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Best Two-Up Motorcycles of 2025

Because the rider shouldn’t be the only one having fun.

Kurt Spurlock

Updated: February 14, 2025

Who wouldn’t want to ride on the back of a Street Glide Ultra?Harley-Davidson

If you’ve spent any significant amount of time riding with a passenger, you’ll know that if they aren’t happy, no one is happy. To that end, a good two-up motorcycle needs a comfortable seat out back, but there’s a lot more to finding the right touring bike for two than first-class passenger accommodations.

After all, this is a motorcycle we’re talking about, which means it should still deliver on the power, handling, comfort, and cool factor that makes riding so enjoyable to begin with. For some riders that means nothing short of an 800-pound grand touring bike will do, while others crave something with a little less weight and a little more attitude. Whatever you’re looking for in your next two-up motorcycle, here are our favorite options of the year.

2025 Honda Gold Wing Tour

First-class travel for two: Honda’s Gold Wing Tour remains the tip of the spear for two-up touring.Honda

Honda’s legendary Gold Wing was the bike that started the touring genre as we know it, and five decades later it remains the most revered two-up machine on the planet. In fact, the Gold Wing is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with three new special editions, and the latest Gold Wing Tour may be the most comfortable and capable two-up bike out there.

Essentially a leather recliner on wheels, the Gold Wing pairs massive torque, shockingly good handling, and incredible range with flawless wind protection and a myriad of infotainment features. Add in all the on-bike storage anyone could ask for (the top case/captain’s chair combo alone boasts 61 liters) and convenient two-up features like hill hold assist and a reverse gear and you’ll start to understand why we’ve never heard a passenger complain about a trip on the Wing.

2025 BMW R 18 Transcontinental

The R 18 delivers just the sort of outrageous luxury and sophistication you’d expect from a flagship Bimmer.BMW

A European take on the classic American dresser: that’s what BMW’s R 18 Transcontinental brings to the table, and it’s an absolute home run as a two-up motorcycle. The R 18 stands a step above the rest in terms of style alone, but its classic looks and swooping lines are just the tip of the iceberg.

Adaptive cruise control, a luxurious backrest, and the sweet sound of a six-piece Marshall sound system keep the miles flying by in style and comfort, while 1,802cc of air/oil-cooled boxer engine ensure you’re never wanting for torque in any gear. If American V-twins aren’t your bag and a Gold Wing isn’t your style, chances are this is the touring bike you’ve been missing.

2025 Harley-Davidson Street Glide Ultra

Harley’s Street Glide Ultra is the definition of an American dresser.Harley-Davidson

Speaking of dressers, Harley-Davidson does two-up motorcycles its own way, and the latest Street Glide Ultra remains the quintessential all-American touring machine. Fresh off a ground-up redesign in 2024, the Ultra boasts more power, better handling, and better brakes, and even manages to shed a full 18 pounds over the outgoing version.

Perhaps the greatest compliment of all is that Harley managed to bring the Ultra fully into the modern era without losing any of the character or style that makes a dresser a dresser. The motor runs cooler thanks to liquid-cooled heads and benefits from features like multiple IMU-enabled rider aids, but it still delivers every bit of the sound and fury that makes riding a Harley-Davidson unlike anything else on the road.

2025 Kawasaki Versys 1100 SE LT

The Versys 1100 SE LT ABS brings all the bells and whistles without the luxury tax.Kawasaki

If you want to experience a proper two-up touring motorcycle with all the bells and whistles but don’t want to spend a small fortune doing so, we’d argue Kawasaki’s Versys 1100 SE LT is the best value in the business. We’re talking about a motorcycle that retails for under $20,000, yet comes standard with features like electronic suspension, a full suite of rider aids, heated grips, an adjustable windshield, cruise control, and color-matched hard bags.

As for the passenger accommodations, both the shape and outright size of the Kawasaki’s rear seat are built for long-range comfort, offering plenty of room for two to relax without fear of knocking helmets at every stoplight. The Versys also fully delivers on the fun factor for one rider or two, with over 130 hp and near-flawless handling in the corners.

2025 BMW K 1600 GTL

Ferrari-like acceleration meets Rolls-Royce comfort in the BMW K 1600 GTL.BMW

It’s best to think of the BMW K 1600 GTL as a sport-touring bike given the full-dresser treatment. Silky-smooth inline-six engine, a chassis that’s built for the twisties, and storage galore. Oh, and did we mention 133 lb.-ft. of torque?

A Gold Wing for the performance-minded. Sharp handling meets crisp audio. A 10.25-inch TFT dash with sport mode and a quickshifter. Face-melting acceleration for the pilot, leather-clad backrest for the passenger. Add in a laundry list of standard features that impress at any price (heated grips, heated seat, cruise control, electronically adjustable windscreen, LED lighting, electronic suspension, and electronic reverse), and you’ll understand why BMW’s K series has more than earned a spot on this list.

2025 Yamaha Tracer 9

The Tracer 9 pairs sporty riding with passenger comfort for under $13K.Yamaha

Yamaha’s Tracer 9 proves that bigger isn’t always better when it comes to two-up riding. Weighing just 483 pounds wet, the Tracer trades the fully loaded luxury and outsized displacement of big touring bikes for sharp handling, simplicity, and a lively 890cc three-cylinder engine with plenty of grunt to haul two people or simply haul ass.

Yamaha’s middleweight tourer may not come with all the modern amenities like radar-linked cruise control or heated seats, but it’s got an ace up its sleeve no other bike on this list can match: It retails for just $12,599. You’re still getting plenty of quality components for the money like adjustable KYB suspension, a six-axis IMU, factory hard bags, and a 7-inch TFT dash, which makes a strong argument for this “less is more” weekend getaway machine.

2025 Indian Pursuit Dark Horse

The other American dresser: Thrilling performance meets long-haul luxury in the Indian Pursuit Dark Horse.Indian Motorcycle

Indian hasn’t been afraid to push the performance envelope in the American V-twin segment, and its liquid-cooled, 126 hp Pursuit Dark Horse is a fine example of what’s possible when you do away with conventional thinking. A full-dresser that’s powered by the same 112ci engine slinging King of the Baggers champion Troy Herfoss around Laguna Seca this year? You have our attention.

And while performance plays a large part in the Pursuit’s appeal, it’s backed by the sort of creature comforts you’d expect from a $38,000 touring motorcycle. A few highlights include a six-speaker 600-watt stereo, heated seats front and rear, over 36 gallons of waterproof storage, and integrated turn-by-turn navigation on the full-color TFT dash.