10 Used Japanese Touring Bikes Under $5,000 In 2025

The phrase “affordable touring bike” has become something of an oxymoron these days. As we get ever more feature-rich motorcycles that offer all that and more, so the prices invariably go up. In some cases, the prices have gone up so much that most of us are quite simply left out in the cold. The only solution is to turn to the used market.

While there are still a handful of great middleweight Japanese tourers, $5k still is not quite enough for one of those bikes. It is enough for one of these older models, though. While high mileage motorcycles are usually best avoided, it is not uncommon for touring bikes to rack up some miles. As long as the owners kept up with the maintenance, a high mileage is not necessarily a deal-breaker.

1985 Honda Gold Wing GL1200

Price Range: $1,000 – $3,000

Honda

By the 80s, the Honda Gold Wing was being made in the US, and quickly became one of the most popular motorcycles in the world. The GL1200 came with a host of comfort features as well as an ultra-reliable flat four engine. With many of these bikes already taken off the road, parts will likely never be an issue, but cracked, broken and poorly repaired fairings are a pretty common sight. Considering the fact that these bikes have been running around for 40 years now, that much is tolerable at under $3k.

Specifications

1997 Honda Gold Wing GL1500

Price Range: $4,000 – $6,000

Honda

If you are after a Gold Wing for under $5k, this might be your best bet. Comfort is a given, but reliability will come down to how well it has been taken care of. As a rule, you will be better served buying a bike with some honest issues and a service record than a bike that looks great but only comes with a handshake and a promise. These flat-six engines were famed for how smooth they were, but once things go wrong, they can get a little expensive to fix.

Specifications

2006 Kawasaki Concours 1000

Price Range: $2,000 – $4,000

Kawasaki

Back in 2006, this was already in its final year of production, and pretty outdated. Today, it offers great value, because it still has all the essentials: wind protection, luggage and most importantly, comfort. Missing or damaged hard cases may point to a crash or two in its past, and while this is not necessarily a deal-breaker, it is certainly a good way to knock a few hundred dollars off the asking price.

Specifications

2007 Yamaha Royal Star Venture

Price Range: $4,000 – $6,000

Yamaha

Yamaha invested big money in the Star Motorcycles range of cruiser and touring bikes, all of which were good but a little overpriced. A shift in consumer demands brought an end to the Star Motorcycles experiment, and today all the bikes from this era offer pretty good value for money. While reliable, these old V4 engines are a little more complex than the average V-twin.

Specifications

2008 Honda VFR800 Interceptor

Price Range: $4,000 – $6,000

Arguably one of the most underrated motorcycles. At this price, it packs tremendous value for money, and has one of the finest examples of Honda’s wonderful V4 engines. By the mid-00s, these bikes got Honda’s famous VTEC valvetrain, which improved fuel economy and performance. It also just so happens to be fantastically reliable thanks to its rather mild state of tune. If you want one with ABS, it will cost a little more than the price listed here.

Specifications

2009 Yamaha Royal Star Tour Deluxe S

Price Range: $4,000 – $6,000

Confusingly, the Tour Deluxe S actually sat below the aforementioned Venture. The only difference between the two is the Tour Deluxe model does away with the fairing, and we can only assume, now useless stereo. It still gets wind protection in the form of an oversized windshield, and the Deluxe S got the chrome forks you see in the video above.

Specifications

2010 Honda VFR1200F

Price Range: $4,000 – $6,000

Honda

In this price range you won’t find the DCT, but you will still get a 170 horsepower sport tourer. Back when it was new, these bikes could do a quarter-mile sprint in 10 seconds, faster than a modern Yamaha R1 superbike. As much as we are quite certain a few horses would have escaped the enclosure by now, this is still an incredible buy for around the $5k mark.

Specifications

2010 Yamaha FJR1300

Price Range: $4,000 – $6,000

Yamaha

The venerable FJR has finally been put out to pasture. But, the fact that it made it all the way up until 2024 only serves to underscore what a big fan base this bike has. At this price, you certainly won’t be getting the fancy electronic suspension the modern equivalent gets, but you will still get that ultra-smooth inline-4.

Specifications

2014 Honda CTX1300 ABS

Price Range: $4,000 – $6,000

Honda

This may be a bit of a contentious inclusion. In 2014, this bike was overpriced, underpowered and, according to most accounts, pretty unreliable by Honda standards. By now, most of the issues would have been fixed (well, we hope) and the price is pretty low thanks to its reputation. That V4 engine makes it well worth a look, because even if it was in an unusually low state of tune, that can theoretically be rectified.

As much as this was a rather spectacular flop and only lasted one model year, it shares most of its parts with the ST1300. That bike made well over 100 horsepower, so it stands to reason that it won’t take much to get the CTX1300 into a similar state of tune. Even though it is a Honda, buyer beware here.

Specifications

2015 Kawasaki Versys 650

Price Range: $3,000 – $5,000

Kawasaki

If you are shopping for a touring bike on a budget of $5k, this is by some margin the safest option. The Versys 650 has become the default choice in the middleweight touring segment for good reason. It offers unerring reliability, a good level of specification and, above all else, all-day touring comfort. As its name suggests, it is one of the most versatile motorcycles money can buy.

Specifications