How Good Are Adventure Bikes on Trails/Off Road?

Adventure bikes are the most fun, versatile, all-round, and all-in-one package motorcycles. These bikes are designed to perform best on almost all types of terrains.

Adventure motorcycles are perfect road bikes. Even certain ADV bikes, such as adventure touring motorcycles, are widely used for long-distance touring.

However, there is a question that remains unanswered: “How good are adventure bikes on trails/off-road?” We have commonly heard that adventure bikes are among the most capable bikes that can do almost everything. You don’t have to buy two different bikes if you are a versatile rider and love to do both, including on- and off-roading.

For those looking to buy an adventure bike for off-roading, this article is for you. Before you reach any conclusion, make sure to read this article and get all your questions answered and your doubts cleared about adventure bikes. Let’s find out how good ADV motorcycles are for off-roading or trail riding.

Most adventure motorbikes generally perform well on dirt or off-road tracks. They are capable enough to take on most off-road challenges if the rider is skilled enough. How well an adventure bike can perform on trails and off-road depends on the type and size of the adventure bike. Not to forget, there are a few different types of ADV motorcycles based on their size, performance, and abilities.

Adventure bikes are not as good as lightweight dirt bikes on dirt tracks. Dirt bikes are specifically built for off-roading purposes. Dirt bikes have smaller engines, smaller sizes, lightweight chassis, and a rough design to ensure they perform exceptionally on dirt tracks.

On the other hand, ADV bikes are heavier and large enough to be highly maneuverable on off-road tracks. However, there are lightweight, rally-style, tailor-built adventure bikes that are on par with dedicated off-road bikes.

Adventure motorcycles are designed and built to ensure a perfect balance between on-road comfort and off-road agility. It is all about the balance between the two. Some ADV bikes are geared more towards on-road comfort and long-distance travel. Meanwhile, there are other lightweight ADV bikes that are more geared towards better off-road performance.

As a result, these bikes have a vast spectrum. ADV bikes can do so many things that any other motorcycle type can’t do. Adventure motorcycles can be used for city traveling, daily commuting, highway cruising, weekend riding, long-distance touring, and off-roading as well. When a bike is programmed to do so many things, it is unlikely to shine in a single department, which is off-roading in this case. To put it in simple words, ADV bikes are the jack of all trades, but master of none.

Based on the performance, abilities, design, build, and features, there are a few different types of adventure bikes. Before buying an adventure bike, make sure you are familiar with all the types. Also, you must identify your riding purpose before buying an adventure bike.

Firstly, we have adventure motorcycles that fall right in the middle of the performance spectrum. These bikes are perfectly balanced when it comes to performing on paved roads and unpaved roads. Riders can confidently take these bikes wherever they want.

Such ADV bikes are fitted with tires that are perfect for both tarmac and off-road conditions. They either come with adjustable suspensions or their shocks are pre-tuned for balanced performance on paved and unpaved tracks.

These ADV bikes are the most versatile adventure motorcycles as they can overcome different riding situations. They are the perfect examples of all-in-one ADV motorbikes.

• Honda Transalp

• Aprilia Tuareg 660

• KTM 790 Adventure

• BMW R1250GS Adventure

The rally-style ADV bikes are more geared towards better off-roading performance. They are not ideal for on-road handling and maneuverability. They feature off-road-biased knobby tires, long wheel travel suspension, rally-style seat, tall seat height, and high ground clearance.

Riders can overcome most off-road challenges on these rally-style adventure bikes. They are not as heavy as other adventure bikes to ensure better off-road ability. They are more like dual-sport bikes due to being more off-road biased.

Rally-style adventure bikes must not be completely overlooked when it comes to road performance. However, they are uncomfortable and difficult to steer on long-distance travels and city trips due to their tall stature.

• Yamaha Tenere 700

• KTM 890 Adventure R

• Ducati DesertX Rally

• Honda CRF300L Rally

ADV touring bikes are also quite popular and a perfect alternative for classic touring motorcycles and baggers. These bikes can only ensure a light off-road performance as they are more road-biased. They are comfortable enough to take you long miles without any issue. You can go for motorcycle touring and cross-country rides on ADV touring bikes. They are more like sports touring bikes.

ADV touring bikes have comfortable ergonomics. The seats installed on these bikes are quite wide and plush. Riders can sit in a relaxed riding manner with an upright back stance. Overall, ADV tourers are great for covering long miles on paved open roads and highways.

• Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special

• KTM 1290 Super Adventure R

• Suzuki V-Strom 1050

• Ducati Multistrada V4

• Triumph Tiger 1200

• Honda NC750X DCT

There are a few different types of adventure bikes based on their weight and size. Riders must understand that the weight of the adventure bike determines the off-roading performance as a general rule. The lighter an adventure bike is, the better it will perform on dirt trails and off-road tracks.

Often termed as beginner-friendly ADV bikes, these are small and lightweight adventure bikes. These ADV bikes have no more than a 500 cc engine, usually smaller than this. Considering their weight and size, they are ideal for novice riders who are looking for an adventure bike.

However, on the other hand, such small and lightweight ADV bikes are also perfect for those experienced off-roaders who want to do extreme dirt riding. Their low weight allows riders to easily steer and maneuver them on multiple terrains. Also, dropping these lightweight ADV bikes will not cause you much damage, as dropping a top-end heavyweight ADV bike will.

These small and lightweight adventure bikes may lack the top-end power and grunt to keep up with the pace of fast-paced vehicles, especially on highways and open roads. They may not be suitable for long travels. Nonetheless, they are good for extreme adventure rides and off-roading.

• KTM 390 Adventure R

• Royal Enfield Himalayan 450

• Honda CRF300L Rally

• CFMoto Ibex 450

All adventure bikes that fall somewhere between the range of 600 cc and 950 cc are considered to be middleweight ADV bikes. ADV bikes that fall within this range are the most versatile, with a wide spectrum. These are good road bikes and very much capable off-road bikes. The midsize ADV bikes are good for city travel, daily commutes, weekend rides, off-road adventures, and even long-distance touring to a certain extent.

Some of the most popular adventure bikes fall under the middleweight ADV category. These include:

• Honda Transalp 750

• Aprilia Tuareg

• Ducati DesertX

• KTM 790 Adventure

• Husqvarna Norden 901

The heavyweight adventure bikes are the most premium, top-end ADV motorcycles. These bikes are built for trained and experienced riders. Most of the heavyweight ADV bikes are adventure touring motorbikes. They are ideal for long-distance road travel, touring, and cross-country rides.

If you talk about these ADV bikes, they are not very suitable for trails and off-road. The major reason is that they are among the heaviest bikes on the market. Off-roading and heavyweight bikes don’t get along very well. Off-roading requires extra agility, flexibility, and maneuverability, which are usually restricted if a motorcycle is heavy.

Dropping the bike while off-roading is a common scenario for most off-road riders. However, with a heavyweight ADV bike, you are likely to suffer from expensive damage repairs. Picking up a large ADV bike after dropping it while off-roading can be an impossible task for many riders. Most riders take training on how to pick up a heavyweight adventure bike when it is dropped while off-roading.

Still, there are some very popular heavyweight adventure bikes that are an exception. They are perfect for long rides and are equally good for off-roading as well. However, as a rider, you must have the required expertise and skills to handle and maneuver a large bike safely while off-roading. There are many expert ADV riders who can skillfully manage to do even extreme off-roading on the BMW R1250GS Adventure.

• BMW R 1250 GS Adventure

• Harley Davidson Pan America 1250 Special

• Triumph Tiger 1200

• BMW R1300GS Adventure

• KTM 1290 Super Adventure R and Adventure S

• Honda Africa Twin

Adventure motorcycles are known to be the most versatile type of motorcycle. They are all-round bikes that can serve most riding purposes.

Being a jack of all trades means that adventure motorcycles can do on-roading, off-roading, highway cruising, daily commuting, urban riding, weekend riding, and long-distance touring.

Unlike other dual sports and off-road bikes, ADV motorcycles are very comfortable. The upright riding position and the plush seat make ADV bikes a decent option for long-distance adventure rides and touring.

ADV motorbikes are very attractive bikes with vibrant color schemes and eye-catching body design and build. This appealing factor makes adventure bikes the trendiest in the market.

Being agile, robust, quick, and easy to maneuver, adventure motorcycles are quite fun and addictive bikes to ride.

Unlike other dual-purpose bikes, adventure motorbikes feature advanced rider aids and tech features, making them a modern choice.

Being one of the major motorcycle segments, ADV motorcycles are built in almost all sizes, ranging from 250 cc to 1,400 cc. There are adventure bikes for beginners, intermediate, and experienced riders.

ADV motorcycles serve a wide range of riders and riding purposes. From on-roading to off-roading, and anything in between, ADV bikes are a preferred option. The ADV touring bikes can also take you long miles comfortably.

Due to being the jack of all trades, adventure motorcycles are the master of none. They don’t excel in any particular motorcycling department.

ADV motorbikes are known to be quite heavy and bulky compared to other dual sports and off-road bikes.

To ensure a better off-road performance, adventure motorbikes are quite tall and large in size, making them less suitable for novice and shorter riders.

ADV motorcycles are the most versatile, but they are not specifically designed for off-roading. They are not the ideal choice for trail or dirt riding.

Due to being large and heavy, adventure motorcycles are prone to damage while off-roading. They can fall off at any point, causing damage to the bike. The bigger challenge is to pick up these heavyweight ADV bikes once dropped while off-roading.

Adventure motorbikes are prone to falling while off-roading due to being heavy. Also, riders are likely to damage the parts or body panels while dropping the bike in an attempt to overcome a challenging off-road maneuver. However, what can worry you the most is that repairing and maintaining an ADV bike is quite expensive.

You cannot work on adventure motorbikes by yourself. They feature a complex engine and features. It is difficult for a layman or rider to access most of its parts. Therefore, you will have to get in contact with a professional mechanic if anything goes wrong with ADV motorcycles.

The Yamaha Ténéré 700 is considered to be the best rally-style, off-road adventure bike. It is designed and built for extreme off-roading. The Tenere 700 can maneuver and overcome challenging terrains with the riders’ expertise and skills. It is not the most suitable for road travel, but it is definitely the best ADV bike option for extreme off-roading.

Adventure bikes are so popular worldwide thanks to their unmatched versatility. They are designed for most riding scenarios and conditions. Starting from road traveling, city commuting, daily riding, highway cruising, long-distance motorcycle touring, to off-roading, ADV bikes never disappoint you. Their attractive designs and eye-catching color schemes can make riders fall in love with these bikes at first sight.

The BMW R1250GS Adventure remains the King of Adventure Bikes. There are many superior adventure motorcycles on the market, but the BMW R1250 GS Adventure still outshines in the premium ADV class. Whether it's power figures, design, build quality, dual-sports nature, or tech package, everything is top-notch. Being introduced in 2019, the BMW R 1250 GS Adventure has remained a top and desirable option for every adventure bike rider.