Maxi enduros, minimal off-road: in the city, just happy-hour explorers

While bike lanes and limited traffic zones are changing the face of cities, maxi enduros keep flooding them. Motorcycles born to cross deserts or reach the North Cape, used for the home-to-office commute or to get to the aperitivo spot.

Stopping at a traffic light and finding a “beast” towering over scooters and cars is increasingly common. It’s the triumph of unused luxury (or improperly used), which therefore becomes pointless. For a wow effect that works only on those who know little more about motorcycles than the fact they have two wheels.

The ANCMA data, the National Association of Bicycles, Motorcycles and Accessories, published at the end of 2025 in Italy, confirm the paradox: despite the sector’s slump (-19.22% motorcycles sold compared to 2024), the most in-demand remains the BMW R 1300 GS. Together with its Adventure version, the big German racked up almost 7,000 registrations in Italy in 2025, doubling much cheaper maxi enduros.

But what’s most striking is that, according to industry analyses, over 70% of these GSs will never see a dirt road. 21,500 euros (easily exceeding 26,000 euros with accessories) spent to ride around the city, or at most tackle a few scenic Sunday outings.

The dominance of maxi enduros is clear, both on the roads and in showrooms: in the top 10 best-selling models, there are as many as six from this segment. In addition to the aforementioned BMW R 1300 GS, we find the Honda XL 750 Transalp (2,920 units), the Honda Africa Twin (2,693 units), the CFMOTO 450 MT (2,371 units) and the Yamaha Ténéré 700 (2,182 units).

But why buy a 230 kg machine to go to the office? The answer lies in the same psychology that fueled the success of SUVs in the car world: commanding position. The high seat (often over 850 mm) often lets you see over cars, offering a feeling of safety and control in urban traffic.

The maxi enduro has now become the equivalent of a luxury watch. It doesn’t just fulfill the function of the object itself, it signals to the world that the owner could set off for Mongolia, if they wished. A kind of social mask in Pirandellian style. An unstoppable machine to feed the ego, even if the only obstacle it will ever overcome is the cobblestone of the city center.