If there is any market in the automotive sector that has seen growth it has to be the adventure bike market.
With the ongoing pandemic, the few of us that still have a disposable income have been blessed with an opportunity of a lifetime to just get out on a motorcycle and explore nature. With the social distance requirements all over the world, going around in an overlander, 4x4 or any vehicle in a group attracts unwanted attention, unlike a motorcycle which pretty much speaks for itself. If you are one of the lucky ones, these are the 10 best new adventure bikes for you to choose from.
10 Ducati Multistrada Enduro
After over a decade of the Multistrada, an incredible tourer, Ducati decided to give it some decent off-road ability and appeal more to the ever-expanding Adventure bike market.
By all rights, they hit it out of the park, if money is no object, then this is an object you might fancy. It is the premium bike in this segment, making the trusty GS look utilitarian.
9 KTM 1290 Super Adventure
As far as more off-road-focused Adventure machines go, you need not look much further than KTM in general.
Their range-topping Super Adventure is their signature bike, but it also possesses some of the most polarizing looks. All of their Adventure bikes are fantastic, they just all look like this, so if you like it, don’t bother looking at other brands, if you hate it, then move on.
8 BMW R1250GS
After years of having almost no competition, the market just exploded, and to be fair they have come up with pretty good answers to anything else that has come about.
It is without any doubt still the staple, it will take you anywhere and back again (see; Long Way Down) and it only has one real criticism; it can be a little too good, making it just a little boring. You also won’t exactly stand out of the crowd on one of these.
7 Honda Africa Twin
Another stalwart of this market segment has become one of the most balanced machines out there, offering solid off-road capabilities to match its comfortable ride.
This is an exceptional machine that also offers loads of functional technology including a DTC variant. It is also comparatively affordable, if you are after a best of both worlds type of machine, this is it.
6 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250
At present, we can only really go by the numbers and a few riders' impressions, if those impressions stand the test of time Harley-Davidson may well have gone and done the unthinkable and created an all-conquering Adventure bike.
It will sit in the premium price bracket, but you do get what you pay for as it comes with all the bells and whistles, watch this space.
5 Kawasaki KLR650
Although it has been around for decades now, almost unchanged, it still has a lot going for it. Enthusiasts will swear by it, attesting to its incredible reliability and go-anywhere ability.
It is however painfully slow on the road, in base form, and the tires that come standard will leave you struggling for traction off it. It is much more of a dual sport or enduro trying to be an Adventure machine, but if you are willing to accept the compromise, it is unrivaled value.
4 Triumph Tiger
When it was first launched it was just an alternative to the mainstream Adventure bikes, but that perspective quickly changed, and it became one of their best-selling bikes, let alone Adventure bikes, the brand has produced.
As an 800cc machine, it established itself as the go-to small Adventure bike, capable both on and off-road. It has since grown up a bit and gone back to the 900cc configuration and is better than ever.
3 Yamaha Tenere 700
Although not everyone will agree, the Tenere is something of a Goldilocks machine, able to do everything the aforementioned big bikes do, just, in some ways better.
It is a remarkable piece of engineering, somehow able to do everything exceptionally well, the tractable parallel twin is more suitable for long rides than the KLR thumper, it's lightweight and flickable off-road, yet still comes in at under $10k.
2 Aprilia Tuareg 660
Very little is known about the Tuareg, pretty much all we have at the moment is a spec sheet, and what a spec sheet it is.
It has the potential to blow the Yamaha out of the water, the other 660s have already proven to be smash hits, at least if public perception is anything to go by, and who’s to say it will be any different with the Tuareg?
1 Husqvarna Norden 901
Confirmed for next year, it will fall between the mid-range and the top-of-the-range bikes, likely stealing sales from both segments.
It will surely have everything that makes the KTMs great, without the awful looks, dare we say, with incredible good looks. If they get their pricing right, this will be the machine to have.