Jake "The Jet" Thompson
Touring bikes are the epitome of the quintessential moto experience, allowing riders to pack up their hard bags with everything they need and hit the road for a long-distance adventure. With so many options on the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one for you. But don't worry, we've got you covered. We've scoured the industry to bring you the top 10 best touring motorcycles of 2023, so you can choose the perfect ride for your next adventure.
10 Best Touring Motorcycles of 2023
#10 Indian Springfield
Easily one of the sleekest-sexiest looking bikes on the list, if the old-school chrome-everything doesn’t swoon you, the swooping vintage fenders, bags, and bars will. The ribbon-grabbing Thunderstroke 111 engine is a monster-mashing powerhouse that drops almost a buck twenty foot-pounds of torque to put Indian at the top of the list in passing and acceleration—keep that spec in mind because you’ll see this engine elsewhere below. Its stock windshield detaches to stunt the crowd with the Indian Springfield’s tight and timeless style.
#9 Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Voyager ABS
Stylistically between the Road Glide and the Goldwing is the Kawi King of Cruisers. It’s as comfortable as anything else on the list, and performance-wise the 1700 Voyage is a critical contender with its 1700cc V-twin—digitally fuel injected. Kawasaki was never shy at innovation, and their latest-greatest bagger packs Coactive ABS brakes and electronic cruise control.
#8 Harley Tri Glide Ultra Classic
No bagger list is complete without a trike, and Harley’s got the best three-wheeled motorcycle in the business. The Tri Glide packs the biggest standard motor Harley’s got; the sledgehammering Milwaukee 114. And its Reflex Defense system gives you an edge on the side of safety.
#7 Indian Roadmaster
The full-dressed Roadmaster now comes standard with the big-bored 116ci version of the Thunderstroke engine mentioned above. The Roadmaster maintains that Indian classic style with a hard twist of the most-modern tech; heated grips, industry-leading audio, and clear-displayed navigation complement its powerful but classic V-Twin and affluent hardbag and trunk space to make it quite the contender.
#6 Honda Goldwing
The Honda Goldwing is a legend at this point, with the most refined bodywork and rugged weather defense, and a seemingly unlimited luggage capacity. The Goldwing packs a 1833cc powerhouse of a six-cylinder engine; its power aids its ergonomics to make it one of the most comfortable two-wheelers of all time.
#5 Indian Chieftain
The Chieftain is an American V-Twin, through and through. Depending on the model, it packs a 111, 114, or 116 version of the Thunderstroke motor we love so much. The Chieftain gives high-level comfort without costing you style points, and its 7-inch display provides Polaris Ride Command-powered GPS and Bluetooth, along with diagnostic monitoring.
#4 Harley Electra Glide Ultra Limited
Here’s another American staple we’re bound to be celebrating; the Electra Glide is a full-dressed legend. With bold Harley style a-la Street Glide with its vented batwing fairing, the neo-Elecktra Glide packs the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 114cc powerplant Harley’s perfected over the last few years.
#3 Indian Challenger
Indian’s premier performance bagger debuted last year, and though it hasn’t changed much since then, the 2023 Challenger smokes the luxury touring standards. Its liquid-cooled PowerPlus V-Twin is a ground-breaking earth-shaker worthy of its name, while the chassis and specs all reinforce some of the best handling and highest comfort on this year’s bagger list, not to mention its tech-monster of a fixed fairing.
#2 Harley Street Glide and Street Glide Special
The Harley Street Glide line is the classic American Hot Rod bagger that inspired so many other bikes on this list. The Special model equips the Milwaukee 114; while the standard Street Glide’s Milwaukee 107 might not have the displacement of other entries, its snap-cracking throttle response, Infotainment features, legendary influence, American-biker aesthetic, and signature Harley sound all come together to petrify its place at the top of the best-bagger list.
#1 Harley Road Glide and Road Glide Special
Harley considers the Road Glide series the bar for cross-country tourers; with its fixed, frame-mounted fairing, roomie saddlebags, Infotainment system, and Dual DayMaker LED headlights, it’s hard to disagree. Like the Street Glide, the standard RoadGlide comes with the 107ci motor, while the Special package offers the Milwaukee 114 and flashier finishes. The Road Glide’s upright riding position makes it one of the most comfortable saddles to sink into, and while the fixed fairing takes some getting used to, those that adjust never go back. So there you have it. We can’t decide for you, but there ain’t a bad choice on the list as far as we’re concerned.
