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Top 5 adventure bikes we’re excited to see in 2023

Answer the call of adventure with any of these brand new ADVs in 2023.

EJ Punsalang EJ Punsalang on Dec 06, 2022
BMW R 1250 GS 40th Anniversary

The adventure bike segment is arguably one of the hottest segments of motorcycling to date. In EICMA 2022 alone, nearly all major motorcycle manufacturers introduced new and updated adventure models to cater to the growing demand for these incredibly versatile machines. In the local market, adventure bikes continue to be among the most popular, too, with more and more big bike riders upgrading to or branching out to mid to high-displacement adventure bikes. With 2022 coming to a close, let’s take a look at the top 5 adventure bikes we’re excited to see in the local market by next year.

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Suzuki V-Strom 250

Suzuki V-Strom 250

Let’s kick things off with the Suzuki V-Strom 250. We already know that this model will be available in the Philippine market, as Suzuki Philippines officially pulled the covers off of the entry-level ADV machine. The V-Strom 250 in particular is especially interesting, as it’s one of the few entry-level bikes that open doors to first-time riders in the adventure segment. At present, it’s virtually unrivaled in the small-displacement ADV segment, and although it carries a rather premium price tag of P229,000, it’s sure to attract riders looking for a versatile and practical machine for use in the city, as well as on the occasional out-of-town adventure while exploring the various backroads and gravel trails in the countryside. 

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Honda Transalp 750

Honda Transalp 750

For years now, Honda has been teasing us with the development of a middleweight adventure-tourer with a focus on off-road capability. Being the only Japanese manufacturer without a contender in the middleweight ADV segment, Honda finally unveiled the Transalp 750 in all its glory at EICMA 2022. Now, whether or not this bike will prove to be a worthy rival against the likes of the Yamaha Tenere 700 and KTM 790 Adventure remains to be seen. That being said, this makes it even more exciting, and we certainly hope that Honda introduces the Transalp 750 in the Philippine market sometime in 2023.

Benelli TRK 800

Benelli TRK800

Italian motorcycle brand Benelli has climbed up the ranks in recent years, seemingly coming out of nowhere. While the brand’s presence in the local market could use some improvement, this isn’t the case in Europe, where the brand has enjoyed skyrocketing sales over the course of the past couple of years. In the form of the Benelli TRK 502, the company has a solid adventure-tourer, which for a time, held the crown as the best-selling motorcycle in Spain and Italy. Now, with the launch of the TRK 800, Benelli looks to bring its A-game to the likes of KTM, BMW, and Aprilia. Although the likelihood of the TRK 800 making its way to Philippine shores in 2023 is rather slim, it would certainly broaden the selection of middleweight adventure bikes in the market if Benelli does decide to introduce it locally. 

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Voge 900 DS

Voge 900 DS

Many of you may not be familiar with the brand Voge, but those of you who are would know that this Chinese manufacturer means business in the premium segment. Voge is in fact the premium subsidiary of Chinese motorcycle giant Loncin, who is responsible for the development and production of BMW’s 850cc and 900cc engines. Now, I’m sure some of you can already see where this is going, especially in the case of the 900 DS, which is essentially Voge’s in-house developed BMW F 850 GS. Those of you who’ve ridden the F 850 GS would know that it’s one of the most off-road capable models in BMW’s roster, so the bar has been set rather high for the 900 DS.

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BMW R 1300 GS

BMW R 1250 GS

Although no confirmation about the specs and availability of this top-tier adventure bike have been made official just yet, rumors abound that BMW is on the cusp of releasing the successor to the massively popular R 1250 GS. It stands to reason that the BMW R 1250 GS is the most popular and highly sought after model in the entire ADV segment, and it’s one that has pretty much set the standard for all adventure bikes in the market. As such, it may seem like an impossible task to build on this bike’s already near-perfect platform. Of course, if someone’s going to be able to improve on it, it’s BMW themselves, and chances are we could soon see the R 1300 GS unveiled on the global stage.

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