Best 2025 Adventure Motorcycle
What is an adventure bike?
An adventure bike is a two-wheeled Swiss Army Knife, versatile and multi-skilled enough to tackle any challenge put in front of it. From functional daily commutes to an annual cross-continent two-up tour, and from Sunday morning fun on local lanes to a once-in-a-lifetime round-the-world epic, an adventure motorcycle promises to do it all.
A key ingredient in the adventure motorcycle recipe is the ability (or at least the fantasy) to keep on going when the road runs out. There’s a crucial dash of off-road bred into any good adventure bike’s DNA – without it, it’s probably something else: a tall all-rounder, perhaps, or an upright sports-tourer. But if a bike has off-road inspired features such as spoked wheels, long-travel suspension, a 19in or 21in front wheel, grippy pegs, handguards or a sump guard, it’s likely identifying as an adventure motorcycle.
Beyond that, there are no rules. Adventure bikes can range in engine capacity from as little as 125cc to more than 1300cc, they can cost thousands or tens of thousands, and they can offer every electronic gadget ever imagined or be so basic you can service it with a hammer. They can range from lightweights to super-heavyweights, and there are options suitable for riders of all experience levels, all body types and all personal preferences. Whatever your requirements, there’ll be an adventure bike out there for you.
Why do I need an adventure bike?
Adventure motorcycles let you ride to places and see parts of the world you couldn’t on any other machine. The classic adventure dream fuses together the ability to ride a long way in comfort, spontaneously decide to explore a dusty goat track in the middle of a mountain range, then discover it leads to a breathtaking view of unmolested nature. Unlikely? With resources such as the Trans Euro Trail, Adventure Country Tracks and the Trail Riders Fellowship’s online Green Roads Map, it’s probably easier to turn this fantasy into a reality than ever before.
The catch, of course, is to decide which adventure bike is right for you, your ambition and your intention. The choice of machinery can be baffling at first, with every major manufacturer – and a number of relatively unknown brands – now offering a huge variety of adventure bikes in their lineup. Do you want one that’s good for solo riding, or are you likely to take a pillion? Is green-laning ability really important to you, or are you more likely to stick to familiar tarmac? Are you planning on heading to the Pyrenees, Paraguay or Portsmouth? If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at our shortlists below, offering three suggestions for some of the best new and used adventure bikes you can buy in 2025.
Best adventure motorcycle for tall riders
Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Pro
£18,295 | 1160cc inline triple | 148bhp | 250kg | 875/895mm seat
If you’re a larger rider looking for the highest seat height offered on any of the big-capacity (>1000cc) adventure bikes, you’ll be wanting to swing a gangly leg over Triumph’s Tiger 1200 Rally Pro. It’s a towering creation, boasting large-diameter wheels (21in front, 18in rear) and an enormous 220mm of suspension travel. Set to the higher of its two positions, the Rally Pro’s seat sits 895mm above the ground – that’s more than 35 inches. Updated in 2024, the Tiger’s 1160cc triple is now significantly smoother than before, still packs more high-rpm firepower than BMW’s R1300GS, and growls with a quirky, offbeat character thanks to its unusual T-plane crank. Big bike, big appeal.
Read our Triumph Tiger 1200 review here
Ducati DesertX Rally
£19,467 | 937cc V-twin | 109bhp | 227kg | 910mm seat
Inspired by the modifications made by Antoine Meo to race Ducati’s DesertX at the ludicrous Erzbergrodeo, the Rally version comes with enormously long and deliciously damped closed-cartridge KYB suspension. This gives hardcore off-road riders even more wheel travel, letting them leap off small buildings without worrying about bottoming anything out, but it also jacks the height of the one-piece saddle up to a lofty 910mm. The riding position is suitably spacious for equally towering riders, though this hasn’t really been built to spend all day sat down. Huge off-road ability, huge stature, huge price tag.
Read our Ducati DesertX Rally review here
Yamaha Ténéré 700 Rally
£11,400 | 689cc parallel twin | 72bhp | 210kg | 910mm seat
The regular Ténéré is a respectably tall 875mm, but if you’re after an even more elevated position from which to stretch out your lengthy legs, you’ll appreciate this new Rally model. With longer-travel KYB suspension at both ends of the bike, plus a thicker one-piece rally seat, the rider is raised 35mm further above the ground. Like the standard 2025 Ténéré, this Rally version has a new ride-by-wire throttle, traction control, a colour TFT dash, plus fresh bodywork and switchgear. The Rally also benefits from a sturdy-looking aluminium skid plate, a high front mudguard, and lightweight titanium footrests.
Read our Yamaha Ténéré 700 technical review here
Best adventure motorcycle for short riders
BMW F800GS
£9995 | 895cc parallel twin | 86bhp | 227kg | 815mm seat
In standard trim the current F800GS has an 815mm seat, which is pretty low by adventure standards. But select the “Seat Height Reduction” option in the online configurator, and for £180 BMW will fit a shorter rear shock with reduced travel, as well as a new saddle. The difference is enormous, dropping seat height down to just 760mm. That’s around 30 inches in old money – which, by our reckoning, makes this the most accessible adventure bike option for riders who are a touch shorter of stature. Combined with its friendly, forgiving power delivery and light clutch, this is a perfect platform for building confidence.
Read our BMW F800GS review here
Royal Enfield Himalayan
£5750 | 452cc single | 39bhp | 196kg | 825/845mm seat
In the lower of its two positions, the Himalayan is shorter than Honda’s NX500 (830mm), KTM’s 390 Adventure (855mm) and BMW’s G310GS (835mm). Being a single-cylinder bike it’s also fairly slim, making it more manageable. It’s 196kg, which isn’t quite as light as we’d like, but it carries it well. Royal Enfield claim there’s an optional low seat which should reduce the height down even further to 805mm, but it seems we’re still waiting for it to arrive – it’s not yet listed on their website and is absent from their online configurator. Best to check with your Royal Enfield dealer for the latest on its due date.
Read our Royal Enfield Himalayan review here
BMW R1300GS
£16,640 | 1300cc flat twin | 143bhp | 237kg | 850mm seat
No, we’ve not lost our marbles. Yes, the R1300GS is suitable for shorter riders. Alright, the standard seat is listed at 850mm, and it’s not adjustable. But it has an ingenious trick up its sleeve, in the form of Adaptive Vehicle Height Control. Using some exceedingly clever electronics, it automatically winds off preload from both front and rear suspension units as you slow to a stop, temporarily lowering the seat by around 30mm. It’s not cheap, however: it requires the £1660 Dynamic Package, plus a further £515 for AVHC. Go for the Comfort Rider’s Seat Low too (£50) and you’ll save another 20mm, taking the stationary seat height down to just 800mm.
Read our BMW R1300GS long-termer review here
Best adventure motorcycle for new riders
Honda XL750 Transalp
£tbc | 755cc parallel twin | 91bhp | 210kg | 850mm seat
By ‘new rider’, we’ll assume we’re not talking L-plates or A2 licences (which we cover separately below). Instead, we’re simply looking for a friendly, easygoing adventure bike with no bad habits – and Honda’s Transalp fits that description perfectly. The Hornet-derived parallel twin is well-mannered and restrained at low revs, while the chassis isn’t excessively heavy and it doesn’t feel too tippy-toe tall. The Transalp has been tweaked for 2025 with new bodywork, brighter LED headlights and revised suspension settings, none of which should in any way alter what it does so brilliantly: be a credible, welcoming adventurer that isn’t likely to catch you out.
Read our Honda XL750 Transalp long termer review here
Suzuki V-Strom 800RE
£9699 | 776cc parallel twin | 84bhp | 223kg | 825mm seat
The RE is the lower, lighter, less-expensive sibling to Suzuki’s excellent V-Strom 800DE. It uses cast wheels instead of spoked, swaps the DE’s 21-inch front wheel for a more agile 19-incher, and uses shorter-travel suspension. The result is a road-focused adventure bike that welcomes riders of all experience levels with open arms, greeting you like an old mate from years back. The saddle’s comfortable, the clutch action is light, and the motor serves up plenty of effortless (yet never overwhelming) grunt from rock-bottom revs. Find out why it won our Best Value Adventure Bike group test by watching here.
Read our Suzuki V-Strom 800RE review here
CFMoto 800MT Sport
£7699 | 799cc parallel twin | 90bhp | 231kg | 825mm seat
When you’re a new rider, value for money can be critical – and few adventure bikes offer so much bike for so little outlay as CFMoto’s 800MT Sport. The lightly updated 2025 model will cost £7699, and for that you get a solid, roomy adventure-roadster powered by a CFMoto-built version of KTM’s 790 twin. It has adjustable suspension, a height-adjustable screen, cruise control and even cornering ABS. To ride it might not be quite as refined or as polished as its European and Japanese rivals, but it is around £2000 cheaper to buy and comes with a whopping four-year warranty.
Read our CFMoto 800MT Sport review here
Best adventure motorcycle for an A2 licence
Honda NX500
£6829 | 471cc parallel twin | 47bhp | 196kg | 830mm seat
The artist formerly known as CB500X might have received a new name and look in 2024, but its heart remained unchanged. The NX500 is arguably the most all-round capable bike you can buy that comes A2 compliant as standard, without needing any restriction or modification. Its twin-cylinder motor offers the maximum 47bhp, but its easy, linear spread of torque means you never need to work for it. Off-road ability is fairly modest, in truth, but as a decent-sized machine it’s a great choice for a taller A2 rider looking for long-range comfort. Phenomenally frugal too, easily returning 60-70mpg.
Read our Honda NX500 review here
CFMoto 450MT
£5699 | 449cc parallel twin | 42bhp | 175kg | 800/820mm seat
Something of an unknown quantity, but early reports are so glowing that you definitely shouldn’t overlook the 450MT. CFMoto are a Chinese firm with ties to KTM, and while their name might not be familiar they’re quickly proving that they need to be taken very seriously indeed. The 450MT is a case in point, combining their own peppy twin-cylinder motor, a responsive chassis, an impressive tech spec and genuine off-road ability – and all for less than £6000. A four-year warranty might go some way to help settle nerves about buying into a less-established brand too.
Read our CFMoto 450MT review here
Royal Enfield Himalayan
£5750 | 452cc single | 39bhp | 196kg | 825/845mm seat
The previous air-cooled Himalayan 411 was something of an unexpected cult favourite in the A2 class, offering simple tech, rugged styling and a bargain pricetag. The current Himalayan is a complete re-imagining, with a new water-cooled engine, nearly twice the power, more gadgets and a spicier price. It’s still good value though, and continues to offer a good compromise between on and off-road competence. The motor’s still a little lazy in its character, not wanting to be hurried, but the suspension offers a remarkably good ride and the handling is far more polished than you’d imagine.
Read our Royal Enfield Himalayan review here
Best adventure motorcycle under 800cc
Yamaha Ténéré 700
£10,400 | 689cc parallel twin | 72bhp | 208kg | 875mm seat
Yamaha first teased the idea of putting their naughty, rorty MT-07 motor in an adventure bike way back in 2016. It took nearly three years for the Ténéré 700 to arrive, but it proved well worth waiting for. It feels like an enduro-based rally bike that’s been enlarged 75% in a photocopier: slim, tall and raring to go. Well-built, reliable, affordable and enormously popular as a result, the Ténéré 700 has been the benchmark middleweight adventurer ever since. For 2025 it gets its first update, including a ride-by-wire throttle, tweaked styling, and a repositioned fuel tank.
Read our Yamaha Ténéré 700 review here
Aprilia Tuareg 660
£10,750 | 659cc parallel twin | 79bhp | 204kg | 860mm seat
Often overlooked, the Tuareg isn’t too dissimilar to Yamaha’s Ténéré, mating a 270° parallel twin with a genuinely off-road capable chassis. In the Aprilia’s favour is that it offers a bit more power, a bit less weight, and a lot more tech including traction control, cruise control and an optional two-way quickshifter. Downsides are the slightly odd styling (debatable, granted), its higher pricetag (though Aprilia dealers always seem to have a sale on) and, perhaps, perceptions about Aprilia’s durability. But to ride, the Tuareg is fantastic – engaging, capable and well-rounded. If you like its looks and can haggle a good deal, it’s definitely one to consider. There’s also an even more off-road-capable Tuareg Rally model for 2025.
Read our Aprilia Tuareg 660 review here
KTM 790 Adventure
£9999 | 799cc parallel twin | 94bhp | 218kg (est) | 840/860mm seat
Just scraping in under our 800cc limit, KTM’s 790 Adventure is one of the most complete and capable bikes in the class. It’s light, well-balanced, quick, comfy, easy to ride and has superb electronics. But it’s also proven slightly controversial. The original was made by KTM at their Austrian headquarters from its 2019 debut until it was replaced by the 890 in 2021. After a couple of years away it re-emerged for 2023, now built by CFMoto, KTM’s partner in China. It’s also been caught up in KTM’s well-publicised camshaft issues, with a number of pre-2021 KTM 790 engines suffering from excessive cam wear – an issue KTM say has since been resolved. For 2025 it gets a small update, gaining adjustable forks and a new shock.
Read our KTM 790 Adventure review here
Best adventure motorcycle for green-laning
Honda CRF300 Rally
£tbc | 286cc single | 27bhp | 153kg | 885mm
If you want to take your adventure bike off-road, it doesn’t get any easier than Honda’s CRF300 Rally. No wonder it proved to be one of the most popular choices in a recent survey of Trail Rider Fellowship riders. It’s incredibly light (at least by the standards of every other bike on this page), making it supremely manageable off-road, while its skinny large-diameter wheels and long-travel suspension are ready to roll over obstacles. It’s so simple to live with too: reliable, doesn’t use a lot of fuel, has long service intervals, and doesn’t cost the earth to fix if you do come a cropper off-road. It can feel a little toy-like though: the suspension is extremely soft, while the 27bhp single soon gets breathless at speed. Updates for 2025 appear to be little more than LED indicators, tweaked suspension and a redesigned side cover.
Yamaha Ténéré 700
£10,400 | 689cc parallel twin | 72bhp | 208kg | 875mm seat
One of the reasons the Ténéré took three years to progress from prototype to production was the difficulty in making a bike this size work equally well on and off-road. But the fact Yamaha invested the time shows in the end result: the Ténéré is one of the few adventure bikes that really does have the all-terrain ability to belong on Britain’s byways. There’s loads of ground clearance, the riding position feels natural when you’re standing up, and the engine is equally at home whether you’re doing precise pootling on technical lanes or big, lairy blasting along forest tracks. Yamaha say the 2025 model benefits from “upgraded suspension”, and has a repositioned fuel tank which should make it slightly less top-heavy.
Read our Yamaha Ténéré 700 review here
KTM 890 Adventure R
£13,999 | 889cc parallel twin | 103bhp | 215kg (est) | 880mm seat
If your idea of green-laning veers more towards the chilled, adventure-travel end of things than sweating and slogging through mud at 0.5mph – if you’re more Adventure Country Tracks than Trans Euro Trail – then KTM’s 890 Adventure R will already be on your radar. The ‘R’ denotes additional off-road ability, thanks to long-travel, fully adjustable WP suspension giving better bump absorption and greater ground clearance. Its 889cc engine is a firecracker, fast-revving and fruity, with over 100bhp on tap – though it can be tamed slightly in slippery conditions thanks to its advanced electronics including IMU-informed traction control. Not a small bike, but the clever low-hanging fuel tank design lowers the centre of gravity, making it feel lighter and more manageable than many rivals. Only change for 2025 is the addition of a Bluetooth connectivity unit as standard.
Read our KTM 890 Adventure R review here
Best adventure motorcycle for touring
BMW R1300GS Adventure
£18,780 | 1300cc flat twin | 143bhp | 269kg | 870/890mm seat
Until last year, BMW’s R1250GS Adventure was the definitive, default long-distance adventure bike – but now it’s been replaced by this all-new 1300cc namesake. It has a fresh fabricated steel frame, a larger and even more powerful engine, and has suddenly sprouted a serious set of shoulders. The width and size might look imposing in images, but from the saddle it’s actually easier to ride than the 1250, with more agile handling, a more flexible engine, and a sublime self-lowering system to help regular-sized riders get their feet down. Wind management is incredible too, the superb screen and aero deflectors keeping things calm and quiet at cruising speed. And, of course, there’s that huge 30-litre tank, which is good for an easy 250 miles between fillups.
Read our BMW R1300GS Adventure technical review here
Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer
£18,695 | 1160cc triple | 148bhp | 256kg | 850/870mm seat
Subtly but crucially updated for 2024, Triumph’s Tiger 1200 range has now been smoothed out and refined by some Hinckley engineering witchcraft, removing almost all the lumpy vibes from its T-plane crank. The result is a bike that’s so much nicer to cover distance on, especially if you’re in the habit of hacking along at motorway (slash autobahn) speeds. Like its German rival, the Tiger GT Explorer has shaft drive and a whopping 30-litre fuel tank, both of which make devouring miles quicky and easy. Semi-active Showa suspension gives a plush ride, while the lofty seat height can be lowered up to 20mm by pushing a button as you come to a stop. Heated rider and pillion seats fitted as standard is a pleasing treat too.
Read our Triumph Tiger 1200 review here
Ducati Multistrada V4S
£21,667 | 1158cc V-four | 168bhp | 249kg (est) | 840/860mm seat
The Multistrada V4S has proven an astonishingly accomplished creation from the instant it was launched back in 2021. Its wondrously potent V-four engine, luxurious comfort and brain-curdling tech are combined with such commanding refinement that hundreds of miles can be devoured in the blink of an eye. The only downsides noted over its life have been poor fuel economy, plenty of heat coming off the engine, and a hefty price tag. For 2025 a wealth of updates promise to deliver better mpg, cooler slow-speed running and… well, it’s still not exactly cheap. Other improvements include a new automatic lowering system, plus repositioned luggage creating more room for a passenger.
Read our Ducati Multistrada V4 review here
Best adventure motorcycle for pillions
Kawasaki Versys 1100 SE
£15,821 | 1099cc inline four | 133bhp | 259kg | 840mm seat
Alright, this might be pushing the definition of ‘adventure’ a smidge, given Kawasaki’s big Versys has 17-inch wheels and zero off-road ambition whatsoever. However, what it has instead is one of the largest, longest and deepest pillion seats in all of motorcycling. It’s magnificent – if you want to treat your other half to a positive passenger experience, plop their posterior on one of these. For the rider, the previous Versys 1000 always felt a big old beasty – wide, tall and quite heavy, but with a buttery-smooth inline four that served up loads of lazy low-down grunt. The new-for-2025 1100 looks set to deliver more of the same, but with a 15bhp top-end boost from its larger, longer-stroke engine.
Read our Kawasaki Versys 1100 technical review here
BMW R1300GS
£16,640 | 1300cc flat twin | 143bhp | 237kg | 850mm seat
We’ve picked the R1300GS here for the same reason it appears in our ‘short riders’ section above: that Adaptive Vehicle Height Control, which automatically lowers both ends of the bike at low speeds by swiftly unwinding preload from the shocks. For riding two-up, this offers two key advantages. First, having a lower stance makes it far easier for a pillion to clamber on and off, particularly if there’s any hard luggage fitted to the back of the bike. And secondly, it gives the rider more control and more confidence at low speed, helping to mitigate some of that towering top-heaviness that can come when you load an adventure bike up with a second rider. For 2025 BMW are also offering automated shift assistant (ASA), a next-gen gearbox which has the potential to deliver an even smoother ride for a pillion.
Read our BMW R1300GS vs R1250GS review here
Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES DCT
£17,649 | 1084cc parallel twin | 101bhp | 253kg | 835/855mm seat
One of the hardest things about carrying a pillion is changing gears smoothly. No matter how slick and polished you are riding solo, with someone on the back it only takes the slightest hiccup before their visor ends up smashing into the back of your lid, like an especially expensive Newton’s Cradle. One solution is Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission system, which offers perhaps the most seamless gear-shifting experience in motorcycling. For the minute, at least: DCT has proved so popular that BMW, KTM and Yamaha are all introducing their own semi-auto systems. It’s available on the regular Africa Twin too, but we’ve picked this Adventure Sports model for its lower seat height, larger fuel tank and slightly more generous pillion seat, all of which are a better match for two-up touring.
Read our Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin Adventure Sports review here
Best adventure motorcycle for less than £5000
BMW F800GS (2008-2017)
From £3200 | 798cc parallel twin | 84bhp | 207kg | 880mm
Ten years before Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 there was another parallel twin adventure bike with a 21-inch front wheel and genuine all-terrain credentials. BMW’s F800GS lived in the shadows of its far more famous big brother, but it was arguably the more authentic adventure bike: lighter, slimmer, and far more capable off-road as a result. It had a fabulously quirky design too, from its rear-mounted fuel tank to its vestigial third conrod engine balancer. There were only fairly modest tweaks over its life, so buy on condition and miles rather than year – £5k should bag a tidy 2015 model. Weak points are dented rims, tired clutches and knackered head bearings.
Read our BMW F800GS buying guide here
Suzuki V-Strom 1000 (2014-2019)
From £4100 | 1037cc V-twin | 99bhp | 228kg | 850mm
The original V-Strom 1000 ran from 2002-2008, and while there are plenty of used bargains to be had, we’re concentrating on the later, heavily updated 2014-on version which featured a larger 1037cc motor. It’s a refined, sleek, subtly charming road-focused adventurer that doesn’t particularly excel in any one area – it’s not the lightest, the fastest or the smartest – but a great all-rounder and exceptional value. Our five-grand budget should now comfortably stretch to one of the lightly updated 2017-on models, which had a taller screen and gained an IMU. Suzuki’s faith in “well proven” tech means reliability is generally pretty excellent.
Read our Suzuki V-Strom 1000 buying guide here
Yamaha Super Ténéré 1200 (2010-2021)
From £4250 | 1199cc parallel twin | 108bhp | 261kg | 845/870mm
When Yamaha dusted off their legendary Super Ténéré moniker back in 2010, they took it seriously, throwing the engineering equivalent of everything plus the kitchen sink into it. They created a completely new engine, new frame, new shaft drive, and even a new traction control system (yes, back in 2010) for it. Build quality was Yamaha at its best, and despite all the years that have passed, no serious issues have ever arisen with any aspect of the Super Tenere. Those early bikes were hamstrung by a convoluted internet-ordering system, modest supply and steep pricing, but as a used buy in 2024 it offers a whole lot of high-quality adventurer for your £5000.
Read our Yamaha Super Ténéré 1200 buying guide here
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