The list includes some pure fun machines which can take you anywhere without much thinking or effort
Recently the Indian Adventure motorcycle space has expanded quite a bit. People can be seen exploring and touring on their motorcycles quite often than they used to 5 or 10 years ago. So as a result of that the adventure seekers too also started looking for new motorcycles to suit their touring and adventure needs. Thus to meet the demands of people Motorcycle manufacturers too started to launch various Adventure tourers in India to meet their touring needs. Even some Indian manufacturers like RE have also tried their luck in this particular segment.
Now the adventure tourer motorcycles in India is not only limited to just single cylinder engines people even started exploring various places of our Country on bigger capacity motorcycles as well.
What makes an Adventure Tourer different from some other kind of motorcycles is the fact that they will have to be comfortable so that the rider never gets tired while munching some serious kilometres on them. The motorcycle should also have to have a good ground clearance which will help the riders conquer the obstacles easily when the Tarmac runs out.
The Adventure Tourers will also have to have very less body fairing so that the structure or the body parts remain intact in case the motorcycles take a fall. That said, here is the list of top 5 popular Adventure tourers available in India as of now.
1. Royal Enfield Himalayan
The RE Himalayan is definitely the most affordable and practical Adventure tourer available in India as of now. Although since its launch the motorcycle has faced a lot of controversy surrounding its reliability and build quality issues. However, from what it looks like RE has learned from their past mistakes and launched the new and improved BSIV variant towards the end of last year. What makes the Himalayan a unique Adventure Tourer is the fact that it is lightweight, simple and cheap to maintain.
The Himalayan is powered by a 411cc, single-cylinder oil and air-cooled engine that makes 24.5bhp and 32Nm of torque, mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Recently RE has even improved its braking performance by offering it with a dual channel ABS setup but unfortunately, it could not be turned off. The Himalayan also gets 21-inch front wheels and slightly smaller 17-inch wheels at the rear. RE also offers a special Sleet Edition in India which is offered with a different paint scheme and plenty of Accessories as well.
Price – Rs. 1.78 lakh (Ex-Showroom).
2. BMW G310 GS
BMW Motorrad recently launched their much-anticipated entry-level offering in India called the G310 GS. The motorcycle is based on the same platform as the G310R Roadster and even shares the same engine but of course in a different state of tune. The BMW G310 GS is also the most affordable GS series motorcycle available in the world. The motorcycle was appreciated throughout the globe for its comfortable seating position, long suspension travel, wider handlebars, and switchable ABS which also happens to be one of the main features which we all look for in an Adventure Tourer.
The G310 GS gets a 313cc single-cylinder liquid cooled unit which generates 34 bhp at 9500 rpm, and 28 Nm of peak torque at 7,500 rpm. The engine is paired to a 6-speed gearbox. The G310 GS received a lot of positive response from the people but many even complained that this motorcycle is way too expensive considering the fact that this is only a single cylinder unit and is manufactured here in India only.
Price – Rs. 3.49 Lakh (Ex-Showroom).
3. Kawasaki Versys 650
There is no doubt in the fact that the Kawasaki Versys 650 is one of the most popular choices for those who are looking for a middleweight Adventure Tourer which is neither too heavy or does not even cost a fortune to own.
The Versys 650 gets a tall windscreen, long suspension travel, comfortable seats and above all the sporty 649cc parallel twin engine which cranks out about 68bhp and 64Nm of torque. The engine is paired to a 6-speed gearbox and is the same unit which powers some other Kawasaki mid-spec motorcycles including the Ninja 650 and the Vulcan S Cruiser. The motorcycle is well equipped and is built around a diamond frame chassis made from high-tensile steel. The motorcycle gets a dual channel ABS setup and decent ground clearance but is not offered with a spoked wheel.
Price : – Rs. 6.5 Lakh (Ex-Show)
4. Triumph Tiger 800 XCX
The Triumph Tiger is definitely one of the most appreciated and capable Adventure Tourer available in the World and is the only motorcycle which gives a tough competition to the popular BMW GS range. Just like the GS range Triumph also offers the Tiger with a number of different engine specs. However, the most popular amongst them is definitely the Triumph Tiger 800 XCX which is powered by an 800cc, liquid-cooled, three-cylinder engine which produces about 94bhp 78.8Nm of torque and is paired to a 6-speed gearbox.
The motorcycle is also offered with a number of luxury features including heated seats and grips, and height adjustable windshield and adjustable suspension. The motorcycle also gets plenty of safety features as well including ABS, Rider mode and traction control. The Triumph Tiger 800 is appreciated for its reliable and smooth engine.
Triumph also offers a bigger and more powerful 1200 Tiger as well. The more powerful Tiger gets a 1215 cc, in-line three-cylinder engine paired to a 6-speed gearbox which makes about 141 bhp of peak power and peak torque output of 122Nm.
Price: 13.89 Lakh (Ex-showroom)
5. Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro
When we are talking about motorcycle it will actually be an injustice if we don’t mention Ducati in our list. The Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro has been purposefully built for those buyers who seek adventure beyond Tarmac roads.
The Multistrada 1200 Enduro is based on the Multistrada 1200S but gets an additional rugged wire spoke wheels with knobbly Pirelli tires and an added ground clearance to highlights its off-road capability as well.
The Multistrada Enduro is powered by 1198cc Testastretta DVT L-twin engine, which generates maximum power output of 160bhp and a peak torque output of 136Nm. The motorcycle also carries forward number of other features like ride by wire throttle with various rider modes from the 1200S while the entire electronic package too has been carried forward to the motorcycle from the 1200S.
Price: 17.44 Lakh (Ex-showroom)