Adventure bikes have remorselessly increased in complication, size and weight over the years. Luckily, this has also been alongside a huge increase in ability but still there are many riders who find them intimidatingly large and who are put off riding them.
Ironically, this has been to the advantage of the manufacturers, who have found a ready market for middleweight adventure bikes to the point where there are just as many middleweights as there are full-size bikes. If anything, the presence of the middleweights raises questions along the lines of, ‘why do I need anything bigger/heavier/more expensive?’ Luckily for the manufacturers, however, the demand for the big ones is still high so we, the consumers, are spoiled for choice. Here’s our pick of the best of both worlds.
10 Full-Size: BMW R1250GS - $17,995
The grandfather of adventure bikes, the BMW GS somehow continues to get better with every new version, when the last one being already incredibly competent. Despite the concept being over 40 years old, the GS is still the adventure bike by which all others are measured. Not only is it massively impressive off-road, it is also a touring bike par excellence, with all-day comfort and excellent wind protection.
The new Shiftcam engine, with variable valve timing, has breathed new life into the venerable boxer twin that shows no signs of becoming outdated anytime soon. Yes, it’s big, but it’s extremely well-balanced and sure-footed, with a low center of gravity, and the range of after-market accessories is huge. One of the all-time great motorcycles.
9 Full-Size: KTM 1290 Super Adventure R - $20,299
The pretender to the throne upon which the BMW sits and many would argue that the KTM is even better and deserves top spot. 160 horsepower and 101 foot pounds of torque from the 1301cc V-Twin is complete overkill, but the electronics do a good job of reining it all in, as on the BMW, while making for an effortless long-distance tourer.
KTM has put all of its off-road know-how into these big adventure bikes, and it shows: the KTM is hardcore in a way the BMW can only dream of and skilled riders will find a lot to love. Perhaps the build quality isn’t up to that of the BMW, but it’s not far behind. Two versions are available: the ’S’ is slightly more road orientated while the ‘R’ is the all-singing, all-dancing off-roader.
8 Full-Size: Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special - $21,399
What a coup for Harley! To not only enter a brand-new category, but also to hit it out of the ballpark at your first attempt is a massive achievement for this traditional company and all the more gratifying for it. The Pan America is an extremely good adventure bike that succeeded in bringing new ideas to the table in the form of self-lowering rear suspension to get round the age-old problem of too-tall motorcycles.
That in itself is impressive but so is the all-new liquid-cooled V-Twin engine, pushing out 150 horsepower and 94 foot pounds is more than enough and off-road performance is nothing short of excellent, while all-day comfort has been dealt with perfectly. The looks might be divisive, but you can’t argue that it’s not distinctive.
7 Full-Size: Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Pro - $23,195
Triumph has the unerring knack of bringing out a model and then, with the next generation, improving it out of all recognition. There’s not a model in the range where this has not happened and nowhere is it more noticeable than in the Tiger adventure range. What started out as a good adventure bike is now able to hold its head up high in any company.
The triple-cylinder engine has been given a new lease of character and usability by altering the firing order to give the best characteristics of a twin- and a four-cylinder: great low down torque and a howling yet still powerful top end. The comfort is excellent, the electronics sophisticated and overall quality is exceptional, possibly better even than BMW.
6 Full-Size: Ducati Multistrada 1260 - $30,995
‘Multistrada’ is Italian for ‘Many Roads’ as this was how Ducati was pitching the new model. However, the first Multistradas were largely adventure-styled road bikes, and it was only later that a true adventure Multistrada appeared in the form of the Multistrada Enduro, launched for the 2016 model year. Finally, here was a Multistrada with off-road potential.
The 1198cc V-Twin engine pushes out a KTM-equalling 160 horsepower and similar torque and there’s no need to complain about the electronics, which are excellent, as is the overall comfort of the bike and the performance and handling is spectacular. The only sticking point you might have is paying $30,000 for the privilege, when you could have a KTM 1290 Super Adventure S for $20,000 and a BMW R1250GS for $17,995. Would you really be willing to throw the Ducati at the scenery with the potential repair costs? But, as a motorcycle in the adventure-touring vein, it is hard to beat, if lacking the off-road credentials of the other bikes on this list.
5 Middleweight: Yamaha Tenere 700 - $10,499
With every other manufacturer playing keeping-up-with-the-Joneses in terms of ever more complication and electronic sophistication, not to mention weight and bulk, Yamaha went in completely the other direction, creating what is possibly the purest adventure bike on the market today. If anything, the Tenere 7 is more of a road-legal large enduro bike, tall and narrow and not overly heavy at 452 pounds, almost 100 pounds lighter than the BMW R1250GS and 60 pounds lighter than the BMW F850GS.
73 horsepower and 50 foot pounds of torque from the 689cc parallel twin engine is more than enough to tackle any terrain and, while the comfort is not up there with the big guns in this class, it is acceptable. Think of the T7 as a hardcore adventure bike and in no way compromised by the need to pander to ‘soft-roaders’ and you’ll be right on the money.
4 Middleweight: Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro - $17,395
It’s bikes such as the Tiger 900 that really have you thinking hard to come up with reasons to buy anything bigger. There is nothing the Tiger 1200 does that the Tiger 900 does just as well or better, and that includes long-distance touring. Comfort is excellent, the chassis is superb, the suspension top-shelf, the brakes Brembo’s finest, the electronics perfect, and at 130 pounds lighter than the Tiger 1200 Rally Pro (admittedly with the 30 liter gas tank: with the standard 20 litre tank, the weight difference is 107 pounds). It shows how much extraneous weight the larger models are carrying and also how much more nimble and controllable the Tiger 900 must be off-road. Yet again, Triumph knocks it out of the park with the next generation of a much-loved model.
3 Middleweight: Aprilia Tuareg 660 - $11,999
On the border of middleweight and lightweight, the Aprilia Tuareg 660 is a bold attempt by Aprilia, better known for their bonkers sports and naked sports bikes but starting to diversify thanks to the new 660cc parallel twin engine. On paper, the 100 horsepower engine is all wrong for an adventure bike, being all top-end power, but Aprilia understands this, so power is detuned to 79 horsepower and the torque peak has been moved 2,000 rpm lower, with 90% available from 5,500rpm.
The performance is so lively that, yet again, it begs the question: why do you need anything bigger? It looks like a big dual sport bike and the seat is deceptively comfortable, even for a pillion. Its closest competitor is the Yamaha T7 but the Aprilia takes a completely different approach, with a huge electronics suite. Build quality appears to be good but some might question if it is $1,600 better than the Yamaha.
2 Middleweight: KTM 890 Adventure R - $15,199
Another of those bikes that makes you wonder why you would need the excess of the 1290 Adventure. The parallel twin engine pushes out 105 horsepower and 74 foot pounds of torque, in a 464-pound adventure bike: that is more than anyone could ever need and ignore them if they say different. The KTM 890 Adventure R is simply incredible off-road, while losing very little in on-road behavior to larger adventure bikes. Typically, KTM comfort is compromised a little by the hard seat, but that is about the only criticism you can throw at the bike. Fully adjustable suspension by WP is a classy piece of kit and the 890 Adventure doubles both as a bike for the expert while flattering the less-experienced rider.
1 Middleweight: Husqvarna Norden 901 - $17,764
Essentially a KTM 890 Adventure under the more attractive skin, the Husqvarna nevertheless manages to have its own personality alongside equal levels of ability, although it is difficult to justify the extra cost over the KTM. This is a new direction for Husqvarna, having previously concentrated solely on the MX and Enduro market, the Swartpilen and Witpilen notwithstanding.
It was a logical development for the now-KTM-owned brand and, if it is an 890 Adventure under the skin, it brings a welcome diversity to the middleweight class. One area it does score over the KTM is in overall comfort, the Norden having an unusually broad seat for the class. Wind protection is adequate, and with everything else being KTM-based, there is plenty of ability built in, although you might want to invest in some crash protection as the extensive and exposed side panels will be expensive to repair or replace. Still, it’s good-looking and distinctive.