These are the best adventure motorcycles of 2025

The adventure bike craze shows no signs of slowing down, with the segment bigger than ever for 2025. 

There is a huge degree of variety, too, with engine configurations running from good ol' single-cylinder machines to parallel and V-twins, boxers, inline triples, and V4s. Capacity and spec run the gamut, as well - from 450cc machines that won't break the bank to 1300cc behemoths that cost more than some people's annual salary. 

But which are the best? Which can be both great tourers and invigorating sunny Sunday rides? Which can grind out motorway miles in comfort yet also be credible off-roaders? And which gets the Visordown seal of approval? Read on to find out. 

10. CFMoto 450MT

Part enduro bike, part lightweight commuter cum tourer, CFMoto's 450MT is shaking up the lightweight adventure segment in 2025 with its well-specced and nice looking 450MT. 

One of the most powerful weapon in the 450MT's armoury is it price. At £5,699, the 2025 450MT is more than half the price of a number of bikes on this list! And don't think that the value for money is because the team at CFMoto have scrimped on the spec. With long-travel KYB suspension, J.Juan brakes and a Bosch ABS system, the bike has proven to be wildly popular. Many of the dealers we've spoken to say they struggle to keep the bikes in stock

We've already published out CFMoto 450MT review, and we found it to be a surprinsgly entertaining bike on the road, with the feel and ability of a heavyweight 450 enduro once we got onto the green lanes.

Visordown Review | CFMoto 450MT

9. Honda XL750 Transalp

Honda returned to the mid-capacity ADV category with the Honda XL750 Transalp in 2023. For 2025 the model gained a slight refresh and new slicker looking front end. It is a model that propels the Japanese giant into the future while harnessing the good names of its past.

Following the trend set by the Honda CB750 Hornet, with which it shares its underpinnings, Honda's new mud-slinger revives the fondly regarded Transalp moniker, but gives it a new lease of life with a motorcycle that - bravely - forges its own path.

Honda's clearly crunched the numbers on a model of this ilk and seems to have determined that buyers are seeking a road-oriented, excellent value, well-appointed and built motorcycle... because that's exactly what the XL750 Transalp is.

The asphalt-biased set-up makes the XL750 Transalp noticeably more involving to ride on the smooth stuff, while the frisky new 755cc twin-cylinder engine punches above its size with a competitive 91bhp. As with all Hondas, fit and finish are second to none, it's brimming with simple but clever gadgetry, and it’s both comfortable and practical. We even think it's handsome, if understated.

On the slight downside, it’s not as dirt-capable as many of the others on this list. Although it's perfectly happy on gentle gravel tracks. Nonetheless, for us it’s still more than worth its place here for its great touring and road ability, decent style and quality and, above all, a very tempting price.

Visordown REVIEW | Honda XL750 Transalp

8. KTM 890 Adventure R

Hang on a second while we check to see if KTM's still in business... 

OK, yes, for the time being, the Austrian moto ship is still afloat. 

After a long period of uncertainty, KTM is eager to win back riders confidence and wallets, so it's doing what it does best: offering up psycho beasts like the 890 Adventure R. If you put "conquers mountains, breaks rocks and never backs down from a challenge" at the top of your motorcycle wish list, then this is the machine to consider.

Arguably the most hardcore of the machines on this list, the 890 Adventure R is the Wolverine of motorcycles. The bad-ass version of the KTM 890 Adventure, it was great when it first arrived in 790 form, and it just keeps on getting better with each and every update.

And if you fancy something a little less, well, er, ‘orange’, sister company Husqvarna’s Norden 901 is effectively a re-clothed Adventure 890 in a slightly more contemporary outfit.

7. Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid

Yamaha has a knack for changing the game. It did so roughly a decade ago with its MT-09 and MT-07 naked bikes, and in 2019 it did so again - taking the MT-07's parallel twin engine and housing it in a middleweight, off-road capable adventure bike. 

Since its launch, there have been several variations on the theme, enough that there are rumours Yamaha is planning on expanding its adventure offerings even further.

There is a lot to like about the Tenere 700 platform, which focuses on doing the basics very well. It’s an excellent companion off-road: easy to handle, it gives the KTM 890 Adventure a run for its money in the rough stuff. It’s a peppy performer on the road, too, with the 689cc crossplane two-cylinder engine feeling brisker than its modest 72bhp might have you believe.

The Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid comes with a vast 23-litre fuel tank, more sophisticated suspension, and multi-functional GPS tech.

Visordown REVIEW | Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid

6. Triumph Tiger 1200

British brand Triumph has been gunning for the adventure sector’s best-selling bike, BMW’s GS, ever since 2012 when it launched its first three-cylinder, shaft-drive Tiger Explorer 1200. That bike didn’t quite hit the mark, but a series of revisions since - most significantly in 2022, when it became lighter and pokier than ever- pretty much brings it on par.

There are currently four models: the more road-orientated GT Pro, with cast wheels etc., and the even higher-spec and big-tanked GT Explorer, then the more off-road Rally Pro, and Rally Explorer. Basically "GT" means road-focused, "Rally" implies off-roadability," and "Explorer" means a 30-liter tank and hefty price tag. 

Either way, they’re punchy, characterful performers with typically great Triumph handling, all the gizmos and equipment you might want and, in Rally trim, surprisingly good off-road, as well.

Visordown review: Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Pro

5. Ducati DesertX

Considering the segment’s popularity and the success of its increasingly off-road-inclined Multistrada range, it is surprising it took until 2022 for Ducati to join the adventure mud fight.

So is the Ducati DesertX better late than never, without a doubt. Indeed, Ducati - being Ducati - has taken its ‘proper’ adventure debut very seriously, going to the lengths of developing an all-new chassis and frame around the well-proven 937cc Testastretta twin.

Far from betraying its novice status in the rough stuff, the DesertX is a convincing first stab at a trail bike, while it is packed to the brim with riding modes for every occasion.

Naturally, Ducati hasn’t abandoned its sporting DNA on the road either with the 110bhp engine feeling frisky, while the DesertX handles with eagerness. We also love the simple, modern-retro design that pays homage to the Ducati-engined, Dakar Rally-winning Cagiva Elefant.

Visordown REVIEW | Ducati DesertX

4. Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro

The Triumph Tiger 900 Rally was so capable off-road, it was even the motorcycle of choice among baddies in the James Bond flick No Time To Die.

Fortunately, you don’t need to work for an international criminal to enjoy what the Tiger 900 Rally Pro has to offer. In fact, far from it being ‘baddie’, it’s really rather good.

On paper, the update looks fairly low-key. But it doesn’t take long to start to feel the extra low and mid-range grunt over the old model, and it’s hard to complain about that.

It’s also much smoother than the previous generation, and it’s hard to believe that all of that smoothing out has been achieved by only the addition of rubber-damped bars. The vibes through the bars, and the bike in general, have been reduced massively, and that aforementioned power upgrade also comes with what Triumph is claiming as a nine per cent improvement in fuel economy.

The Rally Pro, with longer-travel, fully adjustable suspension from Showa at both ends, off road wheels, modes and more, is the most truly versatile of the bunch but if you’re less bothered about the loose stuff, there is also the more affordable, road-biased GT and upspecced GT Pro.

Visordown Review | Triumph Tiger 900

3. Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special

Criminally under-appreciated by Harley-Davidson faithful, the Pan America 1250 is - whisper it quietly so the trolls don't hear - one of the best all-round adventure machines on the market today. The worst thing about it is that so few people know how good it is.

Launched in 2021, the bike is driven by a tractable and thoroughly enjoyable 1252cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine that promises 150 horsepower and 125 Nm of torque (that's 92.1 lb-ft, for those dealing in crumpets or freedom). It's not a lightweight machine but it's plenty durable and can be pushed hard off road. Very hard. Harley has proven this by entering it in all kinds of enduro-style competitions.

On the road, however, is where it really charms. As you would expect from Harley, it has comfort for day-after-day riding. And with all those ponies and its adventure bike ground clearances, it's giggle-inducing fun in all places where Haeleys don't usually shine. You know: curves. 

The more expensive Pan America 1250 Special adds a number of bells and whistles, including adaptive ride height, which lowers the seat at stops to make it easier for riders to get a foot down. This feature has appeared on a number of bikes in recent years, but it's worth noting that Harley was first on the market with it.

More recently, Harley has come out with the purely road-focused Pan America 1250 ST, which keeps all the good stuff from the platform but does away with adventure conventions to create a fast and fun touring machine.

Visordown Review | Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special

2. KTM 1390 Super Adventure Voge DS900X

KTM's 1390 Super Adventure R was set to challenge BMW's top slot in 2025, promising 160bhp, class-leading electronics, and the great off-road ability we've come to expect from the Austrian brand. But here's the problem. As of this writing, it doesn't exist. KTM's financial problems and stop-start production issues mean that this bike that was supposed to have arrived in March still hasn't hit dealers.

So, we're giving the No. 2 slot to a bike that's also hard to get a hold of, but only because it's selling so well: the Chinese-made Voge DS900X. Voge is the upmarket in-house brand of Loncin, which builds the engines for a number of BMW models, including - crucially - the BMW F 900 GS.

The DS900X is powered by the same liquid-cooled 895cc parallel twin engine that drives the BMW. It has oh-so-slightly different peak power outputs than the better-known brand, but its 96.5bhp and 70.1 lb-ft of torque are perfectly respectable. The bike's real selling points, however, are high-quality components, a huge suite of standard features - from heated grips and riding modes to a high-definition dash cam- and shockingly agreeable asking price: just £8,499.

What consumers are seeing here is an opportunity to own a high-spec F 900 GS for thousands of pounds less than the starting price of an F 900 GS. And they're liking what they're seeing. Much like the CFMoto at the top of the list, the DS900X is getting snapped up by consumers as quickly as dealers can get them in the door. The dealerships we've spoken to have had to set up waiting lists, with calls from interested buyers coming in daily.

In our review of the DS900X, we called it the best Chinese motorcycle yet.

Visordown review | Voge DS900X

1. BMW R1300GS

It’s all new boxer twin adds 9bhp; its clever ‘shell’ frame contributes to the whole bike being much lighter and more compact; it’s conspicuously punchier, more nimble and more dynamic both on and off-road and it boats a raft of updated tech while remaining loyal to BMW’s familiar 6.5in TFT dash, scrolling switchgear and more.

Ride one and, even though the ‘big old 1250’ still has plenty of friends, you’ll be in no doubt about the improvements. And, if all that’s not enough, there’s also now the equally controversially styled, big-tanked Adventure version.

Visordown review | BMW R 1300 GS