10 Badass Muscle Motorcycles That Dominate The Road

It’s a good time to be alive. As of 2023, the American motorcycle market is as diverse as it ever has been. Cruisers, nakeds, ADVs, supersports — there’s nothing that won’t fit your style or budget. But if you’re in the market for a badass muscle motorcycle, this list should be an eye-opener. Keep in mind that not all the motorcycles on this list are currently in production. Some of them, like the Harley-Davidson FXDR, have been discontinued. But the beauty of an evolved market is that there are plenty of used options available in good nick, provided you’re willing to do a little research. That said, there are plenty of options on this list that will get you a mean-looking muscle motorcycle that will have rolled right off the factory floor recently just for you. So, in no particular order, here’s a list of 10 muscle motorcycles you can own in 2023.

10

Harley-Davidson Fat Bob 114

Starting MSRP: $16,599

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109 autotech

The Harley-Davidson Fat Bob 114 has been around since 1984. It’s been received well enough for Harley to keep production going ever since, with small modifications here and there over the years. The biggest update it received was in 2018, with a massive aesthetic and practical redesign for several features.

Displacement	1,868cc
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Torque	118 lb-ft
Curb Weight	675 lbs
Transmission	6-speed

Key among them are a new exhaust system that features heat shielding, a new headlight setup, better turning ability, and a more modern look overall. It makes 118 lb-ft of torque at 3500 RPM, weighs 675 lbs, has a 6-speed transmission and, most importantly, makes that distinctive Harley-Davidson noise. Well worth considering the Fat Bob 114.

9

Honda Valkyrie Rune

Honda

The Honda Valkyrie Rune was the result of the flights of fancy from Honda’s engineers. It’s widely regarded as one of the most exotic-looking designs to come from the Japanese manufacturer.

And it had quite a bit of performance packed in, too. It came powered by a 1,832cc flat-6 engine that was borrowed from the Honda Gold Wing, but with six throttle bodies for better power. The engine had to take into account the 878 lbs weight of the motorcycle. And reams have been written about its exhaust note.

In its day, it sold for $27,000, but even that was not enough for Honda to recover the cost to manufacture it. Honda reportedly sold each Rune for a massive loss. Goes to show just how special a motorcycle it was.

8

Harley-Davidson FXDR

Harley-Davidson

The 2020 Harley-Davidson FXDR 114 is another one on this list that’s no longer in production, which is a pity. Harley’s own words to describe the FXDR were: “Fast on the straights. Agile in the corners. All-out performance mixed with drag-strip aggression.”

It made an impressive 119 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 RPM, but what’s interesting to note is that it still managed to return an efficiency of 46 MPG, which is quite commendable. It was designed with a number of alloy and composite components with the aim of keeping weight low and intricate 2-into-1 exhaust was aimed at keeping lean angles good. Well worth considering it if you can find a good example.

7

Honda VTX 1800

Motorcycle Specs

An interesting fact about the mighty Honda VTX 1800 is that it featured the largest displacement production V-twin engine in the world at the time of its debut.

According to Honda, the VTX produced 117.2 lb-ft of torque at under 3,000 RPM and 101 horsepower at 5000 RPM. The engine itself was a 1,795cc, liquid-cooled, 52-degree V-twin that Honda put a lot of time into. It was paired to a 5-speed transmission and could hold up to 4.3 gallons of fuel. An iconic Honda, if ever there was one, the VTX 1800 would make for a standout bike to own today.

6

2023 Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S

Starting MSRP: $15,599

via Suzuki Cycles

A rather long name aside, the Suzuki M109R makes for an excellent modern-day performance cruiser. It features a 1783cc, 54-degree liquid-cooled V-twin, and a shaft-driven 5-speed transmission.

It’s been around since 2006, and has always been a formidable option as far as Japanese muscle cruisers go. A word of caution, though: the M109R doesn’t get traction control or ABS oddly enough. This, in addition to the fact that it’s quite heavy, could make it difficult to ride in tricky conditions. On the flip side, because Suzuki hasn’t crammed the M109R with electronics, it will be cheap to maintain over the long run.

5

Honda Magna

Via-Ultimate Motorcycling

The Honda Magna was a unique motorcycle. During the early ‘80s, Harley-Davidson collaborated with Honda to make a series of bikes, including the Magna.

The other interesting bit about the motorcycle is that it’s one of those rare cruisers with a high-revving engine from the VFR750 of that era. Back then, most motorcyclists had an affinity for cruisers, but they all lacked a serious amount of power. Honda anticipated this need by coming up with the idea of a small but efficient sport engine mounted on the chassis. This was the beginning of power cruisers.

4

2023 Ducati Diavel

Starting MSRP: $26,695

Ducati

The 2023 Ducati Diavel V4 should be high up on your list if you want a definitive muscle cruiser. A big part of why is because of its V4 powerplant.

It puts out a whopping 168 horsepower, a peak torque of 93 lb-ft at 7,500 RPM, and Ducati claims it can do the 0-60 mph run in under 3 seconds, making it one of the fastest Ducatis ever.

It won’t even hurt your wallet too much in the long run. Ducati claims that major maintenance is only needed at 37,000 mile intervals.

3

Triumph Rocket III

Starting MSRP: $23,400

Triumph

The Triumph Rocket III’s always been a power cruiser that’s been famous for its displacement. With the update in place, it’s now at a staggering 2,458cc. This puts out a staggering 165 horsepower and 162.2 lb-ft of torque. Power is transmitted to the rear wheel via a final shaft drive.

A direct consequence of all that torque is impressive numbers. At 4,000 RPM, the Rocket III gives you all 162 lb-ft of torque, allowing it to sprint to 60 mph in a blistering 2.73 seconds.Triumph, thankfully, has also recognized the need for good stopping power. To that effect, it gets Brembo Stylema Monobloc brakes that are more than enough to bring it to a safe halt.

2

BMW R18

Starting MSRP: $15,995

BMW

The R18 is BMW’s second attempt at the muscle cruiser segment, following the R1200C that was built between 1997 and 2004.

It features a boxer twin engine, which is the highest-displacement boxer-twin BMW has ever built. It’s a 1,802cc unit that makes 91 horsepower and 116 lb-ft of torque. Filtering in that much torque effectively means that it needs to have a good transmission, and BMW’s slick 6-speed gearbox does the job admirably. You can even spec it with multiple trims, like the R18 Classic and R18 “Bagger”.

1

Yamaha V-Max

via Total Motorcycle

Unique, aggressive, muscular, and tons of Japanese horsepower: this would be the ideal way to describe the Yamaha V-Max.

And it was a big hit with enthusiasts. How else would you explain a production run of more than 35 years, with only two generations between them? The first Yamaha V-Max produced specifically for the U.S. market rolled off the factory lines in 1985, and it debuted with a 1,197cc V4 engine that was liquid-cooled and produced 113.5 horsepower and 83.1 lb-ft of torque. It was butch, good-looking, had good ride and handling, and reliable. All in, a great purchase if you can find a good used example.