9 of the best 500-1000CC bikes for touring Europe

Image credit: Ducati

There’s nothing quite like exploring Europe on a motorcycle. And with a continent full of stunning landscapes and picturesque cities, towns and villages, we’re examining the best bikes that’ll make your holiday one to remember.

Suzuki V-Strom

Image credit: Suzuki

The V-Strom is a real all-rounder, with the kind of handling that lets it navigate the twistiest of back roads and the power to really let rip on the motorway. It’s available in 1050, 800 and 650cc versions, so if you live to go superfast, or want to go off-road regularly then you’ve got options. 

For our money, the 650cc is the one to get if you want to enjoy the scenery as you go – without lacking for speed should you want that, too.

Yamaha Ténéré

The Ténéré comes with three acute accents and an extremely cute 689cc engine that powers a bike designed to be a comfortable long distance machine. 

Yamaha offers a dizzying array of variants, all built around the same engine but with differently sized fuel tanks, if you’re looking for long-range efficiency with more lightweight options spec’d for off-road rallying.

Kawasaki Versys

The Versys is another powerful all-rounder designed to give your holiday the oomph you’re looking for. Kawasaki offers it in 1000cc and 650cc versions, with each also available in tourer or grand tourer editions. This adds on panniers on the tourer and an extra top case on the grand, so you’ll have more than enough room for your luggage the second you buy it.

Ducati Multistrada 

Image credit: Ducati

Ducati’s line of luxury tourers isn’t for the faint hearted. The V2, which it sells as its entry-level tourer, has a 937cc engine rising to 1158 for the V4, so if speed and style are your main priorities for a European holiday or tour then it’s an ideal choice. 

Honda NT1100

Honda are one of the big beasts of the touring bike world, thanks to the Goldwing. While we need to take a second to acknowledge the Goldwing represents the gold standard of touring comfort, basically being a rocket-propelled armchair, the NT1100 is the choice if you’re looking for a more traditional and agile motorcycling experience. 

It’s not only comfortable, but also packed with the kind of features and design finesse that’ll help it to eat up the continent’s roads.

Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro

Image credit: Triumph

You know you’re guaranteed a good time with a Triumph, they’ve got an amazing pedigree and the Tiger is a dependable yet fun tourer. 

The 2024 version has been redesigned to give it more power and better fuel consumption, giving you a smoother journey with the ability to really cut loose when you need to. 

The Pro version also comes with plenty of modern conveniences like heated grips and seats, cruise and traction control and many more.

BMW 1250R

A bike that pushes the boundaries with its 1250cc engine but heck, when it’s this good looking we can excuse it. If you’re looking for a fully-featured sports tourer to power your European adventure then the 1250R is all that and more. It comes packed with features with plenty of additional options that allow you to tweak it further for comfort or performance. 

Voge 500DS

Proving you don’t need to completely obliterate your bank balance to get a perfectly serviceable tourer, the 500DS is the Lexmoto affiliated Voge’s budget (ish) middleweight offering. Now while the knowledge that it’s a Chinese bike might cause some of you to dismiss it out of hand, it’s definitely got the level of quality and ability that makes it something of a bargain. 

CFMoto 800MT

Image credit: CFMoto

This is another Chinese manufacturer aiming to compete with the more established brands with a high spec’d offering that can easily hold its own. Their MT tourer range includes 450, 650, 700 and 800cc variants, which gives you plenty of options. 

The 800MT is obviously the one to go for if you want to show the roads of Europe who’s boss, and the company has special deals where you can get a full set of luggage when you buy it, which might tip the balance for some.

Don’t forget your touring motorcycle insurance

Bikesure provides affordable, specialist touring motorcycle insurance for riders. Whether you’re touring the UK or further afield in Europe, we’ve got a policy to suit you.

Call 0333 554 1707 for a quick and easy quote or book a callback at a time that suits you.