2019 BMW R 1250 RT
More Torque, More Horsepower, More Touring
by TJ Hinton, on December 25, 2020, 03:57
2018 BMW K 1600 B
Unmistakably "Bagger"
2015 Yamaha FJR1300
It has a liquid-cooled four-banger in a sportbike frame for a bit more thrill than just a tourbike
by Allyn Hinton, on December 4, 2020, 01:00
2019 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT
Wherever your journey takes you, make sure the road is twisty
by TJ Hinton, on May 13, 2020, 08:30
2015 Kawasaki Concours 14 ABS
It's a supersport tourer with real supersport DNA
by Allyn Hinton, on March 19, 2020, 21:00
2019 Yamaha Tracer 900 / Tracer 900 GT
A new chassis and MT-09-derived engine put the "sport" in sport-touring
Sport-Tourer Motorcycles
BMW F series
BMW K series
Kawasaki Concours
KTM Super Duke
Yamaha FJR
December 25, 2020 03:57 by TJ Hinton
BMW Motorrad hit MY2019 with the R 1250 RT as its spanky new super-tour bike. Why "super?" Well, it carries a newly refined boxer-twin that brings more mechanical prowess to the table, to include variable cam timing and staggered intake timing meant to broaden the powerband; and a combined engine/transmission case that eliminates some unnecessary weight from the assembly. As you'd expect, the electronics suite is pulled from the top shelf for the stock package, and unsurprisingly, the factory has optional packages available that introduce even more fandanglery to the situation and make the "RT" a proper technological marvel. It all comes together on an undeniably progressive machine with clear Euro-sport roots.
The bagger genre is a uniquely American phenomenon, and as such, it can be difficult to compete against the established domestic brands, but BMW does exactly that with its K 1600 B. At a glance, the "B" hits all the pertinent design high points, and under the hood, the thing is chock full of comfort and safety features to make it capable of pulling double duty as a tour bike. If you're into inches (no giggity), Beemer accommodates you with over a liter-and-a-half in its six-banger mill to make it capable of standing up to Honda's Gold Wing.
2021 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT
All-new from the ground up with an all-new engine and upgraded electronics, all in a spankin'-new frame.
It's out with the old and in with the new for Yamaha's Tracer model that saw a ground-up rebuild ahead of MY2021. That's right, Yamaha went for the trifecta with an all-new engine and upgraded electronics, all in a spankin'-new frame. This newest Tracer replaces the previous version, the Tracer 900 GT, and represents a natural evolution of Yamaha's sport-touring design philosophy.
2015 - 2021 Yamaha FJR1300
December 4, 2020 01:00 by Allyn Hinton
The biggest sport-tourer in Yamaha's lineup is better than ever. In 2016, the FJR1300A and its stablemate the FJR1300ES saw some evolutionary changes that brought just enough tweaks to make them smoother, more comfortable rides. Probably the biggest change in that update was in the transmission with the addition of a sixth gear and adding a slipper clutch to reduce hand fatigue at the clutch lever. Both of these tourers run a 1,298 cc liquid-cooled four-banger and come on a sportbike frame for a bit more thrill than just a tourbike.
2019 - 2021 Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX SE+
Kawi's supercharged hyper-tourer lets the fiery-eyed peg draggers share with a friend
October 19, 2020 04:00 by TJ Hinton
Kawasaki beefed up its Ninja lineup ahead of MY2019 with the upgraded H2 SX SE+. Competition is fierce at the top of the liter-bike range, but Kawi has a not-so-secret weapon in its fight for street dominance in the form of a supercharger (compressor) that significantly boosts performance. The electronic suite received a buff as well with electronic suspension control bundled with new riding modes and the ability to network with your smartphone. Plus, it rocks a "self-repairing" finish that resists dings and scratches to help it keep its curb value.
2019 - 2020 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT
May 13, 2020 08:30 by TJ Hinton
KTM has proven itself capable of producing competitive dirtbikes and popular streetbikes, and 2019 brought a next-gen Gran Turismo that targets the sport-tour genre for domination. Sure, the previous model set a pretty high standard, especially if you like your sport-tour machines heavy on the sport, but our Austrian friends managed to raise the bar even more with a handful of improvements in the 1290 Super Duke GT. Comfort and convenience were updated along with the instrumentation, all with even more race-tacular tendencies due to the revised V-Twin powerplant and improved electronic aids.
2015 - 2020 Kawasaki Concours 14 ABS
March 19, 2020 21:00 by Allyn Hinton
Kawasaki delivered the 2015 Concours 14 ABS with a whole slew of improvements over the prior year — some cosmetic and some for performance — and carried that over to 2020. At the core, the Kawasaki kept the 1,352 cc engine derived from the Ninja® ZX™-14R in a chassis tuned for touring. The sportbike DNA is quite evident in the overall styling, so whether you love it or hate it, you don't ignore the Concours 14 ABS.
1975 - 1979 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing
This is the bike that started the legendary line
January 31, 2020 04:00 by TJ Hinton
The D-Type "Dream" of 1949 may have put Honda on the map, but it was the U.S. release of the Gold Wing in 1975 that eventually made the marque a power in the American touring market. Originally built as a power-cruiser, the domestic consumers had a different purpose in mind — long-distance touring — and with that a legend was born. The basic parameters had been established that would go on to create a family of bikes that, to this day, serve as a staunch competitor to American manufacturers Indian and Harley-Davidson, and enjoy a reputation for speed and agility as well as comfort.
2020 BMW F 900 XR
BMW put an XR in its mid-displacement GS lineup
BMW buffed its mid-size adventure-bike range with the new-for-2020 F 900 XR model that builds on the equally new F 900 R roadster. The XR is built as an on-road tourbike/commuter on a new chassis with a new plastic-welded gas tank and a handful of top-drawer electronic safety and ride-quality control features to polish off the package. A new parallel-twin engine drives the XR with nearly 100 ponies on tap to drive your asphalt adventures.
2019 - 2020 Yamaha Tracer 900 / Tracer 900 GT
Yamaha was busy last year adding a brand-new name and refurbished looks to its lineup with the Tracer 900 and a slightly more tour-tastic Tracer 900 GT. Fans of the FJ models — and indeed the FZ/MT-09 range — will recognize the 113-horsepower, 847 cc triple and adventuresome flavor of this new sport-touring family. The base model landed somewhere near the "sport" end of the sport-tour spectrum, though it wasn't carried forward to 2020 in our market. The GT model is a bit more balanced with a set of hard-side panniers that provides some secure dry storage and a host of features that long-distance riders will certainly appreciate.
2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX
Supersport or Sport-Tourer: You Choose
November 19, 2019 04:00 by TJ Hinton
Kawasaki steps up its game ahead of the 2020 model year with new body components, updated electronics, and a smoother-running engine for its Ninja 1000SX. The factory also tuned up the ergonomics in an effort to improve long-range comfort and even chucked on an adjustable clutch lever for a little bit of lagniappe. Improvements in rideability, control, and aesthetics join the liter-plus engine and Ninja pedigree to deliver a refined product to the masses.
2019 - 2020 BMW R 1250 R / RS
It's The Alternative To The Naked-Bruiser Bikes
August 28, 2019 04:00 by TJ Hinton
BMW's R 1250 base serves as a platform for a number of variants, including the more streetwise pair of models: the R 1250 R roadster and the sport-touring R 1250 RS. As their names suggest, the "R" is a sport-naked with minimal body cladding and an essential layout that wastes nothing on superfluous equipment, but like the yin to the R's yang, the "RS" is more about long-range comfort. Toward that end, it sports a fullish front fairing complete with screen. Both ride on a common chassis and suspension system with a few color choices per model plus BMW's Option 719 Spezial and a host of dedicated accessories across the board. A liter-plus engine delivers the goods with ride-quality features as standard equipment and a whole lot more as part of the optional ex werke gear.
tourers