There are over 13 types of motorcycles in the market, which cater to every kind of rider, from street hooligans to track junkies and from trailblazers to commuters. But for those stung by the wanderlust bug, the first choice is usually an adventure bike or a tourer bike. In fact, in recent years, both these segments have seen a massive spike in sales figures, thanks to the rising travel interests fueled by social media and purchasing power of the current generation. They want machines that can take them across the world in comfort.
Choosing between an ADV and a tourer is easy if you know your riding style — off-roading enthusiasts will go for an ADV, and mile munchers will go for tourers. But the more you think about these two segments, the more confused you'll get. Modern motorcycles constantly blur the lines of classifications. Both types of motorcycles are often large, capable of crossing continents without breaking down, and have a ton of potential for storing your luggage. So, let's clear out your doubt.
Making The Tough Choice
What are the differences between ADVs and tourers? The differences are pretty simple, considering their function. Think of adventure bikes as a mix of dual sports and tourers; these motorcycles come with features such as:
- Long travel suspension to handle dirt roads
- Dual sport tires with (sometimes) spoked wheels for better handling off-road
- Torquey engines that can overcome obstacles and often cruise at decent speeds for hours
- Comfortable ergonomics for both sitting and saddling
- Endless customization options to suit your riding style
- A tall and imposing stance that looks hot
- The bikes are incredibly rugged to handle all sorts of riding conditions
Adventure bikes are the Swiss-army-knives of motorcycles; one can even compare them to SUVs. On the other hand, touring motorcycles are like an ax — made for only one purpose. Tourers are designed with extended hours in the saddle in mind, i.e., unparalleled comfort. So, they come with features like:
- Smooth, easygoing engines with enough punch to sustain European freeways at low revs
- Ergonomics designed for ultimate comfort for both the rider and the backpack — they're sofas on two wheels
- Fine-tuned suspension and chassis that give them excellent stability on the highways
- A lot of storage options in the form of factory-fitted hard cases and panniers
- Enough technological features and creature comforts to confuse you — good luck remembering all of them
- Often unparalleled reliability and ease of ownership
With these in mind, it gets easier to distinguish the two segments. But with these features, you must also keep many trade-offs in mind.
There's Always A Trade-off
You wouldn't take a Yamaha V-Max off-roading or a Kawasaki KLR 650 cornering — unless you're brave (or stupid). In the same vein, you can't treat a tourer like an ADV and vice versa. Both motorcycles are purpose-built for one thing and fail in the other.
Starting with adventure bikes, they are versatile motorcycles, but they aren't the best at anything per se. Yes, they have potent engines (at least some of them) but can't keep up with supersports; they have excellent suspension but can't corner so well; and they have off-road oriented features but can't tackle technical trails. In essence, adventure bikes are designed for riders who want to do a bit of everything without being locked into a single segment.
Tourers come with trade-offs that are usually deal-breakers for most bikes. The biggest downside of tourers is that they're big and heavy, so they're not approachable for new riders, and they are pretty cumbersome to maneuver at low speeds. Plus, tourers are usually ridiculously expensive and not accessible for everyone unless you purchase ancient Honda Gold Wings. And unlike adventure bikes or even street bikes, tourers cannot handle rough roads at all. They have purely road-oriented suspension and tires, designed with the presumption that you will never encounter rough roads on your journeys.
Best Adventure Motorcycles
- Royal Enfield Himalayan
- BMW R 1250 GS
- Honda CRF1100 Africa Twin
- Yamaha Tenere
- Ducati DesertX
Which One's Right For You?
By now, you'd have already made up your mind. Touring motorcycles are your best bet if you are a road-oriented biker looking for ultimate creature comforts and a fast way to cover long distances. You can even go a step further with sports tourers — a relatively new segment that combines the comfort of tourers with the performance of sports bikes. Trust us, the sports touring segment is getting exciting, thanks to the Kawasaki H2 SX SE, a supercharged sports touring sibling of the radical H2. But don't worry, there are many sane options in the sports touring segment, too.
And if you travel without a plan in mind, explore unexplored paths, or don't think through your routes, adventure bikes are perfect. These bikes allow you to reach places that are hard to reach by "mere mortals" — think the cold deserts of Siberia, high mountain passes of the Himalayas, or the Starbucks just around the corner. These bikes can handle everything you throw at them, from frantic weekend rides to mild off-road trails, but don't expect them to excel at any of them. ADVs exemplify "a jack of all trades, master of none, but still better than a master of one." Yep, that's how the saying goes.
Best Touring Motorcycles
- Honda Gold Wing
- BMW R 1250 RT
- BMW K 1600 GTL
- Harley-Davidson Ultra Glide Limited
- Indian Challenger
Is There The Best Of Both Worlds?
Alright, ADVs are like this, and tourers are like that, but what if you're still confused between this and that? Can you choose something that combines the best of both worlds? Thanks to a niche segment of motorcycles called adventure tourers, you're in luck. These motorcycles combine the best qualities of both ADVs and tourers, as they are comfortable, road-oriented motorcycles that can still handle some rough roads. Plus, their road-oriented nature and often naked bike-derived platforms make them light, peppy, and fun to ride on weekends.
As you may have guessed, they trade off some qualities for this versatility. For example, adventure tourers can't handle anything rougher than dirt roads, can't do crazy speeds on the freeway, and don't offer the best comfort like their touring counterparts. Still, for someone looking for a practical solution to the ADVs vs. tourers conundrum, adventure touring motorcycles are the right approach. Adventure tourers can surprise you with their versatility and practicality. You can even commute on some of them!
Best Adventure Tourers
- Honda CB500X
- Kawasaki Versys 650 and 1000
- Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Pro
- Ducati Multistrada V4 and V2
- Suzuki V-Strom 650 and 1000