Tips for Buying an Adventure Bike
Adventure motorcycles, or ADV bikes, have become wildly popular in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. They typically offer rugged construction, comfortable ergonomics, and a remarkable blend of on- and off-road performance that makes them something like the Swiss Army knife of motorcycles.
Their do-it-all nature appeals to a broad range of riders, whether their interests lie in commuting, long-distance touring, or mild—and sometimes wild—off-road adventures. And while overall motorcycle sales have softened in recent years, the ADV segment continues to flourish.
What Is an ADV Bike?
Not unlike the automotive SUV category, which spans everything from rugged off-roaders to sporty crossovers, the ADV market offers a vast spectrum of motorcycles. Some lean toward sport touring, while others can handle much gnarlier terrain. They range from relatively small, simple and lightweight machines to big, heavy, robust bikes with large-displacement engines and advanced features.
A few defining features are common to nearly all ADV bikes:
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Riding Position: ADV bikes are designed around an upright, natural riding position. Wide, tall handlebars offer good leverage and control, while the foot pegs promote a neutral stance, neither too far rear-set, nor too far forward. Saddles are usually broad and well padded, which supports comfort on long-haul rides while providing the control needed to navigate tricky terrain or tight spaces.
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Ground Clearance: Intended to leave the pavement, at least occasionally, ADV bikes generally provide more clearance between the bottom of the engine and terra firma. This comes in handy when avoiding rocks, divots, and logs.
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Suspension Travel: Contributing to that added ground clearance is a suspension setup that offers more compliance than a sportier motorcycle, along with greater travel for climbing over obstacles. It also works well for soaking up potholes, rutted gravel roads, and dirt trails.
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Torquey Powertrains: Engine configurations vary by manufacturer and model. Parallel twins, boxer twins, V-twins, and single-cylinder engines are all common, but they generally offer usable power and ample torque without requiring a lot of revs.
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Generous Fuel Tanks: Because ADV bikes originated with riders looking to venture far off the beaten path, they are often equipped with larger fuel tanks that extend the range between refueling stops that will likely be few and far between.
Considerations When Shopping
When shopping for a motorcycle, be honest with yourself about your riding experience, physical comfort level, and how you realistically plan to use the bike. Those factors should weigh in heavily when choosing the right machine.
ADV bikes generally fall into three broad size categories:
- Small and Lightweight: Typically 500 cc or smaller, typically weighing around 300 to 400 lb.
- Middleweight: Generally 600 to 900 cc and weighing 400 to 500 lb.
- Full-size or large: Usually 1,000 cc or more, weighing at least 500 lb and beyond.
Novice riders, as well as those smaller in stature, may find that large ADV bikes have more height, power or bulk than they’re comfortable managing. Consider the likelihood of the motorcycle going down and how easily you would be able to manage righting it yourself. The middleweight class is often the Goldilocks solution, providing abundant power and substance for touring, even with a passenger and gear, while maintaining a more manageable size and weight.
The smallest bikes are not only easier to manage for riders of all sizes, but they are typically the most fuel-efficient and affordable to buy. The downside is that some are designed around tighter budgets, which can limit durability over truly tough terrain. They may also struggle with the amount of gear required for lengthy travel. Smaller-displacement engines can be buzzy at highway speeds, making them less desirable for big trips.
Carefully consider where and how you plan to use your ADV, too. Some arrive from the showroom with option packages that make them surprisingly capable on serious off-road adventures, but those features (really knobby tires, for instance) can hinder on-road performance. If you are unlikely to leave the pavement for more than occasional stints on gravel roads, an expedition-ready machine is probably overkill and may add unnecessary weight, cost, and complexity.
Before handing over cash for any new bike, but especially an ADV, plan a test ride to make sure its size, setup, and features suit your intentions, preferences, and needs.
Setting Up for Adventure
Once you have chosen an ADV bike, the fun begins—even before the ride does. The features and accessories available for adventure motorcycles surpass those in nearly any other segment, allowing riders to further customize their machines for the adventures they want to pursue.
Comfort, Safety, and Practicality
While ADV bikes are usually dialed in for comfort right from the factory, there is still plenty of room to tailor one to a rider’s specific needs. Custom seats can provide more cushioning, a different shape, or a higher or lower riding position. Companies such as Corbin and Sargent have offered alternatives to factory seats for decades. Heated-seat options are available for riders who venture out in chilly conditions, and factory and aftermarket heated grips can further improve comfort. There are often auxiliary switches to add additional amenities, like a GPS, communications devices or plugs for heated gear.
Likewise, the height and shape of the windscreen can provide more or less protection from the elements. On some larger bikes, the standard windscreen is adjustable to suit changing conditions and a rider’s preferences on the road.
Another feature common to adventure bikes is the ability to easily add luggage and racks. Both motorcycle manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers offer impressive storage options, ranging from soft-sided bags and compartments to lockable hard-case panniers that can work with the motorcycle’s key fob.
Riders who plan to take their ADV bikes off pavement may want to add a skid plate beneath the engine to prevent rocks and impacts from causing damage. Engine crash bars and hand guards can also provide peace of mind that, if, or when, the bike takes a tumble, it is far less likely to suffer serious damage. Also consider how much weight you add to the bike in case it does need to be righted.
Top Picks
The considerable popularity of adventure bikes in recent years has expanded the number of great motorcycles available across the board. New entries now span the size spectrum, sometimes from manufacturers that have not previously built ADV bikes.
Heavyweight: BMW R 1300 GS
The big Bavarian boxer has largely defined the class for decades and was made famous by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s globe-circling adventures. Its 1,300 cc engine provides an abundance of power and torque, while an advanced electronically adaptive suspension setup makes this big bike equally at home cruising at freeway speeds or tackling trails off-road.
Also consider the Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer and the bulletproof Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin.
Middleweight: Yamaha Ténéré 700
Despite using the same parallel-twin engine found in Yamaha’s racy R7 sport bike, this mill still delivers the low-end grunt a proper ADV bike needs. Combine that with capable, manageable handling on- and off-road, and the Yamaha is often celebrated as a top middleweight choice.
Also consider the Honda XL750 Transalp and BMW F 900 GS.
Lightweight: Royal Enfield Himalayan 450
Despite its modest price point, modestly powered single-cylinder engine, and cool retro styling, the Himalayan offers manageable weight, a good-sized fuel tank, and a 21 in front/17 in rear wheel combination much like the big-dog ADV bikes. Add a low seat height and an impressive feature set for the money, and it becomes a compelling choice.
Also consider the small and basic, but highly reliable, Honda CRF300L Rally, the KTM 390 Adventure, or if the budget allows, the BMW F 450 GS.
No other style of motorcycle offers quite the freedom to go anywhere and do anything the way an adventure bike does. Get out there, try a few bikes, and start outfitting your new ride for its next big excursion.
Marketplace Inventory
Jeff Wilson
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