Why We Picked It:

To be honest, this was the first bike that popped into our heads the moment this list was proposed. BMW is famously known for their touring motorcycles such as their entire K 1600 lineup, but they also have a seriously sport oriented side, with the S1000 RR superbike being a perfect example.

Many a moon ago, BMW decided to marry the two styles of bikes into two amazing bikes, the R 1250 RS and the R 1250 RT. For this list, we've picked the RS, as its name literally means "Road Sport." It is am immensely capable sport tourer, as it takes all of the lessons learned from the K series of bikes, and brings over the capable 1,254cc boxer twin from the ADV side of things, which brings 136 HP and 105 lbs-ft of torque to the table.

What you get is a BMW that is comfortable but sporty, with a low center of gravity, some of the best riding dynamics this side of a track bike, and even a shaft drive so there's no chance of a chain snapping when you're at the top of the Swiss Alps. It also comes as standard with BMW's excellent in-house ABS and traction control, three riding modes for all weather conditions, and one of the clearest, most easy to read TFT dashes on the market.

This is a bike that was made from the very start to be the ultimate riding machine for long distance touring, and to be honest, from how many are sold and ridden across Europe yearly, we think they've nailed it.

Why We Picked It:

With only a couple of seasons under its belt, we can honestly say that the Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT is one of the more well-rounded sport tourers we've come across. It is the quintessential definition of a sport tourer, taking the long-serving engine from the GSX-S1000, fiddling with its timings and settings a bit, and then planting it a modified frame of said bike.

The result is an immensely powerful motorcycle that has extremely linear power delivery, is hugely comfortable, has mounting points all over for tank bags, side luggage, a top case, can carry a passenger without any issue, and just does it all in that efficiently Japanese way. It is also amazingly agile for its size, as it's almost twice as wide as the superbike it got its engine from, gracefully carving corners with confidence so you can appreciate the view as you round the next corner on the mountain road.

It is also one of the bikes using Suzuki's new SIRS system (Suzuki Intelligent Ride System), which has low-RPM assist, intelligent traction control, selectable ride modes, and throttle by wire that is constantly adjusted so you get the most performance per millimeter of throttle twist, without spinning up the rear or having it slide out on a sudden patch of gravel or water.

The standard GT does not come with hard-case luggage, but does include the mount points. If you want it to come with fully installed lockers, it's just $600 more with the GT+, which also includes a few minor things like different paint options and such.

Why We Picked It:

This pick started a bit of a debate among the editors and writers here at webBikeWorld. There were discussions about which Kawasaki deserved the place... the ultra-powerful touring cruise missile, the H2 SX SE? The long-serving Ninja 1000 SX? After all the facts were laid down, we picked the Ninja 650.

The primary reason we picked it came down to just how approachable it is. While many of us are intermediate to veteran skill riders, we all need to remember that there are new riders out there, almost every day, that are looking at a first or second bike. The Ninja 650 has the power, agility, and responsiveness to plant a huge grin on your face, but it is also extremely capable of just cruising along a coastal highway or up a mountain road, letting the new rider experience what sport touring is all about.

Being a Kawasaki, the other half of the decision was that absolutely everything including the faucet attached to the kitchen sink is jammed into the Ninja 650, and then the bike is put on sale at a ludicrously affordable price. Dual zone ABS, cornering ABS, traction control, stability control, bluetooth connectivity, riding modes, a saddke with an amazingly comfortable amount of plushiness, and mid-rear pegs for if you want to get your lean on, but don't cramp your legs up like a supersport would.

It's all there, for the beginner and the veteran, to just go out and ride. And that's the point of it all, isn't it?

Why We Picked It:

KTM's own marketing takes care of the byline for us: "The 1290 Super Duke GT is a comfortable ballistic missile," which is understandable as the 1290 Super Duke S and R are both very rapid when the right wrist is opened up. But, what would happen if it was tuned slightly more towards mid-throttle cruising, had a touring windshield installed, and given a set of hard luggage?

The answer is the 1290 Super Duke GT, KTM's only sport tourer, and it comes packed with all the goodies you'd expect from the Austrians. Electronic cruise control, heated grips, semi-active and electronically adjustable WP suspension, dual-zone and cornering ABS, 6-axis stability and traction control... it's all standard on the GT.

While the hard luggage is an additional cost, the mounting points are part of the frame and thus are standard as well, so pretty much any luggage will fit. It also, for a KTM at least, has a seat that can actually be called plush. Not soft, mind you, but thicker than the average plank of wood that KTM seats are known to feel like.

Of course, with the Duke as part of its name, it also comes with switchable rear ABS and traction control, should you wish to wag the tail a bit around a few corners.

Why We Picked It:

Put down the torches and pitchforks, dear readers, and let us explain this choice.

For years now, Zero has been putting out road and dual-sport bikes, and despite some controversies here and there, they have been successful enough to put the time and research into making an adventure tourer. The DSR/X is brand new for 2023, boasting the newest long distance battery pack and the newest DC motor, and is also the most powerful bike Zero has made in terms of sheer grunt at 166 lbs-ft of torque.

While other bikes in Zero's lineup will get 70, 80, sometimes 100 or 110 miles per charge, the DSR/X is rated for up to 180 miles per charge. It is marketed towards the ADV side of things, and it honestly can get off road and dirty, but if you really peer at it without any cynicism, it is set up for sport touring, with a little adventure sprinkled in.

We think that while it may not be perfect, and it already has competition in the form of the Energica Experia from Europe, it is definitely a step in the right direction towards convincing the world that electric sport tourers might just be a viable option in the near future.

Why We Picked It:

The NC750X DCT is one of those sport adventure tourers that rides the razor's edge between a full ADV and a sport tourer. What tips it towards the touring side for us is simply the practicality that Honda have designed into the machine.

Firstly, there's the DCT, and it's the only option for this bike. Now, we know, not shifting your own gears can be considered heresy, but when you've been riding for 6 or 7 hours (and taking appropriate rest breaks!), would you really curse a transmission that handles all the gear changes for you, so you can focus on the road and riding? If you really want to shift your own, there are two toggle buttons on the handlebars as well.

The other aspect that makes it great for sport adventure touring is that the "tank" up top isn't really a tank... it's a storage cubby, which is large enough that it can just about fit a helmet in. The actual tank, a 3.8 gallon unit, is under the seat, behind the 745cc parallel twin with 58 HP and 51 lbs ft of torque. It also has built in mount points for side luggage that double as grab handles for the pillion.

As we said, Honda really thought through this bike to make it a great tourer.

Why We Picked It:

Triumph's Tiger lineup can be a bit packed, as there are so many variants and submodels that it can be hard to pick out your choice. For us, if we wanted a sport tourer, we'd choose the Tiger 900 GT Pro.

Firstly, it's the most feature packed of the bunch. It has Triumph's full suite of rider aids, including cornering ABS, traction control, shift assist, and a fully integrated TPMS. It also comes as standard with heated rider and pillion seats, so if you're touring up in the mountains, you can keep your legs and butt toasty warm.

It also comes with what Triumph have called the RSU, or Rear Suspension Unit, exclusive to the GT Pro. This is an electronically controlled, on-the-fly adjustable rear suspension that has four preload settings and nine damping settings, all done from the TFT and handlebars. So, if you need to pick up a passenger halfway through your ride, with just a few taps on the screen and a button press on the handlebar, it's set up to handle the added weight.

Yes, it might seem a bit pedantic, but after you've wrenched your rear preload a few times manually, it's the little things like that that make it worth the extra $2,000 over the regular Tiger 900 GT!

Why We Picked It:

Ducati's flagship sport adventure tourer, the Multistrada V4, could have taken this spot, but we chose its little brother, the Multistrada V2, instead.

Why?

For the simple reason that while the smaller brother has all the same tech, gadgets, capabilities, and comfort of the big brother, it comes in for just under $10,000 less.

If you look at it from the angle of an adventure bike, you might miss the fact that while it does have that capability, the Multistrada's strength lies in its name. Multi = many, Strada = street. It is designed for, made for, and oriented towards grand touring, on "multiple streets" such as city roads, highways, motorways, interstate... you get the point.

And don't worry about being down on power, as the 937cc V-twin at the heart of the Multistrada thumps out 113 HP and 71 lbs-ft of torque, with the bike weighing in at a reasonable 445 lbs. It has optional hard luggage, but even if you don't buy them, the mount points are still part of the base bike, so if you ever want to take a longer road trip on the Ducati, you'll always have the option to add some panniers on.