10 Great Underrated Cruisers

[Suzuki Johnny]

The hype generated by a manufacturer’s marketing campaigns is a good way to make potential customers get to know their best motorcycles. The downside constant marketing is sometimes it leaves other good motorcycles under-promoted. This can burry even the best motorcycle six feet under in terms of popularity. Unfortunately, the cruiser segment is not safe from this problem either. Many great cruisers are unknown to the public outside the typical passionate motorcycle enthusiasts. It is a shame that these cruisers are not as popular as they should be. In some cases, overwhelming competition led to some of these cruisers getting discontinued.
Many great but overlooked cruisers are still sitting in the dealership floors today. The reason people skip over these cruisers is that sometimes they get compared to the competitors too much and too often. This scenario is especially prevalent among people who are looking for the best first motorcycle. Pricing is also an important factor that influences popularity, particularly within the beginner motorcycle market.
Related: 10 Great Cruiser Motorcycles for Beginners

Kawasaki Vulcan S
The Kawasaki Vulcan S has been unfairly compared to the Honda Rebel 500 and the Harley-Davidson Iron 883. Motov loggers often pit these bikes against each other, and in the end, they recommend the Rebel 500 for its affordability or the Iron 883 for its authenticity. Even so, the point that the Kawasaki Vulcan S is one of the best beginner cruisers still stands. Its performance is better than most beginner cruisers. The nice power delivery and its adjustable ergonomics are factors worthy of contemplation before you pick up any other beginner motorcycle.
Kawasaki Vulcan S specs and price
Engine
649 cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin
Final Drive
Chain
Horsepower
61 horsepower
Torque

43 pound-feet
Price
$7,349 / $7,899 (ABS model)

Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650
As India’s champion motorcycle manufacturer, Royal Enfield managed to challenge Harley-Davidson’s expansion in India. Royal Enfield might be more known for the Classic 350 and the Himalayan, but you are missing an opportunity to ride a solid cruiser if you skip the Super Meteor 650. Royal Enfield poses a serious challenge in the middleweight cruiser class. Especially, for summer 2023 when Royal Enfield is going to release the bike in the US market. This is quite the accomplishment for Royal Enfield, having repelled Harley-Davidson out of India, and now they strengthen their foothold in the US. The Super Meteor 650 received modern features like its upside-down Showa front forks, an LED headlight, and a turn-by-turn navigation system.
Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 specs and price
Engine
648 cc, air/oil-cooled, parallel-twin
Final Drive
Chain
Horsepower
46.4 horsepower
Torque
38.6 pound-feet
Price
$7,629 (estimated)

Harley-Davidson Street 750
Surprisingly, even a Harley-Davidson can suffer from poor sales. Harley-Davidson officially discontinued the Street 750 after about seven years in production. This is wild when you know that Harley bikes typically stay in the market for way longer, for instance the Iron 883. Many thought that the Street 750 was not a true Harley-Davidson cruiser, which might have been one of the reasons Harley stopped making it. Honestly, that statement is highly disputable as the Harley-Davidson Street 750 offered great performance for a middleweight cruiser. The bike actually offered better power output than the Iron 883. On top of that, the bike handles perfectly well for a cruiser.
Harley-Davidson Street 750 specs and price
Engine
749 cc, liquid-cooled, V-twin
Final Drive
Belt
Horsepower
64 horsepower
Torque
45.5 pound-feet
Price
$7,599 (2020 price)


Triumph America
The Triumph America seemed to always live in the shadows of the more famous Triumph Bonneville. Even though the two motorcycles shared a similar classic styling, the more laid-back Triumph America had to yield before the Bonneville. Even worse, the Triumph America had to compete with genuine American cruisers from Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycles in the USA. The parallel twin engine with a 270° crank gave the Triumph America a sound similar to the galloping sound V-twins have, but without the complication. Triumph engineered the engine to be under-stressed, and designed the engine to withstand the harsh British winter and beach side roads.
Triumph America specs and price
Engine
865 cc, air-cooled, parallel-twin
Final Drive
Chain
Horsepower
61 horsepower
Torque
53.1 pound-feet
Price
$8,399 (2015 price)

Yamaha Bolt
Among Japanese cruisers, the Yamaha Bolt is the one that offers the best classic bobber style. The bike is clearly an attempt by Yamaha to compete in the American market. But, by doing so, they pit the Bolt in direct competitors against the Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight. In the global market, the Bolt’s greatest rival is the recent Honda Rebel 1100. Motorcycle reviewers love comparing these three cruisers. Against the Sportster, the Yamaha Bolt has to prove its authentic cruiser experience. While compared to the Rebel 1100, people often weigh up which one has the better handling. The Bolt generally comes on top in as the better cruiser for value as the price has remained largely unchanged since its introduction in 2013. The current R-Spec model is available as Yamaha’s top heritage option.
Yamaha Bolt specs and price
Engine
942 cc, air-cooled, V-twin
Final Drive
Belt
Horsepower
65 horsepower
Torque
59.3 pound-feet
Price
$8,899 (2023 Bolt R spec price)

Suzuki Boulevard C50
Most people prefer a full-sized cruiser. The Japanese bikes have various options, but most of them will make a bigger rider feels cramped and uncomfortable. However, the Suzuki C50 is sizable enough to take on bigger riders. Although the engine is only 800 cc or 50 cubic inches, as in the name, the bike has full-sized cruiser dimension. Because of its size, you can sit comfortably with a good posture, the riding position is comparable to Harley-Davidson’s Ultra Classic. The C50 is essentially an upgraded version of the old Suzuki Volusia. In the metric cruiser market, the bigger Vulcan 900 outshines the smaller C50. Although the C50 seems to be outdated, as expected from a Suzuki, it offers solid value.
Suzuki Boulevard C50 specs and price
Engine
805 cc, liquid-cooled, V-twin
Final Drive
Shaft
Horsepower
45.1 horsepower
Torque
45.7 pound-feet
Price
$8,909

Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 voyager
Some people might oversimplify cruisers as sofas on two wheels with a rumbling engine underneath. Motorcycle manufacturers engineer their cruiser engines to be under-stressed, so they can run continuously at a high speed for a longer period. Put some bags, a windshield, and a small fairing then you get a bagger. Baggers, or touring cruisers, like the Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Voyager, are perfect for a long distance road trips. The American motorcycle market is teeming with this kind of motorcycle. The Voyager must compete with Harley-Davidson’s Road Glide and Indian’s Road Master. Even among the big Japanese cruisers, the competition is fierce for the Voyager with the Honda Gold Wing as the boss of the Japanese touring class. However, the Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Voyager is the only one that costs less than $20,000, what a steal!
Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Voyager specs and price
Engine
1700 cc, liquid-cooled, V-twin
Final Drive
Carbon fiber-reinforced belt
Horsepower
72.4 horsepower
Torque
107.6 pound-feet
Price
$19,299


Harley-Davidson VRSCR Street Rod
The VRSCR lineup came with liquid-cooled engine which was unheard of at the time (from Harley-Davidson). The VRSCR Street Rod was Harley’s take on a roadster motorcycle. This bike was their attempt to reach for better reception among Europeans. That explains the sharper steering and sportier features. The VRSCR Street Rod attracted many new buyers, and the bike featured the Revolution engine which was a result of collaboration between Harley-Davidson and Porsche. However, many die hard Harley-Davidson fans were not too keen on this bike.
Harley-Davidson VRSCR Street Rod specs and price
Engine
1130 cc, liquid-cooled, V-twin
Final Drive
Belt
Horsepower
120 horsepower
Torque
95.6 pound-feet
Price
$15,495 (2006 price)

BMW R 18
American cruisers are identical with air-cooled V-twins and their unique galloping sound. On the contrary, Japanese cruisers often prioritize performance and efficiency with their sport bike derived engines. BMW on the other hand brings its own character to the cruiser market. The boxer engine configuration is synonymous with BMW. The powerhouse of the BMW R 18 is a massive 1800 cc boxer twin engine. With its displacement and configuration, it means each piston has 900 cc to work with. Plus, the protruding boxer engine puts the bike in a weight balance predicament. However, BMW with its cold-hearted engineering somehow managed to pull this off. But, that can be a double-edged sword as it is so well-engineered that many say it lacks personality.
BMW R 18 specs and price
Engine
1802 cc, air/oil-cooled, boxer-twin
Final Drive
Shaft
Horsepower
91 horsepower
Torque
116 pound-feet
Price
$14,995

Honda Shadow
The Honda Shadow lineup comes with a pair of cruisers, the Shadow Phantom and the Shadow Aero. Both bikes have the same engine with different styling. In the midst of middleweight cruiser competition, the Honda Shadow is criminally underrated. Similar to the Triumph America, the Honda Shadow suffered from a string of bad luck dating back to its first release. In 1983 the USA put import restrictions on Japanese motorcycle that exceed 700 cc. Honda had to comply and shrink the engine for two years until there was deregulation. Throughout its long-lasting production run, the Honda Shadow has never reached the same heights as their scooters and sport bikes.

Honda Shadow specs and price
Engine
745 cc, liquid-cooled, V-twin
Final Drive
Shaft
Horsepower
44.6 horsepower
Torque
47.9 pound-feet
Price
$8,399 (Phantom) $7,949 (Aero)

[MadCow]

For teh record, for a beginner bike, I have always recommended the Honda Rebel