The Most Exciting Touring Bike Coming In 2026 Is The Buell SuperTouring
There is an undeniable love for touring bikes in the market. And this is even truer in the United States. After all, with endless tarmac freeways, there are very few places that allow you to traverse miles after miles as effortlessly as here. As a result, large-capacity touring bikes have always been an important segment for any bikemaker with a foot in the US. Each year brings new and updated machines, too, be it from local American heavyweights or European exoticas. The same is expected for MY26 as well, and here’s the most exciting touring bike coming our way next year.
To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Buell Motorcycles and other authoritative sources.
The Buell SuperTouring Is The Most Exciting Touring Bike Coming In 2026
Price: $23,995
The large-capacity touring bike segment is already quite full of heavy-hitters from around the world. BMW has the S and M 1000 XR, Harley-Davidson has the CVO Road Glide ST and CVO Road Glide RR, Indian has the Challenger Elite, and Honda has the 50th anniversary Gold Wing for you to enjoy. As a result, the list of exciting touring bikes coming next year is rather short.
Out of them, it’s the Buell SuperTouring that takes the cake.
Why? Because it’s not only one of the fastest touring bikes out of America, but also because it promises a V-twin sport-touring experience like no other. In addition, Buell has equipped it with quite a few innovations derived from its superbike. At the same time, practicality remains a priority, evident from the huge saddle and hard saddlebags. Oh, and did we mention the bodywork is carbon fiber?
Other than this, there’s another exciting touring bike you should know about: the KTM 1390 Super Duke GT. Although shown to the public last year, KTM has yet to bring the GT to the United States, and it’s reportedly arriving for the 2026 model year. Like the SuperTouring, this is a proper sport-tourer armed with a mighty V-twin engine. But even with more capacity than the Buell, the KTM has less peak power than its rival. We also don’t know whether KTM will stick to its plan or delay the GT for America, given it’s still recovering from the financial troubles.
The Buell SuperTouring Produces 185 Horsepower And 102 Pound-Feed Of Torque
From Its Superbike-Sourced 1,190cc V-twin Engine
Usually, sport-touring bikes draw their engines from sports bikes but favor a milder tune, focusing on usability and reliability rather than soaring performance. Here, however, you get the exact same oomph as the sports bike it’s based on (Hammerhead 1190). So the 1,190cc V-twin engine–made by Rotax and has full liquid cooling–produces a full 185 horsepower, topped with an impressive 102 pound-feet. All that power will take you well over 150 miles per hour, as long as you bang through all six gears of the transmission. As for rivals, the new Harley-Davidson Pan America ST maxes out at 150 ponies and 94 pound-feet.
Buell SuperTouring Engine Specifications
|
Engine |
1,190cc, V-twin, liquid-cooled |
|
Bore X Stroke |
106 X 67.5 mm |
|
Power |
185 HP |
|
Torque |
102 LB-FT |
|
Transmission |
Six-speed |
An Innovative Chassis Underpins The Buell SuperTouring
Showa Suspension And Brembo Brakes Top Things Off
Like the engine, the chassis is drawn from the Hammerhead. There’s an impressive, innovative perimeter chassis. It has been made from aluminum and remains hollow to double up as the fuel cell for better weight distribution. What’s the benefit? Buell says this helps with improving riding dynamics on the go. An aluminum swingarm adds to this riding experience. Next up are the suspension and brakes. The former has USD forks and a monoshock, both of which are adjustable.
As for the latter, there are dual disc brakes instead of the usual 386 mm perimeter disc. This is clamped with Brembo calipers, unlike the eight-piston calipers seen on the Hammerhead. At the rear is a 220 mm disc with a simple brake caliper. Add to this the 17-inch wheels, and you have a properly sporty touring package.
Key Highlights
- Dual-disc Brembo brakes with EBC rotors
- Fox suspension system and steering stabilizer
- Custom Saddlemen seat designed for comfortable two-up riding
- Carbon fiber bodywork
- Dunlop Sportmax Q5A tires
- Redesigned Buell footpegs with improved grip and 1-inch lowered stance
2025 Buell SuperTouring Underpinnings And Dimensions
|
Chassis |
Perimeter-type aluminum |
|
Suspension |
FOX forks and monoshock |
|
Wheels |
17/17-inch alloys |
|
Brakes |
Two front disc brakes and a single disc rear brake |
|
Weight |
439 pounds (wet; expected) |
The SuperTouring Lacks Luxury Features You’d Expect On A Touring Bike
This is where the SuperTouring struggles quite a bit. There’s barely any luxury features here, and the fanciest bit is the TFT instrument cluster. Even that gives you access to just traction control and ride modes, without any infotainment bits like smartphone connectivity, Apple CarPlay, or Android Auto. You also don’t get an adjustable windscreen, heated grips, or a six-axis IMU. Our biggest gripe, though, is the lack of saddlebags. Yes, the saddlebags you see here are optional and will set you back by $1,500 minimum. A quickshifter is also a $495 option.
Buell SuperTouring Key Features
- TFT instrument cluster
- Traction control
- Ride modes
- Secondary Exhaust + 36 Liter Bags Package ($1,500)
- Cut Tips + 36 Liter Bags Package ($2,000)
- Quickshift System ($495)
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