Best Off-Road Middleweight Adventure-Touring Motorcycles

After experiencing steady growth over the last decade, the adventure bike market really took off during the pandemic, with cooped-up riders fueling double-digit increases in what’s become an ever more specialized and segmented genre. Big-bore adventurers like BMW’s R 1300 GS or Ducati’s Multistrada get most of the headlines, but lots of casual riders looking for off-road capability in their machines don’t need electronic suspension, 6-gallon fuel tanks, 120-plus horsepower, and 38-inch seat heights—not to mention an MSRP of $20,000 (plus). Enter the middleweight ADV class, a group that offers less weight, a bit less suspension travel, and fewer doodads, but in some cases are easier to ride in dirt, thanks to their lighter mass and lower centers of gravity. Our picks are versatile, with most equipped with off-road-oriented spoke wheels and offering good ground clearance, and some even pile on concessions to touring, like cruise control and protective windshields. They’re compact and affordable, but still super fun when the pavement ends. Looking for even more affordable ADV options? Read the Best Affordable Adventure Bikes 2023 article.

We’ll probably get comments about skipping the Moto Guzzi V85 TT or Kawasaki KLR650 or Triumph Tiger, so drop them here and let’s talk it out.

80 hp

412 lb. (dry)

Ground clearance: 9.5 in.

When Aprilia first considered reentering the adventure bike arena a few years ago, the company made no bones about wanting to produce a machine that could properly tackle the off-road part of the equation. The Tuareg’s 21-inch front wheel and long-travel suspension serve to confirm that claim; the fully adjustable front and rear Kayaba components offer more than 9 inches of travel on both ends, with ground clearance to spare for most any off-road foray. The adventure is further enhanced by way of a 659cc parallel twin with a tractable power delivery well suited to ADV riding and an impressively light weight. Four ride modes help optimize power characteristics and the whole package is equally suited to long days on curvy slabs of pavement too. In our First Ride review, we said, “It’s capable off-road—right there with some of the best adventure bikes with 21-inch front wheels. On-road handling is equally impressive, and…more experienced riders will applaud its all-round capabilities.”

Related: 2022 Aprilia Tuareg 660 First Ride Review

105 hp

483 lb. (wet)

Ground clearance: N/A

BMW’s much-maligned F 850 GS received a needed shot in the arm this year with a substantial revamp, giving us the much-more dirt-savvy F 900 GS. With more power, less weight, a 21-inch front wheel, and fully adjustable suspension upfront, the bike is legitimately ready for off-road duty. At the front, the inverted 43mm Showa fork has a long 9.1 inches of travel, while a lighter monoshock strokes the rear wheel through 8.5 inches and has a hydraulic preload adjustment along with rebound damping adjustment (but no compression). With its greatly improved on- and off-road handling characteristics, the F 900 GS has become a true contender in the middleweight adventure class. Learn more in the Everything You Need to Know - 2024 BMW F 900 GS Trophy Edition review.

If you’re more serious about your time in the dirt, level up to the optional Enduro Pro Package which adds a fully adjustable shock with more damping.

Related: Top 5 Off-Road Review - 2024 BMW F 900 GS Trophy Edition

110 hp

492 lb. (wet)

Ground clearance: 9.1 in.

Above-par off-road capability, a full helping of top-shelf components, and a generous menu of the latest tech is what you’d expect from a bike with “Desert” as its last name, but this being a Ducati, you’ll also be paying a premium for those. Then again, you are getting a lot for your money: the 110 hp, 937cc Testastretta 11° L-twin engine, a 21-inch front wheel, fully adjustable suspension front and rear with 9 inches (or close to it) of travel, Brembo brakes, and Ducati’s advanced electronics package with ride-by-wire, adjustable engine power modes, traction control, and wheelie control. The usual settings—Urban, Sport, Enduro, Rain, and Touring—are joined by an additional Rally setting on the DesertX, and a quickshifter comes standard, as does a substantial 5.5-gallon fuel tank. The retro Cagiva Elefant-inspired looks seal the deal. Learn more in the 2023 Ducati DesertX First Ride Review article.

83 hp

459 lb. (wet)

Ground clearance: 8.3 in.

If we’re talking bang for the buck, Honda’s Transalp should be at the top of the list. For under $10K you get an adventure-tourer with a high-revving 755cc parallel twin, 21-inch spoke front wheel, and fairly decent suspension travel from the nonadjustable Showa components. Pushing around the Transalp’s reasonable 459-pound curb weight should be a cinch for most pilots, and a quickshifter comes standard, as does selectable ABS. You also get five ride modes including Sport, Standard, Rain, and Gravel along with a customizable option for those who want to tune output to their liking. Honda also throws in selectable torque control, and all those settings are displayed on a 5-inch color TFT display panel. US bikes are down on power compared to their Euro counterparts, but then peak power is not what the TA is about. For riders searching for an affordable, compact adventure bike that’s not so much razor-focused on dirt as it is well-rounded, the Transalp deserves a closer look.

Related: 2024 Honda XL750 Transalp First Look Preview

105 hp

450 lb. (dry)

Ground clearance: 9.9 in.

Given the close relationship and shared platforms between the Husky and KTM brands, it shouldn’t come as much surprise that the Norden 901 carries over a fair amount of parts from the 890 Adventure, including a similar engine and frame, and closely matched wheels, brakes, and suspension. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, with the Norden 901 mill being nearly identical to KTM’s 889cc LC8c parallel twin and good for a claimed 105 hp at 8,000 rpm and 74 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 6,500 rpm. You also get dirt-friendly bits like tubeless spoked wheels on either end, with the 21-incher upfront attached to an inverted 43mm WP Apex fork with 8.7 inches of travel and some adjustability. As on the KTM, the triple disc braking system is equipped with lean-sensitive ABS thanks to a six-axis IMU, but both bikes are well-sorted for off-road excursions; the biggest differences come down to aesthetics.

103 hp

441 lb. (wet w/o fuel)

Ground clearance: 10.4 in.

Master of all trades? Maybe not, but KTM’s 890 Adventure R is an impressive performer in a wide variety of travel scenarios, from highways to gravel switchbacks. Updated for 2024, the 890 Adventure is equipped with the brand’s latest 889cc DOHC eight-valve parallel twin, making a claimed 103 hp, giving it more than ample legs for longer on-road trips. Street riders get to enjoy multiple ride modes, cornering ABS, and traction control, but even more assistance awaits when you go off pavement, with Offroad ABS and the Motorcycle Traction Control systems leveraging the bike’s six-axis IMU for maximum control on loose surfaces. The robust chassis sports WP Xplor suspension components, both fully adjustable and with 9.4 inches of suspension travel at each end; spoked aluminum wheels are tubeless with a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wearing knobby tires. At 441 pounds without fuel, the 890 R is also fairly quick to respond on a tricky trail section.

83 hp

507 lb. (wet)

Ground clearance: 8.7 in.

We’ve found the V-Strom’s ride-by-wire fuel-injected 776cc twin to not only be super smooth but also incredibly easy to control, especially when navigating loose surfaces. That along with the bike’s light clutch pull and electronic quickshifter makes for much simpler shift action, a welcome quality once the trail gets treacherous. The DE is the more off-road-biased trim, getting a 21-inch front wheel with spokes at either end, and longer-travel suspension with a taller stance, which also gives it more capability when your only route is through a rock garden. The Showa fork and shock are fully adjustable for spring preload and compression and rebound damping and offer 8.7 inches of ground clearance —the most of any adventure bike in Suzuki’s lineup. The 800DE may be a bit heavier than the competition, but as an all-around adventure-touring motorcycle that hits a sweet spot between value and capability, it brings a lot to the table.

Related: 2024 Suzuki V-Strom 800DE and Adventure Preview

64 hp

452 lb. (wet)

Ground clearance: 9.4 in.

The Yamaha Ténéré has often been called a big, road-going dirt bike, but once you factor in the sweet CP2 parallel twin and the exceptionally composed chassis, you realize just how versatile it is. Learn more during the 2024 Yamaha Ténéré 700 Review. You won’t find many high-zoot components and the tech is fairly minimal, but for a bike that covers all the off-road basics so well, you can’t do much better at this price. We noted that its “grip-finding suspension, and true off-road wheel combo (21/18) make it highly capable in the dirt,” and those qualities are enhanced with an inverted 43mm KYB fork with full damping adjustment and 8.3 inches of travel up front, paired with a KYB shock offering nearly 8 inches suspension travel with a linkage and a handy hydraulic preload adjuster. For 2024, the Ténéré received a new TFT display as well as multiple (and switchable) ABS modes.

Related: Everything You Need To Know About the 2024 Yamaha Ténéré 700