Adventure bikes are expensive. Not for no reason – the kind of engineering and development that goes into making an ADV capable is second to none. They’re supposed to handle well at speed on a highway without being nervous on the loose stuff, and be equally happy with a single rider going to work. Or with a pillion and luggage headed to the horizon. Adventure bikes are also not for everyone, something that a lot of people realize after they’ve made their purchase.

This makes used adventure bikes a great option for those who want an adventure bike without the associated price tag. Of course, some bikes depreciate more than others because they are a pain in the neck to keep running well or there is costly maintenance coming up, so make your choice accordingly. Here are 10 adventure bikes that you should buy used.

411 cc Single cylinder, air cooled, SOHC, 2 valves per cylinder

The Himalayan 411 was recently replaced by the Himalayan 450, which is the most advanced motorcycle Royal Enfield has ever built. The new motorcycle certainly took things forward, but the 411 has an agrarian charm extremely appealing if you prefer a no-nonsense machine. It won’t break because there isn’t anything to break on it, and the engine might not be refined, but the torque curve is so flat, peak torque is spread under 5,000 RPM. Not something we regularly see.

651 cc Single cylinder, liquid cooled, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

The KLR650 is the Swiss Army Knife of adventure bikes. It will do what you need it to, and it will get you home without breaking into a sweat, no matter how many months or years long your ride is. It hasn’t changed much in the decades that it has been around, with a few changes like fuel injection, ABS, and a styling update coming in recently.

You could have an older KLR (if you can find one) for a little less, or just go shopping for a ’24 model KLR; you can have them for $5,000 – the list price is $6,899 for a spanking new one. The aftermarket is huge, so you can customize it to make it perfect for your needs with the money left over.

1,215 cc Inline three cylinder, liquid cooled, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

If you’ve liked the BMW GS series but didn’t like the boxer engine, then this is for you. The Tiger Explorer is the large 1,200 cc version of the Tiger, and it gets similar goodies as the BMW, including a single-sided swingarm and final shaft drive. Even a 2015 Tiger Explorer has by-wire throttle, traction control, cruise control, switchable ABS, and an immobilizer. If you plan to do more off-road work, then spoke rims were an option for them. With a payload of 490 pounds, there isn’t much you need to leave behind with one of these!

With the prices of big-bore adventure bikes getting out of hand, we suggest you pick these high-end used ADVs and save some moolah

996 cc 90 degree V-twin, liquid cooled, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

The liter-displacement V-Strom is still around in V-Strom 1050 guise, and it got some very good updates a couple of years ago. However, don’t discount the older V-Stroms. Even an example from ten years ago had nearly 100 horsepower, the same as today. The suspension had adjustability, the clutch was hydraulic, and it had a twin spar frame, which means great on-road handling. You don’t get a by-wire throttle, but fuel injection was present, so cold starts won’t be a problem. This was very much a road-biased tourer, with a 19-inch front rim and three-spoke cast aluminum alloy wheels.

1,199 cc 270 degree parallel twin, liquid cooled, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

The Super Tenere just went off production, and with it, an icon has met its demise. It is a premium Africa Twin, if you will. It is powered by a large parallel twin engine that made 110 horsepower well over a decade ago. Like the Tiger Explorer, it has a final shaft drive. If you want the capabilities of a large-displacement ADV but don’t want the weight penalty that usually comes along with it, the Super Tenere is your answer. It was a surprisingly capable off-road bike, and the most recent versions even had electronic suspension. Don’t expect those to be cheap, though, because the last retail price was nearly $20,000.

689 cc 270 degree parallel twin, liquid cooled, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

If the Super Tenere is too big for you (or you’re simply not ‘Super’ enough), the Tenere 700 will fulfill your needs nicely. This engine is derived from the MT-07’s engine, so you can rest assured about its great torque, smoothness, and reliability. The T7 also looks the part of a Dakar-style machine. It leans into this further with the vertical instrument cluster, which used to be an LCD unit a few years ago. Oh, and it uses 21/18 inch spoke rims. If you want to go off-road with your ADV, you will find it difficult to get something better than this. Not much has changed over the years, so you won't lose out on much.

With the rise and rise of the adventure bike segment, all the major manufacturers have something high-end on offer

1,301 cc 75 degree V-twin, liquid cooled, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

KTM makes crazy and large adventure bikes today, and that has been the case for a while now. If you look close enough, you’ll find something like a 1290 Super Adventure R for the price of a Tenere 700. That is a difference of nearly 90 horsepower at the same price! You’ll also get the whole alphabet soup of electronics associated with KTM’s premium bikes to keep things in check. Just remember that KTMs have a certain reputation for reliability, so factor that in before jumping into a deal for one of these.

998 cc 270 degree parallel twin, liquid cooled, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

6 speed dual clutch automatic, chain final drive

If you don’t like the KTM and want the opposite of the frenetic life it promises, Honda’s got your back. The Africa Twin has seen one major engine update since its launch in 2015. That means that no matter what you choose, you’ll get something that has been on sale for well over a decade and sees very few changes. The DCT is a great option if you’re looking for something that will allow you to simply twist and go, but older Africa Twin DCTs missed out on the G Switch that allowed more clutch slip at walking speeds, so you might want to skip technical off-road trails if you get one of these.

1,170 cc Boxer twin, liquid cooled, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

This is the big daddy of the big adventure bikes, and it continues its rule currently with the R 1300 GS. The 1200 GS was a landmark for BMW because it got water cooling in 2013, so models before that should be cheaper. The liquid-cooled R 1200 GS had a by-wire throttle, but safety features like cruise control, electronic suspension, and stability control were optional extras. Speaking of extras, rarely has a GS been sold without a bunch of extras, so look far and wide and get one that has been lightly used and with just enough, but not too many extras.

The Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports balance of performance, reliability, and value makes it one of the best bikes to keep forever

937 cc 90 degree V-twin, liquid cooled, 4 valves per cylinder, Desmodromic valvetrain

Today’s Multistrada V2 is a very different animal from the Multistrada 950. The 950 was the one-size-fits-all Multistrada if you wanted a middleweight Ducati ADV, so there are quite a few variants to choose from. Just remember that it is powered by the Testastretta 11 degree engine with Desmodromic valves, and the valve service intervals are the traditional Ducati intervals. That should give you an idea of how much it will cost you once you’ve purchased it, but there’s no denying that riding one of these is an experience like no other adventure bike.

Source: https://www.topspeed.com/10-adventure-bikes-that-you-should-buy-used/