX-S1000GT+ equipped with a K5-derived engine is the most authentic sports tourer in Suzuki history.
This is good value for money, so Suzuki’s sole sport tourer might be worth even more. It may not have the H2’s Hi-Zoot IMU or his 200hp of power, but the GSX-S1000GT+ 2023 comes standard with a hard case. It may not have the BMW RT’s adjustable windshield or 10-inch display, but it’s lighter (nominal weight is under 500 pounds) and easier to maneuver at low speeds.
Now, while these other tourers have won the battle of specs, it’s hard to fault Suzuki’s overall capabilities when it comes to value for money, especially considering the price. For under $15,000, you can get a true sport-touring bike with his race-bred, immortal GSX-R1000-based K5 engine (updated for modern use) and a nimble, lightweight chassis. can. All the basic touring stuff like a 999cc DOHC engine tuned for low to medium revs, 3 riding modes, cruise control, traction control and a fully adjustable reverse fork with dual ABS equipped 4-piston front It’s ready. disc brakes.
Other welcome additions include his integrated 25.7-liter pannier and the ability to accommodate his two via a more comfortable passenger seat. Also, his 6.5-inch TFT panel in full color (a Suzuki first!) displays basic bike information, which grants access to: Contacts, maps, music and phone calls are available via Suzuki’s mySPIN app.
Adventuring On
Ducati’s Multistrada comes in many forms, but the new V4 Rally meets all the requirements for long-distance touring.
2023 Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally
Originally conceived as a sport-touring bike, the first Multistrada morphed into a light-duty adventure-touring rig, and then a couple of years ago, reemerged as a hot rod in the ADV segment with a punched-out and all-new V4 S.
That bike was a more capable all-arounder, but with the new 2023 V4 Rally we finally see the bigger 7.9-gallon fuel tank, 19/17 spoked tubeless wheels, longer-travel suspension, and (at last) hard luggage we longed for as standard equipment on a true adventure-tourer. All the boxes are checked here: The 170 hp V-4 Granturismo engine is more than capable; the long-travel (7.9 inches) suspension is fully adjustable front and rear; and the rest of the spec sheet is thoroughly up to date with a full suite of modern tech—four ride modes, lean-sensitive ABS and traction control, and even adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection. In short, the V4 Rally is the best-suited Multistrada for long-distance, two-up travel.
The bigger tank gives it more range, its windscreen is taller and wider than that on the V4 S, and it serves up more spacious passenger accommodations. The 2023 Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally arrives in North America in a version called Adventure Travel & Radar with adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection, aluminum side cases, heated grips and seat.
Triumph’s new Tiger range includes the Tiger 1200 GT Explorer, which the brand says is targeted at the venerable BMW R 1250 GS.
2023 Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer
Triumph made no bones about the fact that it was targeting BMWs R 1250 GS with its new Tiger 1200 GT models, claiming they were lighter, more powerful, and cost less. But this isnt a comparison test; as we noted at the launch, “price-wise it is definitely competitive on a spec-for-spec basis.” Were including the Tiger 1200 GT Explorer here mostly because it recently captured the Guinness world record for greatest distance on a motorcycle in 24 hours, and if that doesnt speak to long-haul capability, we don`t know what does.
True, the record was accomplished in closed-course track conditions, but going 2,500 miles on a stock bike in one day is not nothing. Obviously you need the right tool for the job, and the Tiger 1200 GT Explorer Iván Cervantes used in the attempt brings it in spades, with a 147 hp, 1,160cc triple-cylinder powerplant, semi-active suspension with 7.9 inches of travel, five ride modes, triple disc Brembo brakes with ABS, traction control, cruise control, and a 7-inch TFT screen to keep an eye on everything. If you want something more off-road capable, the Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer brings a 21-inch spoked front wheel with knobbies and added engine guards. Unfortunately, neither model comes with luggage, which costs an extra $1,000 or more depending on the configuration you choose.
It’s often criticized for being ‘too big, too heavy, too complicated’, but for some the BMW R 1250 GS is still the best all-round tourer.
No adventure tourer is complete without mentioning the R 1250 GS. The R 1250 GS continues to set the standard for what is now a highly competitive class of bikes. Recognized by many as the ultimate all-around touring on pavement or in the woods, the GS is a combination of years of great handling, incredible performance, all-day comfort ergonomics and superb balance. This is true of both the base GS model and the more robust GS Adventure equipment, both complemented by an extensive catalog of touring accessories.
In terms of suspension, both trim levels of the R 1250 GS are equipped with telelever units at the front and paralevers at the rear, along with long-travel shock absorbers (8.3 inches of front travel, 8.7 inches of rear travel, optionally with electronic adjustment). increase. ). At the heart of the bike is his 1,254cc boxer twin with his ShiftCam feature producing 136 hp and 105.5 lb.-ft. Maximum torque is complemented by an advanced suite of electronics packed with features like selectable riding modes and traction control. It comes standard with LED lighting, a 7.9-gallon fuel tank and BMW’s IMU-controlled Integral ABS Pro. A 6.5-inch TFT display serves as the command center for basic information and connectivity functions via Bluetooth, including the Google navigation system.
We’ve seen plenty of new competitors trying to take over the best-selling big adventure device, but some say it’s still the winner.
Source: cycleworld.com
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