Best of the Rest

By their nature, touring bikes tend to be expensive. The large engines, sophisticated gadgetry, and extensive bodywork required all add to the costs over a more basic machine. Having said that, tourers are generally designed to last longer than many more sporty machines, and are better-built, so they do tend to give good value for money.

Touring fans looking for a value purchase are best advised to look at the sport-touring end of the market. Smaller machines like Triumph’s Sprint ST and BMW’s F800ST are less expensive than full-bore tourers, yet retain plenty of capability over long distances. And since they are less focussed, they can be used for commuting and sporty riding at other times, broadening their usability.