The Japanese Touring Bike With The Longest Riding Range

Touring motorcycles are renowned for providing a comfortable and long-distance riding experience. But when you look at the ones that offer the highest riding range, most of them are, surprisingly, BMWs with powerful twin-cylinder engines and some packing over 6-gallon fuel tanks. So, with such grandeur, over 250 miles of range is a no-brainer.

However, there is one underdog that stands tall against the expensive offerings of BMW luxury touring bikes, boasting an impressive 290 miles of riding range. It also happens to be the highest-range Japanese touring bike. The cherry on top of this classic-vibing V-twin touring bike from Kawasaki is that it’s priced at $10,399. That’s nearly half that of the BMWs, Harley-Davidsons, and even Honda offerings that lock horns, in terms of fuel efficiency and riding range.

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Kawasaki’s Vulcan 900 Classic LT Has The Highest Range Among Japanese Touring Bikes

Maximum Riding Range: 291.5 Miles

This middleweight Kawasaki bike takes center stage among Japanese touring bikes, boasting the highest riding range. The Vulcan 900 Classic LT is technically a touring version of the bare-bones Vulcan 900 Classic. It adds standard features like saddlebags, a pillion backrest, and a tall windscreen to bump up the touring capabilities. However, the reason that this Kawa can achieve over 290 miles on a tank of gas is its frugal engine with a commendable 55 MPG.

Its 5.3-gallon fuel tank also plays a vital role in the impressive riding range. We, however, feel that Kawasaki could have gone the extra mile and increased the fuel tank size to 5.5 gallons. Doing this would have made the Vulcan 900 LT an easy 300+ mile touring bike. Among Japanese touring bikes, trailing behind the Kawa is a much more powerful and significantly more expensive Honda. But the difference in riding range is stark, with the Honda offering a maximum range of under 240 miles. The humbler Vulcan 900 Classic LT offers over 50 miles more on a tankful.

Promises A Cozy Mile-Munching Experience

The Vulcan 900 Classic LT is a stretched-out and low-slung motorcycle, designed to offer a stable and comfortable touring experience. With a wheelbase of 64.8 inches, thanks to its notable rake angle of 32 degrees, this Kawa should aid well in highway stability. Chunky fork covers and full-sized teardrop-styled fenders complement its muscular stance.

Making this Japanese touring bike accessible to a wider audience is its low seat height of just 26.8 inches. On the hardware front, things are pretty straightforward. The main frame is a double cradle that is suspended by chunky 41 mm forks up front and a preload-adjustable monoshock at the rear. This Vulcan does take a trick off Harley’s Softail line-up and keeps the rear monoshock hidden for a clean rear quarter design.

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This American luxury grand tourer uses VVT to help its big-twin return better MPG figures.

Maintaining a plush ride is achieved with 5.9 inches of front and 4.1 inches of rear suspension travel. Braking duties are taken care of by a 300 mm disc up front and a 270 mm disc at the rear. Elevating its classic-vibing cruiser stance is the 16-inch front and 15-inch rear spoked wheel layout. The rear also flaunts a chunky 180-section tire for added visual drama.

The Vulcan 900 Classic LT features a relaxed rider triangle, complete with a scooped saddle that provides notable lower back support. It also gets forward-bias footpegs and a pulled handlebar. The rider sits upright, and Kawasaki even offers an optional gel seat for elevated touring comfort. The tall and adjustable windscreen reduces fatigue by diverting the oncoming gust of wind. Its standard leather saddlebags look cool and also offer added storage capabilities for cozy weekend getaways.

Dimensions And Hardware Specs

Powered By An “Americanized” V-Twin

Power: 47 HP

Kawasaki has drawn inspiration from Harley and Indian cruisers in designing the Vulcan 900 Classic LT. The silhouette is similar, and the use of chrome amplifies its old-school charm. Even the shiny V-twin engine looks inspired by classic American big-twin cruisers. However, that’s actually where the similarities end, in terms of looks. The 55-degree V-twin on this Kawasaki is a proper modern mill with liquid cooling. It has an over-square layout with a shorter stroke, unlike most American V-twins.

This engine has four valves per cylinder and packs a single overhead camshaft design. Features like electronic fuel injection and digital injection control up the ante. All of these enhancements should help the Vulcan touring cruiser accelerate more quickly, while also improving the 903 cc V-twin’s refinement and efficiency levels. About 60 percent of its peak torque is made at just 3,500 RPM, allowing this Kawa to accelerate valiantly. Power is sent to the rear wheel via a 5-speed gearbox. Elevating durability and reliability is its final Kevlar-based belt drive system.

Engine And Gearbox Specs

2025 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT’s “Range” Rival

A $25,200 Honda Offers The Next Highest “Range” Among Japanese Touring Bikes

The next best Japanese touring bike, with the highest riding range, is a luxurious apple compared to the barebones and humble orange that the Vulcan 900 Classic LT is. With a maximum range of 244 miles, the 2025 Honda Gold Wing is the next best Japanese touring bike to get. The Gold Wing is significantly more sophisticated, featuring a unique boxer six-cylinder engine, and even boasts a double-wishbone suspension setup at the front, typically reserved for cars. On the performance front, the Gold Wing is far superior, boasting over 120 horsepower and more than 120 pound-feet of torque. It even has a shaft drive, considered to need the least maintenance among motorcycle final drive systems.

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This is also the most affordable touring bike to buy in America at under $7,000.

However, all of this comes at a price and weight, as the Gold Wing costs well over twice that of a 2025 Vulcan 900 Classic LT and weighs approximately 150 pounds more. The seat height is also significantly higher, at 29.3 inches. So, yes. The accessibility and value-for-money quotient of the Kawasaki touring bike surpasses that of the sophisticated Honda Gold Wing. Moreover, when it comes to fuel efficiency and riding range, the Kawa is a no-brainer.