10 Cheap Used American Touring Bikes For Cross-Country Rides

You won’t often see the words “cheap” and “American touring bike” together in a sentence. Today, we actually have a pretty impressive selection of American tourers to choose from, all packing impressive features, torque-rich V-twin engines, and eye-watering price tags.

If you are willing to scour the used market, there are some deals to be had, and surprisingly, not all of them are aging Harley-Davidsons. Well, some of them are, but that’s a given. There is enough variety to cater to different tastes, though, and you can have almost all of them for under $10k, which is pretty impressive value for money.

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10 1998 Harley-Davidson Road Glide

Price Range: $2,000 – $4,000

The Evolution motor is widely credited for saving Harley-Davidson, but by the time this bike came out in 1998, it was showing its age a bit. This was the last year that you would find it in this original 80 cubic-inch configuration, and that fact makes this model pretty cheap. Although sluggish, the Evo motor has proven to be reliable and pretty easy to maintain. Parts will never be a problem either.

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9 2000 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic

Price Range: $6,000 – $8,000

With the 1999 model came the bigger Twin Cam 88 engine and fuel injection. It may not have been revolutionary, but it was a necessary step in the right direction. The power didn’t go up, but the torque did. These bikes still demand a premium compared to the equally comfortable Road Glide, but it has a design that won over many fans. If it speaks to you, then it might be worth paying for.

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8 1999 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic

Price Range: $7,000 – $9,000

You get the same updated Evo motor wrapped in a design that has a lot of retro charm. In fact, it is a design that has not changed all that much over the years. A few subtle tweaks here and there, a little modernization, and new engines followed, but design-wise, the current apple has not fallen far from the tree. It is also a little lighter than the Electra Glide, so it won’t feel quite as sluggish.

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7 2004 Harley-Davidson Road King Police

Price Range: $6,000 – $8,000

Use this price as a reference, because you should actually pay less for one of these bikes. Expect higher-than-average miles and better-than-average maintenance. It won’t take a lot to get this into the regular street spec, but leaving it like this also has a certain appeal to it. Auctions for government vehicles are common and can net you a pretty great deal if you know what you want and know what to look for.

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6 2008 Buell Ulysses XB12X

Price Range: $1,000 – $3,000

This might not resonate with everyone, but America’s first adventure bike wasn’t particularly adventurous. In reality, it was more of a touring bike from the get-go, and could begrudgingly get through the odd trail. The dimensions of the bike make it look a little odd from any angle, but as is the case with pretty much any Buell, you need to ride it before you judge it. The company made fun bikes, but nobody seems to want them, so they are incredibly cheap.

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5 2008 Victory Vision Tour

Price Range: $6,000 – $8,000

Looks are always subjective. We kind of like how the aforementioned XB12X looks, others hate it. We do not like how the Victory Vision Tour looks, but we do need to acknowledge the fact that others do and that it is a lot of motorcycle for the money. We mean A LOT of motorcycle. It is a huge bike. But, if you think it looks OK (there is no shame in that), you will get a lot of value for your money here.

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4 2008 Harley-Davidson Street Glide

Price Range: $9,000 – $11,000

If you are after a slightly newer Harley, this is about as new as you can go before prices start getting out of hand. The 2008 Street Glide got the 96 cubic inch Twin Cam and puts down a little more power than the older bikes on this list. Finding one for under that magical $10k will be a little harder, but not impossible as long as you are willing to get a bike with a higher mileage.

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3 2009 Buell Ulysses XB12XT

Price Range: $2,000 – $4,000

While the XB12X exists for those wanting to do a little exploring, the XB12XT is an altogether better bike for touring. A low mudguard, windshield, and hard cases were all standard fare for this model, so if it is missing something, you have some room to negotiate. The subtle change to the design of the bike also makes it more palatable, and it looks pretty good in red as far as we are concerned. Oh, and there is the fact that they are dirt cheap.

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2 2009 Can-Am Spyder GS

Price Range: $3,000 – $5,000

Not everyone loves the idea of three wheels, some actively resent it. Three-wheelers do, however, exist for a purpose. If you have issues with stability, or just want something totally different, this is a great way to go. Long-term reliability is reportedly fairly good, but with it being such a niche product, they don’t hold their value at all well. It is fun, though, and well worth buying, as long as you don’t plan on reselling it any time soon.

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1 2015 Motus MST

Price Range: $12,000 – $15,000*

If you thought the Can-Am was a curveball, then you were wrong. The MST is arguably one of the most over-engineered motorcycles money can buy. It has an incredible transverse V4 engine designed to emulate the Chevy LS V8. Only a handful of these were built between 2014 and 2018, but with it being a bit of an oddball, you can find a great deal. They should sell for between $15,000 and $20,000, but you can find some for between $12,000 and $15,000. It certainly isn’t all that cheap for a used bike, but it is cheap for what is essentially a bespoke handmade motorcycle.

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