7 Cruisers Owners Say They’d Buy Again Without Hesitation
The cruiser motorcycle segment is one of the most diverse within the industry, with a wide selection of motorcycles to choose from that all appeal to different kinds of riders. In the past, this space was pretty much owned by American brands, primarily Harley-Davidson, but that is not necessarily the case any longer. Today, every major manufacturer has entered this space, and all these bikes bring something a little different to the table.
Each of the motorcycles on this list offers a key point of difference that has helped them win over fans and helped the bike stand out from the crowd. A couple offer impressive performance, but cruisers are not always about speed. Comfort and reliability are generally more valuable attributes in this space. For the sake of variety, we limited it to one bike per brand.
7
Ducati Diavel V4
MSRP: $27,995
Back when the first generation Diavel arrived, it quickly got a reputation for being one of the least reliable motorcycles on the market. Suffice to say, the model line has come a long way since then. The vast majority of the issues with that bike could be traced back to lax Italian wiring, which is something Ducati has gotten on top of in recent years. That bike also made use of a detuned superbike engine, whereas the new Diavel has a V4 engine which was designed primarily for street use.
The Granturismo V4 has been nothing short of a revelation for Ducati, offering buyers a thoroughly modern engine that has proven to be perfectly reliable since inception. The big difference between this V4 and previous high-performance Ducati engines is the lack of desmodromic valves. It is a pragmatic choice, and while valve float is now technically a possibility, this is not a racing engine, and the benefits of conventional variable valve timing outweigh any potential drawbacks. As you may imagine, this 168 horsepower lump makes the Diavel a particularly sporty cruiser, and will appeal to those after more power.
6
Harley-Davidson Low Rider S
MSRP: $18,999
Since the Milwaukee-Eight engines were introduced some years ago, the air-cooled Harleys have never been more powerful. Unfortunately, they have also never been more expensive, either. The death of the air-cooled Sportster has also left several loyal fans with one of two options, and that is to either make the switch to a liquid-cooled model like the Sportster S, or upgrade to something like this.
While expensive, you do get what you pay for with the Low Rider S. It offers an impressive balance between style, comfort, and muscle. It also offers a long list of features, including cornering ABS, lean-sensitive traction control, ride modes, and a tasteful round TFT dash with smartphone connectivity. Unfortunately, if you want a passenger seat, you will need to turn to the options list or the aftermarket.
5
Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster
MSRP: $14,795
Triumph pretty much specializes in building nostalgia machines, and between the Speedmaster and the Bobber we have a couple of the very best metric bikes on the market. Although its liquid-cooled parallel-twin lacks the theater of a big V-twin, the Speedmaster more than makes up for that with an incredible commitment to quality. The added refinement you get here is worth the extra expense, and the latest version also incorporates modern safety features like cornering ABS and lean-sensitive traction control.
It also offers exceptional long-distance comfort for both rider and passenger, but it is important to add one minor caveat. Any big parallel-twin like this will vibrate a little higher up in the rev range. While that isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker for cruiser buyers, it might be a little off-putting for those coming off of a bike with a smoother powertrain, and planning on using this for longer rides.
4
Honda Rebel 1100
MSRP: $9,699
Purely from a value standpoint, the base model Rebel 1100 is terribly hard to beat. It is a relatively lightweight cruiser, yet offers good power from its crossplane parallel-twin lump, which has also proven to be virtually bulletproof over the years. If you are willing to spend a little more, you can also get it with an automatic transmission.
Automatic motorcycles are a subject of much debate, but they are very much here to stay. This is also currently the only cruiser on the market that comes equipped with a fully automatic transmission, and is arguably an even bigger point of difference than its Japanese reliability. Either way you look at it, the Rebel 1100, be it in manual or DCT, offers amazing bang for the buck.
3
Yamaha Bolt R-Spec
MSRP: $8,999
While the Rebel is very much a modern Japanese interpretation of cruiser design, the Bolt R-Spec is somewhat… borrowed. Like many older metric bikes, its design has a hint of “copy-paste” to it, but the one thing we can say is that it hasn’t exactly aged. At all, really. This is still very much the same package as the bike we got over a decade ago.
The fact that it has been mooted that the old air-cooled Harley-Davidson Sportster will return only serves to underscore the fact that there is a market for bikes like this. You don’t need to wait and see if that rumor is true or not. The Bolt R-Spec is still here, and is by all accounts a more reliable version of that bike.
2
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650
MSRP: $7,899
Of all the bikes in the Indian giant’s lineup, the Meteor 650 has to be one of the most popular. It offers a more simplified package, and oozes with that old-school charm Royal Enfield seems to have bottled somewhere in the factory. The fact that it has a reliable air-cooled parallel-twin, with its own unique soundtrack, only serves to make it that much more attractive, especially at this price point.
It is far from perfect, though. Build quality sits somewhere between the Chinese and Japanese motorcycles, and if you live near the coast it will start showing signs of corrosion quicker than one might expect. It is also heavier, less powerful, and nowhere near as practical as the bike below.
1
Kawasaki Vulcan S
MSRP: $7,649
In our opinion, the Vulcan S doesn’t get nearly as much love as it should. It is one of the many approachable motorcycles in the Kawasaki lineup that features an Ergo-fit system. So no matter what your size and weight, you will find a comfortable riding position. This might not be so important to those of you who have an average build, but for the rest of us that sit on one of the two extremes, this is a genuine point of difference.
It also has what is a proven 650cc parallel-twin, that you might otherwise find in a Versys 650 (one of the most versatile motorcycles money can buy), albeit in a slightly more mild state of tune here. With a wet weight of below 500 pounds, the Vulcan S will make for an exceptional commuter, and adding some decent luggage will convert it into a highly effective little bagger.
Sources: Various manufacturers
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