The laid-back cruiser isn’t just a style to a lot of people, but it’s a way of life. And that laid-back attitude also means that owners don’t feel the need to upgrade the minute a newer version comes out. In fact, the regular cruiser market doesn’t usually see a lot of changes in the product anyway.
That means that there is a market for cruisers that last for decades. They’ll need to be easy to maintain, spares need to be easily available and/or affordable, and they need to remain engaging to ride for many years for this to happen. Hard to achieve, we know, but such cruisers do exist. Here are 10.
Honda Rebel 500
Price: $6,799
The Rebel 500 is a cruiser, but it shares its engine with the famously reliable NX500. This has been around long enough for everyone to be convinced about its reliability. A bonus is that this engine is hyperefficient, while also being punchy. In the Rebel 500, it generates 47 horsepower and 32 pound-feet, and opts for a six-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch and chain drive. Features like a reverse LCD cluster and optional ABS mean its longevity is assured.
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Engine Type |
180° I2 |
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Displacement |
471 cc |
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Max Power |
46.9 HP @ 8,500 RPM |
|
Max Torque |
31.8 LB-FT @ 6,000 RPM |
Kawasaki Vulcan S
Price: $7,649
The Vulcan S follows the same blueprint as the Rebel 500. There’s a trellis frame that it shares with other motorcycles in the lineup, and an engine and gearbox proven over years of being on sale. Here, the 649 cc comes from the Ninja 650 and produces 61 horsepower. To amp up the package, you get Kawasaki’s ergo-fit technology, with which you can change the position of the handlebars and footpegs for more comfort. So you can sort of grow in size with the bike. Everything else is super basic, so not much can go wrong.
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Engine Type |
180° I2 |
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Displacement |
649 cc |
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Max Power |
61 HP @ 7,500 RPM |
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Max Torque |
46.5 LB-FT @ 6,600 RPM |
Honda Shadow Phantom
Price: $8,699
This is a no-brainer. The Shadow in its current form has been around for well over two decades. And no, the only changes have been cosmetic since then, with the notable exceptions of a rear disc brake and ABS being added last year. Hondas, anyway, have a reputation for reliability. But coupled with its liquid-cooled engine, twin rear shocks, and shaft drive, the Shadow is definitely the kind of cruiser that will last forever.
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Engine Type |
52° V-twin |
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Displacement |
745 cc |
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Max Power |
44.9 HP @ 5,500 RPM |
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Max Torque |
47.9 LB-FT @ 3,500 RPM |
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Yamaha Bolt R-Spec
Price: $8,999
If you want something just as reliable as the Shadow but a little more exciting, then the Bolt R-Spec is what you need. It is Yamaha’s tribute to the Evolution-powered Sportsters. So you get the essence of the American bike, infused with Japanese reliability and handling. There isn’t much to go wrong here, either, thanks to barely any electronic items. There is a belt drive, a rear disc brake, and an odd rectangle-within-a-circle LCD instrument cluster.
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Engine Type |
60° V-twin |
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Displacement |
942 cc |
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Max Power |
65 HP |
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Max Torque |
59.3 LB-FT @ 3,000 RPM |
Honda Rebel 1100
Price: $9,699
The Rebel 1100 is a unique selection in many ways here: it is the only Honda cruiser with a 270-degree parallel twin engine and also the only one with the Unicam SOHC head. The Africa Twin-derived engine makes an extremely understressed 87 horsepower, and there is the option of a six-speed dual clutch automatic that has stood the test of time. A 5-inch TFT display with Bluetooth and navigation was recently added to it.
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Engine Type |
270° I2 |
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Displacement |
1,084 cc |
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Max Power |
87.1 HP @ 7,250 RPM |
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Max Torque |
72.2 LB-FT @ 4,750 RPM |
Harley-Davidson Street Bob
Price: $14,999
We thought the Street Bob was a great value. Then Harley-Davidson reduced the price by another $1,000. That’s a scarcely believable price for a proper Harley with downtube frame and a large-displacement Milwaukee Eight 117 engine. It does have some modern touches, like a six-speed gearbox, a six-axis IMU, cruise control, a by-wire throttle, and LED lighting. That said, it is intended to be a starting point for customization, so should you get bored with it, all you need to do is look up some cosmetic and performance upgrades, and (Street) Bob’s your uncle!
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Engine Type |
45° V-twin |
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Displacement |
1,917 cc |
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Max Power |
98 HP @ 4,600 RPM |
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Max Torque |
120 LB-FT @ 2,500 RPM |
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Suzuki Boulevard M109R
Price: $15,799
The big Boulevard from Suzuki has been around for two decades. It hasn’t changed at all in that time, meaning reliability is a given. However, what remains is the question of whether you’ll ever get bored with it, and the answer is an emphatic no. Because this engine has enough torque to move mountains. It even has the front suspension and brakes from a liter Gixxer. The question is not whether you can keep the Boulevard M109R forever, but whether you can keep from binning it despite its addictive performance.
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Engine Type |
54° V-twin |
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Displacement |
1,783 cc |
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Max Power |
123 HP @ 6,200 RPM |
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Max Torque |
118 LB-FT @ 3,200 RPM |
BMW R 18 Classic
Price: $18,395
The R 18 Classic doesn’t only look old school, it is old school in a lot of ways. The engine and gearbox are separate units and connected by a dry clutch. It has an air- and oil-cooled engine, with a six-speed gearbox and an exposed driveshaft. This is a high-displacement, low-revving engine that prioritizes high torque over horsepower. It is also a very large motorcycle, and its uniqueness will surely grow on you. The R 18 Classic’s retro windshield and luggage add some timeless design touches to it.
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Engine Type |
Longitudinal boxer twin |
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Displacement |
1,802 cc |
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Max Power |
91 HP @ 4,750 RPM |
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Max Torque |
120 LB-FT @ 3,000 RPM |
Harley-Davidson Low Rider S
Price: $19,999
The Low Rider is the performance cruiser in Harley’s lineup, with inverted forks and dual front brake discs. Additionally, this is the most power that the Milwaukee Eight 117 makes, and it is fed through a six-speed gearbox and belt drive to the wheel. It opts for a simple analog instrument cluster, hiding the fact that it has Harley’s full safety suite backed by a six-axis IMU. Like the Street Bob, its modular nature means it can run for a very long time.
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Engine Type |
45° V-twin |
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Displacement |
1,917 cc |
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Max Power |
114 HP @ 5,000 RPM |
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Max Torque |
128 LB-FT @ 4,000 RPM |
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Triumph Rocket 3 Storm GT
Price: $27,145
It might seem counterintuitive, not just that the Rocket 3 is a cruiser with a power figure to rival liter sport bikes, but that it is reliable at that level of power. That’s because it has the world’s largest motorcycle engine. So you don’t really need to rev it to get it going, and the mountainous torque will happily shove you along in any gear. The performance is undoubtedly the highlight, with quality components like fully adjustable Showa suspension and Brembo brakes that wouldn’t be out of place on liter sport bikes, coupled with a full electronics suite and an optional quickshifter.
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Engine Type |
Longitudinal I3 |
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Displacement |
2,458 cc |
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Max Power |
179.5 HP @ 7,000 RPM |
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Max Torque |
166 LB-FT @ 4,000 RPM |
Sources: Honda Powersports, Harley-Davidson USA