What to Know Before You Buy a Touring Motorcycle

A Touring Bike sounds just like its name, the ideal motorcycle for a long-distance trip. These motorcycles are extremely comfortable and have the ability to carry luggage to make your trips easy and comfortable and a larger gas tank so you can keep on cruising. Touring motorcycles are built with endurance in mind, so you know they are made to be reliable. Having the right bike for those long-distance trips will give you more enhanced and meaningful riding experience. There are many other benefits from owning a touring motorcycle that we will go through to help you make sure this is the platform for you.

The Budget:

Thinking and knowing what your budget is should be one of the first things you consider when deciding if a motorcycle is a good fit for you. Touring motorcycles have a range of prices from low to high. Motorcycles like the Honda CTX700 that have an MSRP of $8399, the Kawasaki Vulcan 700 Voyager for $17,499, and the Yamaha Star Eluder for $22499. This range of pricing can give almost everyone the opportunity to start off small then work your way up to bigger if one feels they need to.

Maintenance:

As we mentioned before touring motorcycles are built to be reliable through miles and miles of long-distance riding and but will eventually need a good maintenance checkup. This is just like anything other check-up but touring motorcycles have a lot of tasks that can be handled by the rider. Chains, shafts, and belts must be lubricated and well-maintained. A clean and clear fuel filter is essential for that smooth endurance riding. Also, since touring motorcycles are used for long-distance, tire wear and tear will be above average. Check your tire pressure often and tire tread.

What Type of Riding Is It Best For?

You can use any motorcycles for long-distance trips or journeys but you will quickly learn that some motorcycles are not the most comfortable for these long-distance excursions. There are certain motorcycles out there that are better equipped for the long ride and touring motorcycles offer a more upright seating position, tall windshields, large fuel tanks, and in some cases saddlebags or some type of side storage. This extra storage allows you to have a more comfortable ride since your stuff will be put away and you won’t have to worry about it falling off.

What’s the Average MPG?

Touring motorcycles on average get 54-65 mpg. This is great gas mileage for the power the bike can offer. Perfect for long-distance rides, so you don’t have to pull over every 150 miles to refuel. Touring motorcycles also have large gas tanks, which means you can hold more also reducing the number of times you’ll need to refuel in one trip.

Commuting?

If you’re looking to get a motorcycle but will mainly be using it to commute, know that a touring motorcycle should not be your first choice. Although it is a great type of motorcycle, commuter bikes tend to be a little slimmer, have less storage space, and also have a great MPG. Overall, a touring motorcycle could be used as a commuter bike if you do a good mixture of long-distance and commuting, but if you are strictly a commuter consider another option.

Comfort Level:

Consider, you will be sitting for long periods of time, your arms and wrist will be in the same positions and stay strong to control the bike. You want to make sure that whatever you are riding for a long period of time is something that you know will be comfortable since touring motorcycles are specifically designed for long-distance riding you can be sure that they are very comfortable.

Different Engine Sizes:

Touring motorcycles come in a range of engine sizes. This gives riders the opportunity to start off a bit smaller and work their way up (budget or cc wise). Power can start from 1037cc on a Suzuki V-Strom 1000 ABS to the big and legendary Honda Goldwing with 1833cc. Touring bikes are usually quite large and heavy so you want to make sure you have enough power for what you will be additionally bringing on.

Style:

For those who care about the “look”, know that touring bike has that classic and relaxed look in one. Touring bikes are “dressed up” with a lot of options, like stereos, GPS, heated seats, windscreens, lots of carrying capacity, automatic transmissions, and more. Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie who’s looking to burn some rubber or an aspiring traveler who feels more at home on the open road, the touring motorcycle style is for you.

Gear to Have:

You’ll want to have the proper gear to ensure you with the best riding experience. For example, bringing a hoody and sweats may not be the best option for keeping you comfortable on a long ride. Because you have already planned ahead, you should know what the weather is like and that should give you an idea of what to pack and bring. Here are 5 items we think are good to pack.

Sunglasses: Staring at the road for many hours at a time during the day can definitely take a toll on your eyes. We really recommend having sunglasses on or accessible to you so you don’t hurt or strain your eyes.

Mesh and ventilated jacket: During the hotter months of the year ventilated jacket will keep your skin protected as well as aired out. We recommend having a jacket like this so you can be comfortable.

Mesh riding pants: Like the jacket, having ventilated pants may be more comfortable than jeans or unbreathable clothing.

Waterproof gear: If it is the rainy time of the year you’ll want to invest in waterproof gear so that you’re comfortable and dry. Also, some plastic covering for your luggage.

Boots: Riding shoes provide superior airflow. Many have a built-in ankle and heel protection, a toe box and a reinforced midsole. If you are looking for a motorcycle boot you can always get a pair that offer ventilation.

Passengers?

Most touring bikes have a very noticeable and large seat for a passenger to join. Other motorcycles do have a passenger seat but look more similar to one of a street bike. The larger seats are more comfortable for your passenger and will make the long-distance ride for both of you easy and enjoyable. Touring bikes are definitely passenger-friendly.

Is This the Bike for You?

So now you know that touring bikes are great for those long-distance rides and are very powerful. Touring bikes are some of the most reliable modes of transportation and add the fact of all the extra storage space and its hard to consider a “smaller” motorcycle. Again there are many options so don’t choose too soon without knowing exactly what you want but we hope this helps in your decision making.

Related:

-5 Things to Know Before You Buy a Motorcycle

-What Motorcycle is Right for You?

-Finding the Motorcycle that Fits You Best

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