10 Most Popular Adventure Bikes of 2017
Honda Africa Twin
It no surprise that the Africa Twin is at the top of this list. Honda has packed every bit of their off-road know how into this bike and the results are impressive, as are its sales numbers.
The Africa Twin rolls on massive wheels (21-inches up front, 18-inches out back)
This makes getting over obstacles a breeze, a 998cc parallel twin engine that produces some 80 horsepower, a host of electronic rider aids, terrific Showa suspension, and an overall simplicity and refinement.
Case in point – you can even spec the top model Africa Twin with an automatic transmission!
Kawasaki Versys 650
Unlike the Africa Twin, the Kawasaki Versys 650 is more geared more toward on-road touring rather than adventuring off the pavement.
The 650 comes with the touring bike necessities like a tall windscreen and hand guards, hard saddlebags, a hefty 5.5 gallon fuel tank, and a narrow, comfortable riding position thanks to the parallel twin engine.
Keeping things aloft is a set of fully adjustable suspension with a KYB monoshock and an inverted Showa fork.
KTM 690 Enduro R ABS
KTM knows a thing or many about two wheels in the dirt, and that shows here with the 690 Enduro R.
Essentially, it’s a street legal dirt bike and fills a similar role to the Ducati Hypermotard, only with knobby tires.
The Enduro rocks a 690cc fuel injected single-cylinder engine that produces 67 horsepower and 49 pound-feet of torque. And because it’s relatively light at 308 pounds dry, the Enduro is an adept and flickable street bike when the road gets twisty.
It also shines when tearing up dirt roads and on rough terrain. KTM gifted the Enduro with a slipper clutch, fully adjustable suspension with 9.8-inches of travel all around, Brembo brakes, and ABS.
BMW R1200GS
For 2017 the venerable BMW R1200 GS comes in two distinct flavors, Rallye and Exclusive.
The differences between the two trim levels are relatively minor. The Rallye version is more off-road focused and features suspension with greater travel, a lower windscreen, radiator guard and frame guard, cross spoke wheels and a few other goodies.
Exclusive is geared more for on-road jaunts and has cast wheels, a taller windscreen, and a more comfortable seat.
Both versions share BMW’s signature boxer engine and robust electronics package that help make this bike one of BMW’s brightest and best.
Suzuki V-STROM 650 ABS
There’s certainly no shortage of competition in the 600cc adventure bike segment, and the Suzuki V-Storm 650 has made a name for itself by being a capable and comfortable all-around machine.
Recent refreshes like spoked wheels, hand guards and a few other touches have only increased the bike’s strengths.
On the electronics front, the V-Strom gets Suzuki’s Easy Start System, a new dash from the larger V-Strom 1000, Low RPM Assist, and traction control, all firsts for the platform.
It’s a sharp machine too, the bike’s aesthetics were given a once over during the update process and the bike is rather handsome and composed.
Triumph Tiger Explorer ABS
The segment that the Triumph Tiger Explorer occupies within the adventure bike world is an interesting one.
Bikes here are both wildly capable, and wildly premium with some serious pricetags.
The Tiger squares off against the likes of the Ducati Multistrada and the GS series from BMW. 2016 saw a major revamp for the Triumph Tiger Explorer, and all those solid updates are carried over into the 2017 motorcycle.
One of the biggest highlights from that revamp is the electronics package. Triumph threw the book at the Explorer – ABS, traction control, electronic semi active suspension with a range of different settings, different rider modes – the works.
The engine in the Explorer is a 1,215cc three-cylinder mill that produces 139 horsepower and 90 pound-feet of torque. This is a bike you can log some serious miles on. Bring it.
Yamaha Super Tenere
Yamaha’s entry on this list is the Super Tenere (how the heck do you even say that?), a 1,199cc parallel twin powered adventure specialist.
Like the other premium machines on this list it boasts gizmos like electronic suspension, heated grips, cruise control, and adjustable windscreen.
Its off-road credentials are boosted by utilizing wire-spoked wheels, 19-inches in the front and 17-inches out back.
One of the Tenere’s signature characteristics is its incredibly smooth, compliant suspension and the ability to change it on the fly with the push of a button.
Power is also respectable – 112 horsepower and 89 pound-feet of torque put it right in line with its competition.
Triumph Tiger 800 XCA
Normally, two tigers in one place doesn’t generally bode well for us humans.
However, when those Tigers are English and ride this well, it’s all good. It’s a regular zoo up in here!
The Triumph Tiger 800 is a few steps down from the Tiger Explorer, but that doesn’t make it any less capable.
It uses a three-cylinder motor in the Triumph tradition that makes a healthy 94 horsepower, putting it in the same ballpark as the Tenere and Kawasaki Versys.
The XCA variant of the Tiger 800 is more off-road focused and comes with traction control, ABS, six riding modes, heated seats, a lower ratio first gear, plenty of underbody shielding, and an optional 12-inch front wheel.
Kawasaki Versys 1000 LT
The second Versys in Kawasaki’s adventure bike song is the big brother to the Versys 650.
As the name implies, the 1000 LT uses a 1,043cc inline four-cylinder engine for a substantial difference in power over the smaller bike.
When it was introduced back in 2015, the Versys 1000 was crowned ‘Motorcycle of the Year’ by a number of different motorcycle magazines.
Much of the equipment found of the 650 can be found here as well including an adjustable windscreen, ABS, large 28-liter hard saddlebags, and a great riding position.
Kawasaki also gave this bike the same advantage it gave the 650 – price.
KTM 1290 Super Adventure ABS
Like the Africa Twin, the 1290 Super Adventure is a hardcore adventure bike whose DNA has been bred in some of the world’s toughest off-road competitions.
As a result, the 1290 is an incredibly capable companion when things get dirty.
In ‘R’ trim it utilizes Bosch stability control, ABS, cornering traction control, large wire spoked wheels, adjustable suspension, cruise control, Brembo brakes, the same monstrous 1,301cc v-twin found in the KTM Super Duke R, and much more.
That engine shells out a massive 160 horsepower and 103 pound-feet of torque.
This bike is good for both bludgeoning any terrain you throw at it, and battling an Abrams tank for supremacy.