At some point it will hit you. The desire to ride your motorcycle on a long trip. Something beyond just that quick trip to the cool coffee shop or the local bar. When the time comes, you’ll want to know if your bike is a good bike to take a long trip. Those multiday, 1000 plus mile adventures that get you a long long way from home. This post will point you in the right direction for taking that long trip. There are 3 main bikes that are just built for long hauls.
- Harley Davidson Touring
- Japanese Sports Touring
- BMW Adventure Touring
The American Favorite
There is no doubt. If you’ve been in the United States of America more than a minute, you’ve heard the rumble of a big Harley Davidson or seen a group of them rolling up the highway. There is a reason that this bike is a go to for traveling. The seating position is relaxed. The seat its self its thick and wide. The girth of the bike makes it one of the best motorcycles for long trips. After making a few trips across Kansas on both vintage 1980s bike and modern sports touring bike, the experience of riding the Harley was on an entirely different level. The Harley Electra Glide is “THE” big touring bike. This one starts out on top of the list. Hop on over the HD to check out their newest selections .
The Anti-“BIKER” bike
The second bike on this list of best motorcycles for long trips is the big and very “dad” styled , Sport Touring Bike. This could be the Yamaha FJR or the Kawasaki Concours. Bikes in this category are also big and set up for comfort. They have bags for storage and may even have as many high tech options as your minivan. Carrying over the style from a sport bike, these bike appeal to the young at heart and “non leather” crowd. After putting a few thousand miles on my Concours, I can say the bikes are set up for effortless strolling with just enough power to make you question if you’ve got the skills to ride it. One thing I’ve heard more than once when talking about the bike is that it just WANTS to go fast. It begs to cruise at 80, 90, or higher. And you feel stable doing it.
2008 Kawasaki Concours
The ULTIMATE Mile Machine
The last motorcycle on the list of BEST motorcycles for long trips the the BMW GS. This motorcycle tends to belong to a different rider. The “I’m in it for the long haul” sort of person. On one trip across Kansas, I approached a solo rider and asked about his destination. He was loaded up with luggage, extra tires, and head to toe gear. He indicated “MEXICO” . This isn’t a trip bike, its a life bike. He informed me that that’s “ALL ” he does. Travel around on two wheels. Doing a simple GOOGLE search, you’ll find stories of people putting hundreds and hundreds of thousands miles on their GS. There’s a reason for that. The bike is versatile, powerful, and has comfortable riding position. Celebrities and average Joe’s flock towards this bike. Its just about perfect.
There’s a bike for you out there. Don’t be afraid to take that long trip. Get out and ride!
There’s ONE MORE bike that wasn’t listed… Do you know what that might be? Leave a comment.