Raleigh Motus Tour

About the Raleigh Motus Tour

The Motus Tour lands in your world with a completely redeveloped frame - slimmer, lighter, sharper - and a Bosch Performance Line motor that delivers 75Nm of torque without fuss or fanfare. It's an electric hybrid that knows its job: get you to work dry, carry your shopping home without drama, and turn weekend errands into rides you actually look forward to. Raleigh has stripped away the clutter, integrated the cables, and wrapped a 500Wh Powertube inside the downtube so the whole package looks purposeful rather than bolted-together.

You're not buying a race machine. You're buying a bike that works six days a week and still has the legs for a Sunday potter along the canal. The upright position keeps your back happy, the suspension fork and post smooth out the potholes your council forgot to fix, and the Bosch system delivers assistance that feels like a tailwind you can dial up or down. Whether you opt for the Shimano Nexus hub gears (shift at the lights, forget the faff) or the CUES derailleur setup (more range, familiar feel), you're getting a bike that prioritises getting there over getting stared at.

This isn't a bike that demands lycra or asks you to clip in. It's the kind of machine that makes cycling feel less like a commitment and more like common sense - practical, comfortable, and genuinely useful. The Motus Tour doesn't shout; it just gets on with it.

Raleigh Motus Tour geometry

The frame geometry here is all about comfort and confidence, not carving corners or chasing Strava segments. You sit upright - think armchair rather than aero tuck - which takes the strain off your wrists and lets you see over hedges, parked vans, and the traffic ahead. The low-step frame makes mounting and dismounting a non-event, whether you're wearing work trousers or carrying a rucksack, and the moderate wheelbase keeps the bike stable when you're loaded up with panniers or a week's groceries.

Reach is relaxed, so you're not stretched out like a time-triallist, and the head angle is calm enough that the front wheel tracks predictably through ruts, over speed bumps, and across wet painted lines. The longer chainstays help balance the weight of the motor and battery, and they stop the rear end feeling twitchy when you're climbing out of the saddle or accelerating away from junctions. It's a geometry that prioritises predictability and comfort over outright speed, and that's exactly what you want when you're threading through rush-hour traffic or navigating a rutted bridleway with a bag of shopping swinging from the rack.

Component choices & upgrades

The stock build is already well sorted. Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc brakes offer dependable stopping power in all weathers, and the Suntour NEX fork with 50mm of travel takes the sting out of kerb drops and broken tarmac. The Selle Royal Wave saddle is genuinely comfortable for longer rides, and the adjustable stem means you can fine-tune your position without needing a workshop full of spacers and Allen keys. Schwalbe tyres - Land Cruiser or Road Cruiser depending on spec - roll smoothly on tarmac and grip well enough on damp towpaths or gravel tracks.

If you're planning longer tours or heavier loads, consider swapping the tyres for something with a bit more puncture protection or tread - Schwalbe Marathon Plus or Continental Contact Plus will shrug off glass and thorns. The hub gear models are brilliantly low-maintenance, but if you're tackling steeper terrain regularly, the derailleur setup gives you a wider spread of ratios and a more familiar shifting feel. The kickstand on older models could struggle under heavy loads, but the latest versions appear more robust; still, if you're regularly hauling 20kg of kit, a double-leg stand might be worth fitting. The stock lighting is integrated and powered by the main battery, so there's no need to faff with separate units or remember to charge them - just one less thing to think about.

Where the Raleigh Motus Tour excels

This bike is outstanding at making everyday cycling easy and enjoyable. Commuting is its bread and butter: the upright position gives you visibility and comfort, the motor flattens hills and headwinds, and the full complement of mudguards, lights, and rack means you can ride in any weather without arriving soaked or fumbling for a torch. It's equally at home on leisure rides - canal towpaths, country lanes, gentle gravel tracks - where the suspension and wide tyres smooth out the bumps and the Bosch assistance lets you cover more ground without feeling like you've been in a fight.

It also handles light touring duties with grace. Load up the rear rack with panniers, adjust the stem to suit, and you've got a bike that'll carry you and your kit across a weekend without complaint. The hub gear models are particularly good for this: less maintenance, fewer things to go wrong, and the ability to shift while stationary makes navigating unfamiliar towns and villages much less stressful.

Where it's not ideal: fast group rides with roadies, technical singletrack, or anything that demands quick handling and low weight. At 27.5kg, it's not a bike you'll want to hoist onto a train rack every day, and the upright position and wide tyres mean you'll work harder if you're trying to keep pace with drop-bar speed merchants. It's also not designed for aggressive off-road riding - the suspension travel is modest, the geometry is stable rather than playful, and the tyres are more about comfort than cornering grip on loose surfaces. If your rides are mostly urban, suburban, and gently rural, the Motus Tour is spot-on. If you're planning Alpine passes or Lakeland bridleways, you'll want something more specialised.

Raleigh Motus Tour FAQs

What is the range of the Raleigh Motus Tour?
With the 500Wh Bosch Powertube, expect anywhere from 40 to 100 miles depending on how much assistance you use, the terrain, your weight, and the weather. Eco mode stretches the battery furthest; Turbo mode drains it faster but makes hills disappear. Most commuters will get several days of riding between charges.

Is the Raleigh Motus Tour good for long-distance riding?
Yes, if your definition of long-distance is touring rather than racing. The comfortable position, suspension, and motor assistance make 50-mile days perfectly manageable, and the rack lets you carry everything you need. You won't set speed records, but you'll arrive feeling fresher than you would on an unassisted bike.

What motor does the Raleigh Motus Tour use?
The latest models use the Bosch Performance Line motor, which delivers 75Nm of torque - smooth, quiet, and powerful enough to make steep climbs feel like gentle slopes. Earlier versions used the Bosch Active Line Plus (50Nm), which is still more than adequate for most riders and terrain.

How comfortable is the Raleigh Motus Tour?
Very. The upright riding position, suspension fork, suspension seatpost, and wide tyres combine to absorb road shock and keep your back, wrists, and backside happy. It's designed for riders who want to enjoy the journey rather than endure it.

Can I fit wider tyres on the Raleigh Motus Tour?
The bike comes with 700x50c tyres, which are already generous. There's likely a little clearance left, but not much - this isn't a bike designed for monster gravel tyres. If you want more cushion or grip, focus on tyre choice (Marathon Plus, for example) rather than going significantly wider.

What maintenance is required for the Raleigh Motus Tour hub gear version?
Very little. The Shimano Nexus hub is sealed and requires only occasional lubrication and cable adjustment. You won't need to clean or degrease a cassette and chain as often as you would with a derailleur setup, and you can shift while stationary, which reduces wear. It's ideal if you value simplicity over a wide gear range.

What is the weight of the Raleigh Motus Tour?
Around 27.5kg. That's typical for a well-equipped electric hybrid with a 500Wh battery, motor, mudguards, rack, and lights. It's not a bike you'll want to carry up flights of stairs regularly, but the motor more than compensates when you're riding.

Is the Raleigh Motus Tour suitable for commuting?
Absolutely. It's arguably what the bike does best. The upright position gives you visibility in traffic, the hydraulic discs stop you confidently in the wet, the motor flattens hills and headwinds, and the integrated lights and mudguards mean you're ready to ride in any weather. The hub gear option is particularly good for stop-start urban riding.

What are the differences between the 2025 and 2026 Raleigh Motus Tour models?
The 2026 model features a completely redeveloped frame - lighter, slimmer, and with integrated cable routing - plus an upgrade to the Bosch Performance Line motor (75Nm versus the Active Line Plus's 50Nm). The display changes from the Intuvia 100 to the Purion 200, and the derailleur models move from Shimano Altus 8-speed to CUES 9-speed. The hub gear models switch from Nexus 7-speed to Nexus 5-speed. The overall package is more refined and powerful.