5 Of The Best Used Touring Motorcycles Under $10,000 (According To Bikers)

Touring bikes — these massive machines are known for being great for comfortable long rides out in the hilly country or along a beach, with the sun in the background. However, these bikes also have a reputation as among the most expensive to acquire new. Let's take Harley-Davidson, for example. The company's 2025 Grand American Touring family, which is essentially its touring line, has the highest price tag of all its motorcycle families. The cheapest tourer here is the Road King Special, which starts at $24,999 — a price tag that's sure to make your stomach grumble if you're on a budget.

While you might assume the inflated price tag is no surprise for Harley-Davidson, a brand that is known to be expensive, a gander out there will show you that some of the best tourers, especially the long-haul luxury ones, like the Honda Gold Wing and the BMW K 1600 GTL, and the classic V-twins, such as the Indian Roadmaster PowerPlus Limited, all have a price tag that leans more towards $25,000 if not beyond it. Luckily, buying some of these tourers second-hand can help you save a considerable amount of money compared to buying them new.

Buying a used motorcycle, especially a touring bike, can be daunting. That's why we looked into what bikers worldwide agree are among the best second-hand touring bikes under $10,000. We took market conditions, parts availability, motorcycle reliability, and brand history into account when choosing these bikes, ensuring each model is available, reliable, and falls under a specific touring style, so you can find something that suits your taste. 

Starting our list is the Yamaha FJR1300, a 1,298cc bike that debuted in Europe in 2001 before coming to the U.S. in 2003. What set the FJR1300 apart from many of the known American tourers at the time was that it was a sport-tourer, unlike the classic luxury tourers from Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycles that had dominated most of the 20th century. On its introduction to the American market, the FJR1300 quickly established itself as a durable, effective, and dependable bike, one that Yamaha would continue to upgrade for years to come. 

Among the first of these upgrades was the addition of an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) in 2004, which prevents the bike's tires from locking up and skidding during hard braking. Yamaha would continue upgrading through the 2000s, adding an automatic clutch and new styling, and through the first half of the 2010s, adding features like an electronically adjustable suspension in 2014 and a six-speed gearbox and an Assist & Slipper clutch in 2016. 

With the 1,298cc engine, the FJR1300 had slightly different power ratings depending on the release period. The first version, produced from 2001 to 2012, delivers 142 horsepower. The second, made from 2013 to 2015, produces 144 horsepower. The model released between 2016 and 2021 outputs 142 horsepower. When it comes to prices, the older 2001 to 2012 models typically sell for about $4,300 to $6,600, the 2013 to 2015 models range from around $3,300 to $10,000, and the 2016 to 2021 models usually cost between $5,200 and over $10,000. 

While it's true that privately owned British motorcycle maker Triumph isn't the most talked-about bike brand in the world today, especially when pitted against the likes of Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Indian, there is no denying that it has several excellent bikes that have more than earned their place on many a biker's list. Among these is, of course, the Triumph Trophy SE, a 1,215cc motorcycle that perfectly blends sporty performance and high-end comfort features you might find in a more traditional luxury tourer. 

The Trophy SE was announced in 2013 and came as a direct competition to motorcycles such as the BMW R1200RT. The bike rose to the top of many enthusiasts' touring lists at launch, with features like excellent handling, plush comfort, and that 1,215cc, shaft-drive triple engine, which, granted, Triumph had pulled from its Tiger Explorer. However, the engine had received a few tweaks to give it a completely different feel on the Trophy SE, making it more torquey. Here, it produced about 130 horsepower. 

The Trophy SE also came with a single-sided swingarm and shaft final drive, the latter of which replaced the previous Trophy's chain drive, which had been a source of many complaints. Triumph had fitted all this into an all-aluminum frame and added technology features such as linked ABS, cruise control, traction control, a ride-by-wire throttle system, and an electrically adjustable windshield. Today, a second-hand model might cost you anywhere from $5,200 to $9,200. 

When we were ranking some of the worst to best motorcycle brands available today, Kawasaki ended up fairly high on the list. A few key factors that contributed to its high placement were build quality and reliability, qualities that are especially evident in the Kawasaki Concours 14 (GTR1400). This sport-touring model debuted as a replacement for the GTR1000 (Concours) in 2007, and it was a worthy successor, considering the many features it offered. 

At release, the GTR1400 had some big names to go up against, namely the tourers offered by BMW, which had proven time and again that they could be as powerful as they were reliable. As the new kid on the block, you could have argued that the GTR1400 was already biting off more than it could chew, taking on such an established brand. However, in reality, its features — great ground clearance for its class, excellent suspension, an aluminum twin-spar frame, and a 155-horsepower 1,352cc engine — gave it a fighting chance. 

Kawasaki souped up the bike with technology such as digital tire pressure sensor gauges, adjustable headlights, shaft drive, an electric screen, large panniers, variable valves, a slipper clutch, and a DC power socket, all of which made it an excellent tourer to ride. A used model of this specific GTR1400 variant costs between $5,500 and $6,200. Of course, Kawasaki continued to add features to the bike, including ABS, linked brakes, and traction control in 2010; updated the front rotors in 2012; and revised fuel mapping in 2015, to name a few. The motorcycle would be in production through 2022, with some 2014 to 2016 models selling for about $6,000 to $10,000.

While German automaker BMW is renowned for making some of the most iconic vehicles and parts in the automotive industry, it also boasts a wide selection of impressive motorcycles, including the BMW R1250RS, another beast of a sport-tourer that many agree makes a great second-hand bike for under $10,000. The R1250RS was unveiled in 2018, making it a relatively young bike compared to motorcycles like the Yamaha FJR1300. However, what the bike lacked in age, it more than made up for in overall quality, power, and reliability. 

The motorcycle's first model was dropped in 2019, with BMW presenting a machine chock-full of impressive features. From the expected ABS, quickshifter, and traction control to fly-by-wire throttle, LED running lights, and tire pressure sensors, the bike had many of the tech features meant to make every ride memorable. But more than that, there was the bike's 1,254cc water-cooled, twin-cylinder ShiftCam boxer engine, which came with variable valve timing and was rated at about 132 horsepower.

As you would expect, BMW would continue to upgrade the bike over the years, with some of the most notable additions including a major tech update in 2023 that introduced Eco and Pro riding modes. When it comes to pricing, a used model will start at the budgeted $10,000, especially if you're looking for recent models.

Last but definitely not least, we have Suzuki's very own V-Strom 650 (DL650), a mid-class sport adventure tourer that has been available since 2004. Since its release, the V-Strom 650 has had several good things going for it, one of which is its impressive fuel mileage. We included it in our top five most fuel-efficient Suzuki motorcycles of 2024, and with good reason. The V-Strom 650 variant on that list is powered by a 645cc V-Twin engine rated at 70 horsepower, which, when combined with Suzuki's Dual Throttle Valve (SDTV) fuel injection system, delivers an impressive 54 miles per gallon. 

But aside from fuel efficiency, Suzuki designed the V-Strom 650 from the ground up as a comfortable, long-distance touring bike that could conquer city streets as much as it could rule over mountain roads. To bring such a beast to life, the company equipped the V-Strom 650 with a strong balance of touring features — such as a large 5.8-gallon fuel tank for those long rides, a 3-way adjustable windblast that reduces wind strain on the rider, and a rear rack for luggage — and sporty performance, highlighted by aspects like front and rear radial tires and suspension, and large-diameter disc brakes.

Like the other bikes on this list, the V-Strom 650 has seen several improvements over the years it has been available. By 2017, the motorcycle had features such as ABS, a set of vertical twin headlights, and the Suzuki Traction Control System (STCS), which prevents rear-wheel spin by monitoring factors like gear position and wheel speeds. If you are interested in a used model, you can find early versions for around $3,300 to $4,600.

To compile our list of the best touring motorcycles under $10,000, we spent time on enthusiast forums, user review platforms, and resale listings before narrowing down the models listed here. We ensured that those models are high-quality tourers that are not only available, reliable, powerful, and fun to ride, but also have parts available in the market if you ever need them. Obviously, we focused solely on bikes under $10,000, while also ensuring each offers a perfect blend of outstanding performance and top-tier safety features for the price, as well as comfort features that make every ride enjoyable.