10 medium-duty adventure bikes that double as daily commuters

Beginner bikes are great until your riding skills exceed their limits, or you start racking up some serious highway miles. Full-size bikes are incredibly fun and their features are amazing, but purchasing them costs an arm and a leg. In the middle are (predictably) the middleweight bikes, and they don’t just bridge the gap between beginner bikes and the full-size bikes; they’re the kind of bikes you could start with and stay with forever.

The same goes for adventure bikes: all other motorcycles, with the possible exception of naked motorcycles, are specialized tools that do one thing extremely well, but are not good at many other things. Choose a middleweight adventure bike and you’ll have something that’s good at just about anything. Still, some are better at being Swiss Army Knives than others, and these are ten medium-duty adventure bikes that can easily be used as daily commuters.

To give you the most current and accurate information, the data used to compile this article is from authoritative sources such as Suzuki, Honda, and CFMoto, among others.

Suzuki V-Strom 650XT

Price: $9,799

The V-Strom 650XT is an old-fashioned middleweight bike, with a twin-spar frame and a throttle cable. However, it does have a few modern touches, such as three-level traction control and tubeless spoke rims. The suspension is simple but effective, and the 19/17 rim size offers a compromise between road and dirt capabilities. Things could change in the future, thanks to the features the platform offers with the just-announced Suzuki SV-7GX.

Honda XL750 Transalp

Price: $9,999

The Transalp looks businesslike, with its 21-inch front rim and high stance. But in reality it is a product that is more comfortable on the asphalt than off it. That doesn’t mean it can’t handle dirt; it’s also quite adept at the loose stuff. Features include tubeless tires, self-announced indicators, a 5-inch TFT color display, Bluetooth, navigation, riding modes, switchable traction control and ABS, and a two-way quickshifter.

CFMoto Steenbok 800 E

Price: $10,299

The Ibex 800 E is currently a flagship product in CFMoto’s portfolio, although it will be replaced by the Ibex 1000MT-X. The Ibex 800 certainly has flagship features, such as an 8-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay, six driving modes, a steering damper and a radar-based blind spot monitoring system. Standard features for the segment include Bluetooth, navigation, fully adjustable KYB suspension, J.Juan brakes and a six-axis IMU. The cornering ABS and traction control can also be switched for better off-road control.

BMW F800GS

Price: $10,925

The F 800 GS is BMW’s middleweight adventure bike and is a touring bike rather than a full-fledged ADV like the F 900 GS. You get alloy wheels that emphasize its tarmac-bound intentions, but underneath it’s a hugely capable BMW adventure bike and is priced almost the same as other brands in the segment. You do get less horsepower, but that only means more accessible torque and more reliability. The F 800 GS is everything you need for a daily rider, with the ability to take on the weekend if you ask for it.

Yamaha Tenere 700

Price: $10,999

The Tenere 700 doesn’t deliver much power for its price, but it doesn’t weigh much either. That’s what makes it so good off-road, and what makes it extremely popular with those who want an adventure bike that can go further than the others. Due to its low weight, it is also easy to use in the city. A recent update gave it a larger windshield, an optional two-way quickshifter and a by-wire throttle with riding modes, making it a better highway bike, too. The only thing missing is cruise control.

Suzuki V-Strom 800DE

Price: $11,799

The V-Strom 800DE is the more modern brother of the V-Strom 650XT, with slightly more performance. You get features like a 5-inch color TFT display, Bluetooth, navigation and switchable multi-level ABS. The by-wire throttle enables riding modes, switchable five-level traction control and a standard two-way quickshifter. Surprisingly it doesn’t have cruise control, and the wire wheels don’t have tubeless tires either, but since the front is a 21 inch rim you could choose to take it from an all-round great bike to an aggressive off-road ADV with the right tires.

Aprilia Tuareg

Price: $12,499

The Tuareg is definitely one of the most beautiful motorcycles in its segment, but you can also expect that from an Aprilia. What’s a bit unexpected is how useful it is in so many different scenarios. Aprilia has focused on making it a multi-purpose product, with a detuned engine that offers better torque and reliability. It also features Aprilia’s APRC electronics package, which is generally the best in its class. Other features include fully adjustable suspension from KYB, brakes from Brembo and aluminum spoke wheels.

Husqvarna Nordic 901

Price: $14,899

The Norden 901 is ostensibly just a KTM 890 Adventure R with a different design, but the Husqvarna also feels a little different. It’s a little more relaxed compared to the enthusiastic Austrian model. The added refinement makes it a more usable motorcycle on a day-to-day basis, and it retains all the good things like a low curb weight, fully adjustable suspension and a six-axis IMU. It may be a bit expensive, but if you want to stand out and have incredible performance, the Norden 901 is a great option.

Triumph Tiger 900 GT

Price: $15,195

The Tiger 900 GT is a distinctive motorcycle. It’s not just the styling and decal; the new firing order of the ‘T-plane’ crank makes it sound and respond like nothing else in the segment. This is the base model of the range, but it still gets quite a bit of equipment, such as a six-axis IMU and driving modes. The preload of the rear suspension must be adjusted manually here. However, the options list is extensive, with a quickshifter, center stand, heated seats and handles and extra protection for the engine.

KTM 890 Adventure R

Price: $15,799

The 890 Adventure R is one of the best middleweight ADVs if you plan to go off-road. However, the standard version is a much better motorcycle for the different conditions you encounter on a daily basis. It produces a lot of power and is always ready to play. It’s a good thing it has a comprehensive electronics and safety suite. You also get fully adjustable suspension and quality brakes to improve performance.