15 Reasons An Adventure Motorcycle Is Comfortable. A Helpful Guide

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Adventure motorcycles are comfortable, and within this article, I have listed my top 15 main reasons why an adventure motorcycle is comfortable.

Here Are The 15 Reasons Adventure Motorcycles Are Comfortable:

  1. Cruise control
  2. Heated grips
  3. Heated seats
  4. Additional charging ports
  5. Larger front wheel
  6. Tall windscreen
  7. Luggage carrying
  8. Keyless ignition
  9. Upright riding position
  10. Low footpegs
  11. Higher handlebars
  12. Adjustable suspension
  13. Longer travel suspension
  14. Riding modes
  15. Options to turn off ABS
  1. Cruise control. Many higher model adventure motorcycles come with cruise control, which is an excellent way to reduce rider fatigue on long road trips, especially for your throttle hand and arm. Cruise control can usually be purchased as an extra option as well.
  2. Heated grips. This is a most welcome feature on cold days and rainy days or an unexpected cold spell during your road trip. Your hands are constantly exposed to battering wind, and sometimes, gloves and handlebar shields are not enough to keep your hands warm and cramp-free!
  3. Heated seats. Heated seats are another excellent comfort feature on adventure bikes for those chilly winter mornings. Some models even come with separate front and rear seat heating, so if you are riding two-up on the trip, you can have individual heat settings to keep you nice and toasty!
  4. Additional charging ports. Adventure bikes are built with additional charging ports, which allow electrical devices to be plugged in without the fear of depleting the battery. On modern adventure bikes, you can plug in your heated riding suit, inter-rider communication devices, or even charge your cellphone, GPS, and much more.
  5. Larger Front wheel. The front wheel of a motorcycle is responsible for taking the majority of impacts on a motorcycle. Having a larger front wheel improves the functionality and enhances the bikes steering performance. The larger the front wheel’s diameter, the better it can manage impacts, leading to greater stability and enhanced steering performance.
  6. Tall Windscreen. Windscreens are a feature of most adventure bikes; even if it is a rather modest one that does not detract from the bike lines, it is enough to direct the air-stream over the rider. This is great for long trips to protect the rider from being buffeted by winds at high speed, keeping the rain at bay, and reducing rider fatigue.
  7. Luggage carrying. Adventure bikes have the capacity to carry gear such as backpacks, duffel bags, and camping gear for long trips. Most models come with the ability to carry extra gear in the form of a luggage rack, hard-shell panniers, and a top box for items that need an extra protection level. There are plenty of third-party manufacturers offering a range of different options.
  8. Keyless ignition. Some models come with keyless ignition, which is a feature that is usually reserved for motor cars that are in the upper market price range but are now becoming more popular with regular motorcycles. This feature saves you from having to dig around in the many pockets of your leather riding jacket to locate your keys.
  9. Riding position. Adventure bikes have an upright riding position, which gives good all-round visibility to the rider and does not pressure the hands, wrists, arms, and shoulders. Being able to ride in this more comfortable upright position means less fatigue for the rider on longer trips.
  10. Low footpegs. Lower placed footpegs give the rider’s legs a straighter, more comfortable riding position. The footpegs also allow the rider to stand easily for technical off-road riding positions or get a better view of what is up ahead.
  11. Higher Handlebars. The handlebars are not low down near the tank as with racing-style street bikes but are at a comfortable higher altitude that accommodates the upright riding position. This makes for a comfortable standing riding position and a sitting position for long trips in conjunction with the low footpegs.
  12. Adjustable suspension. The suspension on most adventure bikes is adaptable, a crucial feature given the varied terrain and conditions these bikes can transverse. The adjustability makes it possible to carry a pillion, additional gear, or setting the bike up to tackle soft, sandy roads.
  13. Longer travel suspension. Long travel suspension gives a smoother, more comfortable ride over rough terrain. This suspension also helps to iron out the bumps on long journeys on paved roads. Having a motorcycle with higher suspension allowed the ride to tackle more dirt roads than other bike styles would permit.
  14. Riding modes. Many adventure bikes offer riding modes, usually as an upgrade, which are electronically selectable. Rider modes allow the rider to easily customize the bike’s performance according to the terrain you are traversing without stopping and making manual adjustments.
  15. Options to turn off ABS. Anti-lock braking systems may be considered a peace of mind or a safety feature. It is also a comfort feature since it allows more effortless, more reliable braking in many different riding conditions. Options to turn the ABS on or off also give more control to the rider.

Adventure motorcycles are a comfortable ride. Features have been included in their design to give the rider higher comfort levels on long trips, short commutes, and even on off-road trails than many other types of motorcycle. These extra comfort features make them a versatile and popular multi-purpose bike.

Adventure bikes are in the dual-sport bike class but usually have higher capacity engines designed to be taken on and off-road. The unique features that make these motorcycles more comfortable to ride increase their versatility, setting them apart from dual-sport bikes and other styles of motorcycles.

It makes the adventure motorcycle a popular choice for a wide range of people within the motorcycle community.

Adventure motorcycles come from the stable of dual-sport bikes that offer a crossover of usability between dirt roads, paved roads, sport riding, recreational riding, commuting, and even long-distance touring.

The lightweight dual-sport bikes lean more toward a better off-road experience, and their mid-weight cousins are designed for a fifty-fifty split of off and on-road fun.

Adventure bikes, however, are intended for mostly on-road use, with the occasional excursion into limited off-road environments such as dirt tracks and dirt roads. They are capable of taking you on an around the world trip but are not really made for rough off-road adventures that require negotiating jumps, mud pits, large boulders, or tight, bushy trails.

As adventure bikes are so versatile, they have a few more design features incorporated into them specifically to enhance their comfort. These features focus on giving the rider an extra comfortable riding experience across a range of different terrains than other motorcycle styles would offer.

Adventure Touring Comforts

Adventure touring on a motorcycle implies long hours on the tarmac riding through many different road conditions and a mixture of weather conditions.

The ability to take gear and equipment with you is also an important consideration for many riders, especially being able to carry various amounts of luggage such as camping gear, extra water, and fuel across dirt and gravel roads as well as many other types of landscapes, which is what draws people to this type of motorcycle.

These bikes are made for adventure, and many have comfort features specially designed for this riding style.

While these are the main comfort features that are marketed by the manufacturers of these bikes, you will only truly appreciate the comfortable ride that these bikes offer once you climb aboard, raise the kickstand, hit that starter, and head for the open road.

Once you get out onto any road, paved, gravel, sandy, or dirt, you will realize that the claims made that these bikes are a comfortable ride are not all marketing hype. They are actually a pleasure to ride and live up to their reputation of providing an unparalleled adventure riding experience.

Conclusion

Adventure bikes are a great example of a modern crossover bike that finds a great balance in multi-discipline motorcycle riding. Their off-road capability is not the same as a motocross bike, but they can handle the dirt in a surprisingly efficient and nimble manner for such a large bike.

Adventure motorcycles can also make excellent commuters, but some riders have expressed that they do not find the larger adventure bikes comfortable in heavy stop-start traffic. The feeling is that they are too bulky and their extra weight makes them hard to maneuverable.

I had personally found this to be the case when I was commuting on my 1000cc Honda Varadero about 10 years or so ago but not so much on my Honda Africa Twin. The tank size on the Varadero made it impossible for me to filter through the traffic in a city, but the bike was perfect out on the open road.

The road trip is where adventure bikes come into their own. When you put one of these motorcycles through its paces on a highway or dirt road, you realize that this is the kind of riding this type of motorcycle was built for.

As well as giving you the freedom to travel just about anywhere the built-in riders’ comfort will allow you to arrive at your destination without feeling like you need to sleep for a week from the fatigue.

Happy riding!

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