8 Japanese Cruiser Bikes Worth Keeping Forever
Look at Japanese machines, and you’ll know the idea has always been about long-term ownership rather than short-term excitement. That philosophy is present in all of their creations, including cruiser bikes. However, such low-slung machines have never been Japan’s true focal point, which is why the number of Japanese cruisers has shrunk in recent times.
The number only gets smaller when you think of them from a long-term point of view, given the extreme competition in this space. So if you want a Japanese cruiser you’d want to keep forever, you’re largely left with the eight bikes below. Out of these, two are already discontinued, and some are on their deathbed.
Honda Rebel 500
Price: $6,799
A sub-500cc cruiser being a forever bike might sound like a joke. After all, these bikes are usually gateways to bigger cruisers. But look at retention data, and the Rebel 500 actually does a brilliant job. Credit here goes to its cheap-to-maintain and simple mechanical package that just keeps on running year on year. So you’ll never really have a reason to sell it off.
What also helps is the overall friendliness and versatility. From freeway stints to daily commutes, this will happily do all of the duties while keeping you comfortable. Oh, and when your family grows, the Rebel can also be a great learner’s bike due to its easy-going ergos and low weight.
Honda Shadow Phantom
Price: $8,699
The Shadow name has long birthed simple cruiser bikes that keep existing in your garage forever. And the new Phantom follows the same theme. So the V-twin engine here is ultra-reliable and known to last for hundreds of thousands of miles, while the simple chassis parts are easy to repair and maintain in the long term.
Electronics are limited to just ABS and fuel injection, further negating any long-term points of failure. For all this, Honda also charges an attainable sub-$9,000 MSRP. We’re not sure how long Honda will keep selling it, though, since its retro Aero variant was discontinued recently. Go buy it while you can.
Honda Rebel 1100 DCT
Price: $10,399
Most of the cruiser bikes here haven’t had updates in several years. The Rebel 1100 DCT has, and that’s why it is one of the most impressive new cruisers from Japan. There’s a lot to like here, starting with the Africa Twin-derived parallel-twin engine. This mill not only has brilliant usable performance, but you also get extreme reliability. Some bikes with this engine have lasted over 500,000 miles with basic maintenance.
Then, there’s the DCT. The inclusion of this six-speed transmission makes the Rebel 1100 the only automatic cruiser out there. So you don’t have to worry about shifting in traffic or during quick overtakes on the freeway. Along with this, the latest Rebel also has more tech than ever, topped with a new rectangular TFT.
Honda Fury
Price: $11,499
The Fury is here because of exclusivity. Chopper-inspired cruiser bikes from Japan have been few and far between, and this is currently the only over-1,000cc example you can take home new. It isn’t a half-hearted effort, either. The Fury actually has more chopper charm than Harley’s Breakout, owing to its stripped-back aesthetic with a blend of chrome and blacked-out mechanicals.
We also dig the attention to detail. The sleek fuel tank looks like something a shop would custom-make, and you can say the same for the scooped saddle. Considering the platform is really old and discontinued in most markets, this might be the last factory chopper with Japanese origins.
Honda Rebel 1100T DCT
Price: $11,599
The 1100T has everything the Rebel gets you, and adds a proper set of touring-ready components on top of that. So you get one of the most capable and high-value bagger-type cruiser bikes out there. The equipment comprises removable and lockable hard saddlebags, alongside a batwing fairing. The latter also has a windscreen to further reduce windblast.
Mechanically, it’s exactly the same, with the same 1,084cc parallel-twin engine doing duty here. This should be slower, though, considering the extra equipment adds 30 pounds to the overall weight. Another thing to note is the lack of a pillion saddle. We think it should’ve been included here as standard.
Suzuki Boulevard M109R
Price: $15,799
The Boulevard M109R deserves to be kept forever because of one simple reason: performance. Its over-1,700cc V-twin is a work of art, featuring some of the world’s largest pistons. Yes, even compared to the car world. These, along with liquid cooling and Suzuki’s Dual Throttle Valve system, help it produce 123 horsepower. That’s a figure capable of outpowering any modern-day American cruiser, despite the Boulevard being two decades old.
To sweeten the pot, Suzuki threw in some sports bike-derived underpinnings at it. The front end has USD forks with dual floating disc brakes, derived from the GSX-R1000 of the time. In addition, the alloy wheels have a lightweight aluminum construction. We don’t think we’ll ever see a power cruiser of this kind from the Gixxer-maker again.
Yamaha V-Max
Used Price: ~$17,000
This right here is the most powerful mass-production cruiser bike ever built. Yes, despite its discontinuation around half a decade ago. That fact alone is why you should get the V-Max and keep it for life. Diving into the nitty-gritty, the engine is the USP. This is Yamaha’s most powerful engine (yes, even more powerful than the YZF-R1’s powerhouse), featuring a V4 layout and over 1,600cc.
The output is just under 200 horsepower and over 120 pound-feet, sent to the wheel via a shaft drive. To manage that serious kick, the V-Max further uses an aluminum chassis, alloy wheels, beefy front forks, and triple-pot brake calipers like the YZF-R1. A 240-section rear wheel helped put all that power to the ground efficiently.
Honda Rune
Used Price: ~$25,000-$30,000
The Honda Rune is a forever machine due to its extravagance. Nothing from Japan comes remotely close to the unique package you get here, and we don’t think any bikemaker is going to whip up something similar in the future. After all, one Rune reportedly cost Honda well into the six digits. Why, you ask? That equipment explains that. The crown jewel is a six-cylinder powerhouse from the Gold Wing, with over 120 horsepower. That’s more than new-age Harleys, even though the Rune is 22 years old today.
The suspension is equally mind-bending. Up top is a trailing bottom-link suspension, paired with a MotoGP-derived Unit Pro-Link single-damper shock. All of it is complemented by larger-than-life dimensions. The wheelbase is almost 70 inches, the tank can hold over six gallons, and the weight is 888 pounds!
Source: Various Manufacturers
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