Looking to buy a motorcycle for on- and off-road riding, or long-distance travel? Fortunately, there are many choices. Our list showcases 18 of the best adventure motorcycles on the U.S. market for 2023.

The adventure or “ADV” segment of the motorcycle industry is thriving, and the selection just keeps growing. Regardless of your preferences, skill level, or budget, you will likely find something to scratch your itch for adventure riding within the ever-expanding ADV bike lineup.

To be considered an “adventure” motorcycle we’re talking street legal, off-road capable, and comfortable to ride for long distances.

Adventure bikes inherently strive to offer equally good performance, handling, and comfort both on- and off-road. This is a complicated balance to strike, and there tend to be concessions one way or another. Choosing the best adventure motorcycle really means figuring out what qualities are most important to you.

This is not an exhaustive list of all bikes that meet those general criteria or could be made to meet them with after-market upgrades. Instead, we chose these tried-and-true adventure motorcycles that come from the factory ready for long-distance riding. 

Here’s our list of the Best Adventure Motorcycles for 2023, in order of displacement — from smallest to largest.

Full disclosure, I ride a Suzuki DR650SE, and I call it my adventure motorcycle. We have indeed been on many wonderful adventures together, but it’s really a dual-sport. Yes, it is street-legal and off-road capable, but it is not very comfortable. It becomes exponentially less so on long-distance rides, even with upgrades.

Adventurers the world over will share similar stories of epic times on all types and sizes of bikes, including single-cylinder or “thumper” bikes like mine. The point is that while you can certainly have adventures riding whatever bike you fancy (or can afford), an ideal adventure motorcycle will take you everywhere you might want to go, and you’ll be a lot more comfortable.

Good ground clearance, suspension travel, and large spoked wheels all help make navigating different types of terrain and obstacles easier, safer, and more enjoyable.

Vibration, jarring, and wind buffeting are three big factors that are exhausting on long rides. Twin-cylinder engines or above will vibrate much less than single-cylinder bikes. Plush suspension will absorb changes in terrain, and a frame-mounted fairing will provide ultimate protection from the wind.

The lightest weight bike in this comparison is the new Aprilia Tuareg 660, coming in just under 450 pounds (449.7, to be exact). The only other bike that comes close is the Yamaha Ténéré 700, at 452 pounds. The heaviest is the venerable BMW R 1250 GSA, at 591 pounds. Leave it to German engineering to figure out how to perfectly balance that much weight on two wheels.

No surprises here. The priciest is Ducati, and the economy is a Suzuki. The new Multistrada V4 Rally can be yours in Ducati Red for just under $31,000. For that price, you can buy matching Suzuki V-Stroms for yourself and two of your friends. The base model V-Strom 650 comes in at $9,104 and has been successfully carrying adventure riders all over the world for nearly 20 years. 

Suzuki has gone after the adventure market with their new V-Strom “DE” models. They are still pretty far behind the competition in side-by-side comparisons, but the pricing is so good it might not matter. At the other end of the spectrum in quality, price, and cutting-edge technology, the Tiger 1200 line has been completely revamped for 2023.

If you want to do lots of road riding, the very popular BMW GSAs, Triumph Tigers, and of course, the Ducati Multistrada will offer the most comfort on the longest rides. Heavier, large-displacement bikes tend to ride better on the road.

Riding off-road can mean a lot of different things. Generally speaking, the lighter-weight ADV bikes tend to be easier to handle (and pick up!) riding off-road. Look at the KTM 890 R (really any KTM), Tuareg 660, and Ténéré 700 if you live for dirt.

This is where the mid-weight adventure bikes win. The Ducati DesertX is creating quite a stir. I dare you not to want this bike. Also touted as equally well-appointed for both are the Tiger 900, the new kid Norden 901, and the Africa Twin.

Our intro to adventure riding guide will get you rolling on two wheels on the road less traveled without breaking the bank. Read more…

Setting up motorcycle suspension properly is one of the most important aspects of motorcycle safety and fun-factor. Yet most riders don't do it. Read more…

Adventure motorcycle pros teach us six ways to turn a big bike around on narrow trails. It's not brute force, but technique and practice. Read more…

Misty Pine has been pushing her love of motorcycles on anyone who will listen for the past decade. Prior to that, it was horses. Currently based in Portland, Oregon, she is a rare native Oregonian and despite having lived and traveled all over the world, she has yet to find a place as magical as the Pacific Northwest. In addition to riding, Pine enjoys mushroom identification, searching for hot springs, sharing good food, traveling to remote riding destinations in her rad Moto Van, and endlessly photographing all of the above.

Sign up to receive GearJunkie content direct to your inbox.

Sign up to receive GearJunkie content direct to your inbox.