WITH the adventure touring bike’s gobbling up sales across the global motorcycle industry, it was nice to see the touring segment getting some much needed new blood at EICMA this year.
They may not have the go-anywhere ruggedness of more adventure biased machines, but for when it comes to crossing continents at speed, nothing really compares to a high-powered, high-tech tourer motorcycle.
Here’s our pick of the best from the biggest and most important motorcycle show on the planet.
Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX
The 2020 Ninja 1000 SX isn’t just a name change and facelift when compared to the outgoing Z1000 SX, delve a little deeper and it’s pretty much a completely new motorcycle.
Visually the revised front end is sleeker and more aerodynamically styled than before. Tech-wise the bike now features a host of high-end trinkets to keep even the most tech-savvy amongst us happy. There’s full LED lighting, Bluetooth ready TFT dash, quickshifter as standard, traction control and cruise control. If you want a machine to cross a country in style, comfort and at speed; few things can touch the new Ninja 1000 SX.
Yamaha Tracer 700
It may have the long-legged appearance of an adventure machine but the Tracer 700 is more sports tourer than anything else. Its punchy CP2 689cc engine is punchy enough to excite on twisty B-road and the suspension is just about up to the challenge too. Add to that the new bike’s R1/Tenere style makeover and you’ve got one of the best value and coolest mid-weight touring motorcycles on the planet.
BMW S1000 XR
Another that looks more adventure than anything else, but with the heart of the 2019 S1000 RR sportsbike and more power than most people will ever need, the BMW S1000 XR is not to be overlooked.
For 2020 the machine has had minor updates including slightly more power – 165hp – TFT dash, more mid-range and less weight.
Ducati Multistrada 1260 S Grand Tour
Yes we were all waiting for the V4 Multistrada but sadly that is going to be arriving in 2021 – we hope. For now, Ducati has given the current top-spec 1260 S Multistrada a comfort and styling makeover and called it the Grand Tour.
It is basically a standard bike with a few parts from the Ducati accessory catalogue and a funky paintjob. A bit of a letdown? Maybe. Is it still a very good long-distance touring machine? Absolutely!
Moto Morini X-Cape
Probably one of the more interesting touring machines from the show was the Moto Morini X-Cape. Following the well-trodden path led by the likes of the Kawasaki Versys 650 and Yamaha Tracer 700, the X-Cape takes a low-stressed 649cc twin-cylinder engine and wraps it in an adventure style body. Long-travel suspension and a funky TFT dash crown this handsome looking machine.
