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Für alle die gerne im westlichen GardaSee Hinterland unterwegs sind.

Ich bin die Tour zum ersten Male mit dem Cabrio gefahren, macht aber ganz sicher erst richtig Spaß mit dem Motorrad.

Ein guter Start und Zielpunkt sind die nördlichen Dörfer am GardaSee. Ich bin die Tour aus von Malcinese gefahren.

Viel Spaß dabei und bitte niemals die Bewertung vergessen! :-)

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ITALIEN, 5-SEEN-TOUR

(Hier geht es zu den Fotos der Reise.)

Gerade noch reinpassend, kurz vor dem Saisonende, beschlossen mein Kumpel Stefan und ich noch eine gemeinsame Motorradtour zu fahren, um das Motorrad-Abenteuer-Jahr 2019 mit einem freudigen Abschluss zu beenden. Die 5-Seen-Tour in Italien, deren 280 Kilometer lange Runde vorbei an den bekannten Seen "Lago di Garda", "Lago di Ledro", "Lago d'Idro", "Lago d'Iseo" sowie dem "Lago di Valvestino" verläuft, erschien uns hierfür ideal.

Oktober 2019 - Der Himmel ist strahlend blau als ich an diesem Freitagmittag auf meine treue Maschine steige. Ein absoluter Jackpot, bei dem sonst eher grauen und regnerischen Herbstwetter der letzten Wochen. Dick eingepackt und mit reichlich Kleidung gegen Kälte und Regen im Gepäck kann es losgehen. Das Thermometer zeigt passable 19 Grad.

Meine erste Etappe des Tages verläuft über die Autobahn in Richtung Augsburg. Das Fahren auf deutschen Autobahnen ist mittlerweile ein einziges Trauerspiel. Eine Baustelle nach der anderen und Staus bei jeder Fahrbahnverengung. Gut, dass man sich mit dem Motorrad einigermaßen durchschlängeln kann.

Kurz vor 16 Uhr komme ich bei Stefan zuhause an. Ab jetzt sind wir, wie schon auf vielen Touren zuvor, wieder im Doppelpack unterwegs. Voller Freude brechen wir um Punkt 16 Uhr, nach Stefans Arbeitsende, in Richtung Süden auf. Auf schnellstem Wege wollen wir es heute bis kurz vor den Gardasee schaffen. Ein straffes Programm.

Die zweite Etappe des Tages verläuft von Stefans Heimatort Ried durch das schöne Allgäu bis Garmisch-Partenkirchen, wo wir über Mittenwald weiter bis Innsbruck wollen.

Da wir sehr spät im Herbst unterwegs sind, sind die Tage deutlich kürzer als im Sommer und die Dämmerung setzt bereits um kurz nach 18 Uhr ein, was aktuell der Fall ist.

Bisher haben wir einen sehr guten Schnitt gehabt, was sich nun aber schlagartig ändert.  Die Straße nach Mittenwald, der kürzeste Weg in Richtung Österreich, ist auf Grund eines Unfalls bis au Weiteres gesperrt. Für uns bedeutet dies, dass wir statt kurzen 63 Kilometern noch einen 43 Kilometer längeren Umweg in Kauf nehmen müssen, um Innsbruck zu erreichen, doch wir haben keine andere Wahl.

Von Garmisch-Partenkirchen aus nehmen wir die längere Route im Süd-Westen über den Fernpass, die uns nach 106 Kilometern in Innsbruck ankommen lässt. Landschaftlich hat uns hier besonders der Abschnitt zwischen Garmisch und Lermoos gut gefallen, wo die Strecke entlang des Flusses Loisach durch ein schönes Waldgebiet verläuft.

Von Innsbruck aus geht es über den Brennerpass weiter in Richtung Süden, für dessen Nutzung mit dem Motorrad eine Gebühr von 9,50€ pro Strecke fällig wird. Eine Vignette für Österreich benötigt man auf diesem Teilstück der Autobahn (Innsbruck - Brenner) dafür jedoch nicht.

In völliger Finsternis brettern wir über die italienische Autobahn, wo wir unserem Ziel, dem Gardasee, stündlich näher kommen.

Gegen 22:15 Uhr erreichen wir den bereits gestern auf "Google Earth" ausfindig gemachten Lagerplatz. Ein schickes Plateau in den Bergen, das bei klarem Wetter eine gute Sicht über den Gardasee bieten sollte und sich nur 14 Kilometer vom morgigen Startpunkt der 5-Seen-Runde befindet. Aktuell herrscht jedoch stockfinstere Nacht und alles liegt in einem tiefen Schwarz.

Wir bauen unsere Zelte auf, öffnen unser Feierabend-Bier und machen es uns am Lagerfeuer gemütlich. Wir haben es geschafft - innerhalb nur einer Tagesfahrt sind wir dem miesen Herbstwetter in Deutschland entflohen und sitzen nun im wohlig warmen Italien, wo die Wetterprognose für morgen strahlenden Sonnenschein im Angebot hat. 

Aufgrund meines vergangenen 30. Geburtstags in der Mitte des Monats, hat mir mein Freund Stefan noch eine Flasche von einem unserer Lieblingswhiskeys mitgebracht, an die wir uns im Verlauf der Nacht noch rantrauen. Der Talisker läuft wie immer astrein die Kehle hinab. Danke Kumpel für dieses edle und überzeugende Geschenk!

In der Nacht fällt das Thermometer auf kühle 8 Grad ab, was uns jedoch nicht von einem erholsamen Schlaf abhält. Dick eingepackt in jeweils zwei inneinander geschobenen Schlafsäcken lässt es sich selbst bei solchen Temperaturen angenehm über Nacht im Zelt aushalten.

Am nächsten Morgen werden wir durch das Geschrei von Kettensägen geweckt, die allerdings etwas weiter entfernt ihre Arbeit verrichten. Als wir aus dem Zelt kriechen steht die Sonne bereits mit wohltuender Wärme am Firmament. Es ist draussen sogar so angenehm, dass wir ersteinmal eine ausgedehnte Kaffeepause zum Wachwerden abhalten. 

Ein schmaler Waldweg führt von unserem Lagerplatz noch etwas weiter in die Berge hinauf. Die Mopeds wieder voll bepackt fahren wir ihn hinauf. Ein Glücksgriff auf Anhieb! Von hier oben liegt uns der gesamte nördliche Teil des Gardasees zu Füßen und eine spektakuläre Aussicht breitet sich vor uns aus.

Als wir eine halbe Stunde später, gegen 13 Uhr, den Waldweg wieder hinunterfahren, haben bereits weitere italienische Touristen das Plateau für sich entdeckt. Gut das wir die Zelte bereits eine Stunde zuvor verpackt haben, da wie auch im weitestgehenden Rest von Europa das wilde Zelten in Italien nicht gestattet ist. Bisher hatten wir jedoch selbst bei morgendlichen Besuchern nie schlechte Erfahrungen gemacht. Von vielen Einheimischen wird es toleriert, so haben wir das Gefühl.

Über den mit 287 Metern nicht besonders hohen Passo San Giovanni geht es weiter in Richtung Nago-Torbole, wo man nach der letzten 180-Grad-Kehre am Willkommens-Aussichts-Parkplatz eine spitzenmäßige Sicht über den Gardasee hat, die durch die dort stehenden Zypressen unterstrichen wird. Der Startpunkt der 5-Seen-Runde ist erreicht.

Am Nordufer des riesigen Sees entlang fahren wir bis Riva del Garda, eine schicke Ortschaft mit bunter und einladender Hafenzeile, die sich direkt am ersten See unserer Tour, dem Lago di Garda, befindet. Das Thermometer zeigt mittlerweile lässige 24 Grad. Ein Traum zu dieser Jahreszeit.

Ein paar Dronenaufnahmen später starten wir wieder in die Berge durch. Das nächste Ziel ist der deutlich kleinere Lago di Ledro, der umringt von Bergen etwas höher als der Lago di Garda liegt. Außer uns haben viele weitere italienische Biker den Weg hierher gefunden und genießen auf den Terassen von Bikertreffpunkten den Tag und das herrliche Wetter. 

Auf der Straße rund um den See gibt es kein übermäßiges Verkehrsaufkommen und wir kommen gut voran.

Durch eine tolle Schlucht hindurch fahren wir weiter durch die Wälder, deren bunte Farben jetzt im Herbst ein besonders schöner Anblick sind. Wild fließend bahnt sich ein kleines Bächlein seinen Weg parallel zur Straße durch die Schlucht, bevor es nach den nächsten Kurven und Kehren in Forme eines schicken Wasserfalls in einen hellblau schimmernden Gumpen stürzt. Atemberaubend, diese Schönheit der Natur.

Wir folgen dem Streckenverlauf bis zur Ortschaft Ca' Rossa, wo es über eine Brücke und danach scharf nach links in südliche Richtung geht. Den dritten See unserer Tour erreichen wir kurz nach Ponte Caffaro, wo die Straße neben dem Lago d' Idro verläuft. Meiner Meinung nach ist er nicht ganz so schick wie die Seen zuvor, was aber natürlich im Auge des Betrachters liegt und Geschmackssache ist. 

Nach einem kurzen Halt machen wir ordentlich Höhenmeter und schrauben uns den 1892 Meter hohen Passo Crocedomini hinauf, der definitiv das Highlight des heutigen Tages ist. Durch gelbgefärbte Wälder führt die enge Straße hinauf zur Passhöhe von der aus man eine gute Sicht über das Umland hat. Ein spektakulärer Pass, den wir so nicht auf unserer Liste hatten. Manchmal sind es eben die ungeplanten Dinge die sich im Nachhinein als überragend herausstellen.

Von Bienno aus geht es über Darfo bis zum Lago d' Iseo, der etwa ein Viertel der Größe des Lago di Garda besitzt aber ebenso eine tolle Gegend ist und eine gute Infrastruktur zum dort Urlaub machen besitzt.

Anstatt der Schnellstraße zu folgen wählen wir nach dem Tunnel den Weg am Ufer entlang und genießen die Aussichten über den See. Es dämmert bereits als wir die gleichnamige Stadt Iseo erreichen. Schnell decken wir uns im Supermarkt vor Ort mit reichlich Birra Moretti (italienisches Bier) und italienischem Reibkäse für den Abend ein.

Jetzt heißt es nochmal ordentlich Kilometer machen, bevor das letzte Licht des Tages vorrüber ist. Mit Vollgas schrauben wir uns durch die Kurven und Kehren die zwischen Iseo und Sarezzo liegen. 

Als wir gerade durch Lumezzane durch sind wird es dunkel und die Nacht beginnt. Wohlgemerkt zeigt die Uhr gerade mal 18:30, viel zu früh um den Fahrtag hier schon zu beenden. Weitere 50 Kilometer wollen wir heute noch zurücklegen und das auf den kurvigsten Straßen, die die Gegend hier zu bieten hat.

In der Stille der Nacht fahren wir durch zahllose Kurven und über schier endlose Landstraßen, bis wir eine gute Stunde später unser heutiges Tagesziel erreichen. Den nördlichen Zipfel des Lago di Valvestino, dem fünften See der 5-Seen-Tour. Hätten wir nicht soviel Zeit beim Fotos machen heute liegen lassen, dann wären wir vermutlich noch bei Tageslicht hier angekommen. Aber hätte, hätte, Fahrradkette - es ist wie es ist und wir haben das Ziel erreicht. 

Im Schutze der Nacht fahren wir einen schmalen Waldweg hinauf, wo wir auf einer Lichtung einen erstklassigen Lagerplatz entdecken. Wie schon am gestrigen Abend bauen wir die Zelte auf und machen ein wärmendes Lagerfeuer. Zum Abendessen gibt es heute Nudeln aus der Tüte mit Grana Padano (italienischer Hart- und Reibkäse). Ein Genuss für Leib und Seele.

Ewig sitzen wir am Lagerfeuer, trinken Birra Moretti, führen angeregte Gespräche und schwelgen in Erinnerungen aus vergangenen Zeiten. Die Zeitumstellung kommt uns in dieser Nacht entgegen. Dank ihr können wir eine Stunde länger schlafen.

Am nächsten Morgen ist es kühl, als wir aufstehen liegt das Tal rund um den Stausee Lago di Valvestino noch in tiefen Schatten. Wir trinken einen Kaffee und brechen kurz darauf auf. Für heute steht ein straffes Programm und die Heimreise auf dem Plan.

Unser erstes Ziel heute ist die riesige Staumauer des Sees, die wir nach wenigen Kilometern und vielen Kurven entlang des Steilufers erreichen. Ein flottes Bild aus der Luft und es geht weiter.

Dem Straßenverlauf aus dem Tal heraus folgend gelangen wir zurück zum Gardasee. Auf der Straße des Westufers in Richtung Norden ist ordentlich was los und es staut hinter jeder zweiten Kurve. Gut das wir mit dem Motorrad auf dem Mittelstreifen fahren können, was in Italien bei Zweiradfahrern übrigens Gang und Gebe ist. Die italienischen Biker, Rollerfahrer und Rennradfahrer schlängeln sich ohne Rücksicht auf Verluste links und rechts an den Blech-Karawanen vorbei. Wir tun es ihnen gleich.

Kurz vor Limone Sul Garda fahren wir noch einen kleinen Abstecher in die Berge. 

Die abenteuerliche "Strada della Forra" verwöhnt mit tollen Ausblicken über den Gardasee und führt uns auf einer schmalen Straße mit Felsüberhängen, engen Kehren und Ampelschaltungen auf direktem Wege in die "Brassa Schlucht". Ein grandioser Straßenbau durch eine einmalige Landschaft, was man sich bei einer Fahrt um den Gardasee nicht entgehen lassen sollte. 

Zurück auf der Hauptstraße "SS45bis" angekommen, fahren wir hoch bis Riva del Garda, in den Hafen wo wir bereits gestern Morgen gestanden haben. Der Trubel zur Mittagszeit ist gerade in vollem Gange und es bedarf sogar der örtlichen Polizia (Polizei), die verzweifelt versucht das Parkgetümmel und das hohe Verkehrsaufkommen einigermaßen in den Griff zu bekommen. Wir suchen schnell wieder das Weite. Mit einem letzten Blick verlassen wir den See und schrauben uns in die ruhigeren Höhenlagen.

Am Lago di Tenno, einem strahlend blauen See in den Bergen, legen wir noch eine ausgedehnte und erholsame Mittagspause ein, in der wir uns mit leckeren Pizzen für die bevorstehende Heimfahrt stärken. Über 620 Kilometer sind es noch von hier bis nachhause, die es heute zu meistern gilt.

Um 14:30 Uhr treten wir die Heimreise an. Zuerst auf Landstraßen und dann weiter auf der italienischen Autobahn fahren wir in Richtung Österreich. Wir kommen zügig voran.

Am Brenner angekommen geht es auf der Landstraße weiter in Richtung Innsbruck, wodurch man sich die Gebühr von 9,50 Euro für den Brennerpass einsparen kann. Das Fahren über Land und durch mehrere Ortschaften ist jedoch ein ziemliches Gegurke. Eine kleine Entschädigung dafür ist der Blick von unten hoch zur Europabrücke, über die die Brenner-Autobahn verläuft.

Zeit sich zu verabschieden, die weitere Heimreise treten Stefan und ich ab Innsbruck auf separaten Wegen an. Kumpel es hat wieder jede Menge Spaß gemacht, eine unvergessliche Tour liegt hinter uns, es war schön mit dir! Jubelnd grölen wir uns auf der Autobahn zu, bevor sich unsere Wege trennen.

Stefan wird die Route über Mittenwald, Garmisch und Landsberg am Lech in Richtung Augsburg nach Hause nehmen, die mittlerweile wieder geöffnet sein sollte. Ich werde mich mehr in westliche Richtung halten.

Bei letztem Tageslicht hetze ich an den Autokolonnen vorbei über den Fernpass. Ein letztes Bild von der Zugspitze im Abendgrauen, dann wird es Nacht. Mit dem Erlöschen des Tageslichts sinken auch die Temperaturen in den Keller. Schnell ziehe ich eine weitere Lage in Form eines Pullovers an. 

Bei Füssen gelange ich auf die Autobahn. Von hier aus sind es noch gut 300 Kilometer bis nach Hause.

Über Kempten und Memmingen geht es auf der A7 bis Ulm. Immer wieder treten kleinere Staus auf, durch die ich mich jedoch recht zügig hindurchschlängeln kann.

Als ich gerade bei Ulm von der A7 auf die A8 wechsle, setzt Starkregen ein. Der Heimat schon ziemlich nahe halte ich es nicht mehr für nötig mich in die Regenkombi zu zwängen, was sich jedoch später als Fehler rausstellen sollte, da mich der Regen bis zuhause begleiten wird. 

Am ganzen Körper zitternd und völlig verfroren erreiche um 21:10 Uhr meine Heimatstadt Gernsbach. Der Wochenend-Abenteuer-Trip ist gemeistert und eine weitere tolle Reise ist vollbracht. Danke Kumpel für die drei tollen gemeinsamen Tage.

Und jetzt nichts wie raus aus den triefend nassen Klamotten und schnell unter die heiße Dusche...

!!! AM ENDE DER SEITE FINDEST DU EINE KARTE DER 5-SEEN-TOUR MIT ROUTE ZUM DOWNLOADEN !!!

Gernsbach - Rastatt - Karlsruhe - Pforzheim - Stuttgart - Ulm - Zusmarshausen - Dinkelscherben - Oberschöneberg - Breitenbronn - Ried - Ustersbach - Aretsried - Fischach - Mickhausen - Schwabmünchen - Untermeitingen - Klosterlechfeld - Landsberg am Lech - Hohenfurch - Schongau - Rottenbuch - Bad Bayersoien - Unterammergau - Oberammergau - Ettal - Ettaler Sattel 869m - Oberau - Garmisch-Partenkirchen - (Unfall auf B2 in Richtung Mittenwald, Straße die nächsten 4h gesperrt) - Leermoos - Untergarten - Fernpass 1216m - (Nassereith) - Obsteig - Telfs - Innsbruck - Matrei am Brenner - Brennerpass (Brenner) 1370m - Sterzing - Grasstein - Brixen - Bozen - Trient - Rovereto (Abfahrt Nord, da Abfahrt Süd momentan gesperrt) - Villa Lagarina - Brancolino - Marano - Cornalé - Mori - SS240 - Loppio - SP88 - Valle San Felice - Pannone - "Dos Alt"("Park"/Waldgebiet auf Plateau mit Aussicht über Gardasee)(Koordinaten 45.8756707, 10.9248147 angefahren) - ZELTEN bei Koordinaten 45.87575, 10.92363 - Pannone - Valle San Felice - Loppio - Passo San Giovanni 287m - Nago-Torbole - Turbel - LAGO DI GARDA - Riva del Garda - Biacesa di Ledro - Molina di Ledro - LAGO DI LEDRO - Bezzecca - Storo - Ca' Rossa - Darzo - Lodrone - Ponte Caffaro - LAGO D’IDRO - Il Palazzo - Bagolino - Valle Dorizzo - Passo Crocedomini 1892m - Bazena - Bienno - Darfo - SP510 - LAGO D' ISEO - Marone - Sale Marasino - Sulzano - Pilzone - Iseo - Bosine  - Passo dei Tre Tormini 701m - Zoadello - Polaveno - Gombio - Zanano - Sarezzo - Lumezzane - Gazzane - Barghe - Nozza - Vestone - Pieve Vecchia - Lemprato - Idro - Capovalle - LAGO DI VALVESTINO - ZELTEN bei Koordinaten 45.73619, 10.60790 (im Wald über Stausee des Lago di Valvestino) - Navazzo - Gargnano - (Fahrt entlang der Westseite des LAGO DI GARDA) - STRADA DELLA FORRA - BRASA SCHLUCHT - Limone Sul Garda - Riva del Garda - Deva - Pranzo - LAGO DI TENNO - Ballino - Stumiaga - Dasindo - Lomaso - Campo Lomaso - Ponte Arche - Sarche - Padergnone - Vezzano - Vigolo Badelga - Cadine - Trient - Bozen - Brixen - Sterzing - Brennerpass (Brenner) 1370m - Abfahrt bei OMV Tankstelle auf Brenner (Rosenberger Restaurant) - Lueg - Gries am Brenner - Stafflach - Steinach am Brenner - Matrei am Brenner - Matreiwald - EUROPABRÜCKE - Gärberbach - Innsbruck - (Autobahn Richtung "Innsbruck WEST") - Mötz - Obsteig - Nassereith - Fernpass 1216m - Halt am Restaurant Zugspitzblick (Aussicht über Blindsee auf Berg Zugspitze) - (Untergarten) - (Obergarten) - (Heiterwang) - Gemeinde Reutte - (Füssen) - Kempten - Memmingen - Ulm - Stuttgart - Pforzheim - Karlsruhe - Rastatt - Gernsbach

Reisedauer: 3 Tage

Gefahrene Strecke: 1688 Kilometer (563km/Tag im Durchschnitt!!! - extrem)

Anzahl Pässe: 6 (8 mit Pässe-Dopplern)

Wildcampen Italien:

In Italien ist das Wildcampen im Wald, sowie auf freien Flächen, also auch am Strand, verboten. Wer erwischt wird, muss mit einem Bußgeld rechnen. Anders sieht das auf Privatgrundstücken aus. Hat man die Erlaubnis des Grundstückbesitzers erhalten, steht einem Campieren auf dem Privatgrundstück nichts im Wege.

Biwakieren Italien:

Das Übernachten draußen, ohne Zelt, nur mit Schlafsack, Isomatte, Hängematte, Biwaksack, Tarp, etc., in hochalpinem Gelände, ist außerhalb der Schutzgebiete, in Italien, für einen kurzen, durch den Anlass gebotenen Zeitraum (eine Nacht), gestattet.

Klima / beste Reisezeit: 

Von alpinem Klima in Südtirol bis zu mediterranem Klima an der Stiefelspitze und in Sizilien reicht die Palette. Ganz im Süden geht Motorradfahren ganzjährig, Touren in der Mitte und im Norden ab März, in den Höhenlagen ab April / Mai. In den alpinen Regionen gelten die Wintersperren teilweise bis in den Juni. 

allgemeine Landesinformationen

Fläche: 301.338 km2

Einwohner: 60.501.718

Währung: Euro

Verkehr: Rechtsverkehr

Tempolimits:

50 km/h innerorts

90 km/h außerorts

110-130 km/h auf Autobahnen

Web-Infos: www.italia.it/de 

Eine Übersichtskarte von der Route der 5-Seen-Tour in Italien kannst du dir hier herunterladen.

(Quelle: www.louis.de)

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We took a royal enfield tour from Kathmandu to Chitwan (National Park) then to Pokhara and back to Kathmandu. For the chitwan experience we were unlucky cos we didnt spot any rhinos. Only some deers, wildboar and peacocks. So it all depends on luck cos its in the wild. For pokhara we did rafting (upper seti) but it you did rafting in say, Bali, then youll be slightly disappointed bcs its not as hardcore and paragliding.(Paragliding can get a little bit dizzy) The Bike trip was crazyyyyy. It requires a lil bit of skill, the traffic and off-road condition its not for the faint hearted. But the view was amazing! Avoid riding at night its very stressful. Bhagwat and the tour guide, Gopal, is the nicest and most helpful people, and the Nepalese people in general are very2 kind! I love them.

Royal Enfield Motorbike Tour in Nepal

Great trip! Everything was coordinated perfectly. The pace, destinations and experiences were good. Our guide, Badri Karki, was awesome and fun. His comments, educational and historical information about what we were visiting or seeing was much appreciated. Badri is a gentleman and nice guy. Overall a fantastic experience.

Private Leh- Ladakh tour with Pangong & Nubra

• In-depth Cultural

Will And Wonderful Perú,Lima, Amazon River ,Inca Trail ,Machupicchu,Huacachina ,Nasca Lines

Ha Giang Motorbike Tour 4 days 3 nights

3-days & 3 nights KTM-Desert Adventure from Ouarzazate to Iriki & Erg Chigaga: Explore the famous Road of the Dakar-Ralley

5-days & 4 nights KTM-Desert Adventure from Ouarzazate to Iriki & Erg Chigaga: Explore the famous Road of the Dakar-Ralley

Ha Giang Easy Rider Motorbike 4 days/3 nights

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Top of The World, Ride in Trans Himalayan Region, Shimla to Ladakh

Highlands of Ladakh - Royal Enfield Motorcycle Tour in Ladakh

Vietnam Motorcycle Tour to Ha Giang, Cao Bang via Sapa, Bac Ha, Yen Bai

The tour was awesome, bikes went well and Mr Dong was great with his organisation and contact leading up to tour. Would highly recommend this company in the future and will probably be back again.. Thanks Mr Dong, and Vinh our guide for some awesome pics too 10/10

Northern Vietnam Motorbike Tour to Ba Be, Ha Giang, Sapa, Lai Chau, Son La

A trip to be remembered for a long time for sure. From excellent communications during the planning, great itinerary, some fantastic and sometimes challenging roads, good accomadation, a really good tour guide, Mr Cao, spoke good English. All up, I can't speak highly enough of the whole trip. Thank you, Mr Dong.

What people love about Motorcycle Ride Tours

This Mekong Delta trip was absolutely banging !! From set up on the net to completion of the trip the Vietnamese owner of the tour was in touch and totally accessible. I booked the trip to have a relaxing ride around the mainly flat Mekong Delta. I ride bikes everyday at home and didn't feel the need to get down and dirty as I'm sure I would if I'd have adventured further north. My guide arrived the evening prior to meet and brief me about our tour. Cong my guide, was absolutely brilliant. Bike and Cong arrived bang on time the following morning, that set the scene for a punctual organisation. I rode a 150 trail bike which was more than ample for the terrain. The encompassed the different farms animal, vegetable, and fish. The industries that

I have just finished a 12 tour Top Gear Ho ChiMin Trail tour. Myself and two friends joined Cong on this fabulous ride we saw and experienced lots of things that the average tourist would not experience. This tour was very well organised and Cong was very good at finding new experiences from riding through remote villages and rice paddies we also ate at a verity of restaurants from remote family settings to floating restaurants where the food was also extremely fresh and tasty. We got to visit war site’s museums and grave sites. It was challenging learning to ride in the huge mobs of motorcycles in the cities and also evading trucks/ cars motorcycles coming around corners on your side of the road. We saw motorcycles pulling trailers with up to 5 pigs,1 water buffalo,1 large cow, 4 people and a dog, as well as numerous farm produce equipment. It was an extremely rewarding experience and would highly recommend Mr Dong and his crew of well trained informed guides who go out of their way to make sure that you have the best possible experience.

the experience that we gained on this trip was totally much more than what we had expected. Bhagwat and also the tourguide Gopal was very very helpful! I would truly recommend it

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The Best Touring Motorcycles to Ride

By: Tim Huber Published: Jun 15, 2023

People have been taking motorcycles on long-distance, continent-crossing journeys practically since the machines were first invented. While initially done by manufacturers to demonstrate a given motorcycle’s speed or reliability, long-range riding has grown increasingly popular over the last century. As a result, major marques have been producing an ever-evolving range of purpose-built two-wheelers that have been engineered from the ground up specifically for eating up hundreds and hundreds of highway miles.

While the touring segment’s rise in popularity has given way to more touring-specific motorcycles than ever before, the sheer number of available choices has also made it more and more difficult to hone in on the genre’s true standout models. So, with this in mind, we’ve thoroughly scoured the two-wheeled realm to deliver this curated guide to the best touring motorcycles. In addition to counting down our picks for the best touring bikes on the market, we’ll also be delving into just what exactly a touring motorcycle is as well as exploring what to consider when shopping for one.

The Best Touring Motorcycles

Best EV Tourer

Energica Experia Green Tourer

Best Overall Tourer

Honda Gold Wing Tour

Best ADV-Tourer

Ducati Multistrada V4 S

Best Sport-Tourer

Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX SE

Best Touring Bagger

Harley-Davidson Road Glide Limited

What exactly is a touring motorcycle.

Long-Range Explorers

A touring motorcycle — or “tourer” — is a genre of bike that’s been designed specifically for long-range travel and riding. Because these machines are engineered to log countless miles on the open road, they tend to feature larger, freeway-capable engines along with hefty curb weights and long wheelbases that make these motorcycles particularly stable at high speeds. These bikes also feature larger fuel cells — or, in the case of electric motorcycles, batteries — that allow for longer ranges and more autonomy in between trips to the pump (or charging station).

What’s more, the engines used in touring motorcycles tend to be incredibly reliable and are often paired with components to minimize the need for maintenance and upkeep — such as a shaft final drive. It’s also grown increasingly commonplace to see modern tourers come loaded with cutting-edge tech in the form of onboard moto GPS systems and connectivity to dedicated smartphone apps. Likewise, tourers are usually equipped with ample storage and/or luggage, wind protection, and upright (or slightly leaned back) riding positions that allow riders to comfortably spend hours in the saddle. These machines also come in a wide variety of styles, too, from cruisers to adventure tourers to baggers to sport-tourers.

Two-Wheeled Tourers

10 Main Factors To Consider When Buying A Touring Motorcycle

Because touring motorcycles are engineered specifically for long-range travel, there are a handful of unique factors that are crucial to take into consideration when shopping. Below, we’ll briefly delve into the ten most important areas to think about before pulling the trigger on your purchase.

Type Of Bike:  While all touring motorcycles are aimed at long-distance riding, these bikes do come in a fairly wide variety of styles. As previously mentioned above, this includes cruisers and baggers , as well as sport-tourers and adventure-tourers. It’s also worth noting that when equipped with the right upgrades — such as auxiliary fuel tanks, extended windscreens, hard luggage, auxiliary lighting, and crash protection — almost any freeway-capable motorcycle can be transformed into a bonafide touring machine. 

Engine & Power: As the heart of the bike, a touring motorcycle’s engine is unquestionably one of the most important areas to consider when shopping. These powertrains need to be large and powerful enough to comfortably ride at freeway speeds for long durations. As such, multi-cylinder engines are almost always utilized in this segment (with very few exceptions). Horsepower and torque figures also help to provide a more objective sense of a touring bike’s performance — especially when coupled with said bike’s curb weight (an area we’ll touch on more directly below).

Weight: Curb weight (i.e. the weight of the bike fully fueled and topped off with fluids) is a fairly unique area to take into consideration when buying a tourer, as excessive weight is typically viewed as a negative when looking at most genres of motorcycle, however, with tourers, a decent amount of weight is required for the bike to be stable at freeway speeds (even in heavy winds). This ultimately does require some sacrifice, as a heavy weight will compromise a motorcycle’s low-speed maneuverability, making it important to try to find an ideal balance.

Wheelbase: Just like with a heavy curb weight, a touring motorcycle’s long wheelbase will hugely bolster its stability at high speeds, though will also pretty massively hinder low-speed handling. And, just like with the bike’s weight, this area is all about striking a balance between stability and maneuverability.

Storage & Luggage: Not unlike grand touring cars , touring motorcycles are designed with storage in mind. As a result, two-wheeled tourers tend to be equipped with integrated luggage compartments or (often removable) top cases and hard panniers. While this may not sound like much, it’s not uncommon to see modern touring bikes that boast well over 100 liters of storage space — and that’s before factoring in available aftermarket storage options such as tank bags, riding backpacks, tail bags, and soft panniers.

Tech & Amenities: Over the last decade, motorcycles have been increasingly bestowed with cutting-edge tech — with the touring sector being far from an exception. On top of often sporting glare-proof, full-color TFT displays, a great many of today’s latest touring bikes also feature elements such as GPS, onboard sound systems, built-in comms, onboard real-time diagnostics, and a generous slew of electronic rider aids such as cruise control, traction control, and multi-channel antilock brakes, just to name a few.

Crash Protection & Aux Lighting: Though they’re more commonly found as upgrades on adventure bikes, having auxiliary lights and crash protection can also be immensely helpful when on a touring motorcycle, helping to better light up what’s in the bike’s path and protecting the engine, frame, and bodywork in the event of a tip-over, slide, or crash. As such, certain trim levels of touring models come equipped with these items as standard. 

Maintenance & Reliability: If you’re traveling hundreds of miles a day on a motorcycle, it’s imperative that the bike be extremely reliable and require minimal routine maintenance . As a result, most tourers can go thousands of miles before requiring servicing, and many feature maintenance-mitigating systems such as shaft-driven final drives. There are also owners of vintage BMW and Honda touring motorcycles that have racked up over 1,000,000 miles on the original engine — a fact that points to just how insanely reliable and bulletproof these brilliantly-engineered powertrains truly are.

Comfort: When you’re spending all day in the saddle, comfort becomes extremely important. As such, touring bikes tend to be equipped with a host of features that bolster their rider’s comfort. This includes elements such as adjustable windscreens and other wind-blocking elements, relaxed (sometimes adjustable) riding positions, cruise control, and heated (and/or cooled) grips and seats. Quite a few touring bike owners also opt to upgrade their bike’s saddle to a more plush, aftermarket unit from brands like Saddlemen and Corbin.

Range: Because touring motorcycles are primarily used for long-distance travel, they tend to be outfitted with extended-range fuel cells that afford anywhere from 100 to 200 miles of autonomy on a single tank. In most parts of the developed world, this will be more than sufficient, though there’s also the option of mounting auxiliary RotopaX-style fuel cells or traditional jerry cans for additional range.

• The first-ever truly touring-capable electric motorcycle
• Features top-shelf fit & finish
• Made in Italy
• Great brakes, suspension, & other running gear
• Sold w/ wide array of available accessories •
• Poor off-road capabilities in stock form
• Expensive price
• Must be recharged & can’t simply be refueled at pump

Best EV Tourer: The first-ever  electric motorcycle  designed specifically for touring duties, the Energica Experia is a high-end, Italian-made adventure tourer with a 75kW (102hp) motor that produces an ungodly 664ft-lbs of torque, allowing for a 3.5-second 0-60mph time and an electronically-limited top speed of 112mph. Affording a range of up to 261 miles, the ADV bike’s lithium polymer battery can receive a 0-80% recharge in as little as 40 minutes. Other details include long-travel ZF Sachs suspension, heated grips, Brembo brakes, a 5” TFT display, a lockable storage compartment, two USB ports, and an available suite of hard luggage that offers a collective 112 liters of storage space.

Engine:  75-KW Permanent Magnet-Assisted Synchronous Reluctance Motor Power:  102HP & 664FT-LBs Curb Weight:  573LBs Wheelbase:  59.5” Battery:  22.5-kWh Lithium-Polymer MSRP: $23,750

• Latest iteration of legendary Honda touring motorcycle
• Has electronic suspension adjustment and modes
• Loaded w/ tech including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, TPMS, & a GPS infotainment display
• Features a reverse mode & hill-start assist
• Offered w/ optional airbag & sold in automatic DCT versions
• Weighs over 800lbs
• Very sluggish at low speeds

Best Overall Tourer: Originally introduced in 1974 and now on its sixth generation (the GL1800), the Honda Gold Wing is undoubtedly one of the most legendary touring motorcycles of all time. Engineered from the ground up for long-distance riding, the latest Gold Wing is kicked along by an enormous 1.8-liter six-cylinder engine that’s backed by a suite of electronic rider assists. Alongside the base model Gold Wing, the  Japanese moto maker  also produces automatic DCT versions of the legendary tourer, as well as a variant with a built-in automotive-style airbag system, and a Touring-spec with a top box and pillion seat and backrest. 

Engine:  Liquid-Cooled 1,833c Horizontally-Opposed Six-Cylinder Power:  90HP & 102.5FT-LBs Curb Weight:  843LBs Wheelbase:  66.9” Tank Size:  5.55 Gallons MSRP: $25,600

• Powered by MotoGP-derived V4 Granturismo engine
• Comes standard w/ Ducati’s Travel & Radar package
• Can be upgraded for off-roading w/ minimal mods
• Retains Ducati’s signature razor-sharp cornering abilities
• Features blindspot detection & radar-guided adaptive cruise control
• Requires mods to unlock full off-roading potential

Best ADV-Tourer: The latest iteration of the Italian marque’s top-of-the-line adventure-tourer, the Ducati Multistrada V4 S is a premium two-wheeler engineered specifically for long-range travel. Kicked along by Ducati’s MotoGP-derived V4 Granturismo engine, the Multi V4 S not only offers plenty of power — with 170hp and 92ft-lbs of torque on tap — but also boats a main service interval of 37,000 miles, hugely minimizing maintenance. What’s more, on top of featuring numerous wheel spoked and forged wheel options and an integrated navigation system and adjustable windscreen as standard, the S-spec Multistrada V4 also comes loaded with Ducati’s Travel & Radar package that features rigid side panniers, smart blindspot detection, and a radar-guided adaptive cruise control system. 

Engine: Liquid-Cooled 1,158cc V4 Power: 170HP & 92FT-LBs Dry Weight: 481LBs Wheelbase: 61.7” Tank Size: 5.812 Gallons MSRP: $27,195

• Powered by same 228-hp supercharged engine used in Ninja H2R/H2R
• Has top-shelf electronically-controlled suspension
• Sold w/ easily-removable 28-liter hard luggage set
• Comes standard w/ launch control, quick shifter, & active cornering LEDs
• Loaded w/ tech including adaptive cruise control, blindspot detection, & forward collision warning
• Supercharger requires additional maintenance

Best Sport-Tourer: Powered by the same supercharged 998cc inline-four used in Team Green’s  Ninja H2 superbike , the H2 SX SE is an incredibly powerful sport tourer that comes loaded with more tech than your average new car. This includes adaptive cruise control, blindspot detection, forward collision warning, a new 6.5” TFT display with connectivity to a dedicated Kawasaki smartphone app, an intelligent proximity activation start system, Kawasaki Intelligent ABS, electronically-controlled suspension, active cornering LED lights, a quick-shifter, multiple power modes, electronic throttle valves, and Kawasaki traction, engine braking, and launch control systems. This version of the H2 SX also comes with removable hard luggage as standard. 

Engine:  Liquid-Cooled Supercharged 998cc Inline-Four Power:  228HP & 101FT-LBs Curb Weight:  590.9LBs Wheelbase:  58.3” Tank Size:  5 Gallons MSRP: $28,000

• Fully-loaded touring-specific range-topping cruiser
• Comes standard w/ fairing, hard luggage set, & passenger backrest
• Made in America
• Stellar stock infotainment & sound system
• Offered w/ massive number of optional add-ons like heated/cooled seat & Screamin’ Eagle performance upgrades
• Electronic safety aids don’t come as standard
• Behemoth 900+ curb weight
• Extremely sluggish at low speeds
• Poor value compared to Japanese-made counterparts

Best Touring Bagger: Equipped with a distinctive “Sharknose” fairing, the  Harley-Davidson Road Glide  Limited is a range-topping Grand American Touring model made for mowing through miles in comfort. Powered by the MoCo’s Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-Twin engine, the Road Glide Limited features a Boom! Box GTS infotainment system paired with a TFT display, plus a Daymaker LED headlight, a smart security system, 49mm forks with dual bending valve suspension technology, Emulsion-technology rear shock, a full suite of hard luggage, a plush pillion backrest, and ABS — all as standard. Harley also offers upgrades for this model such as TPM sensors, vehicle hold control, drag torque slip control, upgraded cornering ABS and traction control, and electronically-linked cornering brakes. 

Engine:  Air & Oil-Cooled 1,868cc V-Twin Power:  100.5HP & 122FT-LBs Curb Weight:  932LBs Wheelbase:  64” Tank Size:  6 Gallons MSRP: $29,399

Supplementary Tourer Selections Worth Considering

BMW R 1250 RT

Tipping the scales at over 600lbs and sporting a 58.5” wheelbase, the BMW R 1250 RT is a full-size sport tourer that offers incredible stability and speed, with the 1.25-liter Boxer twin topping out at around 125mph. Alongside a set of locking hard cases, the R 1250 RT also features LED lighting all around, onboard wireless charging, BMW’s ShiftCam variable intake camshaft control, BMW’s Dynamic Traction Control and adaptive cruise control, a trio of ride modes (ECO, Rain, and Road), Hill Start Control, and a 10.25″ TFT display with smartphone connectivity and integrated map navigation.

Engine:  Air & Oil-Cooled 1,254cc Boxer Twin Power:  136HP & 105FT-LBs Curb Weight:  615LBs Wheelbase:  58.5” Tank Size:  6.6 Gallons MSRP: $19,695

KTM 1290 Super Duke GT

An even more capable European-built full-size sport tourer, KTM’s 1290 Super Duke GT is a high-performance touring model with razor-sharp handling and lightning-fast acceleration with a 0-60mph time of just 2.75 seconds. At the heart of the Super Duke is KTM’s LC8 V-Twin which is good for 175hp and 104ft-lbs of torque. These immense horsepower and torque figures are kept in check via a state-of-the-art suite of rider aids and a top-shelf running gear setup with some of the finest hardware that money can buy. If you’re looking for a touring-capable bike with aggressive performance, look no further. 

Engine:  Liquid-Cooled 1,301cc V-Twin Power:  172.5HP & 104FT-LBs Curb Weight:  515.8LBs Wheelbase:  58.34” Tank Size:  6 Gallons MSRP: $19,799

Triumph Rocket 3 GT

With an absolutely massive 2.5-liter inline-three, Triumph’s Rocket 3 packs the largest displacement engine of any production motorcycle in history. Good for 165hp and 163ft-lbs of torque, the Rocket 3 can hit 60mph from a complete standstill in only 2.73 seconds — placing it on par with a slew of today’s  latest and greatest supercars . The GT-spec of this two-wheeled muscle roadster also gets a height-adjustable brushed aluminum pillion backrest, a plush touring saddle and pillion, an extended flyscreen, heated grips, adjustable ergonomics, hidden folding passenger foot-pegs, and an extended range, five-gallon tank. 

Engine:  Liquid-Cooled 2,458cc Inline-Three Power:  165HP & 163FT-LBs Curb Weight:  710LBs Wheelbase:  66” Tank Size:  4.8 Gallons MSRP: $25,195

The Best Adventure Motorcycles

Interested in checking out an additional selection of touring-ready bikes? Then be sure to cruise over to our guide to the best adventure motorcycles  for a dozen of the latest and greatest touring-capable models capable of gobbling up countless miles — whether on or off-road.

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Smile for miles! It's the best touring motorbikes of 2021

Touring by motorbike is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable things you can do on two wheels. While it’s true that you can tour on anything from a superbike to a 125, this list will concentrate on the bikes designed for the job.

• Related : Top touring essentials

The distinguishing features of a touring bike are generally comfort, good luggage and/or pillion provision and good tank range. Within that, we’ve split the bikes into four rough categories; heavyweight, sports, adventure and lightweight.

Touring isn’t a one-size-fits-all activity and so we haven’t ranked the bikes, but these are among the best touring motorbikes money can buy.

Best touring motorbikes fro 2021

• Honda Gold Wing
• Harley-Davidson Road Glide
• BMW K1600GT
• Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX
• KTM 1290 Super Duke GT
• Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
• BMW R1250GS
• Ducati Multistrada 1260
• Yamaha Super Ténéré 1200
• Yamaha Tracer 700
• Suzuki V-Strom 650
• Honda CB500X

Best heavyweight touring motorbikes

Heavyweight tourers have large, effortless engines, a sumptuous ride, plenty of room for two people, wardrobes attached to the side and lots of weather protection.

2018 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing (£15,300 used – £22,399 new)

Spec: 1833cc / 125bhp / 378kg / 744mm seat height

Top-end versions of the Honda Gold Wing over the years have included features from stereo systems to airbags and hot air vents to keep you warm.

The pillion provision is incredibly plush and the bike’s high starting weight and flat-six 1800cc engine make carrying large quantities of luggage a cinch. If you plan on cruising around in a relaxed fashion with lots of luggage and a pillion, a full-dress tourer could be the perfect solution.

If you can’t stomach the £30,699 price tag (2020) of the Gold Wing Tour with DCT and air-bag, there are cheaper versions available, however don’t expect any to be cheap. A base model ‘Wing will still set you back £22,399, for instance.

• Read our full Honda Gold Wing review here

2020 Harley-Davidson Road Glide (£20,000 used – £24,695 new)

Spec: 1868cc / 89bhp / 423kg / 735mm seat height

From across the pond you’ve got Harley-Davidson, who have arguably been the reigning kings of all things bagger for about 60 years. Their biggest machines, such as the Road Glide Limited, got a big update for 2020 to include fancy electronics, but they’re not cheap. The Road Glide Limited starts at £24,695, although they do also offer the mini-bagger Sport Glide for £15,295.

• Read our Harley-Davidson Road Glide review here

2017 BMW K1600GT (£13,500 used – £18,745)

Spec: 1649cc / 160bhp / 344kg / 810mm seat height

If you fancy something European, you could also consider BMW’s K1600 range, with its 1649cc six-cylinder engine – plus all the mod-cons you would expect, legendary BMW build-quality and a six-pot soundtrack reminiscent of an early-noughties M3. It could be the ideal toy for distance work.

As is often the case with BMW, the options catalogue for the entire K1600 range is vast, so look out for used examples with plenty of extras added.

The 2017 GT model came fully loaded as standard with adaptive headlights, Dynamic ESA, daytime running lights, ABS Pro, Audio system with GPS preparation, reverse gear (for the first time), Dynamic traction control, hill start control and tyre pressure control.

• Read our BMW K1600GT review here

Best sports tourer motorbikes

Sports-tourers share many of the mile-munching attributes of the heavyweights but are a bit more fun on proper roads when you reach your destination with sportier handling (hence the name) and higher ground clearance.

2018 Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX (£11,400 used – £15,599 new)

Spec: 998cc / 197bhp / 260kg / 835mm seat height

One of the top sports tourers on the market has to be the Kawasaki H2 SX. A supercharged, 197bhp Kawasaki may not sound like the ideal tool for a bike tour, but that’s exactly what it is.

If you’ve got the wallet for it, the SE+ version includes a mind-boggling array of tech and gadgets but the best feature is the engine and that’s the same whatever model you go for.

MCN’s Editor, Rich Newland, took his Kawasaki H2 SX long-term test bike on a 715-mile ride around the UK in a single day and said: “Exactly 18-hours in the saddle with nothing but fuel breaks – and I feel fine.” If that’s not proof of a bike’s touring credentials, then what is?

• Read our Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX review here

2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX (£10,300 used – £10,999)

Spec: 1043cc / 140bhp / 235kg / 835mm seat height

You should also consider Kawasaki’s own Ninja 1000SX, which was confusingly introduced for 2020 as a replacement to the Z1000SX series.

The Kawasaki Z1000SX was a phenomenal success for the firm: their biggest-selling bike in the UK for the past decade, and Europe’s top-selling sports-tourer for at least the past three years, so if you don’t want to stretch to a new bike then there are plenty of used Zs on the market.

The H2’s less powerful little brother still boasts 140bhp, more than enough for real world riding, especially when you’re touring. The 2020 version marked an improvement in handling over previous versions, especially at slow speeds.

The Ninja 1000SX’s standard spec is high and the base-model comes with cruise control, quickshifter/autoblipper and a colour TFT dash with Bluetooth connectivity. Z1000SX models from 2017 – on, also have cornering ABS and traction control, as well as piercing white LED headlights.

• Read our Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX review here

2019 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT (£11,000 used – £16,799 new)

Spec: 1301cc / 175bhp / 209kg / 835mm seat height

If four-cylinder engines don’t tickle your pickle, you could also consider a thumping twin – in the form of KTM’s 1290 Super Duke GT.

The Super Duke GT may look a bit like an adventure sport but don’t be fooled. Packing over 170bhp from its 1301cc V-Twin power station, electronically adjustable WP suspension, and a striking three-pronged trellis chassis, you don’t have to dig very deep to find its sporty potential.

It shares an awful lot with the previous generation  KTM 1290 Super Duke R on which it is based. If you’re stepping away from sportsbikes, but still lust after the performance, this is the way to go.

• Read our KTM 1290 Super Duke GT review here

Best adventure bikes for touring

Adventure bikes have grown in size and become increasingly powerful in recent years and manufacturers noticed that many were used predominantly – or even exclusively – on the road.

2019 BMW R1250GS (£11,995 used – £13,845 new)

Spec: 1254cc / 134bhp / 249kg / 850mm seat height

The undeniable king of the genre is the BMW R1250GS, which took over from the R1200 in 2019 as the German brand’s flagship adventure bike. Since its inception, it has won every MCN group test it has taken part in. Also new for 2019 was the R1250GS Adventure , which offered a 30-litre fuel tank for more miles between fill-ups, wire wheels and long-travel suspension.

Although looking like an over-grown trailie, the big GS is also more than capable of handling itself on the road and the large boxer engine and shaft-drive make it incredibly reliable.

• Read our BMW R1250GS review here

2018 Ducati Multistrada 1260S (£13,000 used – £17,395 new)

Spec: 1262cc / 156bhp / 235kg / 825mm seat height

There are Multistradas of all shapes and sizes these days including the smaller and lighter 950 , through to the top-of-the-range Pikes Peak edition.

The 1260S has a grunty and torquey big V-twin engine, refined electronics and top-spec equipment and can really be considered a do anything superbike. With cast wheels in place of spokes and Ducati’s almost magical adaptive suspension working in the background and the DVT system keeping you in the power at all revs you’re set to crush continents at pace.

• Read our Ducati Multistrada 1260S review here

2010 Yamaha Super Ténéré 1200 (£5500 used – £12,547 new)

Spec: 1199cc / 109bhp / 261kg / 845mm seat height

The Yamaha Super Ténéré may be a bit long in the tooth compared to the other bikes here but it offers an economical alternative to a lot of the high-end competition. It’s also still more than capable of taking you and your possessions as far as you decide to go.

A look at the owners’ reviews for the Super Tén on MCN will prove that you lot absolutely love them, too, which just goes to show that you don’t necessarily need the latest all-singing-all-dancing machine to have fun.

• Read our Yamaha Super Ténéré review here

Best lightweight touring motorbikes

Finally, the lightweight tourers lose a little of the continent-swallowing capabilities of the other categories, but make up for it in practicality, economy, affordability and day-to-day useability.

2020 Yamaha Tracer 700 (£5900 used – £7947 new)

Spec: 689cc / 72bhp / 196kg / 835mm seat height

The Yamaha Tracer 700 uses the same parallel-twin engine as its more off-road focused Ténéré 700 and sportier MT-07 siblings and, actually, you could tour quite happily on any of them.

The Tracer got a facelift for 2020 (and looks so much better for it) but it also got more comfortable, sharper in the bends and smoother on the throttle, too.

Yamaha have widened the bars and given it a thicker seat to make it easier to stay in the saddle for long periods of time, making it even more suited to touring. There’s loads of extras in the catalogue too so look out for those on used models.

• Read our Yamaha Tracer 700 review here

2016 Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT (£6500 used – £7999 new)

Spec: 645cc / 71bhp / 216kg / 830mm seat height

The V-Strom’s 645cc V-twin engine hasn’t really changed much for two decades. It’s been used in the Suzuki SV650 for all that time and found its way into the V-Strom in 2004. This got a big update in 2011 and then the XT version came along in 2016.

Solid, dependable and capable describe the V-Strom perfectly, but it’s not going to stir everyone’s soul as much as some of the competition.

• Read our Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT review here

2019 Honda CB500X (£4400 used – £6119 new)

Spec: 471cc / 47bhp / 197kg / 830mm seat height

The Honda CB500X may be down on power compared to every other bike here, but don’t write it off straight away. For a start, who says you can’t tour just because you have an A2 licence?

The bike has all the build quality we’ve come to expect from Honda over the years wrapped up in a classy package. The 47bhp parallel-twin engine has plenty of grunt off the line thanks to Honda playing around with the valve timing and increasing the size of the airbox over the previous model.

The 19-inch front wheel means the CB500X is capable of dabbling with a bit of off-roading on gravel trails but it is likely to become unstuck in wet mud so if you’re considering a smaller, lighter option because you fancy some off-roading, look elsewhere ( Yamaha Ténéré 700 or KTM 790 Adventure perhaps).

• Read our Honda CB500X bike review here

More of MCN’s Best articles

• Best naked motorbikes
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• Best motorcycling YouTube videos
• Best motorbikes: MCN Awards 2020

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Assistant Editor (Motorcycling), hick for life, two cylinders max

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Die 5 Pässe - Tour

Wie es bereits der Name der Tour verrät: hier entdeckst Du gleich fünf der schönsten Dolomitenpässe Südtirols und der Nachbarprovinzen , ausgehend von der Ortschaft St. Ulrich im Grödnertal . Vorbei an St. Christina  geht die Strecke zunächst bis nach Wolkenstein und hinauf auf das 2.136 m hoch gelegene Grödnerjoch , welches die zwei ladinischen Täler, das Grödnertal mit dem Gadertal verbindet. Eine Rast hier am Grödnerjoch ist ein Muss. Herrlich ist der Blick auf den 3.181 m hohen Langkofel im Westen und auf den Sass Songher, den Heiligkreuzkofel und den Piz Lavarela die man, schaut man in Richtung Gadertal, im Blick hat. Noch etwas weiter östlich kann man sogar den Gipfel der Tofana entdecken.

Danach geht es weiter ins Gadertal , an Kolfuschg und Corvara vorbei bis nach Stern wo man rechts nach St. Kassian abbiegt. Über die Pässe zwei und drei, den Valparolapass und den Falzaregopass geht es hinunter nach Arabba . Es folgt nun der Pordoipass , der mit seinen 2.248 m Meereshöhe der zweithöchste mit einer durchgehend asphaltierten Straße versehene Gebirgspass der Dolomiten ist. Fantastisch von hier aus wiederum der Blick auf den Langkofel, auf das Sellamassiv, auf den Vorkamm der Marmolata Gruppe und den Piz Boè.

Vom Pordoipass aus erreichst Du anschließend die Ortschaften Canzei und Vigo di Fassa, von wo aus es dann über den fünften Pass bei dieser Tour, den Karerpass , und durch das enge Eggental hinaus nach Bozen und auf der Staatstraße bis nach Waidbruck geht. Dort zweigt die Straße wiederum ab ins Grödnertal.

Die gesamte Tour ist in etwa 210 km lang. Die Schräglage in den Kurven, die Höhe der Pässe und die wunderbar faszinierende Berglandschaft welche Dich auf dieser Tour stets begleitet, werden Dich begeistern.

Unterkunft finden | Wetter | Webcam | Nützliche Infos | Reisemagazin

Trotz genauer Arbeit und ständigem Aktualisieren der Inhalte, können Fehler auftreten. Wir übernehmen keine Gewähr für die Richtigkeit und Vollständigkeit aller Informationen. Informieren Sie sich sicherheitshalber nochmals beim Veranstalter vor Ort über die aktuellen Bedingungen.

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Standard, Member, and VIP registration for the Tour are sold out, 

but you can still register as a Charity Rider!

Start Schedule

Wave 1 (7:30am).

VIP & CHARITY RIDERS, PREFERRED START, MEMBERS

Recommended arrival time:  6:00AM-7:00AM

Southbound :  Preferred Start and Members should enter at Thomas

Northbound :  Preferred Start and Members should enter from Chambers to Bogardus Plaza then Duane

VIP & CHARITY BREAKFAST

VIP Riders:  Access VIP breakfast at Canal and Church

Charity Riders :  Access Charity breakfast at Broadway and Worth

WAVE 2 (8:05AM)

Recommended arrival time:  7:05AM-7:35AM

Southbound :  Enter at Murray

Northbound :  Enter at Warren

WAVE 3 (8:40AM)

Recommended arrival time:  7:40AM-8:10AM

Southbound :  Enter at Fulton

Northbound :  Enter at Vesey

WAVE 4 (9:15AM)

Recommended arrival time:  8:15AM-8:45AM

Southbound :  Enter at Cedar

Northbound :  Take Albany to Greenwich to Thames

WAVE 5 (9:50AM)

Recommended arrival time:  8:50AM-9:20AM

Southbound : enter at Morris

Northbound : take Albany to Greenwich to Rector

WAVE 6 (10:25AM)

Recommended arrival time:  9:25AM-9:55AM

Southbound/Northbound :  enter from Battery Place

If members of your group are assigned to different Start waves, please ride together in the latest Start wave for your group.

• Riders assigned to later Start waves cannot move to an earlier wave.
• Riders heading southbound to the Start Line must enter their wave via Broadway.
• Riders heading northbound to the Start Line must enter their wave via the Hudson River Greenway.
• After a Start wave is released, the next Start wave moves up. Please refer to access points for earlier waves.
• Sixth Avenue will reopen to cars at 12:00PM.

Packet Pickup 2024

On May 5, you’ll be joining over 32,000 other cyclists for a true New York City experience!  But first, you’ll pick up your rider ID kit at our Packet Pickup event on Thursday, May 2, Friday, May 3, or Saturday, May 4.

Please bring your registration confirmation email with your QR code and a valid photo ID.

Address: Center415, 415 5th Avenue Between E 37th and E 38th St, New York, NY 10016

• Thursday, May 2:  3:00 PM–8:00 PM
• Friday, May 3:  10:00 AM–8:00 PM
• Saturday, May 4:  9:00 AM–5:00 PM

Note :  These hours are subject to change. We will update them if necessary, and inform registered participants.

Picking Up Your Packet

Adult riders: 

Please bring the following with you:

• Your QR code from your confirmation or start wave email
• Residents of the United States and Puerto Rico must show a state or federal government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, DMV photo ID, or passport
• Non-US residents must show a valid passport

Youth riders :

To pick up a youth’s packet without them being present, you (the parent or registered guardian) must bring:

• Your own valid photo ID and your QR code, printed out or on a smartphone
• Your youth’s QR code, printed out or on a smartphone
• You do not need to provide photo ID for your youth rider

INTERNATIONAL RIDERS :

If you ordered appparel from Primal Wear, you’ll pick it up at Packet Pickup. We’ll provide further details in the coming days.

Proxy Packet Pickup

Proxy Packet Pickup is available again this year! Here’s what to do:

INSTRUCTIONS FOR RIDER:

Provide your proxy with the following items:

• Copy of your photo ID
• Copy of your QR code (you can find this in your confirmation email)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROXY:

Please bring the following items to Packet Pickup:

• Your rider’s photo ID (printout or image on your smartphone)
• Your rider’s QR code (printout or image on your smartphone)
• Your own photo ID

If you’re picking up a packet for your Youth rider  (under age 18), you don’t need to have their photo ID, just their confirmation email.

Getting There

We encourage you to take mass transit, ride a Citi Bike, or walk to Center 415. Due to space constraints, there will be no onsite bike parking.

We’re excited to announce that we will have a number of exhibitors showcasing their products and services during Packet Pickup.

• Manhattan Portage *
• Primal Wear *
• Kryptonite *
• Flanzig & Flanzig
• Cleverhood *
• Global Ride
• Cycling Shimanami 2024
• Industry Nine
• Route Werks *
• DC Bike Ride
• Velocity Ride
• Five Boro Bike Club
• New York Cycle Club

Make sure to stop by these booths and see what they have to offer!

* These exhibitors are also selling products from their booths, so you can stock up on everything you need for a successful Tour.

The cost of Charity registration depends on your selected charity. Charity registration includes:

• All standard registration perks
• Guaranteed placement in the first start wave
• Breakfast at the Start
• Lunch at the Finish Festival
• The satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped further the cause of Bike New York  and  your chosen charity
• Whatever other perks are offered by your selected charity

Standard (Adult & Youth) - SOLD OUT

STANDARD REGISTRATION HAS SOLD OUT. YOU MAY STILL REGISTER AS A VIP OR CHARITY RIDER.

Standard registration for adults and youths costs $139 (plus processing fees), $29 of which is a tax-deductible charitable donation to Bike New York to help fund our free bike education, advocacy, and community outreach programming. Standard registration includes:

• Rider Identification Kit (helmet cover, bib & bike plate) – this is your key to enter and participate in the Tour
• Snacks and entertainment at rest areas along the route
• Fully supported route with additional water stops
• Access to free bike repair along the route provided by Trek
• Access to SAG (Support and Gear) vehicles
• Entry to the Finish Festival on Staten Island
• Special edition finisher medal
• Digital finisher certificate

Bike New York Member - SOLD OUT

MEMBER REGISTRATION HAS SOLD OUT. YOU MAY STILL REGISTER AS A VIP OR CHARITY RIDER.

Registration for Bike New York Members costs $139 (plus processing fees), $29 of which is a tax-deductible charitable donation to Bike New York to help fund our free bike education, advocacy, and community outreach programming.

If you aren’t a Member yet, you may purchase a membership during registration.

Bike New York Member registration includes:

• All standard registration perks
• Guaranteed placement in Wave 1 Standard wave
• All the other benefits of being a Bike New Yorker !

VIP (Adult & Youth) - SOLD OUT

VIP registration for adults and youths costs $400 (plus processing fees), $84 of which is a tax-deductible charitable donation to Bike New York to help fund our free bike education, advocacy, and community outreach programming. VIP registration includes:

• Choice of two limited-edition TD Five Boro Bike Tour jerseys produced by Primal Wear
• Custom, limited-edition Tour-branded Manhattan Portage bag
• Breakfast and entertainment at the Start
• Timed climb over the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
• Access to exclusive VIP lounge and gourmet lunch at the Finish Festival

Tips for Registering

To get started, click here .

If you already have an EnMotive account :

• Enter your email address and password under I have an EnMotive Account and click on Sign In .
• If you’ve forgotten your password, click on Forgot Password .
• On the next screen, enter your email address and click on Reset Password .
• You’ll receive an email with a new password. If you do not get an email within a few minutes, please check your spam folder.

If you’ve never logged into EnMotive before :

• Enter your information under I don’t have an EnMotive Account and click on Create My Account .
• If you get the message “ An account already exists for this email address ” click on the blue Log In button in the upper righthand corner.
• A popup will appear; click on Forgot Password .

Once you’re logged in , you can register for the Tour, and update your personal information if needed.

If you need technical assistance accessing your EnMotive account, please email [email protected] .

WHEN YOU RENT A BIKE WITH UNLIMITED BIKING, THE OFFICIAL RENTAL PARTNER OF BIKE NEW YORK, PROCEEDS HELP FUND OUR BIKE EDUCATION PROGRAM!

We’re quite partial to this option. From anywhere in Manhattan or downtown Brooklyn, the best way to get to the Start Area is by bike. The Hudson River Greenway and Broadway both lead directly to Bowling Green. For detailed directions, use Google Maps to plan your route. Be sure to click the bicycle icon.

Staten Island Ferry

The Staten Island Ferry is one of the best boat rides you can take, and it’s FREE!

If you are parking or staying on Staten Island, you can take the ferry to lower Manhattan, and then bike to your Start location. There are no bike limits for the Staten Island ferry.

Ferry service for the Tour begins at 6:00AM, running every half  hour until 11:00AM.

Starting at 11:00AM, ferries will run every 15 minutes until 6;00PM, and then every half hour after that.

Note :  Lines for the Manhattan-bound ferry may be long starting  in the early afternoon.

Driving & Parking

We recommend that participants driving to the TD Five Boro Bike Tour park on Staten Island in the morning.

You can bike to the Ferry and ride over to lower Manhattan to the Start. After you finish riding, you’ll ride back to your car and avoid any lines at the Ferry.

NOTE : Cars parked along the Tour route will be towed and impounded.

Note that some subway stations do not accommodate bikes. The MTA requests that participants do not bring bikes on the L/M/G trains. Visit www.mta.info for customized travel directions using TripPlanner, or call the MTA for more information by dialing 511. Check the schedule for changes as Tour day approaches.

PATH Train (from New Jersey)

• From Hoboken, take the PATH train toward 33rd St. and get off at the Christopher St. stop. From Newark, Harrison, Journal Square, Grove St., and Exchange Pl., take the WTC train and get off at the World Trade Center stop.  
• The fare is $2.75, payable by MetroCard.
• Bikes are not permitted on the first car of the train.
• Note that you will need to use stairs to get to street level, so be prepared to carry your bike.
• For up-to-date information, system map, station locations, and parking information, visit www.panynj.gov or dial 1-800-234-PATH.

Long Island Railroad (LIRR)

On Tour day, off-peak fares apply, and bike permit rules are suspended.

• Cyclists can take the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to Penn Station or Grand Central-Madison and then transfer to downtown subway service, or cycle downtown.
• We ask that you space you and your bikes evenly throughout the train to facilitate the flow of people boarding and disembarking at stations.
• Please bring a bungee cord to secure your bike.
• For more information on departure times and station locations, including weekend timetables, visit www.mta.info/lirr .

Metro-North Railroad

• Take the Metro-North to Grand Central Station at East 42 nd St. and Park Ave.
• To get to Bowling Green via subway from Grand Central Terminal, take the 4, 5, or 6 train to the Brooklyn Bridge or City Hall stations.
• Bikes are allowed on all trains on the Harlem, Hudson, and New Haven Lines.
• Bike permit rules are suspended.
• There will be no restrictions on the number of bikes per train.
• Off-peak fares apply.
• For more information on departure times and station locations, visit  www.mta.info/mnr .

Note: This is not information for the Staten Island Ferry.

We have been asked by NYC Ferry’s organizers to discourage Five Boro Bike Tour participants from using NYC Ferry on Tour day.

NYC Ferry is significantly constrained in their ability to take bikes onboard.

NY Waterway (From New Jersey)

We do not have specific Tour day information for NY Waterway.

Please visit NY Waterway’s website for more information.

While you're in NYC . . .

If you’re coming to New York City for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, then make sure to check out the nycgo.com for official visitor information to help you plan your trip! The guide is a great resource for everything you need to know regarding where to stay, eat, drink and play while you’re in town.

When will I find out my wave assignment?

When and where is packet pickup can i pick up someone else's rider id kit.

Packet Pickup for your 2024 Tour rider identification kit (RIK) will take place again at:

Center415 — 415 5th Avenue (between East 37th and 38th Streets) New York, NY 10016 ( map link )

• Thursday, May 2:  3:00PM-8:00PM
• Friday, May 3:  10:00AM-8:00PM
• Saturday, May 4:  9:00AM-5:00PM

We are offering Proxy Packet Pickup , and you don’t need to fill out a Proxy form. See details below:

If you’re having someone pick up your rider ID kit (RIK) , please email the following to your Proxy:

• Your confirmation email (with the QR code at the bottom)
• A copy of your government-issued photo ID

If you’re the Proxy , please bring the two items listed above plus your own government-issued photo ID to our Packet Pickup event (please see the FAQ above). You don’t have to print these items out – you can have them on your phone or other device.

If you’re picking up a RIK for your Youth rider  (under age 18), you don’t need to have their photo ID, just their confirmation email.

Note : Proxies may pick up rider ID kits for up to ten riders at one time.

How do I get to the Start area?

Please visit our Getting There page for more information on how to get to the Start on Tour day.

For specific Start location and directions on how to access your Start wave, visit our Start Schedule .

I ordered apparel from Primal Wear during registration - will it be shipped to me?

For Standard riders with a US shipping address : If you ordered apparel from Primal Wear, it has been shipped to you directly from Primal Wear.

For VIPs with a US shipping address that ordered rider ID kit shipping : Your VIP jersey has been shipped directly from Primal Wear.

For ALL international riders : You’ll pick up your apparel during Packet Pickup .

Note : Primal Wear experienced some shipping issues in mid-April. If you have a question about your order, please reach out to Primal Wear at:

When is the 2024 TD Five Boro Bike Tour? Can I still register?

The 46th edition of the TD Five Boro Bike Tour will take place on Sunday, May 5, 2024.

Standard, Member, and VIP registration are sold out, but you can still register as a Charity Rider !

What is a team? Do I have to be on a team?

The deadline to form or join a team was Friday, April 19, at 5:00PM.

Not to worry, though! You can still ride with friends and family.

• Bike New York Members do not join teams; you’ll automatically be grouped together in Wave 1.
• If you are a Charity rider, you’ll automatically be registered under the name of the charity for which you are fundraising.
• All VIPs are assigned to Wave 1.

What is a rider identification kit? Do I need it to ride in the Tour?

All participants must wear the full rider identification kit (RIK) to ride in the Tour. Here’s what’s in your RIK:

For Standard riders :

• Your 2024 Tour helmet cover
• Your numbered bib (to attach to the front of your jersey or shirt)
• Your numbered bike plate (to attach to the handlebars of your bike)
• Fasteners (safety pins and twist ties)

For VIP and Charity riders :

• All of the above items
• Your VIP or Charity credential so you can access breakfast at the Start, and your luncheon area at the Finish Festival

NOTE :  If you ordered shipping for your RIK, you’ll receive it in mid to late April. If you did not, you’ll pick up your RIK at our Packet Pickup event (please see the FAQ above).

YOUR SHIPPED RIDER ID KIT WILL NOT CONTAIN ANY APPAREL PURCHASED FROM PRIMAL WEAR. THOSE ITEMS WILL SHIP SEPARATELY FROM PRIMAL WEAR IN MID-APRIL.

Can I bring a bag on the Tour? Can I check a bag?

Yes. However, the following are prohibited:

• Bags with shoulder straps (including backpacks, hydration packs, drawstring bags, and messenger bags)
• Panniers or bags that hang on the side of your bike
• Covered baskets
• Any bag over 420 cubic inches (6.9 liters)

Here’s more info on baggage restrictions .

If you think that one or more of the above criteria applies to your bag, do not bring that bag.

If you do, your bag and personal belongings may be confiscated, and will not be returned to you under any circumstances.

Bike New York is not responsible for confiscated property.

NOTE: These restrictions may be updated as Tour day gets closer; we’ll post any changes here.

There is no baggage check on the Tour; bring only what you can carry.

What if I don’t have a bike? Can I rent one?

Yes! Our official Tour rental partner Unlimited Biking provides a wide variety of bikes for the Tour.

With the convenience of bike pick-up in lower Manhattan on Tour morning, and drop-off at the Staten Island Ferry (St. George Ferry Terminal), you can ensure your Tour goes smoothly.

And the best part? Proceeds from your rental help fund our free education, outreach, and advocacy programs!

I purchased shipping for my RIK - when will it arrive?

The deadline to purchase rider identification kit shipping (RIK) has passed.

If you purchased shipping for your RIK, please note the following:

YOUR RIDER ID KIT WILL NOT CONTAIN ANY APPAREL PURCHASED FROM PRIMAL WEAR. THOSE ITEMS WILL SHIP SEPARATELY FROM PRIMAL WEAR IN MID-APRIL.

SHIPPING DATES : RIKs will be shipped out starting the second week of April, via Fed Ex (adult signature required).

VIP RIDERS :  Your RIK will include your Manhattan Portage bag; your jersey will ship separately from Primal Wear.

MEMBERSHIP WELCOME GIFTS :  For new Bike New York Members, welcome gifts will ship separately from EnMotive within 6-10 weeks.

STANDARD RIDERS :  If you purchase shipping and want to ride with a team but did not form or join one before the deadline (March 15), you may ride with your friends and family in the latest assigned wave for your group.

INTERNATIONAL RIDERS :  If your mailing address is outside the US, shipping is not available. Please select a category that does not include shipping.

Shipping purchases are non-refundable. 

No transfers are allowed for Tour entries that include shipping.

How do I purchase my Tour photos?

Here’s how to pre-order the MarathonFoto Digital Photo Offer after you’ve already registered:

• Log into your EnMotive account
• On your account page, click on Registrations on the left side and find your 2024 Tour registration
• Click on the three dots, then View Registration
• Scroll down to the bottom of the screen
• Select the MarathonFoto Digital Photo Offer
• Click Add to Cart
• Submit your payment and you’ll be set to go!

Note : The $10 discount is available until registration for the Tour closes; you may purchase the MarathonFoto Digital Photo Offer after the Tour at full price ($79.95).

What kind of bike is allowed on the Tour? Can I use my e-bike?

Any human-powered pedaled bike (recumbent, unicycle, tandem, tricycle, etc.) is permitted , with the exception of s urrey or party bikes (equipped with steering wheels).

Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes may be used on the Tour.

Note :  Class 2 or throttle e-bikes are not permitted on any Bike New York events, even if the throttle function is disabled.

Can I still purchase a jersey or other Tour apparel?

February 14 was the deadline to purchase Primal Wear Tour apparel and have it shipped to you before the Tour.

However, you can still order apparel on  Primal Wear’s online shop  up until May 14 and get it in late June.

Are there age restrictions for the Tour?

Children under the age of 3 are not allowed on the Tour. 

All children ages 3 and older must be registered to participate in the Tour , and must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Youths ages 3 to 9 must ride with an adult on a tandem bike, in a child’s seat, on a tag-along bike, or in a bike trailer.
• Youths ages 10 to 17 may ride their own bikes, but must remain in close proximity to the adult with whom they were registered.

I plan on riding a tandem with my spouse/friend/child. Do we both need to register?

All participants must register in order to ride in the Tour. Youths (under age 18) must be registered by a parent or guardian, and must be on the same team as their registered parent or guardian.

Children under the age of 3 are not allowed on the Tour (please see FAQ above).

I'm a Bike New York Member; can my friends and family ride with me in the first wave?

If your friends and family are Bike New York Members , they will automatically be placed in Standard Wave 1 with you.

If you want to ride with friends or family who are not Bike New York Members, you may start with them in the latest of their assigned waves.

How can I make sure I'm in the first wave for the Tour?

The only way to guarantee a start in Wave 1 of the Tour is to register as a VIP, a Bike New York Member, or a Charity rider. All other Standard riders will be placed in Waves 2 through 6, with consideration given to your start time preference.

I can't make it to the Tour - can I get a refund or transfer my entry?

Tour registration fees are non-refundable and non-deferrable.

However, you may transfer your entry to another person so they can ride in your place. Here’s how:

• Log into  your EnMotive account .
• On your account page, click on  Registrations  on the left side and find your  2024 TD Five Boro Bike Tour registration.
• Click on the three dots.
• Select  Transfer Registration .
• Please enter the Enmotive account email address of the person to whom you would like to transfer your registration.
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The transfer deadline is 5:00PM on Wednesday, May 1.

If you purchased shipping for your rider ID kit, the deadline for transfers has passed, and you may no longer transfer your entry .

Where does the money from my Tour registration fee go? What portion of my registration fee is tax deductible?

Proceeds from the Tour fund our free bicycle education programs as well as our advocacy work to create safer and more inclusive bike infrastructure in New York City. In 2022, we taught bike riding and bike safety skills in person and in our virtual classroom to more than 20,000 kids and adults. 

Standard registration is $139.00 (plus processing fees), $29.00 of which is a tax-deductible charitable donation. VIP registration is $400.00 (plus processing fees), $94 of which is a tax-deductible charitable donation.

All Tour registration fees are non-refundable and non-deferrable.

I deferred my past Tour entry but did not redeem it. What are my options now?

2023 was the final year for deferring riders to redeem their Tour entries. All unredeemed entries have been converted to charitable donations.

If you need a donation receipt for your past entry, please reach out to us at [email protected] .

Looking for hotel rooms for the 2024 Tour? Here’s the current list of our hotel partners:

Fairfield Inn & Suites New York Manhattan/Downtown East 95 Henry Street New York, New York ( map link ) Click here to reserve your room

Gild Hall 15 Gold Street, New York, New York ( map link ) Click here to reserve your room

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Holiday Inn Express NYC – Wall Street

126 Water St, New York, NY ( map link )

Click here to reserve your room

Holiday Inn NYC – Wall Street

51 Nassau Street, New York, NY ( map link )

Millennium Downtown New York

55 Church St, New York, NY ( map link )

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26 Ann Street, New York, NY ( map link )

New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge 333 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY ( map link ) Click here to reserve your room

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W New York – Times Square 1567 Broadway, New York, NY ( map link ) Click here to reserve your room

The Westin New York at Times Square

270 West 43rd Street, New York, NY ( map link ) Click here to reserve your room

If you have questions about a hotel’s bike parking policy, please reach out to that hotel directly.

This page will be updated frequently, so please check back often.

2023 TOUR PROGRAM

Check out our handy maps for the

2023 TD Five Boro Bike Tour:

*All maps are subject to change. Please refer to this page for the most up-to-date maps, and stay tuned for more details on the Start Area and Finish Festival.

In the event that members of your group are assigned to different Start waves, please ride together in the latest Start wave for your group. Riders assigned to later Start waves cannot move to an earlier time. Riders heading southbound to the Start Line must enter their wave via Broadway. Riders heading northbound to the Start Line must enter their wave via the Hudson River Greenway.

START 1–VIP & CHARITY RIDERS, AND PREFERRED START & MEMBERS (7:30AM)

Recommended arrival time: 6AM-7AM. If Southbound, Preferred Start and Members should enter from Chambers to Duane or from Thomas. If Northbound, Preferred Start and Members should enter from Chambers to Bogardus Plaza then Duane.

START 2 (8:05AM)

Recommended arrival time: 7:05AM-7:35AM. If Southbound, enter from Murray. If Northbound, enter from Warren.

START 3 (8:40AM)

Recommended arrival time: 7:40AM-8:10AM. If Southbound, enter from Fulton. If Northbound, enter from Vesey.

START 4 (9:15AM)

Recommended arrival time: 8:15AM-8:45AM. If Southbound, enter from Cedar. If Northbound, enter from Albany to Greenwich to Thames.

START 5 (9:50AM)

Recommended arrival time: 8:50AM-9:20AM. If Southbound, enter from Morris. If Northbound, enter from Albany to Greenwich to Rector.

START 6 (10:25AM)

Recommended arrival time: 9:25AM-9:55AM. If Southbound or Northbound, enter from Battery Pl.

After a Start wave is released, the line moves up. Please refer to access points for earlier waves. Sixth Ave will reopen to cars at 12:00 PM.

VIP & Charity Breakfast

VIP Riders access the VIP  breakfast from Canal and Church. Charity Riders access the breakfast from Broadway & Worth St.

VIP & Charity Entry Points

VIP & Charity Riders in Start Wave 1 should enter from Chambers to Duane or from Thomas. See the streets indicated in red on the Start Wave Map.

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The Best Motorcycle Tourers

Best touring motorcycles .

There is hardly anything more exciting than embarking on an on-the-road adventure. When it’s just you and your bike, though, you must be sure to have a trustworthy ally. There are many rides out there, but only the best touring motorcycles can live up to the expectation. The ones below are all-round contenders able to satisfy most riders. Check them out. 

Table of Contents

Bmw r1250rt .

The new BMW R1250RT is perfect for the free spirit who wants to explore the unknown. Whether it’s just you and your bike or riding with a partner, this superb motorcycle can seamlessly accommodate two. Its unique BMW Shiftcam ensures smoother, suppler rides. At the same time, you can expect brilliant accelerations and exuberant curve exits. Its brand new dynamic brake control gives you all needed certainty in the case of sudden braking, while the numerous customisation options are the cherry on top of this sumptuous cake. 

Specs 

• Engine: Air/Liquid-cooled twin-cylinder boxer
• Max power output: 100kW 
• Displacement: 1250cc
• Gearbox: 6-speed
• Seat height: 805/825mm 
• Weight: 279kg 

Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX

The supercharged Ninja H2 SX, alongside its SE variant, is a sport touring bike designed to rewrite the rules of the category. Combining road racing performance with the riding comfort of a touring motorcycle, it can take you to your destination faster than most touring bikes out there. The SX and SX SE are almost twins, but if you don’t mind dropping some cash, the H2 SX SE comes with tank and side protections, as well as stylish strips on the rims that give the bike a more “racing” touch. 

• Engine: Liquid-cooled inline four cylinder 
• Max power output: 147kW 
• Displacement: 998cc
• Seat height: 835mm 
• Weight: 260kg 

Harley Davidson Road King Classic

An essential and nostalgic style enhanced by the power of a Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine defines the character of this timeless classic. The Road King is Harley Davidson’s newest signature touring bike, one for the thoughtful soul who dreams of the 60s and who’s not too bothered about performance. If you’d rather ride in company, the unfortunately named Ultra Limited is surely a noteworthy choice.

• Engine: Air/Liquid-cooled twin cylinder 
• Max power output: 64kW 
• Displacement: 1745cc
• Seat height: 715mm 
• Weight: 362kg 

KTM Super Duke 1290GT

The new Super Duke 1290GT by KTM takes up the already proven long-distance performance of the previous model and amplifies it with a more powerful V-twin beast. Comfortable for two, this bike impresses with enhanced performance, outstanding sprint capabilities, as well as smooth long-haul riding abilities. It doesn’t come cheap, but it can certainly meet all your riding needs. 

• Engine: Liquid-cooled twin cylinder 
• Max power output: 128.7kW 
• Displacement: 1301cc
• Weight: 209kg 

Yamaha Tracer 900 GT

Yamaha Tracer 900 GT is a wallet-friendly touring motorcycle designed for those who want to settle for nothing less than the best. Fully adjustable suspension, heated grips, and colour matching panniers are just some of the highlights. Quickshifter gear change and cruise control option make it perfect for long-haul riding. 

• Engine: Liquid-cooled three cylinder 
• Max power output: 84.6kW 
• Displacement: 847cc
• Seat height: 845mm 
• Weight: 190kg 

The best touring motorcycle has everything from urban agility to outstanding top speed and comfortable ride. There are many worthy models on the market, varying in style, performance, and price tag.

Which is the right one for you is a personal matter. Our advice is to visit your local dealer, sit on the saddle, or even take a test drive and see how it feels on the road. No doubt, the perfect touring motorcycle is out there waiting for you.

Questions or Comments?

If you’ve got a question about this article and you need a bit more guidance, drop a comment below and we’ll get back to you.

Likewise, if you’ve got something to add to this article or an experience you’d like to share, let’s hear it!

We love reading your comments and helping our readers.

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The Best Round the World Motorcycles

Welcome to the Best Round the World Motorcycles Guide. Here’s a selection of the best RTW bikes currently in production in 2024, with a pick of excellent older models and more in-depth guides on adventure bikes.

What we mean by ‘Round the World Motorcycles’

You can travel round the world on any motorcycle. Any bike is an adventure bike – we’re big advocates of that. Just take a look at the Motorcycle Travel Stories section where we showcase awesome adventures on mad bikes from riding a Yamaha R1 to the North Pole to a Royal Enfield Bullet round the world to the mighty Honda Cub’s crazy adventures in Africa.

But if we open this article up to every bike in the world, we’d break the website. So, we’ve stuck with conventional RTW motorcycles for this list.

By that, we mean bikes that can easily be ridden off-road, are tough and can take a beating, are comfortable over long distances, have decent ground clearance, with spare parts available worldwide and can be easily fixed anywhere.

Why we chose new models

There are a hundred and thirteen motorcycles missing from this list. You’re right – the Suzuki DRZ400 is a great round the world bike too, and so are all the rest of them.  

But this article’s job is to show what we reckon are the best motorcycles to ride round the world on today. Meaning, current bikes that are still in production and being sold in 2024. We’ve chosen to focus this list on new models to make it more accessible as newer bikes are more widely available and easier to source the world over.

How we chose these RTW motorcycles

We selected these bikes based on the considerations set out in our  How to Choose an Adventure Motorcycle for Travelling article. The comprehensive guide is designed to help readers pick the right type of motorcycle for their  trips – specifically long-distance overlanding adventures – and is built up of questions to ask yourself to help narrow down your choices. The motorcycles here satisfy those requirements the best and that’s why they’ve made this list.  

Choosing your adventure motorcycle

If you’re in the market for a new bike for travelling, take a look at the Choosing Your Motorcycle guide first. If you’re after an adventure bike, but not necessarily to ride round the world on, then have a look at our Best Adventure Motorcycle Guide and visit the Adventure Motorcycle Guides  page for all our bike guides in one easy to find place. 

• How to Choose a Motorcycle for Travelling
• The Best Adventure Motorcycles
• Adventure Motorcycle Guides

The Best Round the World Motorcycles of 2024

Here’s our selection of the best round the world motorcycles in production and on the market in 2024. This article will be updated yearly and discontinued bikes will be dropped into the ‘Older Models’ section below. Let’s get to it!

Honda CRF300L

Released: 2021, Engine: 286cc single-cylinder, Power/ torque: 27bhp/ 26.6 ft-lb, Tank: 7.8L, Seat height: 880mm, Weight: 142kg, Suspension: front 43mm USD forks non-adjustable/ rear monoshock preload-adjustable, Tyres: 21/18

Why ride round the world on a CRF300L

Lightweight, simple, easy to work on, a doddle to ride and fun. These attributes make the CRF300L an excellent choice for a round the world motorcycle and our top pick. 

But let’s break it down first. One of the most important attributes in a RTW bike is reliability because nobody wants to break down on a dusty road in Uzbekistan. You can count on Honda reliability and that’s a major plus point for this little bike. The 300L’s predecessor (the CRF250L) has been going since 2012 and has amassed a worldwide following. Parts and mechanics are readily available and the motor is dogged, proven and easy to work on.

Next up is size and weight – another huge win for this bike. The 300L weighs in at a lean 142kg. You’ll notice more and more riders are opting for lighter machines – a sort of return to overland motorcycling’s routes – because unless you’re a pro off-roader, lugging a 250kg+ machine with all your gear on around is hard work. 

With a smaller bike like this, you’ll be far more confident taking the road less travelled, won’t be as worried about picking it up on your own and more likely to tackle difficult terrain. 

It’s also a very forgiving and easy bike to ride. When riding round the world, you’re going to be with your motorcycle day-in, day-out and that’s what you need. 

Finally, it’s got some decent improvements over the outgoing 250 model such as an engine capacity, power and torque increase, reworked gearing for smoother sailing in sixth and an improved chassis for off-roading. Win. 

The CRF300L is a trailie bike that’s going to be a blast off-road and the perfect RTW companion.  

READ MORE: The Ultimate Honda CRF300L Adventure Bike Guide

Royal Enfield Himalayan

Released: 2016, Engine: 411cc single-cylinder, Power/ torque: 24bhp/ 23.6 ft-lb, Tank: 15L, Seat height: 800mm, Weight: 185kg, Suspension: front 41mm forks / rear monoshock, Tyres: 21/17

Why ride round the world on a Royal Enfield Himalayan

Think of the Royal Enfield Himalayan as a back to basics adventure bike. It’s simple, inexpensive, easy to work on and novice friendly. It’s never going to bite your hand off if you yank the throttle and that inspires confidence when riding this bike – especially off-road. 

There’s a lot to be said for easy-going travel bikes, and this is one of the easiest out there. The Enfield has no complicated gizmos or rider modes. The forks and spring are simple but sturdy enough, the motor is basic but with enough poke and there are very few additional features. It has a low seat height, decent 15 litre tank, comfy upright riding position, big 21 inch front and there’s already a huge range of bolt-on extras to help get it kitted out for big adventures.  

It’s a simple, easy going machine, will go pretty much anywhere you want to take it and will put a smile on your face while you’re at it.  

READ MORE: Royal Enfield Himalayan Review

Yamaha Tenere 700

Released: 2019, Engine: 689cc parallel-twin, Power/ torque: 72bhp/ 50 ft-lb, Tank: 16L, Seat height: 880mm, Weight: 205kg, Suspension: front 43mm KYB USD forks / rear sachs monoshock, Tyres: 21/18

Why ride round the world on a Yamaha Tenere 700

This bike needs no introduction. The Tenere 700 was one of the most hyped up and marketed bikes in years – and for good reason too. Yamaha clearly aimed this bike at off-road adventure riders and that criteria ticks all the boxes of round the world bikes too. 

Finally, a middleweight adventure bike that isn’t bloated with electronics and has a healthy weight of 200kgs. We need to appreciate Yamaha’s move here, at a time where manufacturers are injecting every rider-aid and gizmo they can and ramping up the price of their new stock, Yamaha took a courageous step back and pointed the Tenere towards the simplicity of original pure adventure bikes and with an affordable price tag too.

This bike has been built for off road adventure riders. But as it uses the MT-07’s pokey twin motor making it a great road bike too. Yamaha fine-tuned the engine and draped it in off-road focused clothing including off-road chassis, long travel, excellent adjustable suspension and gave it plenty of power and torque. So, if you’re after a middleweight bike because a single-cylinder just won’t cut it power wise, then the 700 is an excellent option. It’s a blast on road and will put a much bigger smile on your face than a single-cylinder could when scratching corners.

This versatile machine is perfect for those who want to predominately ride the rough stuff but also want a great (and comfortable) road bike, are happy without all the electronics, are after something reasonably affordable. It’s a proper adventure bike and does its Dakar Tenere ancestors proud.

READ MORE: Yamaha Tenere 700 Review

Kawasaki KLR650

Released: 2022, Engine: 652cc single-cylinder, Power/ torque: bhp not provided by Kawasaki, but we estimate 40bhp/ 39.1 ft-lb, Tank: 23L, Seat height: 871mm, Weight: 208/213/220kg (dependent on model), Suspension: front 41mm telescopic forks / rear Uni-track monoshock – preload and rebound adjustable, Tyres: 21/17

Why ride round the world on a Kawasaki KLR650

Loved by American adventure bike riders, the Kawasaki KLR650 is the US’s answer to the UK and Europe’s Yamaha XT660R. Unfortunately for us Brits, the KLR isn’t offered to the UK market, so this one is just for American, Canadian and Australian riders.

Built in the 1980s, the KLR had a 30-year streak with pretty much zero changes. During that time, it built up a huge ‘dual-sport’ following in the US. Why? Because, like all the other proper round the world motorcycles – it’s utilitarian. The KLR is a simple machine and there’s nothing over the top about it.

Think of the Suzuki DR650: basic, but that’s what makes it so rugged. Simple telescopic forks, single twin-piston sliding caliper, steel frame and nothing to write home about. But that’s a good thing for a round the world motorcycle, because there’s less to go wrong and it’s easier to fix when it does.

But in 2022 the legendary Kawasaki KLR650 was finally been brought back to life and given a makeover. Updated and upgraded for ’22, the KLR gets an LCD dash, an ABS option, fuel injection, one piece frame, new fuel tank and fairings, clutch updates, more mid-range power, new seat, wider bars and pegs, screen and a few more tweaks. There’s a lot of new changes, but none of these are special. Instead they just bring a very outdated bike up to the minimum level of today’s bikes.

So, while before it was like the DR650, it’s now a more modern, emission compliant, acceptable and more comfortable version of that.

And another massive plus is its competitive price tag. You can get a new model for £5,124 / $6,699… that’s a lot of adventure for a brand-new bike.

The KLR650 falls into the same bracket as the Royal Enfield Himalayan. If you’re after a back to basic, reliable, simple, easy to work on adventure bike, but with more power, a larger tank, more comfort and an all-round larger motorcycle, then this one’s for you.

Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin

Model: 2020, Engine: 1084cc parallel-twin, Power/ torque: 100bhp/ 78 ft-lb, Tank: 18.8L, Seat height: 850mm, Weight: 226kg, Suspension: front 45mm Showa USD forks – fully adjustable / rear Showa monoshock – fully adjustable, Tyres: 21/18

Why ride round the world on a Honda Africa Twin

Why is a 1000cc motorcycle on this list considering all of its lightweight competitors? Because it’s the best option on the market today for those looking for a heavyweight machine. There are so many reasons why you might want to go for a bigger bike. Not all round the world riders crave the road less travelled, or want to ride endlessly off-road, some might be on a two-up trip and need something capable of carrying more gear, you might want to take in more road miles or you might just be a bigger person and need the comfort and space of a larger motorcycle. Whatever the reason, people travel on larger motorcycles and if you’re after a 1000cc+ machine, this is our recommendation and here’s why…

The Honda Africa Twin takes a step back from the conventional heavyweight adventure bike spec sheet. We’re now up to Honda’s third iteration of the Africa Twin since its 2016 CRF1000L re-launch. Now as the 1100L, Honda have taken the bike even further down the off-road route (for a list of its changes, check out the Best Adventure Motorcycles article).

But overall, the Honda Africa Twin is a lighter and more off-road focused motorcycle than its competitors in the heavyweight division. It’s well suited for those who like to ride off-road just as much as on road and aren’t after the touring focused luxuries of the GS. It’s a capable adventure bike with a more balanced mix of capabilities from off-roading and trail riding to touring and carving up mountain bends. If you need a larger bike for your round the world adventures, you can’t go wrong with the Honda Africa Twin.

The Shortlist

More new bike options, honda crf300 rally.

While the 300L is geared more towards off-roading, the Rally version takes on long-range riding and comfort. It’s beefier and bigger with a larger tank, wider seat, stronger brakes, higher ground clearance and also gets treated to its own set of goodies like a proper alloy bashplate and a 4kg diet.

AJP PR7 Adventure 650

The AJP PR7 Adventure is a no-nonsense adventure bike and the most off-road focused machine in this list. The AJP is packed with dirt riding goodies like the fully adjustable front and rear Sachs suspension, Dakar rally style setup and there’s no unnecessary for off-road electronics like traction control. 

READ MORE: AJP PR7 Adventure Review

Suzuki V-Strom 650XT

The Suzuki V-Strom is not going to knock your socks off. Instead, you’ve got an incredibly easy to use and simple machine that does everything well. It’s well priced with a proven engine, excellent fuel consumption and big tank. It’s a versatile workhorse and if you’re after a bigger bike for predominately road miles, this makes a reliable round the worlder. 

READ MORE: Suzuki V-Strom 650 Review

Honda CB500X

The Honda CB500X is gaining popularity in the adventure bike scene. The twin has been around since 2013 and, due to its popularity, was revamped in 2019 and 2022. Like the V-Strom, the CB is a fantastic road bike, but lighter, smaller, more nimble. If you want to go full on, there’s the option of a (pricey) Rally Raid kit too.

READ MORE: Honda CB500X Review

Discontinued

Older bikes no longer in production, honda crf250l / crf250 rally.

The Honda CRF250L and Rally only ceased production around 2020. Their successors are bigger and better but that doesn’t stop these from being formidable options. Lightweight, easy to ride, reliable, simple to fix and a lot of fun to ride. These make for great round the world machines. 

READ: CRF250 Rally Review

Suzuki DR650

The Suzuki DR650 is much loved by adventure bike riders and round the world riders. They’re cheap, solid and dependable machines that pack enough of a punch to keep a smile on your face. They’re massively outdated now compared to the current crop, but too legendary not to include on this list. 

READ MORE: Suzuki DR650SE Review

Yamaha XT660R / XT660Z

Ancient but bullet proof engine, fuel injected, easy to work on, ultra simple, reliable and tough. These bikes will go anywhere, do anything and take whatever you can throw at them. The Yamaha XT660 makes for a brilliant round the world motorcycle. 

READ: Yamaha XT660R Review

More on Adventure Motorcycles

Thanks for checking out the Best Round the World Motorcycles Guide. We hope you enjoyed it! Here’s a few more articles on adventure motorcycles and round the world bike travel that we recommend you read next. 

• Round the World Motorcycle Travel Guides
• New Adventure Bikes [2024]
• How to Choose an Adventure Motorcycle
• Adventure Motorcycle Luggage  
• Adventure Motorcycle Reviews
• Riding Gear Guides

Liked that? Try these next…

How to Motorcycle Round the World

The Ultimate Motorcycle Trip Packing List

6 Best Soft Panniers for Adventure Bikes

The 10 Best Adventure Motorcycle Helmets

How to Choose Your Adventure Bike Riding Gear

How to Go on a Motorcycle Adventure

Are you looking for a round the world motorcycle or planning a rtw trip if you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts, then leave us a comment below. we’d love to hear from you. , 13 thoughts on “the best round the world motorcycles”.

The Best Round the World Motorcycles and i like it .

most of these bikes will not make my list as the gas tank is way to small, the KLR with a large gas tank hits the spot. also the DR650 if you add the 20 liger gas tank. Been looking for some time, very glad the brought back the KLR had one and loved it, now have the DR650 with the larger 20 liter gas tank, and the would be bit of a win over the KLR 650, lighter and much better on the off road and just as good on the highway. The one that woke me up is the new V Strom 800 great gas millage (64 mpg ) and a 20 liter gas tank. Another good on is the KTM 390 as long as you stay under 85 km per hour you get great gas millage most of the roads I ride are 80 Km speed limit and ma getting 2.8 to 3.2 liters per hundred.

Hi Hilton, thanks for your comment. That’s very interesting that they wouldn’t make your list apart from the KLR. I understand what you’re saying regarding a large gas tank, but apart from the CRF with a 7.8 tank, the rest have a minimum of 15L, which is enough to travel with. Of course, for the CRF, and the others if required, modifications can be made like adding a larger Acerbis tank, Rotopax, Camel tank etc to increase capacity – as after all, no bike comes ready to ride round the world off the factory line! But regardless, 15L is enough. We left in 2018 on a RTW trip with an XT660, 15L tank and 5L Rotopax, no problems whatsoever and we’re still going. Sure, there are some countries, like Uzbekistan where there are very long stretches without fuel, but we just filled up water bottles with spare fuel – you just plan for those few and far between places where fuel may be more of an issue. But nowadays, they really are few and far between.

These are the most common and widely used round the world motorcycles out there and what I see most people on as we ride round the world. It’s interesting because out of all these bikes, the KLR would be my last choice. But I do agree the DR650 would take the win over the KLR as well. Yeah, the Strom 800 looks interesting, I’ve had a 650 and 1000 Strom before and loved them so will be good to see what the 800 is like. I’m surprised to hear you say that about the KTM 390 though, I would never even consider that as a round the world – or adventure – bike. Have you tried riding one off-road?

Thanks again for your comments, great to hear different points of view. We all have our own list of what’s important when it comes to bikes ey! I think you might find this article a good read next: How to Choose an Adventure Motorcycle for Travelling

Cheers, Andy

What about a mt500 to go rtw,its tough but old?.and what about spares.its easy to work on though and reliable.does anyone think it would be any good.would like to hear people’s thoughts.?

Hi Chris, Wow! Going round the world on a CCM Armstrong! You’d have to be brave to do that haha. I’m sure there are people out there who have done such trips. People have ridden round the world on older and crazier machines (check out the First Adventure Bike Riders stories as their machines are 100 years old).

It could certainly be done. You can ride round the world on any motorcycle – anything – from a scooter to a sportsbike to a Goldwing to an MT500. Just look at our Stories page to see what some people are riding on. It’s amazing really.

So, what it comes down to is your personal circumstances. It depends on how much time you have, where you want to go and how mechanically adept you are. You’ll have to factor all of that in and weigh it up. For example, a Japanese bike like a Honda CRF300L will have parts and spares everywhere and will be easier to fix by local mechanics. While an MT500 with a Rotax motor won’t. Consider breaking down in the middle of Mongolia on it. Sure, just chuck it on a truck and get it to a city if you can’t repair there and then, but you’ll also need to source spares, parts etc and it’s likely you’ll need to do a lot of the work yourself. If you’re on a tight time schedule and you’re spending a big chunk of time waiting for spares or fixing it up, that could seriously dent your trip, visas and route etc.

But, if that’s the bike you like then go for it! I’d spend a lot of time beforehand becoming proficient with it, anything that could easily break, what parts will need servicing and replacing and take the entire thing to pieces so I’d know exactly what I do and don’t need to take (and to check if they even still make spares for it). And just allow extra contingency time in your trip for repairs etc.

And do let us know if you decide to go on it! Would love to see the pictures of that setup. Cheers, Andy

How about the cb500x? Fuel consumption is really good some get nearly 70 mpg or so I’ve heard. A good modern basic machine like the strom..

Hi Scott, thanks for your comment. Yeah, it’s funny you mention the CB because I had been considering adding it to the shortlist. They are great bikes, but are predominately road bikes as standard – but you’re right, if the Strom 650 is on there, then the CB should be too! I’ll add it to this page this week 🙂 We do have a review of the CB500X on the site if you’re interested in a read. Cheers, Andy

I have the CB50X and great on paved roads. Not so good on gravel or dirt roads. Also do not like the way it handles windy roads long curves you have to work to keep it in the part of the lane you want to be in. It will do them but have had much better bikes for this in fact most of the over 20 + bikes I have had. I am looking forward to getting the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, think that would be my pick, from what I have seen about it. If you wang simple the DR650 with a 20 liter tank added is a great all around bike, some do not like the seat but I had no problem with it.

Good suggestions Hilton. Please do report back once you’ve got your Himalayan, as it’ll be interesting to hear your comparisons and thoughts versus your current CB500X. Cheers Andy

Hi Andy, Can you tell me why the BMW G650GS Sertao wasn’t on the list of discontinued bikes? They seemed very popular over-landers in the Americas and Australia. They’re very cheap, are able to sit all day at above the legal limit, apparently have better road manners than the KLR or DR 650’s, do 65~70 mpg, and, according to some reviewers, are better off-road than the mighty GS’s. They weigh 192 kg wet, which apparently can be reduced by up to10 kg by removing the catalytic converter, lead-acid battery and other non-essentials. Is there a reason they’re overlooked?

Hi Andy, thanks for your comment. You’re right! They are very cheap and may be popular in the US and Aus (not as much in the UK). And sure, most single-cylinders would perform better than a 300kg bike off-road regardless. But they were marred by a lot of reliability issues in the past and became harder to get parts while abroad so we passed on it. Have you ridden the bike or are you interested in buying one out of curiosity? Cheers, Andy

Hi, I found a very low mileage one and have taken a gamble! The reliability issues (hot starting, idling) were all sorted and I have had absolutely no problems with it in 3,000 miles. It handles extremely well on the road, apart from huge front fork dive on braking, and rubbish ABS (which at least is switchable). I’m now wondering whether to strip weight out of it and use it as an all-rounder, or sell it and get a more dedicated light-weight dual purpose and buy a dedicated tourer. Thing is, I don’t want to tax and insure two bikes!

Hi Andy, that’s great news to hear you haven’t had any issues in 3K miles! Yeah, taxing and insuring two bikes would be a pain! So are you considering taking the bike on a big trip? Andy

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