Designed for multiday trips over paved and dirt roads. When you win the lottery, quit your job, and decide to ride around the world or down to the tip of South America, this is the kind of bike you want.
ENGINE Big distances mean you need a bigger engine, between 600cc and 1200cc. And you're going to want to make it at least a two-cylinder. They’re smoother on the highway and offer more power.
LUGGAGE The classic adventure-bike choice is the hard-sided aluminum box. You’ll need a rack as well, so you can lash down that goat you bought for dinner at the local souk.
SUSPENSION As with a dual-sport, more is better, at least 9 to 10 inches of travel (23–25 cm).
TIRES Long trips mean a hard tire with a more closed pattern. The trade-off is less traction in the dirt.
LARGE FUEL TANK Who wants to run out of gas in Timbuktu (or anywhere else)? Fuel availability can be a real issue on some trips. A bigger tank, around 5 or 6 gallons (19 to 23 liters) is what most riders want. Bigger than that and your bike gets too heavy when full.
WINDSHIELD Most of these bikes offer some sort of short/narrow windshield to deflect the windblast on long highway sections.
EXHAUST As on a dirtbike or dual-sport, it needs to be up high and out of the way.
GROUND CLEARANCE As a general rule, more is always better, but too much means you won’t be able to reach down with your feet at stoplights. This is where a serious test ride can be your friend.
HIGHER PRICE TAG This is what the phrase "you get what you pay for" was invented to describe. You're getting a high-performance, versatile machine. Expect to pay a little more in most cases.
Designed for multiday trips over paved and dirt roads. When you win the lottery, quit your job, and decide to ride around the world or down to the tip of South America, this is the kind of bike you want.
ENGINE Big distances mean you need a bigger engine, between 600cc and 1200cc. And you're going to want to make it at least a two-cylinder. They’re smoother on the highway and offer more power.
LUGGAGE The classic adventure-bike choice is the hard-sided aluminum box. You’ll need a rack as well, so you can lash down that goat you bought for dinner at the local souk.
SUSPENSION As with a dual-sport, more is better, at least 9 to 10 inches of travel (23–25 cm).
TIRES Long trips mean a hard tire with a more closed pattern. The trade-off is less traction in the dirt.
LARGE FUEL TANK Who wants to run out of gas in Timbuktu (or anywhere else)? Fuel availability can be a real issue on some trips. A bigger tank, around 5 or 6 gallons (19 to 23 liters) is what most riders want. Bigger than that and your bike gets too heavy when full.
WINDSHIELD Most of these bikes offer some sort of short/narrow windshield to deflect the windblast on long highway sections.
EXHAUST As on a dirtbike or dual-sport, it needs to be up high and out of the way.
GROUND CLEARANCE As a general rule, more is always better, but too much means you won’t be able to reach down with your feet at stoplights. This is where a serious test ride can be your friend.
HIGHER PRICE TAG This is what the phrase "you get what you pay for" was invented to describe. You're getting a high-performance, versatile machine. Expect to pay a little more in most cases.