2026 is already shaping up to be a great year for motorcycles, and adventure bikes just seem to be getting more and more popular, especially in the A2 licensing category. From the age of 19, you can get your hands on any of these machines, although some will need a restrictor kit fitting to comply.

To make things simple, though, the majority of the bikes on today’s list have the option for a manufacturer restriction kit, and to make things even simpler, here at Lexham Insurance, we can insure every single one we’re featuring. So, without further ado, let’s get into it!

Kicking off the list is a popular and relatively reasonably priced model from Benelli – it’s the TRK 702!

Let’s face it. As good as big, spoked wheels and knobbly tyres look, a good portion of adventure bikes rarely see more dirt than a mucky winter ride out, so it makes sense to feature the standard 702 here with road-going tyres and wheels, and not the X variant – especially given how popular the non-X 702 has proven in 2025.

The 702 comes in three colourways: Anthracite Grey, Forest Green & Pearl White, delivering 70hp (or 47hp if you’re on A2) from its 698cc parallel twin whilst packing a suite of tech and features you’d only usually expect to come on more expensive models.

Unbelievably, for just £6,399 + OTR fees (£6,699), you get a heated seat, heated grips and crash bars fitted as standard. This is alongside Pirelli Angel GT tyres, a 5” TFT with Bluetooth (and Wi-Fi allowing for screen mirroring), backlit switchgear and LED lighting all around, just to finish it off, making it a great choice for those who want something that competes with Japanese offerings for a fraction of the cost.

Ninth place brings us to the KTM 390 Adventure R! A model actively used by former British Enduro Champion Alex Snow and one which is naturally A2 compliant, meaning you won’t need a restrictor.

Having recently (as of November 2025) partnered with KTM, the former champion launched the Alex Snow Off-Road Motorcycle Training Experience, of which the 390 Adventure R features within the fleet, alongside four other models – so it must be good…

If having a former champ use this model at his experience centre wasn’t quite good enough of an endorsement for you, then just wait until you hear the spec list.

Bearing in mind the Adventure R retails for £6,199, KTM claim it is “the most off-road capable middleweight adventure bike in its segment.”, which makes sense when you consider its 21/18” spoked wheels, premium WP APEX suspension offering 230mm of travel, a whopping 272mm of ground clearance and a suite of clever off-road tech all wrapped around rally-inspired ergonomics and bodywork, not forgetting to mention its lively 399cc single cylinder producing 44.4hp.

If you’re after a true adventure bike in every sense, the Adventure R is for you, proving to be a supremely capable machine for whatever you throw at it.

Swiftly moving onto eighth place, we have the Voge DS625X with a strikingly similar price tag to the KTM at £6,299 after OTR fees.

Whilst the Voge is naturally not quite as capable off-road as the KTM due to its size and weight, it still makes its mark as a great all-rounder for trail riding, commuting, traversing the Bealach na Bà or even the Furka Pass – exactly what a middleweight adventure should do.

With a 47hp restriction available directly from Voge, the DS625X proves to be a solid choice, especially if you plan to do your direct access in the future, allowing you to then keep the same bike but make use of its full-fat 63.8hp power figure coming from its 581cc parallel twin.

With a large TFT display, TPMS, tubeless spoked wheels wrapped around Metzeler Tourance tyres, KYB suspension & Nissin brakes with dual-channel ABS, the Voge soon adds up to be a great package for a wide range of riders, terrains and situations – it even has a 1080p forward-facing dashcam built in!

But, if you want to read more into the DS625X, be sure to check out our in-depth review.

You can’t have a Top 10 A2 adventure bike list without the Ténéré 700, so seventh place goes to exactly that bike!

Having proved ever popular since its release in 2019, following on from the XT660Z Ténéré, the 700 has gone on to make several versions of itself in varying levels of extremity. On the far end, we now have the Ténéré 700 World Rally, but today, we will be focusing on the ‘standard’ version, and even that features 21/18” inch wheels wrapped with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR Tyres.

Powered by Yamaha's award-winning 689cc CP2 engine and paired with advanced electronics like YCC-T, the Ténéré produces a healthy 72.4hp (or 47hp after restriction).

Off-road riding is at the core of the Ténéré, with Yamaha even refining the switchgear to make it easier to operate. Switchable ABS & Traction control allow rider control on the trails, and upgraded fully adjustable suspension only further enhances that.

With a large 6.3” portrait-oriented TFT display also featured on the Ténéré, it is the command centre of the bike, controlling the clever YCC-T technology, allowing for two different ride modes and Yamaha’s MyRide app for calls, music and navigation.

It’s not cheap at £10,104, but if you want a bike that takes the word ‘Adventure’ in adventure bike up a notch, this could be for you.

Sixth place takes us to one that might initially surprise you for a list of A2 bikes, but yes, the Multistrada V2 is indeed offered with a 35Kw (47hp) version straight from Ducati!

If you have a bit of cash to splash on your A2 bike, then what better way of doing it than purchasing a slice of Borgo Panigale? Granted, at £14,495 it is a very premium price for an A2 compatible machine, but when you consider that after a couple of years, you can do your direct access and easily have a 115hp Ducati you’re already familiar with, does it start to make sense a little?

In terms of tech and equipment, it’s a Ducati. Meaning, there isn’t quite enough space to even cover everything it has! But to summarise, the V2 comes with five riding modes, a 5” TFT display, clever air ducting, cornering ABS, cruise control and of course, ride by wire. Even that is barely scratching the surface of it, so you can begin to see why it’s got such a premium price.

If you’ve got the cash, the Multistrada V2 offers a great package you can really grow into with a suite of tech and equipment. A perfect choice if you want one bike to keep for a long time, especially given how versatile it is.

Sitting firmly in the middle is one from CFMOTO, the 450MT! This is another one that doesn’t need restricting to be compliant, whilst also coming with a tempting price of just £5,699, making it the most affordable model mentioned on the list so far!

Powering the 450MT is a liquid-cooled, parallel twin 449.5cc engine with a 270-degree crankshaft, making just under 42hp and 42nm of torque, ideal if you’re on an A2 licence.

It also has some top-spec equipment like Bosch ABS, a 5-inch TFT display and switchable traction control with an adjustable seat and windscreen, which, when you consider the price, is actually quite impressive.

There has also been some proper thought put into its off-road capability, namely the KYB suspension, which is adjustable for preload, compression and rebound, switchable rear ABS, and a nifty little feature often overlooked until you’re traversing overgrown bushes – folding mirrors!

Overall, the 450MT provides some sharp competition to its rivals, coming with a strong setup and affordable pricing whilst being A2 compliant, straight out of the box.

Just missing out on securing a spot in the top three, we have the BMW F800GS!

Equipped with a Loncin-built 895cc parallel twin, the 800GS shares its powertrain with its bigger brother, the F900GS, as well as the more affordable Voge DS900X. Despite being in a lower state of tune than its siblings, with 87hp (before restriction) compared to their 105hp & 95hp, the 800GS still offers a notable power output which, much like the V2 Multistrada mentioned earlier, makes the 800GS a bike you can keep for years of happy riding.

As expected for a BMW Motorrad product, it is fairly well equipped, but not as much as others on the list. The most notable standard features you’ll find on the GS are Brembo brakes paired with ABS Pro, Dynamic Traction Control, and, of course, a 6.5” TFT with Bluetooth.

If you want features like heated grips, the semi-active Dynamic ESA suspension system or cruise control, though (for example), you’ll need to opt for the comfort, dynamic or touring packages at extra cost.

Overall, the F800GS truly does offer that ‘Spirit of GS’ in a platform which is accessible to A2 riders, whilst the flexibility of having a full power bike after two years, so for that alone, is why it deserves fourth spot on our list today!

Now, into the top three and at third, we have the Honda NX500 – previously commonly known as the CB500X.

With the whole 500 range receiving a name refresh in 2024, the popular little CB500X has been known as the NX500 ever since, with more improvements and refinements coming every year.

In its current and most recent guise, the NX features Honda’s clever new E-Clutch technology (price yet to be confirmed for that variant), Showa SFF-BP upside-down forks, a 5” TFT with Honda’s RoadSync connectivity and of course, Honda’s selectable torque control for traction.

The NX is now also dressed up in a rally-inspired fairing, making the current version quite possibly the most appealing thus far and providing genuine competition against its competitors, especially as it’s a Honda.

Taking second place is the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, a long-awaited update to the popular little 411 that came before it.

With a similar tank size, seat height and the exact same weight as the NX500 we just mentioned, the new Himmy is already off to a good start. Now powered by the 451cc liquid-cooled ‘Sherpa’ engine (the same one as the Guerrilla we reviewed), it now produces a reasonable 39.5hp with 40nm of torque.

Unlike the NX500, though, the Enfield lacks traction control, but it does share its front fork manufacturer by coming with a set of upside-down Showa’s. It also comes with ride-by-wire and the 4” TFT Tripper dash seen on a few other Enfield models, allowing for a range of displays, including Google Maps.

Whilst all Himalayan 450s come with spoked wheels, only the Kamet White, Hanle Black and new Mana Black (shown above) variants come with tubeless spoked wheels (at a higher price), so it's worth bearing that in mind if you’re tempted by one.

With the NC750X ranking among the best-selling adventure bikes overall in 2025, it’s only right that it deserves the number one spot on today’s list.

I can only assume it remains as popular as ever because of its versatility. Here we have a bike that can commute with ease, see you through whatever tour you wish to go on and then everything in between.

Now featuring a 5” TFT with RoadSync, dual front discs and revised bodywork, the NC750X really is at its peak currently. Whilst yes, it does still have telescopic forks and a basic box-section swingarm, it’s been set up so well that it never really proves to be a problem or even something you’d think about, mainly due to the suspension coming from Showa and Pro-Link.

The infamous storage cubby also remains inside the false tank design, offering 23L of internal storage, perfect for commuting or storing bits and pieces somewhere dry and warm on a tour. The latest NC also features traction control with four modes – Standard, Sport, Rain and User. DCT is, of course, still an option and brings the price up to £8,399, coming with four different shift patterns as well.

So, that’s our roundup of the Top 10 A2 Adventure Bikes for 2026. With a mix of manufacturers, pricing and features, there should be one here for most riders. If you’ve seen something that takes your fancy or maybe you already have one, don’t forget to get your Motorcycle Insurance quote direct with Lexham!