10 motorcycles that offer comfort, presence and functionality

The spec sheet is misleading. It makes you believe that the bike with the biggest numbers and lightest weight will be the best. That’s not always true, because we don’t all want the same thing from a motorcycle. For most of us, a motorcycle that is fun to ride every day will be preferable to one that is great for a very specific use.

So the ideal motorcycle should be comfortable, good looking and practical to own. If that sounds like what you’re looking for, you’ll be happy to see that we’ve picked ten motorcycles that take comfort, looks and convenience from different segments. These range from pocket rockets to full-fledged supercharged beasts.

KTM 390 Adventure R

Price: $7,699

KTM’s smallest displacement engines have gone from strength to strength and are now credible copies of their bigger siblings. The 390 Adventure R is a good example; It was designed from the ground up as an adventure bike, and it shows. Despite the engine being a high-revving unit and the chassis being derived from a street bike, the fully adjustable long-travel suspension, six-axis IMU, switchable traction control and ABS and 5-inch TFT make it very usable both in town and off-road. Unlike some of the larger KTMs, the two-way quickshifter, Bluetooth and navigation are standard features for the price.

Honda CBR650R E-clutch

Price: $9,199

The CBR650R E-Clutch is perhaps the most practical sports bike if you want to use it every day. The E-Clutch system makes traffic light because even when you come to a complete stop you don’t have to use the clutch lever. And if you don’t like the clutch, you can also start from a standstill in any gear you want. The E-Clutch can also be switched off and standard features include ABS and a 5-inch TFT display with Bluetooth and navigation.

Honda CB1000 Hornet SP

Price: $10,999

The USP of the CB1000 Hornet SP is its incredible value. It’s priced as a naked premium middleweight, but is powered by a one-litre inline four-cylinder engine. It also looks the business, and if that’s not enough, there are some incredibly tasty chassis components thrown in as standard. They include Showa SFF-BP inverted front forks, an Öhlins TTX36 rear shock usually seen in track day specials, and Brembo front brakes with a radial master cylinder. There is also an assist and slipper clutch with a two-way quickshifter. It has been detuned for the US market, but a simple re-tuning will restore it to its 150+ horsepower glory.

Harley-Davidson Nightster special

Price: $12,499

The sub-$10,000 entry price for the Nightster is really attractive, but the extra $2,500 gets you a much better, more complete product in the Nightster Special. For the money you get a pillion seat and footrests, different wheels, much more attractive colors and, above all, a round TFT display with Bluetooth and navigation. It is mechanically identical to the basic bike, consisting of a trellis frame with the engine as a stressed member, Showa telescopic forks and twin direct-action outboard motors. It also has the liquid-cooled Revolution Max engine with variable valve timing, a by-wire throttle and a six-axis IMU.

Triumph Bonneville T120

Price: $13,995

The Bonneville hadn’t had a significant update in a few years. But the kind of customer it was made for doesn’t want the latest and greatest technology in something like the Bonneville. That’s why we appreciate the latest update, which provides it with a six-axis IMU and all the security it brings. So this is a retro roadster that will turn heads because of its looks, and make the driver smile because of the way it drives. KYB suspension and Brembo/Nissin brakes are paired with timeless design features such as spoked rims and a dual-pod analogue instrument cluster.

Suzuki GSX-S1000GX

Price: $18,749

The GSX-S1000GX is Suzuki’s flagship sports tourer and is equipped with everything you would expect from a premium motorcycle. A six-axis IMU, electronically adjustable suspension and smart cruise control that allows you to shift gears without disabling cruise control are all standard features. You also get a 6.5-inch TFT and a look that makes it stand out and identifies it as a Suzuki. The engine is very happy to rev, delivering grin-inducing pace from midrange and beyond, and the chassis, suspension and brakes are well tuned to match. But as befits a tourer, it is also extremely comfortable.

BMW R1300GS

Price: $20,395

The R 1300 GS is a common name, but it remains a standout, especially the Adventure version. The current generation has focused on being more accessible to a wider audience, while retaining its unique features. As a result, it has a wider range of skills without sacrificing the good stuff. The engine now has variable valve timing with even more power and torque, and an automated manual transmission is optional. It’s not cheap, as the automatic box bumps the price up by about $6,500, but it certainly makes it infinitely more comfortable and practical.

Honda Goldwing DCT

Price: $26,500

While many of the headlining features are present on the full-dress Gold Wing Tour, the bagger version is more reasonably priced and mechanically identical. The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox has a reverse gear, the suspension is electronically controlled, the brakes have cornering ABS and are linked, the front suspension is a double wishbone setup and the navigation continues to work even when you enter a tunnel. Oh, and no matter how many features it has, it’s reliable enough to last for many years and hundreds of thousands of miles without any problems.

Ducati Multistrada V4 S

Price: $29,995

Ducati has placed the Multistrada at the pinnacle of its touring bike range, and the Multistrada V4 S would also be at the pinnacle of all adventure touring bikes. It has one of the highest power outputs, despite the Granturismo engine using conventional valve springs. This engine is also lighter than the V-twin it replaced, and offers technology such as rear cylinder bank deactivation to save fuel and improve driving comfort in traffic. Elsewhere there are Brembo brakes with a radial master cylinder, electronic suspension with remote preload adjustment and a 5-inch TFT color display.

Kawasaki Ninja H2SX SE

Price: $29,999

The Ninja H2 platform has been around for a long time, but Kawasaki hasn’t updated it significantly in that time. That’s not necessary if more than 200 horsepower and 100 pound-feet are available. The rest of the Ninja H2 SX’s features list also reads like today’s, with the standard features list including semi-active suspension, blind spot detection, forward collision warning, self-healing paint, launch control and a two-way quickshifter.

Sources: Honda Powersports, Kawasaki USA