Are touring motorcycles hard to ride?
Touring motorcycles are not hard to ride, depending on what you’re used to. If you’re a complete beginner or have been used to drifting around corners on a light street bike, it will feel like quite a significant change. You might well be nervous when faced with a behemoth of a machine, but you soon get used to it.
Are touring motorcycles hard to ride?
Touring motorcycles are not hard to ride, but they are harder to ride in some cases. Three main cases spring to mind.
- For example, if you’re predominantly doing city riding and lane splitting between lots of traffic, riding a massive beast of a bike will take up more room and you won’t be very manoeuvrable.
- They will also be harder to ride if you’re doing lots of cornering and want to ride fast, compared to say, a lighter, more agile bike.
- Finally, if you’re a small biker (as in height and weight), it might be more difficult to control and big bike, especially when riding at slower speeds. Having said that, it’s definitely possible. I once did an off-road course on a BMW R1200 GS Adventure – one of the biggest touring bikes out there, and our instructor was only 5 foot 5 inches tall. Although he struggled to get his foot down on the floor, his riding ability was incredible.
That seems like a lot of negatives? So why are touring bikes made this way?
Pros of touring bikes
Well, because they’re designed for long distances and eating up the miles. Having a bigger, heavier bike means that it packs more punch and can cruise at a more comfortable speed on long tours.
It’s also more comfortable to ride, both in terms of providing more fairing to protect you from the wind and giving you a better riding position for more hours in the saddle.
Finally, having a big bike allows you to use panniers and pack more luggage onto your motorcycle for longer trips.
More real estate on the bike also generally gives you a bigger tank, which means more fuel and greater range for riding long distances.
Are touring motorcycles comfortable?
Touring motorcycles are extremely comfortable, which is one of their main selling points. They are specifically made for long distances, so as well as making the machine capable of covering great distances, they’re designed with rider ergonomics in mind.
That is to say, they have a wide padded seat and place the rider in an upright position. As opposed to say a sports bike, which is built for speed and an extremely aerodynamic, forward-leaning position, a touring motorcycle places hips, knees, spine and shoulders in far more relaxed positions.
Add to that the extra wind protection in the form of a higher windscreen and extra fairing, and the stress on the body is markedly reduced, leading to less fatigue and greater enjoyment over longer rides.
Is a touring motorcycle good for beginners?
Beginners definitely can ride touring motorcycles, although it’s definitely harder than jumping on a light bike if you’re not used to riding at all. The fact that they are larger and heavier mean that they have more power and may be harder to handle.
I personally did start out riding with my first bike being an old BMW K75. This was a sports tourer back when it was released in the late 80s and I found it fine – I actually used it for a big trip through South America! Having said that, it’s certainly smaller than the touring bikes you find today, which can be absolute monsters!
How to ride a touring motorcycle
To be honest, there’s no secret sauce here. It’s much like riding any other bike, although getting used to handling the machine at slow speeds will likely be an important consideration. Make sure you’re comfortable taking tight turns and keeping the bike well balanced when you come to a stop and put your foot down. Picking up a fully laden touring bike after dropping it isn’t something you want to do if you don’t have to!
Also, ensure you’re happy braking with a fully loaded bike, which might not feel as responsive as lighter bikes you might have ridden in the past.
Finally, if you’re considering embarking on some proper long-distance motorcycle touring adventures with a pillion, make sure you’re happy riding and cornering two-up, which can change the weight distribution and handling of the bike significantly.
Summary
Touring motorcycles are a joy to ride when you get used to them. They give you the freedom to tackle all types of trip and terrain, as well as being incredibly comfortable.
If you’re a beginner, go slow and if you’re a veteran, give them a go! Although it depends on your personality traits, being a touring biker myself, I’d highly recommend testing a few bikes to see if you get the touring bug!
