Ten Most Popular Touring Bikes of 2016

Touring motorcycles are extremely popular because of their large fuel tanks and extra storage capacity. When we looked at the sales data, we discovered that several touring motorcycles stood out as top sellers in the United States.

Technically a "touring motorcycle" is defined as a type of motorcycle designed for long distance travel (in regards to distance covered) or comfort for the rider and passenger.

Although almost any motorcycle can be used for this purpose, manufacturers have developed specific models designed to address the particular needs of these riders.

So which motorcycle should you take touring across our beautiful country? Below is a list of the most popular purchased in 2016. 

1. Indian Roadmaster

The Indian Roadmaster is a beautiful touring motorcycle and gives many compliments to the old school era Roadmaster’s of the past. Staying true to heritage, the long swooping fenders with a war bonnet on the front spoke wheels, powerful v-twin engine and tanned leather seats; this is more of a masterpiece of modern art than motorcycle. However, once you stop admiring and start riding, you’ll quickly find out how gracious this beast is. It has a mid-price point around $27,000 for a new 2016 version and has many in-demand features such as heated rider and passenger seats and a remote locking trunk. Plus, it offers around 37 gallons of storage. Check out the new 2017 models with the all new Ride Command system that will sync with your smart phone and give you touch screen navigation. 

2. Indian Chieftain

Surprise that the little brother to the top ranked Indian Chief Roadmaster, the Chieftain comes much more stripped down in a lighter and sleeker look. Of course you can accessorize to have many of the Roadmaster components; this beast is still very comfortable and very stylish. Produced to compete directly with the Harley FLHX Street Glide, this mid-sized touring motorcycle that doesn’t force you to compromise between maneuverability and comfort. The Dark Horse models will run you just under $19,000 and the regular models starting at $22,999, this motorcycle is more affordable than many of its competitors. It’s also available in four different color varieties. 

3. Victory Magnum

Polaris Industries is 3 for 3 in the Touring motorcycle category with the Victory Magnum, a stylish and affordable touring motorcycle designed to target the rider that wants to break from the traditional looking touring bikes like the HD Ultra Classic and the Kawasaki Vulcan Voyager. With a starting price of $22,599, it puts it on the consideration list for many people looking to upgrade. The Magnum X1 model features high-performance audio that’s 100 watts from six speakers. For buyers who want style and functionality, the Victory Magnum is a good pick. 

4. Honda Goldwing

The 2016 Honda Goldwing was made for touring, with many years of production, several configurations and constant tweaking to improve it design and function; it’s no wonder why the Goldwing made our list. It offers a smooth ride with a 6 cylinder horizontally opposed engine. This bike also has a unique reverse button that can help you back up it up when parking or maneuvering up a steep driveway. For the actual riding portion, several of its design elements were chosen to provide comfort during very long rides such as the seating, handlebar positioning, floor boards and suspension work. You can’t talk about touring bikes and not mention the GL’s. 

5. Triumph Thunderbird LT

The Triumph Thunderbird LT is a popular choice because of its affordable price and British heritage. It starts at only $17,000 and comes with everything you’d need for the long haul. You won’t have to give up features or power to get a great bike and for the true Triumph maniacs, give you another reason to stay true to yourself. Interested in learning more about the Triumph models, click the picture to see it. 

6. Yamaha Vstar 1300 Tourer

When choosing a motorcycle, you might have to choose between fuel efficiency and bike size or possibly storage over space. Yamaha "Tourer" get excellent fuel efficiency despite having a large, high-performance engine, smooth shifting transmission and plenty of Beautiful chrome details are also a customer favorite. The Vstar line comes in many different styles and configurations. Click the link to see more. 

7. Victory Cross Country

The Victory Cross Country and Cross Country Tour are highly rated touring motorcycles with a very low price point. The Cross Country model starts at just under $19000 and until Polaris Industries announced it would be stopping production of the Victory line earlier this year, it came available in some of the most eye-catching colors available, including white, gray, and red and with a huge 106 Cubic Inch engine and Freedom 6-speed transmission, this bike will be missed for sure. 

8. Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Voyager

Kawasaki’s Vulcan 1700 Voyager is a powerful touring motorcycle with high torque levels. A classically styled touring bike with large wheels, tons of chrome, bat wing fairing and solid color options; this model also offers some great touring amenities such as compatibility with intercom headsets. It’s also affordable, with a price starting at $17,399 and comes with the best factory warranty of the whole group. 

9. Victory Vision Tour

The Victory Vision Tour is probably the strangest looking Touring bike on this list, long, low and with a fixed fairing this is still a solid touring motorcycle that’s affordable. After hitting the scene several years ago, it took a while to catch on but has almost created its own cult following. Mainly because it offers a good amount of cargo space and customers like the stylish windshield. It doesn’t hurt that it’s available in a beautiful red, black, and blue. 

10. Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero

When Kawasaki announced they were going to produce a solid, stripped down, Street Glide competitive seller, we went absolutely bonkers. So did our customers when the Vulcan 1700 Vaquero was finally released and pre-orders were met. It is not a surprising motorcycle to be on this list, especially with stunning color options like Lime Green and Plasma Blue. It’s manufactured by a leading motorcycle distributor and it’s cheap. It’s starting MSRP is only $16,699.