We've all been there — imagining the wind in our hair as we speed along the coastline on a beautiful cruiser motorcycle. Cruiser motorcycles offer ease, comfort, and power, along with tons of style and attention, and brands like Harley-Davidson and Indian aren't just good at making them, but they are also household names. However, the best cruisers aren't about just comfort and ease of riding, but also how much power they pack. After all, what good is a comfortable motorcycle if it's actually a meek vehicle under the seat?
Sports bikes, while plenty powerful, aren’t comfortable when considering long trips. In that department, cruiser motorcycles stand alone. Today, cruisers aren't just the most comfortable offerings in the two-wheeler market, but also some of the most powerful. Technology and power have come together beautifully for cruisers in the modern era, and anyone looking for one will be heavily spoiled for choice. In that vein, here are 10 badass cruiser motorcycles you could buy that blend performance and comfort perfectly.
We’ve compiled power, performance, and pricing data from official brand pages in order to best present all the information you need at your disposal.
10 Honda Rebel 1100
Honda’s Rebel cruiser motorcycle lineup, in its modern avatar, is a very appreciable group of bikes. Reliable, proven, and eye-grabbing, the Honda Rebel comes in a 300cc, 500cc, and an 1100cc variant.
Honda Rebel 1100 Pricing
The 1100cc Honda Rebel is the one to go for if you want the most out of the Rebel cruiser. Of course, its 86 horsepower figure doesn’t come by compromising on comfort, and the Rebel 1100 would keep you relaxed throughout the day.
Model lineup range: $9,499 - $11,299
Warranty: 3 years
Motorcycle Specs
Manufacturer | Honda |
Make | Rebel |
Engine Displacement | 1100 cc |
Cylinders | 2 (Parallel-Twin) |
Horsepower | 86 hp |
Torque | 72 lb-ft |
9 BMW R 18
BMW doesn’t just get their cars right, but also their motorcycles. One of the newest motorcycles from the brand is 2020’s BMW R18. Three years old right now, the R 18 is an extremely popular cruiser.
BMW R 18 Pricing
As gorgeous as it is capable, the BMW R 18 features retro styling and boasts a road presence like no other. A classic-looking cruiser bike with modern features and performance, one simply can’t go wrong with a BMW R 18.
Model lineup range: $15,995 - $19,945
Warranty: 3 Years
Motorcycle Specs
Manufacturer | BMW |
Make | R 18 |
Engine Displacement | 1,802 cc |
Cylinders | 2 |
Horsepower | 91 hp |
Torque | 116 lb-ft |
8 Harley-Davidson Road Glide
Harley-Davidson’s brand name alone is enough to make you feel confident about a cruiser bike, and the Road Glide is no exception. Crafted for long-distance touring without troubling your body in the least, the H-D Road Glide offers fantastic performance and even more impressive comfort.
Harley-Davidson Road Glide Pricing
The Road Glide is one of Harley’s most successful offerings ever, and its infotainment system and comfortable seating only make the entire experience even better.
Model lineup range: $21,999
Warranty: 2 Years
Motorcycle Specs
Manufacturer | Harley-Davidson |
Make | Road Glide |
Engine Displacement | 1,868 cc |
Cylinders | 2 |
Horsepower | 92 hp |
Torque | 110 lb-ft |
7 Indian Scout
Harley-Davidson and Indian are the first names that come to mind when thinking of a cruiser motorcycle. America’s first motorcycle manufacturer, Indian has always delivered a fantastic motorcycle with the Scout, and it is loved all over the country for its comfort, performance, and above all, its style.
Indian Scout Pricing
The 1,333 cc V-twin engine in the Indian Scout (liquid-cooled) pumps out 100 horsepower, making for more than sufficient power to go exploring the entire country without breaking a sweat.
Model lineup range: $10,749 - $13,249
Warranty: 2 Years
Motorcycle Specs
Manufacturer | Indian Motorcycle |
Make | Scout |
Engine Displacement | 1,133 cc |
Cylinders | 2 (V-Twin) |
Horsepower | 100 hp |
Torque | 72 lb-ft |
6 Indian Chief
The Scout and the FTR are some of the most popular names from the Indian brand, but the Chief stands in a class of its own when it comes to comfort. With 111 horsepower, the large engine of the Indian Chief leaves no room for complaints.
Indian Chief Pricing
With plenty of techy features to go with its comfortable stance and thumping power, the Indian Chief is a winner all around, and one look at the motorcycle will tell you exactly that.
Model lineup range: $14,999 - $21,499
Warranty: 2 Years
Motorcycle Specs
Manufacturer | Indian Motorcycle |
Make | Chief |
Engine Displacement | 1,811 cc |
Cylinders | 2 (V-Twin) |
Horsepower | 111 hp |
Torque | 108 lb-ft |
5 Harley-Davidson V-Rod Night Rod (2017)
This is one motorcycle that any list about cruisers would be incomplete without. The V-Rod Night Rod is one of the most recognizable and iconic cruisers from Harley-Davidson, and rightly so.
Harley-Davidson V-Rod Night Rod Pricing
Featuring a massive 125 horsepower, the V-Rod Night Rod had fans everywhere it went, whether you were behind the handlebars or a passer-by taking a look at it. The motorcycle also offers unparalleled comfort, with a fantastic handling and riding experience you’d never forget.
Model lineup range: $17,449
Motorcycle Specs
Manufacturer | Harley-Davidson |
Make | V-Rod Night Rod |
Horsepower | 125 hp |
Engine Displacement | 1,247 cc |
Cylinders | 2 (V-Twin) |
Torque | 84 lb-ft |
4 Honda Gold Wing
When it comes to cruisers, they simply don’t get more comfortable, reliable, and renowned than the Honda Gold Wing. Known worldwide as the go-to tourer, the Gold Wing truly needs no introduction wherever it goes.
Honda Gold Wing Pricing
If you’re looking for a passenger seat on your Honda Gold Wing, though, the base trim wouldn’t suffice, and you’d have to splurge a little extra for the Honda Gold Wing Tour, which also houses some great quality-of-life features that you wouldn’t mind having.
Model lineup range: $25-600 - $32,900
Warranty: 3 Years
Motorcycle Specs
Manufacturer | Honda |
Make | Gold Wing |
Engine Displacement | 1,833 cc |
Cylinders | 6 |
Horsepower | 125 hp |
Torque | 130 lb-ft |
3 Ducati Diavel V4
Ducatis are every motorcycle enthusiast’s desire, and in the cruiser department, the Ducati Diavel V4 won’t let anyone down. Armed with a thumping 1158 cc engine jetting out 168 horses, the Diavel is truly a speed ‘devil’, as its name suggests.
Ducati Diavel V4 Pricing
Four exhausts and monstrously intimidating looks make the Ducati Diavel V4 the ultimate cruiser motorcycle in every aspect, and it guarantees you eyeballs everywhere you turn.
Model lineup range: $26,695 - $26,995
Warranty: 2 Years
Motorcycle Specs
Manufacturer | Ducati |
Make | Diavel V4 |
Engine Displacement | 1,158 cc |
Cylinders | 4 (V4) |
Horsepower | 168 hp |
Torque | 93 lb-ft |
2 Triumph Rocket 3
The Triumph Rocket 3 is known for riding on the world’s largest production motorcycle engine. The massive 2,458cc engine arms the Rocket 3 with a whopping 165 horsepower.
Triumph Rocket 3 Pricing
In fact, the Triumph Rocket 3 makes an even more staggering 163 lb-ft of torque that leaves riders mesmerized with the utter power available to them. The entire while, of course, the Rocket 3 is pretty darn comfortable, and you couldn’t fault it even on longer road trips.
Model lineup range: $23,895 - $25,495
Warranty: 2 Years
Motorcycle Specs
Manufacturer | Triumph |
Make | Rocket 3 |
Engine Displacement | 2,458 cc |
Cylinders | 3 (Inline) |
Horsepower | 165 hp |
Torque | 163 lb-ft |
1 Yamaha VMAX (2020)
We’re not alone when we say we miss the Yamaha VMAX sorely. The 70-degree V4 engine, the unbridled power and refinement, and the beautiful looks, there simply isn’t another Yamaha VMAX.
Yamaha VMAX Pricing
Large, comfortable, and powerful, the Yamaha VMAX, in its last production year in 2020, offered great features and impressive handling, making it one of the best, most powerful cruisers money could buy.
Model lineup range: $17,999
Motorcycle Specs
Manufacturer | Yamaha |
Make | VMAX |
Engine Displacement | 1,697 cc |
Cylinders | 4 (V4) |
Horsepower | 170 hp |
Torque | 123 lb-ft |