The Best Adventure Motorcycles for 2023: Ride Everywhere

The V-Strom line offers new or budget-conscience adventure riders an affordable way to explore the world on a legendary V-twin. Well known for being reliable, versatile, and inexpensive, the 650 platform is a great way to join the fast-growing sport of adventure motorcycle riding.

Differences in the models are small but important. The standard V-Strom 650 (shown) comes with 10-spoke cast wheels with tubeless tires, while the XT model has spoke-style wheels with tubeless tires, hand guards, and a protective lower engine cowl.

The 650XT Adventure comes with everything the XT does in addition to a rugged accessory bar and 37L quick-release aluminum panniers. Depending on your riding style, goals, and budget, the 650 may be all the bike you’ll need.

If you can afford a bit more, budget adventure riders can now get a more purpose-built bike for their money with the new 800DE model.

Aprilia, having just joined the adventure motorcycle scene last year, no changes have been announced for the Tuareg 660 for 2023. Aprilia has done a good job offering a compelling new ADV bike at a reasonable price.

At only 450 pounds wet, the Tuareg is nicely placed at the smaller end of the mid-weight options. The suspension has a whopping 9.4 inches of travel in both the front and rear, giving it one of the highest ranges of suspension travel in its class.

Fuel is carried low, having a big impact on how the bike handles and making it relatively easy to pick up for a bike this size. There are tons of unique, well-thought-out features to discover if you take the time to research this bike thoroughly.

For the many folks struggling to find a Ténéré 700 or who are thinking about paying over MSRP to get one, the Tuareg deserves consideration. 

The Ténéré 700, or “T7,” has enjoyed a huge following since conception. Unfortunately, Yamaha has not been able to keep up with demand. If you can manage to find one, it is indeed a special bike worthy of the accolades it has received.

Yamaha has succeeded in offering the ADV community something that no other manufacturer has to date: a rock-solid engine in a capable ADV bike at an incredibly low price. How did they do that? Well, compared to the competition, the Ténéré 700 has almost zero extras.

For some, this is a compromise; for others, a preference. If you need ride modes, traction control, and cruise control to enjoy your ride, this is not your bike.

If you like the simplicity of a basic setup that will help you become a better rider by the sheer absence of rider aids, start looking now. It might take you a while to find one, and you will likely have to pay above MSRP to get it. If you want more bang for your buck, look at the Tuareg 660. 

The F 750 is better suited for pavement than the F 850, coming with 19-inch front and 17-inch rear cast aluminum wheels. All GS models come equipped with innovative features and state-of-the-art technology, proving a plush ride regardless of which size you choose.

Additionally, BMW has a whole host of optional upgrades to make sure your bike meets all of your needs. If you go with the F 750 GS over the bigger, more off-road capable 850 models, you will potentially save a fair amount of money and a little bit of weight but also get a little less power, have a shorter range, and have less wind protection.

If you are looking at BMW because you want a GS and you’d like to be able to take your bike down any road you come across, check out the F 850 GS for better ground clearance, bigger, spoked wheels, and better suspension. 

Brand new for 2023, Suzuki has stepped up to the plate offering adventure riders a more dirt-oriented bike with the addition of the 800DE model (shown) to the V-Strom lineup.

The 800DE fits nicely into the V-Strom family between the popular 650 and 1050 options. This is particularly exciting due to the fact that the larger, mid-weight lineup of ADV bikes is notably lacking affordable options, and the V-Stroms are known for providing great value for the money. 

The Adventure model on the 800 platform comes equipped with quick-release black-anodized 37L aluminum panniers, plus a rugged accessory bar and aluminum skid plate for true off-road touring capability.

While the base weight is unfortunately on the heavy side at 507 pounds (we don’t know what the Adventure model add-ons weigh), Suzuki’s reputation for reliability coupled with a fair price point will suit many.

The standard F 850 GS (shown) is a trimmed-down version of the F 850 GS Adventure with a smaller fuel tank, fairing, and shorter suspension. The Adventure model, or “GSA” as it is often referred to, comes with quite a bit more and, as a result, weighs significantly more.

At 538 pounds, the GSA is a heavy adventure motorcycle for the mid-weight category but also the most long-distance-touring-friendly for this displacement. With its large gas tank, windshield, and bulky fairing, the F 850 GSA offers good range, weather protection, and comfort.

Don’t be misled by the base prices, as you will quickly realize many of the BMW features you want are optional, and they add up fast. Depending on what kind of adventure riding you want to do, if you are a BMW fan, you might find that for the weight and the price of the 850, you can get more bike for your money with the GS 1250.

A good reason to stick with a BMW? They have a 3-year, 36,000-mile warranty — one of the best in the business.

The Moto Guzzi V85TT has a transverse V-twin engine and is shaft driven — a unique combination. The standard model V85TT (shown) comes with quite a few comfort, performance, and tech features that you might not expect on an old-fashioned-looking bike.

The Adventure model has even more. If you crave classic, retro styling and a ton of character, and you’re more interested in road travel than aggressive off-road capability, take a peek at the details of this Moto Guzzi. You’ll be surprised by what you get for your adventure motorcycle money. Spoiler alert: there’s gorgeous luggage involved.

Updated for 2023, the KTM 890 Adventure base model (shown) has received some nice upgrades that make it even more appealing at this price point. You might quickly find yourself spending more, though, as KTM has cleverly introduced a new demo mode, allowing you to test out all the optional electronic rider aids for the first 932 miles.

Upon startup, after you’ve passed that mark, the aids will vanish, and you may decide you need to purchase just one or two upgrades, or perhaps you’ll feel compelled to spring for the full tech pack. Regardless of your decision there, the reworked adjustable suspension, improved seat comfort, electronics, and better wind protection will serve you well.

The key difference between the Adventure R model and every other bike in the midweight ADV category is the suspension. Lightweight, responsive, and powerful, this bike is just as capable, comfortable, and fun on the twisties as it is on single track.

More dirt-oriented than the base model, this bike is for you if you want the highest-performing, easiest-to-pick-up adventure motorcycle money can buy.

Released in 2020 to replace the well-loved Tiger 800, Triumph has done an amazing job producing a high-quality, capable, and comfortable range of bikes to meet all your adventure motorcycle needs.

If you prefer more road riding, the 900 GT (shown) and 900 GT Pro will take care of you on everything from urban adventures to proper long-distance travel. It comes with a 19-inch front and 17-inch cast wheel.

The GT Low model saves nearly 2 inches in seat height by slightly reducing the suspension travel. As this is the more street-oriented model, the tiny loss in ground clearance shouldn’t pose an issue.

If you want an adventure bike built for maximum off-road, all-day riding capability, control, and comfort, the Tiger 900 Rally and Rally Pro have you covered. The latter comes with a tubeless, spoked 21-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel. 

Triumph also offers a 3-year, unlimited-mile warranty. Imagine how many miles you could lay down on one of these in three years!

First released in 2022, the Norden 901 is based on the well-loved KTM 890 Adventure platform. The key difference is the Norden is set up to be more comfortable on the road for traveling long distances than the 890, with a wider, plusher seat and softer suspension.

This bike stands out from the competition because of its relatively low MSRP and power-to-weight ratio — an impressive 105 horsepower and 472 pounds. Despite looking chunky, the fuel and engine weight are down low, making it feel surprisingly light and responsive.

Don’t let KTM’s reputation for being high maintenance scare you off; the oil change interval on this bike is a whopping 9,300 miles.

A welcome addition to the popular mid-weight adventure bike category, the Norden 901 handles very well on- or off-road and is comfortable, powerful, and fun to ride.

Introduced in 2022, the DesertX is an exciting addition to the mid-weight ADV motorcycle lineup. This is the first modern Ducati with a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear tire, long-stroke suspension, and a frame designed specifically for off-road adventuring.

Ducati did their homework, successfully offering an impressive package that stands out from the crowd. Head-turning styling and overall build quality; amazing suspension, brakes, and electronics package; and, of course, the most powerful engine in its class.

This is Ducati we’re talking about, after all. If you don’t want to make any concessions in performance or comfort going between on- and off-road riding, the DesertX is one of the most capable and highest-quality adventure motorcycles currently available.

Suzuki has been inspired by the competition, introducing a whole host of revisions to the 1050 V-Strom and making it a better performing, more comfortable, and more versatile platform.

The new DE model replaces the XT model from prior years, with the intention of offering a more off-road capable model to the lineup. How does the DE differ from the base model? The standard 1050 (shown) comes with 19-inch front and 17-inch rear tubeless 10-spoke cast wheels.

The DE has a spoked 21-inch tubed front wheel and 17-inch tubeless rear, offering better ground clearance and taller suspension for off-road performance, among other features.

The Adventure model is equipped with all the updates of the DE, with the addition of travel accessories such as aluminum panniers and LED fog lights.

As of writing, the official 2023 models, options, and corresponding pricing for the Africa Twin lineup have yet to be confirmed for the US market. But no best adventure bikes list is complete without the Africa Twin.

Shown is the 2022 Adventure Sports ES model. With a lot of new adventure bikes popping up in the mid-weight category, Honda’s popular CRF1100L platform has some stiff competition.

It may not be the lightest, fastest, or highest-performing adventure motorcycle on the market, but Honda has given us a solid, good-performing, ultra-reliable, quality-made ADV bike that has been popular around the world for decades.

Most importantly, it handles the road just as well as the dirt and offers great value for the money. How do you argue with all that?

Making its world debut in 2023, the V4 Rally is an updated Multistrada on steroids. It has way too many bells and whistles to list (we have a whole article on that here), but you can trust that all your power, comfort, safety, and connectivity needs will be exceeded.

Solo or two-up, this bike will confidently adjust to accommodate any conditions you might throw at it. Leading the pack in radar technology, the V4 is the first motorcycle in production to have both front and rear radar for adaptive cruise control and blind spot warnings.

Boasting more horsepower than any other ADV bike on the market, fuel consumption is something to investigate, especially if you are looking for the longest range possible.

The main reason this may not be the bike for you? Sit down before you read the price range.

The Super Ténéré is Yamaha’s biggest adventure motorcycle and has been around for years. It has a large following and is known for being trustworthy and capable.

Unlike its little brother, the Ténéré 700, which notoriously carries its weight high, the engine mass is kept low on the 1200 for great handling. It does come with more features than the 700, but fewer than its competitors in the heavyweight category.

Fewer electronics mean less to fail, making it a reliable and durable choice for long-distance travel. The Super Ténéré does have basic frills, like cruise and traction control, and adjustable suspension.

This bike has been and will continue to be a solid choice for adventure riding.

Triumph’s 1200 lineup got a complete makeover for 2022. A new engine, chassis, suspension, brakes — the whole works. The biggest complaint about the old 1200s was the weight. That has gone down, so good job Triumph for listening.

More road-focused with a 19-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel, the GT series includes the base model GT (shown), GT Pro, and GT Explorer. The Rally Pro and Rally Explorer models are more dirt-oriented, with a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked wheel, more ground clearance, and longer travel suspension.

The Rally models are the same bikes, except the Explorer comes with a larger tank size (5.3 gallons versus 7.9 gallons), blind-spot detection, fuel tank protection bars, standard heated seats, and taller handlebar risers.

Fast, agile, and comfortable, there is a Tiger for everyone in this broad lineup.

The big BMW GS bikes are what come to mind for many when we think of adventure motorcycles. The GS Adventure — or “GSA” — is a beefed-up version of the base GS (shown), having bigger fuel capacity, more wind protection, spoked wheels, and higher clearance for off-road riding.

These behemoths may be heavy, but they are easier to pick up than you may expect, thanks to the big cylinder heads and crash bars that hold them partly upright.

If you are tempted to save money or weight by going with the base model, you might want to take a look at all the add-ons you’d likely want, calculate how the weight would be impacted, and compare it to what comes included in the price of the GSA.

There’s a reason BMW has a loyal brand following in the adventure bike ecosystem; they’ve set the bar high.

Seeing extensive revisions in 2021, the KTM 1290 platform has only minor updates for 2023.

The Adventure S model (shown) is the more long-distance, road-oriented sibling of the aggressively off-road capable Adventure R model. The 1290 models cover ground quickly and effortlessly and have the ergonomics to make sure your adventures are as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

KTMs are highly customizable and known for being incredibly lightweight, fun, and powerful. Because of that, they’re one of the best adventure motorcycles on- and off-road.